Pure Poetry Lockie Leonard

# Worlds away from anyone

# They were burning themselves out in the sun

# Worlds away from anyone

# They were burning themselves out in the sun

# There was just enough to get that far away

# Ooh... #

'Every now and then, the planets change position,

'for no good reason, they just do,

'and suddenly life is simple.

'It's as if, for once, the whole world is speaking

'a language you totally understand.

'After a full-on couple of weeks, I was back in control.

'No more environment to save, no more girl troubles.

'No more complications.

'Take Boof, for example, our arrangement was simple

'and easy to understand - Boof gave me grief,

'I out-surfed him.'

'Yep, the universe had made my life simple again.

'Unfortunately, it forgot to have a word with my hormones.'

SIRENS BLARE

And the Hip! Hop! Hap! Of the clap Of the hands

To the swirl and the twirl...

'Do you think my hormones cared I had absolutely no chance of getting

'back with Vicki Streeton?

'No, sorry, no listening.'

To the twirl and the swirl Of the girl gone glancing

Chancing, dancing Backing and advancing

Snapping of a clapper to the spin Out and in

And the Ting, Tong, Tang, of the Guitar.

GIGGLING

Do you remember an inn, Miranda?

Do you remember an inn?

Um, my name's Lockie.

LAUGHTER

Have you been listening at all?

-No, neither have my hormones.

-LAUGHTER

So, having trouble concentrating?

Sorry?

Look, I realise you must be pretty upset about Dot dropping you.

If it's any comfort, it doesn't get any simpler

and women - girls -

-they're tricky creatures to understand.

-Couldn't agree more.

They can be a major distraction, but

I find a hobby or an interest helps, you know, keeps you focused.

So, you're not into poetry, you're shocking at maths,

and hopeless at woodwork, so...

what else does Lockie Leonard like?

'Vicki Streeton, but I wasn't saying that to my ex-girlfriend's uncle.'

There's nothing else. Just surfing.

Got it!

Form a board riders' association, right here at school.

Well, beats trying to get your head around girls.

Hold the press, Vicki Streeton's got the lead in the Nutcracker Suite.

Nutcracker? What's that about?

It's a fairy tale romance

about a girl whose Christmas toy transforms into a prince,

only for a cruel twist of fate to return him to his original form.

We should try and get to that, make it a family night out.

Good idea! Family night out. What do you say, Lockie?

Excellent idea, Sarge.

Except I'm sort of busy setting up this board riders' association.

Ah, yes, well that is a big responsibility.

Ah well, maybe next time.

'Yes, this board riders' association was a winner already.

'Everything was gonna be cruisy from here on.'

OK, serious talk time.

I received a very...

disturbing call from Miss Twaddle

about your poetry lesson.

Disappointed isn't the word.

Aghast is more like it.

How could you not enjoy poetry?

It's in your genes.

I guess I've just got more important stuff to think about.

More important than poetry? What could be more important than poetry?

Poetry...can change people's lives,

it can mend differences,

help people fall in love.

Poetry is the language of romance.

-Isn't that right, Joy? Poetry - language of...

-Romance.

..romance. What's the problem, son?

-Having trouble understanding the language of romance, hmm?

-He is!

Otherwise Dot wouldn't have dumped him.

-I was gonna dump her first!

-Oh, now, that's gotta hurt.

It's only natural after being so horribly rejected.

I was not rejected! And I'm not hurt!

And I'm not interested in poetry!

It's not like it's ever going to be useful!

'As soon as I said it, I wished I could swallow the words back.'

You mustn't blame yourself, Sarge.

Maybe I should have read him more Dr Seuss.

A Leonard without poetry, it's akin to a forest without trees,

an ocean without water, a room without a view.

There must be something we can do, Joy.

Maybe there is, Sarge.

When was the last time you read me a love poem?

This morning, don't you remember?

No, I meant in public.

Maybe Lockie just needs to see the power of poetry

on the Leonard lips.

You should read some of these poems, Lock.

They're inspired!

No wonder women love this stuff.

You should listen to what Sarge says,

unless you want your next girlfriend to dump you too.

Night, Philip.

'Tonight I just want to forget about Vicki and girls

'and the language of romance, all that confusing stuff.'

'Come on, Lockie, dream of something simple, something you understand,

'like the Board Riders' Association or surfing.

'Or even Boof!'

Look at you, my princess, poised and perfect.

I know you're going to make me proud.

Don't worry, Mum, I'm gonna dance my legs off for you.

I know you will, my princess.

You never disappoint me.

DEMON VOICE: Unlike some children.

AAAHHH!

'OK, I didn't need a dream to tell me I had to make it up to Sarge.

'I just needed a plan, like Philip.'

"And one was there, a stripling on a small and weedy beast

"He was something like a racehorse undersized

"With a touch of Timor pony - three parts thoroughbred at least

"And such as are by mountain horsemen prized..."

Good, yeah, terrific. Well done, Philip.

-Really enjoyed it.

-Whoa, whoa, Lisa.

He hasn't finished yet.

Go on, Philip, "He was hard..."

"He was hard and tough and wiry

"Just the sort that won't say die."

Do you have to be a surf-rat to join?

I mean, can you be a metal head?

Being able to swim might be useful, Egg.

-Hang on! Dude, you can't put these up!

-Why not?

-Read the initials!

-B-R-A?

Which spells...?

-Board Riders' Association?

-Have a closer look!

B-R-A. Bra.

-Bra! Ah!

-CRUNCH!

Are you OK?

Why don't you watch where you're going?

-It was an accident.

-You sure you're all right?

-I'm fine.

-You can't be too careful.

I had a friend who broke her metatarsal - she never danced again.

-She broke her what?

-Metatarsal. A tiny bone in your foot.

-And if Vicki's broken it...

-"She never danced again."

Really?

Good going, Leonard. What else could go wrong?

Welcome to the first meeting

of Angelus High Board Riders' Association.

Board Riders' Association! Check it out! B-R-A, it's bra!

THEY LAUGH And you're looking at me because...?

THEY LAUGH

And you're looking at me because?

Good move, Bra Boy. You'd better get the best surfer in the school, huh?

Lockie's already here, genius.

Hilarious. Excuse me while I wet myself.

Fine. And when you're done, feel free to join up.

Join up? Think I might do more than that.

Think I wanna be president.

Hey! It's Lockie's club. If anyone's gonna be president, it's him.

Prepare to lose, Leonard.

Bring it on...Boof.

BELL RINGS

We'll sort this out tomorrow. Same time. Same place.

I'll be here.

'With one disaster postponed till tomorrow,

'I decided to see how Vicki was.'

Arms out.

'And how was she?

'Totally gorgeous. That's how.

'Until she started dancing...'

Step back, forward, pirouette...

Ow.

'Argh! How many kinds of bad can I feel at once?

'Whose life would I ruin next?'

Who did it? Wait until your father finds out, he'll kill him!

And if he doesn't...

DEMON VOICE: ..I will!

What you may not realise, Lockie, is that poetry can be very powerful.

It's what made me take another look at your father.

Oh! He had such a way with words.

Mum, are you OK? Your arm's kinda twitching there.

Oh, no! Nothing wrong here.

I was just saying, Lockie, that

-your father, the Sarge...

-TOILET FLUSHES

..had such a way with words.

"Shall I compare thee with a summer's day?"

Sarge?

"Thou art more lovely and more temperate...

"..when rough winds do shake the darling buds of May."

Lisa couldn't stop raving about my rendition of

The Man From Snowy River.

I think she's ready to commit.

'My ten-year-old brother

'knows more about the language of romance than I do!

'Am I the only one in this family who doesn't understand it?'

What about you, Cyril?

BAAAA!

'I woke up the next day determined to be positive.

'I mean, bad luck can't go on for ever, right?'

The way I figure it, Vicki's foot's just bruised -

be sore for a bit, that's all.

-Just like one of those 12-hour things.

-Or a 12,000-hour thing.

Perfect(!)

Now she'll never want to talk to me ever again.

I thought you had already reached that stage.

'Hello? What was that supposed to mean? I'd ruined her life

'and she's winking at me?

'At least with Boof I knew exactly what was what.

'I wanted to be president, he wanted to grind my chances into the dirt.

'Pure and simple.'

Let's get this over with, like tearing off a band-aid.

'Nope, no complications here.'

Hands up all those in favour of Boof for president.

Boof! Boof! Boof!

Let's finish this.

All those in favour...

for Lockie.

Sure, it would have been nice to win,

but I'm still the best surfer in the group.

-Definitely no complications here.

-DOOR OPENS

What do you want?

Lockie for president.

All those in favour?

That's a clear majority for Leonard!

Why'd you do that?

Do what?

Vote for me.

Maybe it was my way of thanking you.

But I broke your foot, you might never dance again.

Maybe I don't wanna dance any more. Maybe I never wanted to be a dancer.

The only reason I did it was because Mum made me.

When you stood on my foot it gave me the perfect way out.

There's so many tiny bones in your foot, it's real easy to fake.

'John East was right. Girls are so tricky.

'How was anyone supposed to understand them?

'But at least she was talking to me again.

'Quick, brain, think of something to say.

'Scan the files for a conversation subject.

'Surf? That's not gonna cut it.

'Are you kidding? Next!

'Sorry, Cyril.

'Argh!

'Wait, hold on! This could work.'

What about your Mum?

Sorry?

What did you tell your mum?

Don't worry, I didn't tell her it was you, I said it was an accident.

Isn't she disappointed, though?

-She'll get over it.

-But you were the lead role.

I only got the lead role

because Dad's car yard's sponsoring the show. I didn't deserve it.

You're the best surfer at school, you deserve to be president.

Just don't tell anyone, OK?

OK. Not a soul.

Hey, heard about you and Dot.

Sorry.

'Vicki knew I existed again

'and it felt great.

'It's strange, just when you think you understand someone,

'they surprise you.'

A MAN SHOUTS

What's the use of this sort of stuff?

'I couldn't hear what Boof's dad was saying,

'but I'm guessing it wasn't, "I'm proud of you, Son, no matter what."

'Some families have poetry in their genes - apparently,

'while others, they have bullying.'

Oh! That is so good! President - you, president!

Oh, that is so wonderful! Isn't it just so wonderful?!

Great to see you putting your mind to something, son.

Thanks, Sarge.

And I know there are more important things than surfing,

like poetry,

and I promise I'll try harder to understand them better.

I am so proud of you, no matter what. Just remember,

poetry is in everything.

It's everywhere, it's in the air we breathe.

We just have to look for it. KNOCK AT DOOR

I'll get it.

Hey, Philip, I found this at the movie store,

it's the movie of Man From Snowy River.

You seemed so passionate about the poem.

I'm passionate about many things, Lisa. Thank you very much.

Apparently it's a masterpiece of Australian cinema,

we should watch it together some time.

-How are you placed for tonight?

-I don't think that's possible.

Why? Why is it so impossible?

-Because the DVD player's broken.

-Oh, of course.

-I knew that.

-I can't tonight, anyway, I've got plans.

CAR HORN HONKS

Anyway, I better run.

They could be neighbours

going to the same video shop to return their movies...

Night, Philip.

..or she could be going to his house to watch a movie with him,

and what did she do first? She came here.

Night, Philip.

I was the one she bought the DVD for, with her own money

and it all started with a poem.

Night, Philip.

Sarge is right, the language of romance, it works every time.

'Let's get this straight,

'I stepped on Vicki's foot and then, suddenly,

'both her and Sasha get what they want. It's official,

'Girls make no sense.

'Luckily, I had other less confusing things to distract me.

'Like the Board Riders' Association's

'first surf-off competition.

'I was psyched. This was going to be the sporting event of the year.

'The highlight of the surfing calendar.

'OK, so it wasn't exactly the Bells Beach classic,

'but who cares, everyone who mattered turned up.

'And the most important thing was,

'we were all there to enjoy the surfing and have a good time.

'Well, almost everyone.'

So, Lockie, shall we get this party started?

Sounds good.

All right, let's do it.

'So, this is me, Boof and the other surfers through the heats.

'It took a while, so here's the highlights package.'

HONK!

'After four knock-out rounds,

'it was only Boof and I left, tied for the lead.

'which meant only one thing -

'sudden death.

'Like I said before, with me and Boof, the arrangement is simple,

'easy to understand. He gives me grief, then I out-surf him.

'But now, things with Boof weren't so simple...'

What's the use of this sort of stuff, bend it like a blade of grass.

Know what you are?

'..and I knew what I had to do.'

'This wave coming up, it'd guarantee me victory.

'and the other day I would have taken it, but not today.

'Just this once, maybe Boof deserved to win.'

Yeah! Keep it up, son!

Yeah!

CHEERING AND WHISTLING

Ah, yes. Good boy!

-Well done, Boof.

-Good on ya, son!

Hey, Leonard! You might cheat your way to being president,

but who's the best surfer, eh?

You, Boof.

Come on!

'The way I figured it, I had already won.'

Well done, son.

Thanks, Dad. I gave it all I had.

Oh! You hear that, Joy? A rhyming couplet.

All is not lost. Told you poetry was in the genes.

Aw, family hug!

I can't believe I'm sitting here like some dumb adoring surf chick.

Again.

I thought it was really great how you ended it.

What? Us?

No, the surf-off with Boof - how you let him win.

I didn't let him win.

You're too good a surfer to have missed that wave.

You handed it to him on purpose. You've grown up, Lockie Leonard.

Really? You think so?

It was bound to happen eventually. I just had to be patient.

'This was it. It was now or never.

'I had to tell Vicki how I felt, speak the language of romance.

'But how do you speak a language you don't understand?'

Poetry is in everything.

It's everywhere. It's in the air we breathe.

We just have to look for it.

Your hair smells like strawberry topping.

Excuse me?

That Mum buys, when she goes shopping.

'Go on, don't give up!

'Keep looking, there has to be poetry here somewhere.'

Your eyes are nice and blue,

like water, that is blue...

too!

I know this poem is really dumb,

but from now on, I promise I'll try harder to understand.

I'm crazy about you, Vicki.

'Sarge was right, poetry can change people's lives.

The poem needs work,

but you can kiss me again if you like.

'And just like that, it was as if the planets had shifted again.

'Suddenly Vicki and I understood each other

'and it was a beautiful thing, just like poetry.'

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