SCENE 1: SUBURBAN STREET. DAY. A MAN (MR ROBINSON) IS DRIVING HIS CAR ALONG THE STREET - HE SEEMS HAPPY. ALL OF A SUDDEN A BLACK CAT WANDERS INTO THE ROAD AND ROBINSON TRIES TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION BUT RUNS IT OVER AND CRASHES INTO A WALL.
SCENE 2: MR ROBINSON IS STOOD AT THE GATES OF HEAVEN WITH THE CAT. THEY SHARE ANNOYED GLANCES AS HE PRESSES THE BELL.
ROBINSON: Huh, a fine day this is turning out to be.
A VOICE COMES ONTO A CRACKLY INTERCOM.
ST PETER: Hello?
ROBINSON: Wha-? Who's that
ST PETER: St. Peter. Who are you?
ROBINSON: The name's Robinson. This place is looking an awful lot like heaven - am I dead?
ST PETER: I'd say that was fair bet, wouldn't you?
THERE'S A PAUSE
ROBINSON: Well? Are you going let me in?
ST PETER: (SIGHS) What, now? It's the weekend - can't you come back tomorrow?
ROBINSON: Look mate, it's bad enough I'm here at all so don't...
ST PETER: Alright, alright - I'll be there in a minute.
ROBINSON AGAIN LOOKS AT THE CAT WHO STARES BACK MENACINGLY WITH REDENING EYES
ROBINSON: Don't you go giving me evils - it's because of your blatant disregard of the highway code that I'm stood on this lousy cloud in first place. If you don't like it there's a perfectly good fire you can curl up in front of downstairs.
CUT TO A SHOT OF THE DEVIL SAT IN AN ARMCHAIR IN FRONT OF A ROARING FIRE WITH HIS FEET UP READING THE PAPER. THE ROOM IS GLOWING RED
CUT BACK TO THE GATES OF HEAVEN BEING UNLOCKED AND SEE ST PETER STOOD ON THE OTHERSIDE IN HIS DRESSING GOWN
ROBINSON: About time.
ST PETER: What do you want?
ROBINSON: (EXASPERATED) God almighty!
ST PETER: He's not working today. Sunday.
ROBINSON: No, it's you I need to see apparently.
ST PETER: (MUTTERS) Make up your bloody mind...
ST PETER REFERS TO A CLIPBOARD. HE FLICKS THROUGH THE PAGES WITH A PUZZLED LOOK ON HIS FACE
ST PETER: What was the name again? Robson?
ROBINSON: Robinson!
ST PETER: Ah yes, here we are. This your first time?
ROBINSON: Of course it is! I haven't died before.
ST PETER: Ah, a virgin death. You're the first we've had in a while actually - reincarnation is very popular at the moment. Tiddles here is a bit of regular.
ROBINSON: What? That sour puss?
ST PETER: Yep. Your fifth time isn't it Tiddles.
ST PETER: (TO ROBINSON) Nine lives y'see. Between you and me I think he's getting a bit bored of all the to-ing and fro-ing.
TIDDLES IS STILL SCOWLING
ST PETER: I can't deny we do need to streamline the process a bit. There's quite a lot of paperwork to fill in and it's a bloody long walk back to Earth from here especially if the lift isn't working. Which it isn't.
ST PETER: (TO TIDDLES) OK, can have your loyalty card please. I'll just stamp that so you can get your free saucer of milk in the cafe. One more trip and you'll be on to the cream. (SMILES)
TIDDLES WANDERS THROUGH THE GATES
ROBINSON: Loyalty card?
ST PETER: Yeah, it was God's idea - people were saying that heaven wasn't all it was cracked up to be so they wanted to cancel the contract and go back to have another go at life. The card is just something he introduced to try and persuade them to stick around for a while...and it does give you 5% off at the gift shop.
ROBINSON: (UNIMPRESSED) Nice.
ST PETER: (SADLY) Doesn't seem to be working unfortunately. If you want my opinion there seems to be bugger all to live for down there either especially with this credit crunch malarky. Certainly make's my life difficult when they turn up again at the pearly gates I can tell you - I have a helluva job getting them to pay their subs.
ROBINSON: You know what? I don't think I'll bother now.
ST PETER: Eh?
ROBINSON: I don't think I can stand all the red tape. Why don't you just turn a blind eye and let me go back. Give me a second chance.
ST PETER: Well, I don't know...
ROBINSON: I'm still outside the gates remember - it will save you on the old admin. Just drop me off back my car and we'll say no more about it.
ST PETER: It would be highly irregular...
ROBINSON: You'd get your Sunday back.
THERE'S A PAUSE
ST PETER: Aw, sod it - let's do it!
ST PETER SCREWS UP THE FORM AND THROWS IT AWAY. THE SCREEN FADES TO WHITE.
SCENE3: BACK ON THE STREET WHERE THE ORIGINAL ACCIDENT TOOK PLACE. WE SEE ROBINSON EMERGING FROM THE CRASHED CAR UNSCATHED.
ROBINSON: Bastard. He might at least have got the car repaired.
HE TRUDGES OFF DOWN THE ROAD AND ABSENT MINDEDLY CROSSES THE STREET ONLY TO SEE ANOTHER CAR BEARING DOWN ON HIM WITH TIDDLES BEHIND THE WHEEL. THERE IS AN ALMIGHTY CRASH.
SCENE 4: MR ROBINSON IS AGAIN STOOD AT THE GATES OF HEAVEN WITH THE CAT. THEY SHARE ANNOYED GLANCES AS HE PRESSES THE BELL.
ROBINSON: Hello?
ST PETER: We're closed!
ENDS