16 August 2023

Siôn carries two cups of coffee

Siôn carries two cups of coffee from the bar at the Deri to where Rhys is sitting;  “Thanks for coming to meet me,” he says, “I didn’t want to come over to the office – 

"I don't want everyone to know my business"

“I don’t want everyone to know my business.”   

"Are you thinking of selling Y Felin?"

Rhys asks what is going on, imagining that he is thinking of selling Y Felin.

"No – I want to find a small house or flat"

“No – I want to find a small house, or a flat, perhaps . . . to rent, possibly,” Siôn goes on, 

"How many bedrooms?"

and is asked how many bedrooms he will need.   “Well, one will be enough – or perhaps two.   Have Tomos ac Ellis got somewhere on their books?”

"There are a couple of places I could show you"

Rhys explains that places to rent are scarce, but there are a couple of places that he could show Siôn today.   

"The sooner, the better"

“Great – the sooner, the better,” is Siôn’s reply.

"I haven't seen you for a long time"

Gwern walks round the corner past MFC and Britt notices him;  “Hiya, Gwern – I haven’t seen you for a long time, have I?   

"Are you all right?"

“Are you all right?”  He answers that he is fine, 

Britt gives him a fiver

and Britt gives him a fiver to buy himself something in the shop.

Who is this bearded person?

Colin comes out of the shop to join her and it is surprising see that he has grown a beard;  

"Not that a fiver will make a lot of difference"

“Not that a fiver will make much difference to a boy who’s lost a house,” she grumbles, “If you see Jinx, tell him I’m looking for him!”

Jinx happens to be approaching

She does not notice that Jinx is just approaching through the alley and Colin advises him, “Don’t go anywhere near MFC – Britt is after your blood.   

"You can't be too careful when Britt is on the warpath!"

“You can’t be too careful when Britt’s on the warpath!” then resumes cleaning the shop window.

"I hear you're not getting the house now . . ."

Gwern comes out and encounters Arwen;  she asks if he is OK.   “I heard you’re not getting the house now – Jinx said.   

". . . you'll have to go to school like everyone else!"

“You’ll have to go to school like everyone else now!” she laughs.   He walks away in disgust.

"Oh, here you are"

Rhys’ chat with Siôn is interrupted by Ieuan Griffiths;  “Oh, here you are,” he exclaims and Siôn explains that he asked to meet Rhys.   “To discuss what?   Rhys only has time to buy and sell houses – is that it?”

Siôn’s reply is rather noncommittal, so Ieuan intends to take over the conversation 

"Coffee, please"

and orders a coffee;  

"How can Tomos ac Ellis help you?"

“Right, well, how can Tomos ac Ellis help you, Siôn?”

"I've already explained to Rhys"

He answers that he has already explained to Rhys, 

"And I've agreed to sort it"

who adds, “And I’ve agreed to sort it.”   

"Are you thinking of selling Y Felin?"

Griffiths maintains that he is sure Siôn would appreciate some input from the owner of Tomos ac Ellis and enquires whether he is thinking of selling Y Felin.

"I'm looking for an extra place to rent"

“No, I’m looking for an extra place to rent in the area,” Siôn informs him and Griffiths is under the impression that he understands, 

"I have a lot of experience in that field" (Nudge, nudge, wink, wink)

adding that he has a lot of experience in that field.   

Rhys shows signs of amusement

Rhys is amused by this.

Jinx crosses the street

Jinx happens to be crossing the road when Britt catches sight of him and shouts, 

"Oh – didn't see you there, Britt"

so he immediately changes direction, pretending that he has not heard.   

"Will you do the right thing?"

She snarls, “Don’t run away – will you do the right thing?   Will you give it to him?”

"Er . . . no"

Jinx confirms that he will not so she continues, “I don’t know how you sleep at night!   

"Everyone knows Gwern should get that house"

“Everyone knows Gwern should get that house – he’s lost everything!”   

"I can sympathise with that"

Jinx sympathises with his situation, and she goes on, “People think you’re a saint,” but he vehemently disagrees with that.

"You stole an orphaned child's home"

“They certainly won’t when they find out that you stole an orphaned child’s home!” Britt growls.

"Gwern is not an orphan"

Jinx points out that he has not stolen anything and that Gwern is not an orphan;  “His Dad’s still alive.”   Britt answers that his father is in jail, while Jinx adds, “And Dani’s a better mother to him than Gwyneth.”

“Is she?   So why hasn’t she made you do the right thing?” Britt demands.

"She knows things are more complicated than that"

“Because she knows things are more complicated than that,” Jinx replies.

"You just wait, Jinx!"

“Complicated, are they?” Britt rages, “You wait – for me to tell everyone exactly what you’ve done!   For shame, Jinx, for shame!”

"As you can see, there's plenty of room"

Griffiths escorts Siôn to a house, and begins his usual spiel, “As you can see there’s plenty of room – it depends what you want in an extra home.”   

"This can't be called a home"

Siôn has his doubts whether this place can be called a home.   

"If you want somewhere to escape"

“If you want somewhere to escape to now and again, you could make it comfortable,” Griffiths points out.

"That's the purpose of furniture"

However, Siôn regards it as rather bleak and lonely.   “That’s the purpose of furniture – to give the place a personal touch,” Griffiths responds, “I’m sure you’ll like the kitchen.   Siôn looks less confident about that.

The fruit and veg delivery has arrived 

As some vegetables and fruit are being unloaded from a van outside the shop, 

Jinx is looking dispirited 

we see that Jinx is sitting on the bench by the alley looking rather dispirited.   He explains to Colin that Britt is the problem;  

"She found you, did she?"

“Oh, she found you, did she?” Colin laughs, but Jinx does not consider it to be funny.

"Getting a mouthful from Britt is never funny"

“No – getting a mouthful from Britt is never funny,” agrees Colin 

"Is it worth all the aggro?"

and Jinx does not think that it is worth all the aggro.   

"You knew that when you accepted the place"

“Well, you knew that when you decided to accept the place,” he is told.

“I saw it as a chance to get my own place – something solid behind me.   I’ve moved around all my life.”   Colin imagines that now he wants to settle down, 

"What has Dani said about it?"

and asks what Dani has said about it.

“She’s angry, too – but she understands my decision,” says Jinx and is then asked if the romance is still on the go.   

"I think I've made a mess of things there"

“I think I’ve made a mess of things there – I’m not sure if I want to live in a village where everyone hates me.”

"If people don't like it, it's their problem"

Colin reminds him that he cannot please everyone;  “If people don’t like the fact you own the place, it’s their problem.   She left that house to you – she must have had her reasons at the time.”   

"I expect you to agree with Britt"

Jinx had expected him to agree with Britt, but Colin explains, “I don’t always agree with Britt – 

"But don't tell her that!"

“but don’t tell her that!”   Jinx thanks him for the chat.

Rhys adds some ketchup

In the Deri, Rhys is squeezing ketchup on his meal when Anita rushes in, looking rather dishevelled. 

"What are you doing here?"

“What are you doing here?   I’ve phoned and been to the office!” she protests, 

"Having my lunch, Anita"

and he explains that he is having his lunch.

Then she demands where Ieuan is and is told that he is showing Siôn a couple of houses.   “Is Siôn selling Y Felin, then?” she wants to know, 

"I have to get hold of Ieuan!"

“I have to get hold of Ieuan!   I’ve phoned, and just get the woman saying he’s not available.   Can you get hold of him for me, please?”

"Looks like no signal"

Rhys tries to phone, but suspects there is no signal.   Anita is becoming more and more distraught;  

"I've locked myself out of the house"

“I’ve locked myself out of the house!   I was collecting the bins and . . . my hair is all wet!”   

Rhys will check where they have gone, and she wails, “Only Ieuan knows where the spare key is!”   

Rhys continues eating

As he still continues to eat his meal, she shouts, “Are you going to help me, or what?” 

"All right, then"

so Rhys is forced to leave his partly-eaten meal 

More food gone to waste

and goes back to the office with her.

"Is Jinx here?"

Gwern pays a visit to Cysgod y Glyn and is pleased that Jinx is not there.    Arwen maintains that he cannot blame Jinx;  

"Your mother gave him the house – it's her fault!"

“Your mother gave him the house – it’s her fault!”

Gwern warns her not to talk about his mother like that;  

"I'm going to make sure he never gets my house!"

“I’m going to make sure he never gets my house!” he threatens, 

"It's all legal, Gwern"

but Arwen reminds him that it is all legal.   

This is Gwern's signal to leave

Then Jinx arrives back and Gwern immediately walks out of the flat.

"It's not my fault I can't contact him"

Anita comes out of the Tomos ac Ellis office, with Rhys telling her that it is not his fault he cannot contact Griffiths;  he locks the office and continues, “But I do think I know where he is – there is no landline there, but it’s not exactly the end of the world, is it?”

Colin notices

As Colin strides up the other side of the road, 

"I look like a scarecrow"

Anita protests to Rhys, “Look at me!   I look like a scarecrow!”

"The wet look is back in fashion, is it?"

Colin calls to her, “Goodness, Anita, you’ve changed your hair.   The wet look is back in fashion, is it?   Nice.”   

"You look in a state as well!"

Not to be outdone, she replies that he looks in a state as well.

"I'll find Ieuan"

Rhys proposes to go and find Ieuan and send him back to Anita, 

". . . it doesn't look that bad"

adding, “Don’t worry – it doesn’t look that bad,” and he walks off, chuckling.

"There's no phone signal"

Griffiths comes downstairs in the house with Siôn and he discovers that there is no phone signal;  “Which is not always a bad thing, if you’re after some peace,” he comments.  

Siôn is having serious second thoughts

“The windows are quite big – there’s plenty of light – put some lamps over there and it will be very cosy – if that’s what you’re looking for.   You need to use your imagination.”

He seems to be in despair

Siôn however, sits down on the stairs with his head in his hands, 

"Is it for you . . . or not?"

while Griffiths continues, “Is it for you . . . or not?”   Siôn replies that it is not for him, and Griffiths would like to know who is it for, but he receives no reply.

Rhys arrives

At that moment Rhys is walking up the path towards the front door and calls to Ieuan;  when the door is opened, he notices Siôn on the stairs and asks what is going on.

"Siôn isn't saying anything"

Griffiths is not sure;  “Siôn isn’t saying anything.”   

"I'm afraid I've made a mistake"

Then they are told by Siôn that he is afraid he has made a mistake.

"Anita has locked herself out of the house"

“Look, Anita has locked herself out of the house and she is fuming,” Rhys explains, “You’d better go home – I’ll sort this out.”

"I hear you gave Rhys a real mouthful"

Colin is sitting in MFC, drinking the last dregs of his soft drink;  he comments to Britt, “I hear you gave Jinx a real mouthful.”

"He steals the inheritance from one of them!"

“Yes, I did – he gives the impression that he’s such a good person – helping people, doing things with children in the village – and then he steals the inheritance from one of them!” she snarls.   

"He didn't steal anything . . ."

Colin points out that he did not steal anything, 

". . . Gin left the house to him"

but Gwyneth left the house to Jinx in her will.

"He should have done the right thing"

She insists that Jinx should have done the right thing and given it to Gwern;  

"Gwyneth is to blame, not Jinx"

he, with a mouthful of food, replies, “In a perfect world, perhaps – but Gwyneth is to blame, not Jinx.”   

"Don't you take Jinx's side!"

She angrily warns him not to take Jinx’s side.

"There's something missing here"

“I’m not, right?   I’m sitting here, and I’m on the fence,” he stresses, “Listen, Gwern will be all right, OK?   He’s got a home with Dani – you and I are here as well for him. . .”

"Ah, that's more like it"

At this point he gets up to fetch some ketchup, with which he liberally laces his food.   

"But if he had a house in the village . . ."

“But if he had a house in the village, he’d be more likely to stay when he’s older,” Britt argues.   

"There's no guarantee of that"

Colin points out that there is no guarantee of that.

"Look where my children are now"

“Look where my children are now – they left this place the first chance they got,” she moans.   Colin insists that things have not been easy for Jinx, either – he and Dani have finished.”

Britt warns that there will be worse to come if he is not careful;  

"Nobody crosses the Monks and gets away with it!"

“Nobody crosses the Monks and gets away with it!” she growls.

"Has something happened?"

Over a drink in the Deri, Rhys asks if Siôn feels better now, and wonders if something has happened.   

"It sometimes helps to talk"

“No – nothing specific, just . . .”   Rhys says that it sometimes helps to talk;  

"I've been there myself"

he been there himself and realises that you cannot reason with emotion.   

"Things are getting the better of me"

Siôn merely maintains that things are getting the better of him.

"It happened to me now and  again"

“It happened to me every now and again, when I had depression,” Rhys adds, but Siôn is quick to point out that he does not suffer from depression.   He is just worried about somebody else, and might be partly responsible for their situation – he feels ashamed.

"Is Iolo all right?"

Rhys assumes that he is talking about Iolo, 

"No, not Iolo – it's Cai"

but is told that it is Cai, and Siôn does not know what to do.

Jinx arrives at number 7

Gwern is surprised by a knock at the door of number 7;  he finds that it is Jinx, and says that Dani is not there.   

"I know you're angry about the house"

“I’m here to see you,” Jinx replies, “Look, I know you’re angry about the business with the house and I’m sorry I’ve caused it.   

Gwern thinks he is getting something

“But I wanted to come over because I’ve got something to give you.”

It is an Xbox game

He hands over an Internet game which Dani said Gwern wanted;  

"Is this a joke?"

“Is this a joke?” Gwern demands, “You know I’ve broken my Xbox!   I thought you were going to give me the keys to the house.”

"I am keeping the house"

Jinx is sorry if he gave that impression and confirms that he is going to keep the house, 

"Right – get out, then!"

so Gwern immediately demands that he get out;   

Jinx leave the house 

Jinx does so.   

Gwern ponders his next move

Gwern goes into the kitchen and debates what he is going to do next.

"It's heartbreaking"

Siôn tells Rhys, “Thinking of Cai living on his own in that house today . . . he sits on his bed in a bleak hotel all day – he doesn’t see anyone – he’s not washing – he says he hates himself – it’s heartbreaking.”

"He can't do anything to change things"

Rhys imagines that he probably feels stuck;  “He can’t do anything to change things – and I know you were trying to help, but I don’t think that renting somewhere like that is the answer.   Cai would be lonely in a luxury penthouse.”

"I just want him to be happy"

Siôn just wants him to be happy, but he doubts whether coming back to Y Felin is the answer;  “And what will happen next month when he goes back to school?”   

"Perhaps he should talk to a professional"

Rhys suggests that perhaps he should talk to a professional, 

"Cai won't do that"

but Siôn is convinced that he would not.

“Well, all you can do is suggest it,” is Rhys’ advice, for which Siôn thanks him.   

Anita is in a much better mood now

Then Anita appears, and Rhys compliments her on her hair;  she is grateful to him for helping her today and is sorry if she overreacted.

"You might as well bring your desk here!"

Griffiths complains, “Are you here again?   You might as well bring your desk here!”   

"Rhys has been very good today"

Siôn reports that Rhys has been very good today, and reminds Griffiths that he was happy enough to leave him in Rhys’ hands earlier.

“How are you?” Griffiths continues, “I don’t often see clients have an episode like that in front of me.”   

"I'm no longer a client of Tomos ac Ellis"

Siôn assures him that he is no longer a client of Tomos ac Ellis and does not intend to rent anywhere.

"Oh – a time-waster, is it?"

“Oh – a time-waster is it?” scowls Griffiths;  

"You have good man here"

he is informed that he has very good man in Rhys and should appreciate him.

"You can tell me all about it"

Anita tells Ieuan that she is going to buy him a whisky and he can tell her all about it.   

"Good luck with Cai"

Rhys wishes Siôn good luck with Cai.

The roller shutter control box is opened

Gwern opens the box on the wall of the garage and operates the roller shutter;  

Gwern gets into the garage . . .

after it has partway opened, he crawls underneath 

. . . looks around . . .

and looks around the place.   

. . . and finds a can of petrol

He finds a red plastic can, which contains petrol.