17 May 2022

Mathew sees an example of sartorial elegance

Rhys walks along the street, nattily dressed, and is greeted by Mathew, who is coming out of the Deri.   

"Wearing a suit to empty bins?"

“So Griffiths expects you to wear a suit to empty bins and do photocopies?” he says, incredulously, 

"He'll take me seriously dressed like this"

but Rhys maintains that Griffiths will take him seriously dressed like this.

“It’s only a matter of time before I’m promoted to be a proper agent,” he insists, 

"No locals can afford these"

but Mathew is looking at the prices of the properties in the window and maintains that no locals can afford them.   

"That's the market at the moment"

“That’s the market at the moment,” Rhys replies, dismissively.

“So you’re willing to sell all of these to outsiders?” Mathew demands, and at that moment Griffiths emerges from the shop with a bucket of water.   

Griffiths has more jobs for Rhys to do

He instructs Rhys to clean the windows and, when he has done that, to take the car to Carmarthen to be valeted.

|Right, I shall have to cancel, then"

His phone rings and he receives bad news;  “But she’s on her way from London!” he exclaims, “Right, I shall have to cancel, then.”   Then he explains to Rhys, “Anthony has gone home ill – he was supposed to show a woman from London a cottage in the hills.   No-one else is free – typical!”

"I can do the job!"

Rhys volunteers to do the job, but is told not to be stupid as he is not an agent;  “Right, I have to go home.   Phone the woman to cancel – the number’s in the file, 

"Just get the car valeted"

“and then get the car valeted.”   Rhys thinks that this might be his big chance.

In APD, Jason informs Anita that they had a big contract with the council and that is why no-one booked any work in for a month;  

"That's why this order book is empty"

“That’s why this book is empty.”   

"Why the long faces?"

Mathew comes in and sees the gloomy faces;  

"There's nothing else coming in for a month"

“Eifion might as well have stolen every penny out of that till, because there’s nothing else coming in for a month.”

Mathew thinks that it cannot possibly be that bad, and is told that it is in fact worse.   

"Can you persuade Griffiths to change his mind?"

“Are you sure you can’t persuade Griffiths to change his mind?” Jason asks Anita.”

She is willing to talk to him, 

"I don't want to put you in an awkward position"

but Mathew does not want to put her in an awkward position;  “We’ll find work somewhere – if not, we’ll cut Tyler’s
hours.”   

Tyler does not like the sound of this . . .

Of course Tyler is approaching at that moment, and does not take kindly to this news.   It is explained him that things are tight at the moment, partly because of what Eifion did, 

. . . and flounces out

and before Mathew can say any more, Tyler storms out.

"I'm going to pop out – won't be long"

Anita says, “I’m going to pop out – I won’t be long.

"Siôn's available to babysit Arwen"

At Cysgod y Glyn, Ffion announces that she has good news;  “Siôn’s available to babysit Arwen tonight – we’re going for dinner at Jaclyn’s house – don’t you remember?   She was coming here, but she said it’s easier for us to go there.”   

Jinx is less than keen

Jinx does not seem to be very happy about this.

“There’s nothing wrong with Jaclyn – 

"Apart from that giant blinkin' teddy!"

apart from that giant blinkin’ teddy,” he grumbles, and Ffion feels sorry for her, as she is lonely.   “But we have nothing in common – what are we going to talk about all night?” he groans.

"You were fine the other night"

Ffion points out that he was fine the other night, and his excuse is that he used up all his best topics.   

"You're a real baby!"

“You’re a real baby!” she exclaims, “The weather, what’s on telly – talk about anything.”   

"Better not mention teddy bears, then"

He considers that teddy bears should not be mentioned.

Anita visits the Griffiths house

Anita has gone to visit the large, imposing Griffiths residence;  

"It's not convenient at the moment"

she rings the doorbell and the door is opened by Ieuan, who says that it is not convenient at the moment.   Nevertheless she marches into the house, assuring him that she will not be staying for long.

"I wanted to give you this"

“I wanted to give you this,” she tells him, “All that money you spent on me while we were together – because I just don’t feel comfortable being in debt to you.”   

"That's a very noble gesture"

He is rather taken aback and describes it as a very noble gesture.

“How is your mother?” she enquires, and he replies that she is having a nap.   

"Give your mother my regards"

“Give her my regards,” says Anita, sitting down, and Griffiths feels rather uncomfortable;  he offers her a cup of tea, 

"Do you have anything stronger?"

but she asks if he has anything stronger, 

"There's a whisky"

so he suggests a whisky.

Tyler returns home unexpectedly . . .

Mark is eating his lunch at number 7 when Tyler comes in, 

. . . and is likely to get the sack

complaining, “Flippin’ APD is in a mess, and they might have to let me go!”

"You should talk to Eifion about that"

Mark regards that as unfair and suggests that he talks to Eifion about it;  “If he knew what a mess APD is in, he might give back the money he stole.”   

"There's no point talking to that idiot!"

Tyler makes it quite clear that he is not going to talk to that idiot, as is no point.

"He's the boss's cousin"

“He’s the boss’s cousin – he doesn’t want to see the place go under,” Mark insists.

Then Tyler, very inadvisedly, reveals that Eifion does not take the money;  

"I didn't 'steal steal' it – I set him up!"

“He didn’t steal it!” he says, and Mark cannot believe what he is hearing.   “I didn’t ‘steal steal’ the money – I did it to set Eifion up.   He was making fun of me – and he had an affair with Iol!”   

"That's not any excuse, Ty!"

Mark does not regard that as any excuse, even when Tyler maintains he was going to pay the money back.

Mark informs him that he will have to tell Mathew, “You have to!”   

"I'm not losing my job for that waster!"

Tyler is quite adamant that he is not losing his job for that waster, 

"Sounds as if you're going to lose it anyway"

and it is pointed out to him, “You’re going to lose your job anyway!   If you explain to Mathew, he’ll give you a second chance – Tyler, you know it’s the right thing to do!”

"It was a gift from a development company"

Anita compliments Ieuan on his whisky, which he says was a gift from a development company;  “I work very hard for the people of this area – 

"I like to make sure I know the right people"

“and I like to make sure I know the right people, so I can get things done.”

"Talking of getting things done . . ."

“Talking of getting things done, now that the council has cancelled the latest contract, things are looking bleak for APD,” Anita tells him, “Is there a way you can . . .”   

"The matter's out of my hands now"

He replies that unfortunately that matter is now out of his hands, but she thinks that is odd;  

"You wanted revenge on a company"

“If I remember correctly, you got APD the contract in the first place, because you wanted revenge on a company which had let you down.”

"Council contracts are very complicated"

He maintains that council contracts are very complicated, and she accepts that they are too complicated for someone like her.   

“Perhaps someone from the Standards Agency, or the chief executive of the council – or the press - could explain it to me.”

"You and APD have benefited . . ."

Griffiths is horrified by this veiled threat, reminding her that she and APD have benefited, 

". . . you'd be in as much trouble as me"

and would be in as much trouble as him.   Anita answers, “I haven’t benefited personally – 

"I paid you back, remember?"

“I’ve paid you back, remember?   And APD certainly hasn’t benefited.”   

"The only person who's benefited here, Ieuan, is you!"

She stresses, “The only person who’s benefited here, Ieuan, is you!”

"What trouble are you in now?

At this point, Mami walks into the room, sighing, “Oh, Ieuan, what trouble are you in now?”   

"Using contracts to settle 'personal matters'"

Anita explains that he is using council contracts to settle ‘personal matters’.   

"You want him to give it back to APD?"

“And you want Ieuan to give the contract back to APD?” Eunice concludes.

"It's all in the hands of the officials now"

Despite Griffiths’ protestations that it is all in the hands of the officials now, his mother picks up the phone and advises him, “The chief executive owes me a favour.”   She orders Ieuan to be quiet, 

"Hello, Reggie, it's Eunice Griffiths speaking"

and says, “Hello, Reggie, it’s Eunice Griffiths speaking, I’m afraid there’s been a misunderstanding with Ieuan – can you help him out, please?”   Anita looks very pleased that her plan appears to be working.

"I know Eifion's no angel . . ."

“Look, I know Eifion’s no angel, but he’s not a thief,” Mark goes on.   

"He stole Iolo!"

Tyler moans that he stole Iolo, and points out that he has been to prison for sheep rustling, so he is a thief.   “All right – but he’s destitute now for something he hasn’t done – come on, Mathew’s a nice guy, right?” Mark continues, 

"Speak to Mathew – he'll understand"

“If you spoke to him, he’d understand.”

Tyler complains that he has not got Eifion’s luck, but Mark reminds him that if Mathew finds out some other way, he will definitely be out – and how is he going to explain that to Greta.   “She doesn’t want a father who’s a thief, does she?”

"All right – I'll talk to him"

Tyler finally agrees that he will talk to Mathew, 

"That was an underhand trick"

but accuses Mark of an underhand trick, using Greta like that.

"Thanks, Reggie darling, much obliged"

Eunice ends the telephone call, “Thanks, Reggie darling, much obliged.”   Then she tells Anita, “APD will have the contract by tomorrow morning.”   

Griffiths is not happy

Meanwhile Ieuan is looking very put out, 

"No-one need find out about his mess"

as his mother adds, “No-one needs to find out about Ieuan’s mess.”   

"Looking after him like that"

Anita completely agrees with this, and says that Eunice is very good, looking after her son like that.   

"He couldn't run a bath without me!"

“Someone has to – he couldn’t run a bath without me!” she emphasises, and Anita thinks that she had better go now.

“She’s quite a nice lady, once you get to know her,” Mami remarks to Ieuan, and he accuses her of changing her tune.   “There’s a lot more in her head than those dolly birds you usually see.”   

Griffiths snorts derisively

He snorts derisively, 

"Stop making that noise, Ieuan!"

and she tells him to stop making that noise, as he is not a train.

"The food smalls lovely"

When they arrive at number 10, Ffion says that the food smells lovely;  Jaclyn appreciates being able to cook for someone other than herself.   Jinx hands her a box of chocolates;  

"We don't expect you to share them"

he comments that she does not have to open them now, but should keep them for herself – they do not expect to share them.

"You think I could finish them on my own?"

“You think I could finish these on my own?   What are you saying?”   He replies that she can do what she likes in her house.

"What's wrong with you, Jinx?"

Ffion reprimands him, “What’s wrong with you – telling her how to eat her chocolates?”   He reminds her that he is not very good at things like this.   “But you have met human beings before before, haven’t you?   

"Act like out, then!"

“Act like it, then,” she snarls.

Mathew is dejected

Mathew sits dejectedly in the Deri, and in the background, Griffiths is on the phone to Rhys, asking where he is.   Anita arrives with good news for Mathew;  

"The contract is back with APD"

“That contract with the council – it’s back with APD.   You’ll have it tomorrow morning.”   

"How did you manage that?"

He is eager to discover how she managed that.

“I just spoke to Ieuan,” 

"You didn't . . . with him . . .did you?"

and Mathew imagines that speaking was not the only thing they got up to.   

"I appealed to someone above him – his mother!"

“No!   Who do you think I am?” she snarls, “I just appealed to someone above him – not on the council – his mother!   She’s the boss in that house!”   

"I enjoyed that!"

Mathew offers to buy her a drink, but she declines, saying that she enjoyed the experience.

"I was expecting you hours ago"

As she leaves, Rhys walks in, and Griffiths demands where he has been;  “I was expecting you hours ago – has the car been valeted?”

"I didn't have the chance . . ."

Rhys says he did not have the chance;  

". . . I met that client from London"

“I went to the cottage to meet that client from London – the tyres are a bit dirty now – perhaps you should clean them.”   

"Right – you're sacked!"

Griffiths immediately tells him that he is sacked.

"I don't think that's a good idea"

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Rhys replies, “Because I’ve just sold her the cottage – for £15,000 over the asking price.   Being an estate agent is a lot like being a personal trainer – 

"It helps if you flirt a bit"

“you’re selling your client a dream, and it helps if you flirt a bit.”   

Mathew is listening in

Mathew is listening to this and looks very disappointed.

"At his age, I hadn't been anywhere"

Jaclyn says that she is very proud of Guto, seeing some of the world;  at his age she had not been anywhere.   

"I regret not travelling"

Ffion regrets not travelling, but Jinx has done a lot of that, to India and South America, 

"Peru was very interesting"

and he says that Peru was very interesting.

Ffion has to sort out a school problem

Ffion has received a phone message;  “Two of the boys at school are always arguing and now one of the parents has called the police.   The governors have asked me to go over – I’m so sorry.”   

"I shall need help to finish the pudding"

She tells Jinx to stay there, and Jaclyn will need help to finish the pudding.   

He initially feels uncomfortable at being left alone with Jaclyn.   He asks not to be given too large a piece of pudding; 

"Too much pudding will choke the dog"

“You know what they say – ‘too much pudding will choke the dog’.”   

"Are you calling me a dog?"

She accuses him of calling her a dog.

"I knew you'd make a good agent in the end"

In the Deri, Griffiths has now changed his tune;  “I knew you’d make a good agent in the end,” he says, and Rhys assumes that he is going to get promoted.   “I can’t employ you as an agent until you’ve got the qualifications, 

"The business can pay your training costs"

“but the business can pay your training costs, and I don’t see why you can’t be a full-time agent for Tomos ac Ellis in a few weeks.”

“Today’s client said I deserve a bonus for the hard sell I gave her – 

"It would help me to focus"

“it would help me focus on work to qualify as an agent,” Rhys points out, 

Griffiths reluctantly hands over money

and he is given some money as a retainer, on condition that he gets £10,000 over the asking price on every property from now on.

"I'm not sure I can do this, Mark"

Mark and Tyler come in;  Tyler is not sure that he can go through with this, but is reminded of Greta.   

"Everything is all right – you're job is safe"

He goes across to Mathew, who was about to phone him with the good news that they have the contract back;  “So everything is all right – your job is safe.   

There is no need to Tyler to say anything now

“Sorry for making you worry – that was unfair.”

Mark can see that he has chickened out

Mathew will go and get him a pint, and Mark can see where this is going;  Tyler demands, “What?   You saw how happy he was – why should I spoil that?   

"Stuff Eifion!"

“Stuff Eifion – I don’t owe that waster anything!”   Mark walks out in disgust.

"I'll take some home for Ffion"

Jinx tells Jaclyn that he will take some of the pudding home for Ffion, and is told that he is lucky he has such a good relationship;  

"How long ago did you get divorced?"

“How long ago did you get divorced?”   

"Technically we were never married"

He points out that technically they were never married;  “We did have a wedding day, but that was the day I found out that I wasn’t Arwen’s father – and the day when Ffion found out that we’re cousins.”

"And I thought the way Ger and I separated was dramatic"

“And I thought the way Ger and I separated was dramatic!” she says;  Jinx asks if she often hears from him and Guto.   “I got a lovely present from them the other day,” she says, 

"Red wine from Chile"

taking a bottle of wine from the cupboard, “Red wine from Chile – I was going to open it, but I didn’t want Ffion to feel awkward.   We could open it now, if it’s not too late.”

She fetches a couple of glasses, 

"A little one won't hurt"

and Jinx comments that a little one will not hurt.

Rhys is celebrating

Mathew arrives back at the shop flat, where Rhys is celebrating his sale, but will not join him.   

"Another house sold to an outsider for silly money!"

“Another house sold to an outsider for silly money!   Outsiders buying homes here is creating a market beyond locals.   I feel strongly about this – the system isn’t fair.”

"I can hear a tiny violin playing!"

Rhys jokes that he can hear Cwmderi’s smallest violin playing, 

"Enjoy your dirty money while it lasts"

but is told to enjoy his dirty money while it lasts.

That Chilean wine must have been potent

Things appear to have developed at number 10, as we see Jinx asleep in bed with a half-empty wineglass beside him.   

He wonders where he is . . .

A car horn sounds outside, which wakes him, and he temporarily cannot work out where he is, 

. . . but then realises . . .

until he notices, in the bed beside him, 

. . . with Jaclyn . . . and the teddy

Jaclyn, complete with Osvaldo.