24 October 2023

"You're sure every councillor is in favour?"

As Eileen comes out of the deli she is speaking to Hywel on the phone;  “Everything seems to be going in the right direction – thank you for all your work.   You’re sure that every councillor is in favour, are you?   Oh, good – that means the chicken sheds will be up at Penrhewl in no time.”

"The little cow!"

Then she notices a poster has been stuck on the pole of the belisha beacon on the crossing;  “The little cow!” she snarls, quickly assuring Hywel that she does not mean him.   She can see that someone has been busy there – 

"I have a good idea who!"

and she has a good idea who it is.   She immediately rips down the poster.

Kelly is remarkably ignorant about screwdrivers . . .

In APD Kelly is looking at two screwdrivers;  “There’s one here with a line and one with a cross – and they’re practically identical – totally unnecessary, if you ask me.”   

. . . so Jason tries to enlighten her

Jason attempts to educate her, pointing out the difference between a Phillips screwdriver and a flat-head screwdriver.   Now he would like them to get on with some work.

"I have to take Dai to see a bungalow"

“No, actually, because I have to take Dai to see a bungalow that’s just come on the market,” she replies.   When he protests she goes on that she will help him in her lunch hour.

"I've got a million and one things to do!"

“Kelly, I’ve got a million and one things to do!” he shouts, but she maintains that bungalows are selling like hot cakes, so if he wants them to be alone in Bryntirion together . . .”

Diane is back

Then the door opens and Diane walks in;  

"Welcome home, Mam!"

Jason was not expecting her back from her holiday.   “Why didn’t you say you were coming home today?” he demands and she says she wanted to surprise him.

“Dai says that a bungalow has come on the market – I want to go and see it.   

"I don't trust Dai to choose his pants"

“I don’t trust Dai to choose his pants, never mind a bungalow.   Has anything happened while I was away?”

"Live action movie of Chicken Run . . ."

Kelly informs her, “Eileen going to make a live action movie remake of the chicken run film in Penrhewl – but this time the chickens aren’t going to have a happy ending!”   Diane concludes that the posters are something to do with her.

Kelly denies involvement

“Nope,” she answers, “But I’m really ecstatic that someone’s had the guts to put Eileen in her place.”   

"Is everything all right?"

Diane asks Jason is if everything is all right, 

"Yes, I think so"

noticing that the place is in a bit of a mess.   

"Jason?"

She can detect that all is not well and Jason confesses, “You remember the big job on the hotel in Llanelli?   Well, Mathew under-quoted the job to make sure we got it – 

"We're in a hole"

and now the price of materials has increased and we’re in a hole.

"You don't need to worry about this"

When she asks if there is anything she can to help, he replies, “Mam, you’ve only just got home – you don’t need to worry about this.”

Kelly puts up another poster

Just outside the door of APD, Kelly is a fixing another poster to the corner of the village map.   When Jason and his mother come out, she lies, 

"It's the first time I've seen them"

“Honestly this is the first I’ve seen them,” and Diane can see that they are very graphic.   Jason does not believe that Kelly knows nothing about it, but she replies, “Cross my heart.”

“I’m going to get us a coffee and then you can tell me all about this plan,” says Diane.  

"You're coming with us, good boy!"

When Jason wishes her good luck with the bungalow, she instructs him that he is coming with her.

“What?   I’m up to my ears!” he exclaims, but Diane needs a builder to check that there are no surprises if they buy the place.   

"Builder?   What do you think Dai is?"

“You’ve got a builder – what do you think Dai is?” Jason demands.   

She is adamant that they need more than one pair of eyes;  “This is a big decision,” so he tells her to text him the address and he will meet them there.

"Cross my heart?"

“Cross my heart?” Jason reminds Kelly as they look at the poster, “Remind me never to cross you, will you?”   

"Eileen's messed with the wrong person this time!"

Kelly assures him that Eileen has messed with the wrong person this time.

Delyth brings Maya some lunch

In the back of the pharmacy, Delyth brings Maya some lunch, but then notices she already has some.   “I just thought I’d . . .”   Maya says she has stuff to do out the back 

"I won't be finished till late

and will not be finished until late.   “Can we talk later?   

"It's doing my head in"

“We haven’t spoken all weekend and it’s doing my head in,” Delyth goes on, 

"Forget about it, Dee"

and is told to forget about it.

As the head for Tomos ac Ellis . . .

As Kelly and Diane walk along the street towards Tomos ac Ellis we see another poster on the pillar box.   “You can see the details now,” says Kelly, and then Eileen emerges from the estate agents.

. . . Eileen comes out

“Oh, Kelly – I’ve been looking for you!” she snarls, tearing down the poster.   Kelly is wondering whether she has changed her mind about keeping chickens in unfair conditions and instead wants to buy them a luxury new-build.

"You've got everyone-sided facts on these posters!"

“You’ve got very one-sided facts on these posters!” Eileen moans;  

"Kelly's not the only one who opposes it"

Diane comments that from what she has heard, Kelly is not the only one who opposes it.   “Where are the others then?   I don’t see a queue outside Penrhewl!” sneers Eileen 

"They're only just finding out now"

“They’re only just finding out now – thanks to these posters,” Diane enlightens her.   Kelly will go inside to get the keys.   

"Who on the council took a back-hander from you?"

“Tell me – who on the council took a back-hander from you for this?” Diane demands, 

Diane hates deception

and Eileen pretends not to know what she is talking about.   “One thing I hate is deception!   The favours, the back-handers.”

"Look at your own family first – the affair . . ."

“Well, if you’re worried about deception, perhaps you should look at your own family first – the affair,” Eileen suggests,

". . . sorry, I thought Dai had told you"

then adds, “Oh, sorry – I thought Dai had told you.”

Diane looks concerned about this and when Kelly comes out with the keys, 

"I'km not going to let you ruin my plans!"

Eileen assures her “I’m not going to let you ruin my plans!”   

"The opposition is gaining ground"

 tells her that the opposition is gaining momentum, far beyond Cwmderi.

“Try this trick, good girl, and it’s you who will need to watch out!” Eileen threatens.   

"Did she just threaten me?"

Kelly appears not to be intimidated and invites Diane to go and see the bungalow of her dreams.

Ffion has had that picture for ages

Jason is rushing around in APD when the door opens and Ffion appears, carrying the large picture from her wall.   “Can you fix this frame for me?   Look at the state of it,” she says.

A little superglue will soon sort that out

“Does it look as if we fix frames?   We’re a building company, Ffion.”   

Another frame required

Delyth is the next one through the door, wanting to get Maya’s Welsh certificate framed.   Jason hopes that she also is joking, and asks whether the picture is of Jinx, but Ffion maintains it looks nothing like Jinx.

"All you have to do is look after this place"

“I’ve had an idea,” he says, “I have to go to Llanarthur to see a bungalow – there’s a frame shop there.   I can take these there for you if you want.   All you have to do is look after this place while I’m gone.   Ffion, please – I’m in a hole here – Anita’s phoned in sick – I’ll only be a few hours.   

"You'd be doing me a massive, massive favour!"

“You’d be doing me a massive, massive favour!”

"Perhaps a break might be a good idea"

She thinks perhaps a break from schoolwork might be a good idea, and he tells her to phone him if there is any problem.

The bungalow . . .

The scene shifts to a bungalow, where Dai can be seen standing in the porch;  

. . . in which Dai can see potential

“As father would say, ‘definite potential’, he says, “I’ve seen far worse places – there’s plenty of room in here, 

"The bathroom is . . ."

“the kitchen is fine and the bathroom is . . .”

"Filthy?"

Kelly supplies the missing word, “Filthy?”   He wonders where her imagination is, insisting that the place has good bones.

"Would you really consider buying this?"

Jason has been looking around and disagrees;  “What was the point of dragging me all the way out here?   You’re not really considering buying this?”

"The view's as good as Whitehaven Beach in Australia"

Dai suggests that the view out there is as good as Whitehaven Beach in Australia.   

"Lovely"

Diane has been saying nothing at all until now, and merely mutters, “Lovely,” without any enthusiasm.

"There's loads of work to do, Dai"

Kelly can see that there is loads of work to do;  Dai thought it was her job to sell houses, 

"I didn't realise it was so dated"

but she replies, “I didn’t realise it was so dated from the pictures and I didn’t do the valuation.”

Dai is convinced that there is potential;  “We’ll save thousands of pounds by doing it up ourselves.”   

"Who exactly is going to do the work?"

Jason asks who exactly is going to do all the work.   “Well not me, with the state I’m in,” Dai answers, “But I’ll be the project manager.”

"You need somewhere that's ready to go"

Kelly informs him that he needs somewhere that is ready to go;  “It will take ages to renovate this.”   Jason corrects her that it will take him ages to renovate the place.

"You're very quiet, Diane"

Dai asks Diane for her opinion;  “You’re very quiet – you’ve usually got plenty to say – this is a big decision, according to you.”

"I don't think we should buy this place . . ."

She delivers her verdict, “I don’t think we should buy this place – I don’t think we should buy any bungalow together.   I know what you’ve been doing while I was away.   

". . . Dai Ashurst, you've been having an affair!"

“You, Dai Ashurst, have been having an affair!”   

"Nefi wen!   What is she on about?"

Dai looks at her with absolute incomprehension.

"Sorry for barging into that meeting last week"

While Ffion is tidying up things in APD, Delyth apologises to her for barging into the meeting last week;  “Maya was late and I was angry – I was trying to make it up to her by getting the certificate for her Welsh course framed.   

"It isn't easy for her"

“It’s not easy for her, learning Welsh and trying to fit in.”

"She insisted we held the meetings in Welsh"

Ffion replies, “She’s doing well – she’s insisted that we hold the rugby meetings in Welsh – didn’t she tell you?”

"How many times, Diane?"

Dai is in a state of panic;  “How many times do I have to say it?   I haven’t been near any women!    

"Watch rugby and 'Tipping Point'"

“Crikey Moses!   The only thing I’ve done while you’ve been away is watch rugby and ‘Tipping Point’.   I don’t care what Eileen said – I’m your husband and you should listen to what I say!”

"What exactly did Eileen say?"

Jason asks what his mother was told by Eileen, 

"Something about an affair"

and she rather vaguely replies, “Something about an affair.”   Dai makes it very clear that she was not talking about him.   

'Who else could it be?"

“Well, who else could it be?   Is anyone going to say something?” Diane snarls.

"She was talking about me – with Jinx"

Kelly admits, “She was talking about me – with Jinx – before the wedding.”   

"This is sorted - I've forgiven her"

Jason insists that there is no need to open old wounds, as it has already been sorted and he has forgiven her.

"And you knew about this?"

Diane turns to face Dai;  “And you knew about this?”   

"I didn't want to upset you"

He says he did not want to upset her while she was on holiday.   

Diane storms off

She picks up her bag and storms out of the bungalow.

"Jason and Mathew have had a makeover"

Eileen comes into APD and is surprised to see that it is staffed by a police officer and a headteacher;  “Jason and Mathew have had a makeover!” she remarks.   Delyth ask what she wants, listing wood, paint and all kinds of equipment.

"Do you know where it is?"

Eileen has been sent to get some white spirit, but neither of them have any idea where that might be, so she will come back later.   

"We're trying to get the place in order"

Ffion explains they are helping out while Jason is on an errand and are trying to get the place in order for him.

"Things are not looking good"

Delyth is looking at some of the paperwork and comments that things are not looking too good;  Ffion maintains that things are not good for small businesses at the moment, which gives Eileen an idea.

"I'm so sorry, Jason"

Jason and Kelly are left alone in the bungalow, where she confesses, “I have no right to be upset – I’m so sorry, Jason.”   

"Everything will be all right"

He urges her not to worry about it and is convinced that everything will be all right.   

"Your Mam's never going to forgive me"

“Your Mam’s never going to forgive me – you know that!” she growls.

“If I could move on from this, she can as well,” he insists, “She has no choice – it’s you and me that’s important here, not Mam!”

Dai has been listening to Diane's moaning

Dai comes back in, reeling off Diane’s litany of complaints;  “She’s upset that nobody told her – everyone knew, except for her – she feels as if she’s not part of the family any more.   

"Don't worry – I've had a word with her"

“But don’t worry, I’ve had a word with her, so . . . right, she’s waiting for me in the car, she wants to go home – she doesn’t want to discuss it now.”

Jason and Kelly sit in silence

Jason and Kelly simply look at each other.

"If she thinks I'm giving up now . . ."

Eileen comes out of the farmhouse, again talking to Hywel on the phone;  “No, I’m not going to ignore her, because if she thinks I’m giving up now . . . 

"There needs to be a public meeting . . ."

“Now listen to me, Hywel, there needs to be a public meeting where people can voice their concerns about the chicken sheds – and then we can undermine everything they say.   

". . . with you in the chair, as soon as possible"

“Yes, we!   You have to be there – I was hoping you would chair the meeting.   Isn’t it part of your job as a councillor to listen to the concerns of your voters?   And this meeting needs to be arranged as soon as possible – next week at the latest.   

"I don't think Kelly will be a problem now"

“Don’t worry about Kelly – I don’t think she’ll be a problem now.   I look forward to hearing the details of this public meeting.”

"I've just done a shift at APD"

“You wouldn’t believe where I’ve just been,” says Delyth as she returns to the pharmacy flat, “I’ve just done a shift at APD – it’s a long story involving me trying to get your certificate for the Welsh course framed.   It’s with Jason – I’ll get it tomorrow.   I’m just gutted I don’t have it to give you.”

"You went to a lot of effort last week"

She once more apologises for getting angry last week, but Maya appreciates that she went to a lot of effort last week.   “I’m just so glad you’re making friends and that you’re settling.   And I heard that you asked for the meetings to be held in Welsh.   

"How about if I speak to you in Welsh?"

“How about, from now on, if I speak Welsh to you and you can talk to me in any language you want?   

"If you don't understand, just ask"

“If you don’t understand, just ask.”

"What's 'spinach' in Welsh?"

Maya is cooking red curry with spinach;  she asks what that is in Welsh 

"Sbigoglys"

and is told, “Sbigoglys.”

"I might have the solution to get you out of a hole"

Eileen is back at APD, where she is pleased to see that Jason is behind the counter;  “It doesn’t matter how much you count those pennies – it won’t change the figures.   I might have the solution to get you out of a hole.”

"What hole is that, Eileen?"

He wonders what hole that might be, 

"I'll give the contract for the chicken sheds to APD"

so she goes on, “Small businesses are struggling, aren’t they?   We all try our best, but sometimes that’s just not enough, is it?   I’ll give the contract for the chicken sheds to APD and to no-one else.”

Jason waits for the catch

Jason wonders what is the catch with this;  “I’m supposed to take your word for that, am I?”

"As long as Kelly behaves herself"

She continues, “As long as the planning application goes through and that Kelly behaves herself from now on.   You can name your price – I think it could keep you going for a while.”   

Jason remains silent

He does not say anything.

Diane is brooding

Diane is standing, brooding, in the kitchen at Bryntirion when Kelly comes in;  

"I'm really sorry for what I did"

“Jason’s gone back to APD for a while, but he won’t be long.   Diane, I’m really sorry for what I did, but I swear no-one’s punished me more than I’ve punished myself.”

"It doesn't mean I don't love Jason . . ."

Diane sits down at the table as Kelly continues, “What I did doesn’t mean that I don’t love Jason – cos, do you know what?   

". . . I really do.    I chose him over Jinx"

“I really do.   I chose him over Jinx.”

"Perhaps Jason would have been better off if you hadn't"

Diane rather cruelly answers, “Perhaps Jason would be better off if you hadn’t chosen him!”

Kelly acknowledges that might indeed be the case;  

"But Jason's chosen me as well – and we're happy"

“But after everything that’s happened, Jason’s chosen me as well – and we’re happy.”

"I had affairs, years ago"

“Listen, I’m not stupid – I had affairs myself, years ago,” says Diane, “I went off with Dai when I was still with Derek – but that was because I knew it was Dai I wanted to be with.   

"Are you sure Jason is the one for you?"

“Are you sure that Jason is the one for you?”

"Absolutely sure, Diane"

Kelly is absolutely sure that Jason is the one;  

"I don't know is I can forgive you"

she is told, “Well, perhaps Jason can forgive you, but I don’t know if I can.”   

She walks out of the room

Diane picks up her mug and walks out of the room.