First thoughts on the character of Jo in Mellowing

Jo is Kitts younger sister. They do not look alike. In fact, quite often people ask how they can be brother & sister. They find that rude. Why do they need to know? It is one of those things that only tactless people ask. That annoys Jo. 

Jo often offers wonderful advice to Kitt. Only when he is alone though. Not in front of others. 

At one point she divulges to Matty that I “hope he sticks around longer than the others” Kitt is a good person really”. She believes it. “He was really special as a kid. Maybe he got a little too much praise. “He was this special kid, with all of this talent. Civilian life has been hard for him.”

She speaks in a far posher voice then Kitt. A fact she attributes to years of living in London. Jo does her time, comes around to see Kitt & is calming as he frantically moves around trying to show her all the great things he is doing. 

She has the ability to strip Kitt down & really shut him up. He goes red when this happens however she will play the younger, less experienced sister whenever anyone else is present. A capable manipulator but not to control another person rather to improve a social situation for all involved. Most people like her for it. Matty likes her for it. He finds her funny.

Jo’s recent sale/merger of her beauty brand fell through. It is a high-class problem that has left her in the same financial position as Kitt even though he never tried. We see this because I want to show that hard things are hard and just because you try does not mean you will succeed. She just wants to make great things for people & get paid for that. 

Jo meditates. It's no big deal but she does. It's never used as some hack joke. Matty goes off the rails & Kitt tells him he should meditate. He explains what meditation is even though he has never done it. Kitt says “everything is a meditation. This conversation is a meditation” he says as he drops something & shouts “fuck!” 

Jo is a charming nihilist. She says it truthfully and with love but can take it too far. People have burst into tears. She will continue until that person has experienced euphoric catharsis. She resumes everyone needs a bit of catharsis. One day she'll crack Kitt. 

“We are all going to die. I do not mean this as a joke. You will die. Your parents will die. How old are your parents? 65. Okay, consider them dead now. It will be easier when they die at some point soon. Most likely in the next 10-11 years. Because that is going to happen and you will be sat somewhere just as you are sat here now and you will get a call and you will know something is wrong before you answer. An intuition. You won’t know why. Maybe its because your sister, do you have a sister? (Matty nods), is calling you at 11.03am on a Tuesday. Why would she possibly call you at 11.03? Who apart from students & stockbrokers calls another person at 11.03 on a Tuesday morning? So you freeze and don’t answer and you let it go to voicemail. You feel guilty about that so you ring back. You cant get through, maybe they are leaving you a voicemail? You don’t listen to voicemails so that annoys you. Then you remember your sister knows that. So why would she leave you a voicemail? You check to see if one has come through. Not yet. You hang up & try calling again. Engaged. You hang up & call again, your heart is racing, are you sweating? You don’t seem to be breathing. Eventually, your hand cramps & you clench your fist & release. Your sister calls again & you answer- “Helen!” you half scream breathlessly… My sister's name is “Sarah”… “Helen,” you say “what is it? What's wrong? How’s Mum?” - “She’s fine! Thank you, brother. Don’t ask how I am whatever you do! She would just love to hear from you by the way. I was just calling about Christmas. How much are you spending? Dad is asking everyone to set a 5pound limit again. I have told him he should just leave it up to us but you know how he can be. Matty. Matty. Are you there? Is everything okay? Matty!?” Jo leaves. Matty is in shock, close to a panic attack. Sweating. He looks down at his phone. Helen is calling.