15 June 2022

Cai practises his speech

Cai is practising for his interview;  he mutters into the mirror, “One thing I was responsible for in the school was the special education unit.”   Iolo comes downstairs and tells him that he looks the part.

"Why do you want this position, Mr Rossiter?"

Siôn tries to make himself useful by asking, “Why do you want this position, Mr Rossiter?”   He replies that it will enable him to see more of his brother-in-law.   “And what do you think sets you apart from the other candidates?” is the next question.

"I'm worn out before the interview"

Cai irritably grumbles, “That I’m worn out before the interview because of my brother-in-law’s questions!”   

"It's important to be prepared"

Siôn argues that it is important to be prepared, and Cai agrees, “Fail to prepare – prepare to fail.”   

"Is that Aristotle?"

Siôn likes that and wonders if it was said by Aristotle.

“Howard Wilkinson – he was the manager of Leeds United at the time!” Cai tells him, but Siôn maintains that he was only trying to help, 

"Cai has been out of the system for years"

pointing out to Iolo that Cai has been out of the system for years, and it is not easy doing an interview after a gap like that.

“No, especially an interview with you!” says Iolo.   

"Keeping cool is the most important thing"

Cai is sure that he is quite focused, and realises that keeping cool is the most important thing.

“And be yourself – that’s what I used to tell myself before any interview,” Siôn adds, and Iolo suggests that explains why his father has never had a proper job, before leaving for work.

Jinx crosses the road . . .

Jinx crosses the road by the bookshop and when he notices Jaclyn coming out of the front door of number 10, tries to avoid her, 

. . . and fails to avoid Jaclyn

but she calls to him, “I was just wondering if you wanted to do something tonight.”

He replies that he is rather busy tonight, and she regards that as fine;  “It’s not as if we’re in a relationship or anything.”   

"It's rather early to talk about a relationship"

He thinks that it is rather early to talk about a relationship, 

"No, I said we weren't in a relationship!"

she stresses, “No, I said we weren’t in a relationship.”   He is glad that they understand each other, 

Ffion is coming along the road

and we see that Ffion is approaching them.

“Well, if that’s all right with you,” he says 

Jaclyn goes to answer her phone

as Jaclyn’s phone rings.   He turns and notices Ffion, wondering what she is doing there at lunchtime.

"Watching you two flirting!"

“Watching you two flirting!” she laughs, “I forgot something for the deputy interviews this afternoon.”   

"Isn't there a conflict of interest here?"

He suspects that there is a conflict of interests, but she is adamant, “I’m completely professional.”

"That's fantastic news!"

Jaclyn excitedly shouts, “That’s fantastic news,” then informs Jinx that Gerwyn and Guto are coming back in a fortnight.   

"That is good news"

Ffion says that is good news, and Jinx is surprised that she is still there, 

Ffion walks off towards home

so she continues towards Cysgod y Glyn.

Mathew hurries out of the alley in the direction of APD and sees someone standing outside the door of the shop;  

"I thought I was in the right place"

“I thought I was in the right place,” she tells him;  he realises that it is Tegwen and welcomes her to APD.   

"Ken had hurt his foot"

“I’ve come to explain about the other night – Ken had hurt his foot in rugby training

"Ken?"

 – my eight-year-old son.   I had to take him to A&E – he’s fine, he didn’t break anything – he’s tough, and wild.   I wish they’d done an x-ray on his head to check there’s something in there.   He’s named after Ken Owens.

"Megan's very fussy"

“I was on my way to collect my money from Megan – do you know her?   She’s a nice enough woman, but she’s fussy – she insists that I scrub everything on her dresser every week.”   

"Two porcelain dogs on either side"

Mathew imagines two porcelain dogs on either side, and she says that she has not dropped anything yet.

"Do you fancy going for a cup of tea?"

“Do you fancy going for a cup of tea?” Mathew asks, and is disappointed when she declines, 

"I'd rather go for a pint!"

adding that she would rather go for a pint – not now, though, and tonight is rather awkward, as she has to pick up Ken, Shane, Ianto and Megan from school.

"They're not all you children?"

“They’re not all your children?” he wonders, but she says she is looking after her sister’s children tonight.

"The Deri on Thursday night"

“I’m free on Thursday night – and the Deri will be fine for a first date,” she says, “There’s a decent pint in there.”   They arrange to meet at six on Thursday.   

Mathew looks happy

Mathew looks remarkably happy.

Cai lists his achievements

At the interview, Cai is telling the panel, “I was responsible for the special education unit in the school.   I developed the unit, got more staff and resources – as a result we could offer pupils with additional needs more opportunities.   The school won a few awards for the work I did.”

"You enjoy being a deputy, then?"

Ffion can see that he enjoys being a deputy, 

"I'm a natural leader"

and he says he regards himself as a natural leader who brings people together to collaborate successfully.

"Wh did you give up the job, then?"

Hywel appears unimpressed;  “If you were enjoying it so much, why did you give up the job?”   

"To give my wife toe opportunity"

Cai replies that to be completely honest it was to get his wife an opportunity to pursue her career in the bank.   He took a back seat and looked after the children.   Hywel goes on, “You haven’t worked as a deputy for over seven years – 

"Don't you think you will be a little lost?"

“don’t you think you will be little lost?”

“To the contrary,” Cai answers, “I’m looking forward to getting back in the saddle – the time away from education has done me good – I’ve come to realise how much I enjoy teaching.”   

"We'll let you know by the end of the day"

Eileen thanks him for attending the interview, assuring him that they will let him know by the end of the day.

Hywel has not finished yet

Cai gets up to leave the room, but Hywel has a further question;  “If you got the job, where would you stay?   With Siôn?”   Cai hopes that they could move back as a family quite quickly.   

"The children are older now"

He explains that the children are older now and that Nesta could move to the bank branch in Carmarthen.

"How do you find being a family man?"

Ffion intervenes to point out that he would have until September to find a house, but Hywel is not finished yet;  “How do you find being a family man, then?” he asks.

"I hope you'll give me a chance to prove what I can do"

“I enjoy it – I hope you’ll give me the chance to prove what I can do – and with Ffion in charge, I’m sure we could be very good team.”   

Ffion is presumably thinking of other 'benefits'

Of course Ffion smiles in agreement with this.

Eileen is very impressed

When Cai has left the room, Eileen says she is very impressed by him;  

"If you believe every word he said"

“If you believe every word he said, yes,” replies Hywel, dubiously, “With all due respect, that’s not the Cai Rossiter I remember.”   Eileen is of the opinion that everyone can change, but Hywel favours the girl from Newport, Gwenno Rees, regarding her much more highly than Cai.

"But she does not have much management experience"

Ffion stresses that she does not have much management experience;  

"That's because nobody has given her a post like this"

he replies, “That’s because nobody has given her a post like this before – I think someone with a science background like her could make a real difference to the school.”   

"Well, I agree with Ffion"

Eileen is minded to agree with Ffion and thinks that they are very lucky to have someone like Cai applying for the job.

Ffion is pleased to have got her own way

“And Cai already knows the area,” adds Ffion, so Hywel is outnumbered, two to one.

Dani receives a message from Britt . . .

In the Deri, Cassie comments to Dani that she saw the hamper Gwern had made for Britt, and at that moment Dani receives a text message which troubles her.   

. . . inviting her to see them

It reads, ‘Thanks for the hamper.   Come over to see us.   Britt.’

"Well, well – Cai Rossiter!"

Cai comes in, much to Cassie’s surprise, and she asks how he is;  “I’ll be better after a pint.”   

"Champagne for the new deputy head?"

She wants to know whether to serve champagne for the new deputy head, and he remarks, “The bush telegraph is still working in Cwmderi, then.   

"I don't think there'll be any champagne"

 “I don’t think there’ll be any champagne – it didn’t help that Hywel Llywelyn was on the panel.”   Cassie recalls that he has stepped on Hywel’s toes a few times;  “Hywel thought he was Lleucu’s father for a while – but if you think I’ve got a long list on Hywel, I’ve got a whole book on the antics I’ve had with Jason!”

"It's Cai Rossiter, Dai!"

Jason is sitting nearby, on the phone to Dai in Australia, when he hears Cai’s voice.   “Cai Rossiter,” he tells Dai, 

"Yes – I like that idea!"

and in answer to Dai’s reply, says “I like that idea!”

"Say it to my face, Cai!"

After he has terminated the call, Jason exclaims, “If you’ve got something to say, Cai, say it to my face!”   Cassie observes that a lot of water has passed under the bridge since then, 

"Sorry about what happened between you and Sara"

and Cai maintains that he was sorry about what happened between Jason and Sara.

"I'm very happy with Kelly now"

Jason regards that as old news and Cai says that it is sad to hear of a family splitting up.   “I’m very happy with Kelly now – and we’ve got Ifan.   I can think of worse things than divorces.   

"An idiot who thinks too much of himself, like you!"

“I could be an idiot who thinks too much of himself, like you!   You can get over a setback, but there’s nothing you can do about your personality.”

"Not still pulling a knife on people, then?"

Cai maintains that everyone changes with time;  “I take it you’re still not pulling a knife on people,” and he tells Cassie that it is true, “He pulled a knife on me years ago when we fell out about Sara.”

"I find my tongue is sharp enough"

Jason, who is unsuccessfully doing his best to tidy his hair, answers, “I don’t need a knife these days – I find that my tongue is sharp enough.”   

"Come on, then – show me what you've got!"

Cai wonders what he is going to do, inviting Jason, “Come on, then – show me what you’ve got!   I thought you were more of a man!”   

Then he finds Hywel standing there

Hywel has just come in and witnesses this, 

"Don't let me stop you, boys"

commenting, “Don’t let me stop you, boys,” as Jason leaves the Deri, on the way wishing Cai good luck with the job.   

He gets in contact with Eileen 

Hywel dials a number on his phone, and Cai can imagine to whom he is about to speak;  “Eileen, it’s Hywel.”

Kelly is preparing a Greek recipé

Kelly is busy cooking, and managing to cover herself with flour in the process;  “I’ve found this lush recipé on the Internet, OK – Greek roasted lamb with garlic, Greek flatbreads and Greek salad with feta.   

"Don't worry – I'll clear up"

“And don’t worry, I’ll clear up the mess.”   

Jason dabs flour on her nose

He puts a dab of flour on her nose, and tells her that he is happy.

"I have a right to be happy, don't I?"

“I have a right to be happy, don’t I?” he demands, “I have a surprise for you and Ifan – to thank you for making me wise up.   

"Cai Rossiter tried to wind me up"

“I saw Cai Rossiter in the Deri, and he tried to wind me up.”   

"I hope you didn't try to deck him"

Kelly hopes that Jason did not try to deck him or anything like that.

"I was  good boy – I walked away"

“No – see, years ago, perhaps, but today I didn’t – I was a good boy, I walked away,” he tells her 

"I'm impressed, Jase"

and she is impressed, as she hands him a glass of wine.

Then Jason is about to continue, and she imagines that it is not good news;  

"I talked to Mam and Dai"

“I talked to Mam and Dai on the phone in the Deri – they’ve got a surprise for us.”

"Don't say they're coming here?"

“Don’t say they’re coming here on holiday?   Because seriously I’ll have to sort this place out!” she gasps.   He assures her that they are not coming, but they do want Jason, Kelly and Ifan to stay with them in Australia.

"Wow!"

“Wow!” is all that Kelly can say, and she does not seem to be very enthusiastic;  

"It's a long way, Jase"

“It’s a long way,” she points out, and he explains that the flight is all they would have to pay for.

“They’re willing to pay for everything while we’re out there – 

"Ifan's going to be so glad to see his Mam"

“Ifan’s going to be so excited to see his mother again.”

"I'm sure Sara will be super chuffed"

Kelly rather abrasively comments, “I’m sure Sara will be super chuffed,” 

She is rather lavish with the flour

as she rather too liberally spreads the flour around.   Jason asks if she is excited, and she answers, without conviction, 

"Of course I am"

“Of course I am.”   He is looking forward to his Greek meal, as long as she does not start throwing plates;  

She does not look excited

Kelly does not look amused.

"This is just business"

Jinx delivers four pizzas to Y Felin, and Cai asks if the business is going well;  “There’s no need to pretend to be nice to each other,” Jinx snarls, “This is just business.”   

"Why don't you move out of Cysgod y Glyn?"

Cai suggests that it might be a good idea for Jinx to move out of Cysgod y Glyn.   “Yeah – so that you can move in, is it?   After you get your new job – 

"I'm sure Ffion will get her way"

“I’m sure Ffion will get her way,” Jinx tells him.

"She'll be totally professional"

Cai is sure that Ffion will be totally professional;  “You obviously feel very frustrated about Ffion.”   

"Your hypocrisy makes me frustrated"

Jinx replies that it is the hypocrisy of people like Cai that makes him frustrated, and hopes that he enjoys his pizza.   

Cai shouts upstairs that the pizzas have arrived, and Siôn thanks him for getting them;  

"Can't decide which pizza you want?"

“What’s wrong?   Can’t decide which pizza you want?” asks Siôn.

"Eileen said she would phone"

Eileen had said that she would phone before the end of the day, and Siôn remarks that no news is good news, as they say, 

"I'm not so sure about that"

but Cai is not so sure about that.

"I'm glad I caught you, Ffion"

Eileen marches round the street corner and sees Ffion about to go into Cysgod y Glyn;  “I’m glad I caught you – Hywel phoned.   

"Cai was threatening Jason in the Deri"

“He saw Cai behaving badly in the Deri – threatening Jason, and he still favours that woman from Newport.”

"But we decided to give Cai the job"

“But we decided to give Cai the job, didn’t we?” protests Ffion, 

"I'm supposed to try to change your mind"

and Eileen explains that she was supposed to try to change Ffion’s mind.   

"I'm not going to do that!"

“I’m not going to do that,” Ffion insists, “Hywel’s probably making a mountain out of a molehill – you and I preferred Cai.”

Eileen concedes that the rest of the governors are happy, but she simply wanted to make sure that Ffion was certain.   She makes it quite clear that she is happy, 

"We both know the real reason, don't we?"

adding, “We both know the real reason why Hywel’s against this, don’t we?”   

"Yes, personal revenge"

Eileen appreciates that this is down to personal revenge, although she thought that Cai had matured a lot.   She will phone Cai with the news.

"Still no news?"

Cai is clearing up the empty pizza boxes, and Iolo realises that he still has not heard, but then Cai’s phone rings with the expected call.   

"Hello, Eileen"

“That’s great news – I’m so pleased – 

"I promise you won't regret it"

“I promise you won’t regret it.   I’ll do my best for the school.   Thank you very much.”

"I never doubted you!"

In the background, Siôn has been to the kitchen to fetch a bottle;  “I never doubted you – that’s why I put this in the fridge,” he says.

"Hiya, Nesta"

Cai is making another phone call, and giving the impression that it is to Nesta;  actually it is to Ffion, who wishes him, 

"Congratulations, Mr Rossiter"

“Congratulations, Mr Rossiter.”

“Thank you very much for your support, Nesta,” he says, and she realises that Siôn is listening;  

"I couldn't have done it without your help"

“Yes, Siôn’s here – I’m serious – I couldn’t have done it without your help.”

Ffion tells him that it is Eileen he should be thanking, and advises him to behave in the Deri from now on.   He says that he is really looking forward to it, 

"Bye, deputy!"

and Ffion smiles, “So am I – bye, deputy!”

Siôn is sure that Nesta must be very proud of him;  “And Gwen would be, too.”   

"It's all down to the Master Coach"

Cai would like to think that, and Iolo thinks it must be all down to his father, the Master Coach.

"Behind every good man . . ."

“Behind every good man there’s a better brother-in-law,” quips Cai 

"To the new deputy!"

and they drink a toast to the new deputy.