17 November 2022

"Gwern, please phone me"

Gwyneth is still trying to leave messages for Gwern;  “I just want to know you’re safe – please phone me.”   

Dani hands her a shirt . . .

Dani comes in and shows her something;  

. . . with graffiti on the back

Gwern’s school shirt, with the word ‘Jailbird’ scrawled on the back.

“Do you think someone’s bullying him?” demands Gwyneth, 

"It didn't say 'Jailbird' when I bought it!"

and is informed that it did not say ‘Jailbird’ when Dani bought it.   With razor-sharp perspicacity, Gwyneth groans, “This is about me.”

Dani furiously points out that this is not about her, “But yes, it’s your fault!”   

"It's not my fault he's being bullied!"

Gwyneth maintains that it is not her fault that he is being bullied, and Dani screams, “Open your eyes – this is all your fault!   

"You're the reason he's run away!"

“You’re the reason he’s run away!”

Gwern suddenly appears in the doorway

Then they hear a sound and Gwern walks in through the door, immediately saying, “Dani,” 

"Where have you been, Gwern?"

so she rushes to give him a hug, and asks where he has been.

"With me"

Garry walks in and answers, “With me.”   Gwyneth rages at him, that he should have contacted her, and he responds, “Don’t blame me – I texted Britt.”   Gwyneth moans that the police are looking for him, 

"This is why I ran away in the first place"

but Gwern shouts at them to stop, as this is why he ran away in the first place.   He goes to his room.

"Still no news"

At number 21, Britt is dozing on the sofa when Colin comes downstairs;  “Did you phone Dani?” she asks, and he says that there is still no news.   

"I feel awful – I've been so selfish!"

“I feel awful, you know – I’ve  been so selfish – not having a phone was a stupid thing to do.”

He urges her not to think like that, but acknowledges that Dani is upset and a bit rattled.   

"What if Gwern has been trying to contact me?"

“But what if Gwern has been trying to contact me?” she worries, and Colin tries to convince her that everything will be fine.   “I shall have to get a phone, Col,” she decides, 

"It's made such a difference to your mood, Britt"

but he points out that it has made such a difference to her mood.

"I hasn't done anyone else any good"

“Yeah, but it hasn’t done anyone else any good,” she insists.   

He does not want her to give up and admires her so much for turning her back on her phone – he maintains that is something special.

"I might be able to order one online today"

She appears to be unconvinced, musing, “I might be able to order one online today – or perhaps Aaron has an old one around somewhere.”   

"There's no need to rush into anything"

Colin stresses that there is no need to rush into anything and that she has plenty of time;  he will think of something.   She picks up the landline phone.

Nicky appears fed-up

Nicky is looking bored as he sits on the sofa in Maes-y-Deri.   Brynmor comes into the room, looking for Kath, 

"Feet off that table!"

and tells the boy to shift his feet off the coffee table.   

"Don't talk to him like that!"

“Don’t talk to him like that!” snarls Vicky.

"Nicky, would you mind moving your feet, please?"

Brynmor therefore rephrases his request;  “Nicky, would you mind moving your feet, please?” and when there is no response, asks his mother, “He’s deaf, is he?”   Vicky tells him to go and brush his teeth, which he does without protest, but on the way knocks down some of Brynmor’s magazines.

"What's going on?"

“His hearing is fine,” growls Vicky, as Kath comes in and wonders what is going on.   

"He's blaming Nicky"

Vicky is quick to point out that Brynmor is the messy one, and is blaming Nicky.   “Come on, boys, we can’t live like this, with you two at each other’s throats.”

“He needs to learn how to talk to children!” pontificates Vicky, 

"She needs to teach that boy some manners"

and Brynmor, in turn, maintains that she needs to teach the boy some manners.   

"I think it's about time we went back to London"

“You know what, I can’t live with him!” Vicky exclaims, “I think it’s about time Nicky and I went back to London.”

"Happy now, Brynmor?"

Kath demands if Brynmor is happy now, 

"That boy has no manners"

and he replies, “That boy has no manners.”   Kath is adamant that he is a child and Brynmor is an adult;  it is about time he started behaving like one.   “I’m not in the wrong here – 

"They might as well stay for Christmas!"

“they might as well stay for Christmas!” he sighs, exasperated.

"We're the closest thing they've got to family"

“We’re the closest thing they’ve got to family,” Kath reminds him, “And they’re leaving because of you!”   He is about to walk out of the house, 

"It's about time they left!"

and makes it very clear that is is about time they left.

"I've made a list of the dates and posts"

In APD, Anita wants Mathew to look at something on the laptop;  “I’ve made a table here of the dates and posts I’ve put up – and how many people have ‘liked’ them, so we can see who’s popular, what works and what doesn’t.”

"You do know you can get that from the app?"

“You do know there is a way of getting this report from the app, rather than doing all these tables?” he replies, 

"Why didn't you tell me that before?"

and she is angry that he did not tell her that before.

"Your boyfriend is looking after Ifan"

Jason comes in and points out to Anita, “Your boyfriend is responsible for looking after Ifan this morning – as he insists on using all the milk and hot water.”   Anita is immediately concerned with Ifan’s welfare, and is told that he says he is ill, but simply does not want to go to school.

"Ieuan will be fed up after being with him"

“Ieuan will be fed up after being with him all day,” she predicts, 

"I'm pretty sure Iran will get fed up with him"

and Jason is pretty sure that Ifan will be fed up after being with Ieuan all day.   The child will want to go to school tomorrow, which is Jason’s plan;  

"See, I'm using this!"

he points out that he is using his head.

When Tyler arrives, Mathew decides that they will have this report from Anita;  

"I'm going to do a few window-cleaning shifts"

Tyler is intending to have a few window cleaning shifts, as it is quiet in APD.   

"Today is not a quiet day"

“But today is not a quiet day,” Mathew informs him, 

"We have a marketing meeting"

and Anita announces that they have a marketing meeting, so that they can get the report from social media.

She reveals the results

It is revealed, “I put photos of the staff up this morning – 

"Only nine?"

“Mathew here got 9 ‘likes’, I got 12, only 2 for Jason.”   She seems reluctant to disclose Tyler’s score – 

"26 votes"

26, and Jason decides he does not have time for this nonsense.

"As the 'influencer' in this place . . ."

Tyler tells them, “As the ‘influencer’ in this place, if you want me to do anything extra on social media – which isn’t part of my contract, by the way – I want to do window cleaning shifts when it’s quiet here.”

"I want a video of you all, working"

In answer to this, Mathew is adamant that he wants a video of them all, working, on the app by the end of the afternoon.

"Those are Vicky's and Nicky's clothes, aren't they?"

Kath is folding washing when Brynmor returns to the house and asks if she is busy;  “Those are Vicky’s and Nicky’s clothes, aren’t they?”   

"I don't need this, Brynmor"

She stops him there, and he agrees that he does not want all this aggression either.   She admits that she is fed up, too.

"I've booked the honeymoon cruise"

“And that’s why I’ve got a surprise for you – now that Mark’s had the ‘all clear’, I thought that perhaps we deserve a little break.   So I’ve booked the honeymoon cruise – and we’re going next week.”   

Kath is overwhelmed . . .

Kath is overwhelmed by this news, and Brynmor adds that Vicky and Nicky can stay there.   

. . . and kisses Brynmor 

She gives him a big kiss.

"Gwern ran away from you to me"

In the Deri flat, Gwyneth sneers, “You think you’re a big hero, don’t you?” and Garry replies that the fact that Gwern ran away from her to him speaks volumes.   

"He won't come out of his room"

Dani reports that he will not come out of his room, and wonders if he said what was wrong.

"He's being bullied!"

“He’s being bullied!   By Arwen and a few other boys,” snarls Garry, 

"And we all know why that is"

and Dani comments that they all know why that is.   

"I'm not to blame!"

Once more Gwyneth insists that she is not to blame.

"He heard you complaining about having to look after him"

“He heard you complaining about having to look after him, Dani,” Garry continues, but she protests that is not what she said.   “I tried to tell him he may have misheard or misunderstood,” he goes on, and Dani rushes out of the room.

"It wasn't my fault I was in jail!"

“Did you tell him it wasn’t my fault I was in jail?” snarls Gwyneth, 

and Garry maintains that there is no misunderstanding there.   “You know exactly what ‘misunderstanding’ happened,” she continues.

"You're his mother – you've let him down – again!

Garry emphatically informs her, “You’re his mother – it’s your job to make sure he’s safe and happy, and you’ve let him down – again!”

Colin appears to be juggling with an orange

Colin is checking the fruit outside the shop when he sees Mark on his postal round, travelling on the skateboard.   

"Don't tell me this is your midlife crisis?"

“Don’t tell me that this is your midlife crisis?” he laughs.   Mark insists that life is too short not to do the things you enjoy, and in any case he gets the job done quicker that way.

"I always wanted a skateboard when I was little"

Iolo comes along the road and comments that he always wanted a skateboard when he was little, and Mark points out that it is not too late.   “If I broke my leg now, it would be a disaster!” he says.

"Thanks for letting me know, Dan"

Colin has just been notified that Gwern is back, and thanks Dani for letting him know the good news, 

"That's good news"

that he had been with Garry.

Iolo hurries to tell Tyler

Iolo goes across the road to tell Tyler, who has just received a text from Dani.   

"I'm not looking forward to Greta's teenage years"

He is not looking forward to Greta’s teenage years.   Iolo is glad that she is easy to please at the moment, 

"I've found the perfect Christmas present for her . . ."

adding that he has found the perfect Christmas present for her.

Tyler has not started thinking about Christmas yet, but Iolo is enthusiastic;  

". . . a play house with a hatch"

“It’s a play house with a hatch, so she can play shop – it’s expensive, but I’m sure it will last – look, I don’t expect you to split it with me, I know money is tight.”

"How do you know what I can afford?"

“How do you know what I can afford?” growls Tyler, “We’ll split it – half each.”   However he appears uncertain of how he will find the money.

"Who put this stupid idea in your head?"

Garry has gone to see Britt, and berates her, “Who put this stupid idea in your head?   Everyone has a phone!   Gwern was missing – and Dani’s angry with me.”

"I wanted a break from all that nonsense"

Britt maintains that she just wanted a break from all that nonsense on the phone.   

"You're so selfish sometimes!"

“You’re so selfish sometimes – everything I do for you!” he goes on, “You’re supposed to be there for Gwern, like I’m there for Aaron.”

She hopes that Garry has not left Aaron on his own in Newcastle, and he replies that he is with Neil and Gloria.   It is doubtful that he can go back up to Newcastle for a while.

"I just need to keep my head down"

“I haven’t done anything – I just need to keep my head down for a while,” and his sister hopes that he has not put Aaron in danger.   

"I want you to tell him to come back, Gar"

She wants Garry to tell him to come back.   “You tell him – 

"Oh, no, you can't – you haven't got a phone!"

“oh, no, you can’t – you haven’t got a phone!   Listen, I’ll go out and buy you a new phone today.”

"There's no need, Garry"

Although she still maintains there is no need he is adamant and will brook no argument.   

"Put the kettle on, then"

“Put the kettle on, then,” he tells her.

Mark is speeding on his post round

Mark is skateboarding round the corner by the Medical Centre, not looking where he is going, 

Siôn is about to trip over Tyler's paraphernalia . . .

and at the same time Siôn trips over some of Tyler’s window-cleaning equipment which is blocking the pavement, 

. . . and makes a vehement protest

about which he protests loudly.   

"Watch where you're going, idiot!"

Tyler simply shouts at him, “Watch where you’re going, idiot!” as he gets into his car.

Mark is almost mown down by Siôn's BMW . . .

Mark swerves in front of Siôn’s BMW just as he is pulling away, 

. . . and Siôn is horrified

hurtles across the pavement 

Mark is lying injured . . .

and demolishes some of Colin’s display of fruit and vegetables.   

. . .as Siôn and Colin come to his aid

He shouts in agony, and Siôn quickly runs to his assistance, as does Colin.

The washing machine has done nothing to remove the graffiti

Gwyneth takes the washing from the machine at number 9, finding that the shirt is no cleaner at all;  she flings it into the wash-basket.

Mark has been assisted into number 7

Mark has been helped back to number 7 by Colin, 

"John White will have to pay for this!"

where Kath is insisting, “John White will have to pay for this!”   Mark is convinced that he has broken something, and Kath reminds him, “Lucky you were wearing a helmet – you could have been killed!”   

"He didn't hit me, Mam – I swerved"

He makes it clear to her that the car did not hit him, but rather he swerved;  she wonders how he can be so sure, as it happened so quickly.   

"You should have an x-ray, Mark"

Colin recommends that he should have an x-ray, and Mark agrees with that as something is hurting a lot.   Colin will take him in the car 

"I don't want my mother and her husband there!"

and Mark protests that he does not want his mother and her husband with him.

"No-one's arguing, you mean"

In the Deri flat, Garry comments that it is quiet there;  “No-one’s arguing, you mean,” Dani says, 

"We did have a chat"

“He did come out to have his lunch, and we had a chat.”   

"I shall be staying for a while"

Garry tells her that he intends to stay for a while as Gwern is obviously going through a difficult time, and he wants to be here for his son.

“And there’s nothing calling you back to Newcastle?” she asks.   Once he has stayed in Cwmderi for a while, then he will go back, out of her way.   

"It's important we're all here for him"

She considers that it is important that they are all there for him – and that they get on with each other.   

"I'll pop over later to see Gwern"

Garry agrees with that, and will pop over later to see Gwern

Jason is building a demonstration wall

Tyler is wielding the camera as Jason attempts to build a demonstration wall with concrete blocks, apparently with limited success.   

"You're useless!"

“You’re useless – it’s as if you’ve never been in front of a camera before,” Tyler jeers at him.

"It doesn't help that the cameraman is so rude!"

“It doesn’t help that the cameraman is so rude, does it?” Jason answers, 

"I'm still angry with Siôn"

but Tyler is still angry with Siôn, as he cannot afford to pay for new cleaning equipment.   “Just be glad that you didn’t break your leg – look what happened to Mark,” Jason reminds him.   

"I've had enough of being skint"

“I’ve just had enough of being skint,” Tyler complains, and Jason admits he finds himself in that same hole every Christmas;  he just hopes that Anita’s little marketing campaign brings more work in.   

"Social media is everything these days"

He maintains that social media is everything these days.

The filming continues

Then he is ready for ‘take two’ and admonishes Tyler for not saying, “Action!”   

A better result this time

This time he manages to get the block into place without losing the mortar.

Colin is amused by Mark's injury

Colin comes back home, and Britt was expecting him hours ago;  “I had to take Mark and Kath to the hospital.   You’ll never believe it, but Mark has broken his little toe – 

"A 'Jones Fracture', poor dab!"

“a ‘Jones Fracture’!   Who would have thought it?   I shouldn’t laugh, because he’s in a lot of pain, poor dab.”

"You've got a new phone"

Then he notices a box on the table, and imagines that she has bought a new phone.   “Garry got it for me,” she tells him, “I don’t want to open it, Col – I don’t want to get hooked again.   The notifications, the Internet, the quizzes, the games.”

Colin advises her to send it back in that case, 

"But Garry is right, isn't he?"

but she concedes that Garry is right;  “What if Aaron ever needed to get hold of me urgently?”

Colin produces another one

Colin takes from his pocket another phone, which he places on top of the box;  “A new phone for you,” he announces, 

"Phoning, texting, full stop"

“It’s not a smartphone – just basic.   Phoning, texting, full stop – you don’t need a fancy phone, do you?”

"Thanks, Colin"

She is very grateful to him, and he continues, 

"Like me – plain and simple!"

“And it will always remind you of me as well – plain and simple!”

Garry looks at his phone

As Garry walks along the High Street, he receives a text alert on his phone, 

What has he become involved with in Newcastle?

in English;  ‘You better phone the boss to tell him where you are.’

Here comes 'old sour-face' again

Gwyneth comes out of number 9 

"What are you doing, sneaking up on me?"

and he demands, “What are you doing, sneaking up on me?”

“I just wanted to tell you something before you go back to Newcastle – 

"I'll never forgive you!"

“I’ll never forgive you for letting me rot in that prison!   

"You'r going to regret it some day!"

“You’re going to regret that some day.”   

Garry wonders what she has in store for him

She walks away.