1 December 2021

Garry is looking uncommonly smart today

Mark is having a cup of tea when Garry comes in through the back door;  he has asked Mark for the loan of a belt, 

"I hate plastic belts!"

and comments, “I hate plastic belts!”

"As long as you don't show the magistrates your pants"

“Does it matter?   As long as you don’t show the magistrates your pants,” Mark replies, adding that he is going to the court with Garry, and has even swapped his shifts.   “It’s the least I can do, all right?   You’ve kept my name out of this – and if you get a fine, I’m willing to contribute.”   

Garry just hopes that it will not be too much;  “If you do get more, I’m happy to look after your assets while you’re eating porridge,” Mark goes on, 

"It won't come to that, Mark"

but Garry is confident it will not come to that.   He decides they had better go, as the last thing he wants is to be late.

"Slow down, DJ"

At breakfast time in Penrhewl, Eileen tells DJ to slow down or he will burn his mouth.   

"You're still here, then?"

Sioned comes in, grumbling, “Oh, you’re still here, then.”   

"DJ, sit down!"

In an attempt to defuse the situation, DJ is about to go, but he is told to sit down by Eileen.

"He lives and works here"

“Of course he’s still here – he lives and works here,” Eileen informs Sioned, so she asks where that leaves her.   

"We didn't hear from you for ages!"

“Do you live and work here?” her mother demands, “You disappeared and we didn’t hear from you for ages!”

Sioned growls that was because he was messing with her mind, 

"We kissed"

and DJ explains, “We kissed,” which Sioned scathingly describes as another mistake.

“Do you understand why I had to leave now?   And why things are a bit awkward?” Sioned goes on.   Eileen is aware that she has been through a lot lately, 

"Do you remember what he did to me?"

but Sioned shouts, “Do you remember what he did to me?”

Eileen makes it clear to her that DJ is doing all the farm work, 

DJ tries to escape, again without success

and again DJ attempts to make a break for freedom, but once again is instructed to sit down.   

"You need to pull your weight, Sioned!"

“It’s about time you decided what you want – and you need to pull your weight!” says Eileen.

"Who's more important to you – him or me?"

Sioned counters with, “And you need to remember who’s important – go on, choose!   Who’s more important to you – him or me?”   DJ tries to intervene in the argument, and once more is overruled.   “Are you really going to choose him?   Over your own daughter?” Sioned demands, 

Eileen remains silent

and is told all that she needs to know by her mother’s frosty silence.   “Thanks, Mam!” Sioned snarls and walks out of the room.

"No, I've already got one, Hywel"

At Llwyncelyn, Gaynor refuses the offer of a cup of coffee from Hywel;  then he suggests, “I was going to have a croissant,” but she does not want that either.   

"I said a lot of nasty things"

“Listen, Gaynor, I said a lot of nasty things the other day – it wasn’t fair on you.”

"You said how you felt"

She acknowledges that he said how he felt, and he accepts that she has every right to grieve in whichever way she wants.   

She has bought a replacement coat

She opens a parcel which has just been delivered, and takes out a replacement coat.

“You’ve bought another one?” he says, amazed, 

"I can grieve in whichever way I want"

and she answers that he said she can grieve in whichever way she wants.   

"You can't spend your way through this"

He argues, “But you can’t spend your way through this.”

"It makes me happy, doesn't it?"

“I know, but it makes me happy, doesn’t it?” she says, “Going for a walk to the village would also make me happy – do you want to come with me?”   

"Be careful with this Tyler stuff"

Rhys has just come downstairs and his father would like a word with him;  “Listen, be careful with this Tyler stuff – spilling his heart online could damage your online business.”

Rhys announces that he is way ahead of his father;  

"We're having breakfast in Cwrtmynach"

“Tyler and I are having breakfast in Cwrtmynach to discuss things – he’s clearing waste from a garden there, and I said I’d take him a bacon butty to have a chat.   See you later.”

"Are you coming with me, then?"

Gaynor has now put on the new coat and asks if Hywel is going to accompany her, 

"I've got a lot of council work to do"

but he makes the excuse that he has lots of council work to do,

Gaynor looks rather dejected

and she looks very disappointed.

"Hello – special delivery!"

Sioned arrives at the shop flat;  “Hello – special delivery!” she says, and Eifion is surprised to see her.   

"Served as the main course to a pack of dogs"

He explains to her the reason for the bandages on his arms;  he is as well as can be expected after being served as the main course to a pack of dogs.   

Sioned is shocked

She cannot believe her ears, but he dismisses it as old news.

"You and your mother have fallen out again"

“I’d say what’s happened to you is a lot more interesting,” he goes on, and she maintains that nothing has happened to her.   “You and your mother have just fallen out again, then,” he concludes, 

"That's none of your business"

and she informs him that it is none of his business.  “It is, when you just turn up at the flat,” he replies.   

"Did he say I'm sleeping in the spare room?"

“Mathew said I’m always welcome,” she tells him, but Eifion wonders if Mathew also said that he was sleeping in the spare room.

“You don’t want to move in here anyway, do you?   It would be a bit pathetic, to leave home and go and doss in your mother’s flat,” he adds.  

"I only came to say hello to Mathew"

Sioned does not seem to have considered that, but pretends that she is just there to say hello to Mathew.

“I’ll come back when the bad smell has gone!” she growls.   

"Eileen and I are on good terms these days"

Eifion will tell her mother he has seen her – as they are on good terms these days;  Sioned walks out.

The magistrates' court

The scene changes to the magistrates’ court, where the only person in the visitors’ gallery is Mark.   He goes to have a word with Garry;  

"She passed her sell-by date years ago . . ."

“Sylvia Herbert – she passed her sell-by date years ago – 

". . . she sent Dad to jail for stealing a bottle of milk . . ."

“she sent Dad to jail for stealing a pint of milk – well, and the van as well.   

". . . she's a bit of a battleaxe!"

“She’s a bit of a battleaxe!”

Mark returns to his seat

Then he has to return to his seat as the magistrates enter;  

The formidable Sylvia Herbert JP

Sylvia Herbert JP instructs them to be seated, “And you, Mr Jones,” she adds, obviously familiar with the family.

"I was going to pick that book"

Gaynor is at the bookshop where Siôn informs her of the book which he was going to pick for the first meeting of the book club.   “It’s not a novel I would normally read,” he says, but Gaynor imagines that is the purpose of a book club.   

"I hope to see you there"

He hopes to see her there, adding that there is a Facebook page with all the details.

"It will take my mind off other things"

“Yes, why not?   It will be nice to have something to take my mind off other things,” she groans.   He remarks on her smart appearance, 

"The unfairness of it all"

and she replies, “Something else that was supposed to take my mind off things – it works for an hour or so, and then the unfairness of it all begins to bite again.”   Siôn says that is quite understandable, and she continues, “So it doesn’t matter how many nice coats I have, does it?   

"Nothing's going to change that"

“Nothing’s going to change that,” as she sits down in the chair.

"Organise something in memory of Izzy"

Siôn suggests that she could organise something in memory of Izzy, and she wonders what sort of thing he had in mind.   “Something to raise money for a cause that was close to her heart?   Or something that’s more of a personal tribute?   

"You could do something anually"

“You could do something annually – a prize for public speaking, or a scholarship of some kind,” he says.

"Izzy would love that!"

Gaynor realises that would be just the thing;  “Izzy would love that!” and Siôn emphasises that it would keep her name alive.   “Siôn, you’re a star!” she exclaims, and she hurries out of the shop in a much better humour.

Garry give his side of the story . . .

Garry is addressing the court;  “The divorce hit me hard.   Dani is the best thing that’s ever happened to me – and although she’s had a baby with someone else, I was willing to forgive her.   

. . . and the members of the bench listen

“I’m not trying to excuse what I did, but I wanted her to feel some of the pain I’d suffered.   That’s why I stole the dog – 

"Now I realise how silly and cruel it was"

“of course I now realise how silly and cruel it was – I’m ashamed of what I did, 

"With my hand on my heart . . ."

“but I can say with my hand on my heart, if I get another chance, I will never do anything so stupid again.   I’m truly sorry.”

Mark listens intently

He sits down and the magistrates confer with each other while Mark watches from the back of the court.   They seem to have come to a conclusion.

"Thank you for speaking so eloquently"

Sylvia Herbert announces, “Mr Monk, thanks for speaking so eloquently about to your recent experience and for explaining why you stole Dani Monk’s dog.   

Garry is cautiously optimistic

“We also appreciate that you pleaded guilty early in the process.   However, we are also of the opinion that you did not steal a dog –  

"You abducted the dog"

“you abducted it, with the intention of causing emotional distress and of benefiting financially.”

Now Garry is not so happy

By this time Garry is looking really worried, as the sentence is given;  “As a result, it is our duty to reflect this in the nature of the punishment.   

"We sentence you to a month in prison"

“For that reason, we sentence you to a month in prison.”   Garry smiles wryly and looks across to Mark, 

Mark is horrified

who appears horrified.

Jinx walks pensively along the street

Jinx is walking thoughtfully along the street, and when he turns the corner, 

"Are you going on holiday or coming back?"

he is surprised to see Sioned sitting at the bus stop.   “Are you going on holiday or coming back?” he asks.

"I've argued with Mam – again"

“Coming and going,” she replies, “I’ve argued with Mam – again!”   Jinx is sorry to hear that, and she continues, “She’s chosen DJ over me – after everything he’s done, she’s still letting him live with us.   I can’t cope with it any more.   I’ve got a friend in Cross Hands – she’ll probably let me sleep on the sofa — 

"Unless you've got a sofa I can doss on"

“unless you’ve got a sofa I can doss on,” she laughs.

"To be honest, I've got a bed"

After a moment’s thought, Jinx says, “To be honest, I’ve got a bed,” 

"I didn't mean it like that!"

and she apologises that she did not mean it like that.   “No, a spare bed,” he clarifies, “Ffion’s staying with her mother – so if you want to stay until your mother comes to her senses, 

"You know where I am, OK?"

“you know where I am, OK?”   

Sioned is a pitiful specimen

Sioned looks rather pathetic, sitting there.

Mark has bad news for Britt

Mark comes up to the chip shop flat and is asked by Britt if he has heard anything from Garry;  “The swine said he’d phone me first.”   

"He won't have a chance to phone you for a while"

Mark suspects that he will not have a chance to phone her for a while – not until he is ‘booked in’, anyway

“He got a month in the clink, Britt,” he goes on 

"For taking a little dog for a long walk?"

and she is infuriated, stressing that all he did was take a little dog for a long walk.   Mark does not think that Dani knows about this, so Britt rushes out of the flat to confront her.

"I've promised to make some dough for Arwen"

Sioned arrives at Cysgod y Glyn, protesting that she will be in the way, but Jinx assures her that she will not.   “I’ve promised to make some dough for Arwen,” he says, checking to see that it is rising.   Sioned is confused, as he said Ffion was away.

“Yes, she is staying with her Mam in North Wales, and I’m babysitting,” he explains.   

"So that's why you want me here!"

She takes that as the reason he wants her to stay, in order to help him out.   

"There is one condition, though"

“Not at all – I’m more than capable, thank you – mind you, there is one condition if you want to stay – that you like pizza!”

"I think I can manage that"

Sioned thinks that she can manage that, and he directs her to the second room on the left;  he will put the kettle on.

"Perhaps Tyler has had a breakdown"

At Llwyncelyn, Hywel wonders if Tyler has had a breakdown after that swastika business;  “And he’s just let the fitness thing go.”   

"He's just happy to drown himself in work at APD"

Rhys considers that he is just happy to drown himself in work at APD, and Hywel thinks that may be a good thing.

Gaynor has picked Izzy's favourite flowers

Gaynor comes in with some flowers from the garden;  “They were Izzy’s favourites – she planted these.”   

"It's all right to grieve in a positive way"

Then she reassures Hywel, “It’s all right to grieve in a positive way, isn’t it?   And I’m determined to celebrate everything Izzy enjoyed.”   

"That's a lovely idea"

Rhys says that is a lovely idea.

"I've decided to offer s scholarship"

She goes on, “I’ve decided to offer a scholarship to someone local for a travel article, as Izzy enjoyed travelling the world so much.”   Both Rhys and his father call that a good idea.   Now Rhys has to get back to work, and Gaynor invites Hywel to help her with the details of this scholarship, 

He is glad to help . . .

something he is delighted to do, but then his phone rings.

. . . but then Kelly phones him

“Hi, Kelly, yes, I can be there in ten minutes,” he says, and then informs Gaynor that he has to go.   

"Will yo take that parcel to the Post Office?"

She asks if he will take a parcel to the Post Office on his way, as she is returning the coat.   

"I have more things to spend my time on now"

“I have got far more things to spend my time on now,” she tells him

"Happy now?"

Britt marches out of the Deri and sees Dani;  “Happy now?    Jail for a month!” she demands.   

"I didn't know he'd go to jail"

Dani maintains that she did not know he would go to jail, 

"Explain to Gwern how you sent his father to prison!"

but Britt continues, “Explain to Gwern how you sent his father to prison – as if having one parent there wasn’t enough!”   Dani immediately hurries to the Deri.

Kelly records . . .

Kelly is recording on her phone Hywel’s grandstanding speech;  

. . . Hywel's carefully crafted soundbite

“As a local councillor, I condemn this disgusting behaviour and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with those who were denigrated.”

"I could never have written it down!"

Kelly comments, “Thank God I recorded that – I could never have written it down!”   He has pictures of the cleaning up operation on his phone which he will send her. 

“You can go in the same edition as Garry Monk,” Kelly smiles, 

"I hope I'm not on the same page!"

but Hywel does not want to be put on the same page.   

"Not good mates, now he's a jailbird!"

“Oh, not such good mates with Garry now that he’s a jailbird!” she jokes.

"I hope you've seen the Penrhewl plans"

Sioned comes across the road and says she hopes that Hywel has had a chance to see the plans Penrhewl have sent in; 

He has no idea what she is talking about

 “There are exciting times ahead, Councillor Llywelyn!”

In the Deri flat, Gwern comes home from school just as Dani takes some cakes from the oven.   

"Double choc chip!"

“Double choc chip, death by chocolate,” she tells him, “Wait until I decorate it.”

"What's happened?"

He immediately detects that something is wrong, 

"I'm that obvious, am I?"

and she groans, “I’m that obvious, am I?”   She tells the boy to sit down, wondering how she is going to inform him about his father.   

"Your Dad got a month in prison"

“Unfortunately, your Dad got a month in prison.   Sometimes, people’s luck just runs out – I know this is difficult for you, but we’re trying to teach you that if you’re naughty, you’re punished.   He’s lucky he only got one month.”

"Well, that's his fault!"

Gwern’s response that it is his fault;  Dani predicts that the time will fly, 

"I'll make sure you can see him"

and she will make sure that he can see his father.   

"I don't want to!"

His unexpected answer is, “I don’t want to – he was never here anyway!”

"Look, I understand that you're angry"

Dani understands that Gwern is angry, but he is adamant, “I don’t want him to be my Dad any more.”   She points out that changing that will be difficult, 

"I hate Dad!"

but Gwern maintains that he hates his father.   

"It's just been a shock"

He is told that it is just a shock, that is all, but he says, 

"Perhaps you can adopt me – please, Dani!"

“I’d rather be your child – perhaps you can adopt me – please, Dani.   I want you to be my mother – you’re better than Dad.”

"I'd do anything to make you happy, Gwern"

Dani does not know how to react to that;  she sobs, “You know I’d do anything to make you happy, don’t you?”   

"Thanks, Dani"

He thanks her, running to hug her.

DJ is doubtful about turnips

At Penrhewl, DJ does not consider a crop of turnips would suit the land, 

"What would you suggest, then?"

so Eileen wants to know what he would suggest.   “Just that we plan things better,” he says.

"I'd say you've done enough planning already"

At this point Hywel bursts in, exclaiming, “I’d say you’ve done enough planning already!   The plans you’ve submitted are crazy!   

"I had no idea you'd submit that!"

“I had no idea you’d submit that to the planning department.”

"What are you on about, Hywel?"

DJ demands what he is talking about, and Hywel says, “If Eileen had her way, you’d need an army of DJs to keep the place going.   Sorry – 

"If you expect my support, you can think again!"

“if you expect me to support you, you can think again.”   Without another word, he walks out.

“What’s Sioned done now?” rages Eileen, and DJ reminds her that Sioned said she would regret it.   

"Let her play her games – I've made my decision!"

“Let her play her games – I’ve made my decision,” Eileen declares.