PITY THE CHILD

Freddie jogs into the lobby, colliding with Florence who enters with a porter who pushes her luggage on a trolley.

FLORENCE
Oh...I...I was just....

FREDDIE
Moving back? Oh no...how stupid of me...you're moving out! Is it worth packing everything? You'll be back --

(He changes tone -- attempts a reconciliation.)


DEPARTURE 1

FREDDIE(continuing; indicating himself)
SILLY BOY
(indicating Florence)
WOMAN WHO
I SHOULD NOT HAVE LET WALK OUT
THERE'S NO HITCH
THAT WE TWO
CAN'T UNTANGLE OR TALK OUT.

(He sits her on her luggage and wheels the trolley across the stage.)

AND IF WE DO, PARTNER
THEN WE TWO, PARTNER
HAVE THE WORLD AT OUR FEET
WE'LL BRING BACK THE GOLDEN ERA
STICK WITH ME, FLORENCE
BELIEVE IN ME, FLORENCE
I CAN WIN, YOU CAN WIN
EVERY GAME I'M GETTING NEARER.

FLORENCE
CAN'T YOU SEE WE'VE MOVED ON?
CHESS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS!

Freddie, grow up. Chess isn't life. Life isn't chess!

FREDDIE
But I can win! I can win for you and you can help me. I love you, Florence.

FLORENCE
I don't want the winner of a game. You've never understood what I wanted.

Florence leaves. Freddie, distraught, yells after her.)

FREDDIE
And you never understood what I wanted! But you can't stop me getting it, Florence (he is starting to lose control) - you can't stop me winning! I've always been a winner!


PITY THE CHILD

FREDDIE
WHEN I WAS NINE I LEARNED SURVIVAL
TAUGHT MYSELF NOT TO CARE
I WAS MY SINGLE GOOD COMPANION
TAKING MY COMFORT THERE
UP IN MY ROOM I PLANNED MY CONQUESTS
ON MY OWN -- NEVER ASKED FOR A HELPING HAND
NO ONE WOULD UNDERSTAND
I NEVER ASKED THE PAIR WHO FOUGHT BELOW
JUST IN CASE THEY SAID NO.

PITY THE CHILD WHO HAS AMBITION
KNOWS WHAT HE WANTS TO DO
KNOWS THAT HE'LL NEVER FIT THE SYSTEM
OTHERS EXPECT HIM TO
PITY THE CHILD WHO KNEW HIS PARENTS
SAW THEIR FAULTS, SAW THEIR LOVE DIE BEFORE HIS EYES
PITY A CHILD THAT WISE
HE NEVER ASKED DID I CAUSE YOUR DISTRESS?
JUST IN CASE THEY SAID YES.

WHEN I WAS TWELVE MY FATHER MOVED OUT
LEFT WITH A WHIMPER -- NOT WITH A SHOUT
I DIDN'T MISS HIM -- HE MADE IT PERFECTLY CLEAR
I WAS A FOOL AND PROBABLY QUEER
FOOL THAT I WAS I THOUGHT THIS WOULD BRING
THOSE HE HAD LEFT CLOSER TOGETHER
SHE MADE HER MOVE THE MOMENT HE WALKED AWAY
I WAS THE LAST THE WOMAN TOLD
SHE NEVER LET HER BED GET COLD
SOMEONE MOVED IN -- I SHUT MY DOOR
SOMEONE TO TREAT HER JUST THE SAME WAY AS BEFORE.

I TOOK THE ROAD OF LEAST RESISTANCE
I HAD MY GAME TO PLAY
I HAD THE SKILL, AND MORE -- THE HUNGER
EASY TO GET AWAY

PITY THE CHILD WITH NO SUCH WEAPONS
NO DEFENCE, NO ESCAPE FROM THE TIES THAT BIND
ALWAYS A STEP BEHIND
I NEVER CALLED TO TELL HER ALL I'D DONE
I WAS ONLY HER SON!

(The Two Children interrupt Freddie’s reverie with a request for autographs. He obliges, then finishes song.)

PITY THE CHILD BUT NOT FOREVER
HE NEEDN'T STAY THAT WAY
HE CAN GET ALL HE EVER WANTED
IF HE'S PREPARED TO PAY
PITY INSTEAD THE CARELESS MOTHER
WHAT SHE MISSED,
WHAT SHE LOST WHEN SHE LET ME GO
AND I WONDER DOES SHE KNOW
I WOULDN'T CALL - A CRAZY THING TO DO
JUST IN CASE SHE SAID WHO?