Thursday 2 May 2024

Cassie is on a mission . . .

Cassie is loitering outside MFC;  when she has checked that no-one is watching, 

. . . adding something to the posters

she puts a small sticker on the corner of the Comedy Evening poster in the window, reading ‘Howard Owen Fund’, then walks away to treat other posters similarly.

"Aren't you working today, Mark?"

Kath is coming across the road and asks her son, “Aren’t you working today, Mark?”   

"I've got a day off"

He replies that he has a day off;  if his mother had known they could have organised to do something, as she has not seen him for a while.

"You're not still angry about that Eleri business?"

“Don’t say you’re still angry about that Eleri business?   I don’t care that she didn’t want to have lunch with us.”   He explains that is not the reason why he is angry and walks away.

"Hywel and Esther are still here, then?"

Cheryl visits Gaynor at Llwyncelyn and remarks, “Hywel and Esther are still here, then.   Don’t you think it’s a bit odd that you’re living together after being separated for so long?”   

"Well, that's the situation"

Gaynor concedes that it may be, but that is the situation.

"Hywel has his own house"

“Don’t you want your home back?   Hywel has his own house,” Cheryl goes on, 

"With two tenants living in it"

but is reminded that there are two tenants living in it.   “Imagine how nice it would be to have an empty house – 

"The Denbigh "dreamboat'!"

“to entertain the Denbigh ‘dreamboat’,” Cheryl tempts her, 

"That's not going to happen"

but Gaynor is convinced that will not happen.

“He still hasn’t replied to my messages,” she groans, and her sister is outraged by this.

Cheryl composes a text on Gaynor's behalf . . .

“Right, that’s enough – no one treats my sister like this!” Cheryl declares and picks up Gaynor’s phone;  despite the objections, she types a message, 

. . . and Gaynor is not happy about it

which makes Gaynor rather anxious.   

"Come on, tell me what's going on!"

At Maes-y-Deri, Kath demands that Mark tells her what is going on;  

"Has Cheryl upset you again?"

“Just forget that I said anything, Mam,” he urges her, so she assumes that Cheryl has upset him and they have fallen out again.

“Mam, leave it!” he tells her, but she will not.   He argues that he does not want to talk about it, and in any case, she would not believe him, 

"Brynmor and Eleri can do no wrong in your eyes"

“Because Brynmor and Eleri can do no wrong in your eyes.”   She still is insistent that he should tell her what is going on.

"Brynmor threatened me!"

“Brynmor – he threatened me the other day after lunch.   He told me never to talk to his daughter like that again, or I’d regret it!”   

Kath is lost for words

Kath is unusually rendered speechless.

"I'm going to put out another message"

Outside the Deri, Cai reports to Siôn that he has borrowed the school’s sound system and is going to put another message online to remind people.

"What on earth?"

Siôn suddenly notices that there has been an addition to his poster;  “What on earth?” he exclaims.

"I'm not sure what planet you live on . . ."

Cheryl has completed her message and reads it out to Gaynor;  “I’m not sure which planet you live on, but the polite thing to do is to send a message when you change your mind about seeing someone.   And although we only met once, I deserve to be acknowledged.   I hope you treat the next person you give your number to better than you’ve treated me.”

"That doesn't sound much like me"

Gaynor is rather dubious about sending that, as it does not sound much like her, 

"But it's true, isn't it?"

but Cheryl stresses that what she has written is true.   

"Let's lighten it a little"

“Let’s soften it a little,” Gaynor suggests.

"Oh – too late – it's gone!"

“Oh – too late – it’s gone!” gasps Cheryl, after deliberately pressing the button.   “I’ve got to go – see you later – and remember what I said about Hywel.   

"You really need to tell these men what's what!"

“You really need to tell these men what’s what!”

Kath demands why Mark thought she would not believe him.   

"You won't accept hat Eleri is nothing but trouble"

“Because you won’t accept that Eleri is nothing but trouble,” he answers, “Cassie and I have tried to tell you.”

"I know exactly what she's like!"

“Do you think I'm stupid?   I know exactly what she’s like – that she’s a little madam!” Kath snarls, 

"Then why haven't you said anything?"

so he wonders why his mother has not said anything, when Eleri treats her like dirt.

"Because she's Brynmor's daughter"

“Because she is Brynmor’s daughter – he worships her – I can’t put myself between them, but don’t worry, I’m playing the long game!”   Mark wonders what that is.   

“Wait until Brynmor realises for himself what she’s like,” says Kath.   Mark asks what they will do in the meantime, because neither Cassie nor he trusts her.   

"Brynmor will never threaten you again!"

“I know that, love – leave Eleri to me.   I’m telling you, Brynmor will never threaten you again!”

Gaynor is hard at work

Gaynor is clearing out the kitchen cupboards when Hywel comes into the house and wonders what she is doing.   “I thought it was time to get the house in order – I used to keep the saucepans in the bottom cupboard.”

"Sorry for moving them"

He apologises for moving them and she reminds him, “You know I like everything in its place.”   He points out that she has not been there for much of the last year, 

"As you said, it has been a year"

and she says, “I was trying not to put pressure on you to find somewhere else to live – but as you just said, it has been a year.”

Hywel has received the message, loud and clear; 

"You want me to move out, don't you?"

“You want me to move out, don’t you?   Right, I’ll have a word with Colin and Britt.”   

"I'm sure they'll understand"

Gaynor is sure that they will understand. 

Brynmor is taking it easy as usual

In the Deri flat, Brynmor is relaxing on the sofa, as he so often is, when Kath comes in;  he remarks that she has been gone a long time and he was getting worried.   

"Have you seen Mark recently?"

“Have you seen Mark recently?” she enquires.

"No, not since that lunch"

He replies that he has not, since that lunch.   

"What gives you the right to threaten my son?"

“Why are you lying to me?” she asks, “And what gives you the right to threaten my son?   I don’t know what’s happened to you since Eleri arrived.”

"No, don't blame Eleri!"

Brynmor is quick to jump to Eleri’s defence;  “No, don’t blame her!”   

"She's the one upsetting everyone"

Kath stresses that she is the one upsetting everyone;  “Cassie, Mark, the two of us – you let her get away with far too much!”   

"Guess who's coming to play in Cardiff?"

At that moment Eleri comes in;  “Dad – guess who’s coming to play in Cardiff?   Craig Ogden!   [Australian Classical Guitarist] And guess who’s got a pair of tickets?”   Brynmor maintains that he has always wanted to see him.

"I've booked us a hotel – and a nice meal"

“I’ve been listening to him since I heard the CD in your car,” she continues, “He’s playing tonight – and I’ve booked us a hotel – and a nice meal, for a change.”

"Sorry, I can't make it tonight"

Brynmor cannot make it tonight and apologises profusely;  “Siôn has a comedy night downstairs.”

"You're going to miss Craig Ogden to watch Siôn White?"

Eleri cannot credit this:  “You’re going to miss Craig Ogden to watch Siôn White?”   

"He's bound to come back to Wales"

Brynmor is sure that he will come back to Wales some other time.   

"OK, there we are, then"

“Right, OK, there we are, then,” she sighs and walks away.

"There, I didn't let her have her own way"

“There you are – I didn’t let her have her own way there,” he angrily informs Kath.

"Are you going to the Deri tonight?"

Eileen is preparing dinner when DJ comes in to ask her if she is going to the Deri tonight.   “Siôn did ask me to go, but I don’t think I will,” she says.

"Have you seen this?"

Then he shows her a photo on his phone of a poster, 

This changes Britt's attitude

with Cassie’s addition, and her attitude suddenly changes.

"It would be a shame to miss it . . ."

“Oh, is it now?   I might go, then – it would be a shame to miss such a worthwhile night!   

". . . we'll have some fun!"

“We’ll have some fun!”   She resumes chopping the vegetables 

Eileen's trademark grim look

with an extremely sour look on her face.

"I don't think I can do this"

Inside the Deri, Siôn appears to be rather nervous;  “I don’t think I can do this,” he tells Cai, “It was your idea – you do it!”

"Remember why you're doing this"

“It wasn’t my idea – calm down and remember why you’re doing this,” Cai reprimands him.   

"She's got a nerve!"

As Cassie brings in a plate of nibbles she sees Eileen entering and mutters, “She’s got a nerve!”   

"I wasn't expecting to see you"

Then, to Eileen, “I wasn’t expecting to see you tonight, Eileen.”

"Perhaps you can start by not shooting them!"

Eileen maintains that it is important to support the community;  Cassie suggests, “Perhaps you can start by not shooting them!”   Eileen emphasises that she is there to support Siôn, as friends are important to her.   

"It wasn't my idea for the profits to go to Howard"

He comes across to assure her that it was not his idea for the profits to go to Howard, arguing that it is a disgrace that the food bank is losing out like this.

Cassie points out that the Deri regularly supports the food bank, 

"It's only right we support people"

“And it’s only right that we support to the people of this community if they need something.”

"This is a vendetta against me!"

Eileen is convinced that this is a vendetta against her, but Cassie picks up the collection bucket and informs her that it is £10 per ticket, which Eileen ostentatiously pays, in the form of a £20 note;  

"Keep the change!"

“Keep the change!” she says.

"Sorry I can't go tonight"

Eleri is working on the laptop when her father again apologises that they cannot go tonight.   

"I wanted to give you something nice"

“It’s all right – I should have checked before buying the tickets,” his daughter tells him, “I was just so excited and I wanted to give you something nice after everything you’ve done for me.”

Kath is listening

Kath is standing in the doorway, listening to this conversation, and Brynmor says that Eleri is breaking his heart.   “I’m not trying to make you feel bad, Dad.   

"I paid £300 for the tickets"

“I paid £300 for the tickets and I’ve tried to sell them online but no luck – it’s a bit late in the day now.”

"I'll refund you the money"

“I’ll refund you the money – don’t worry,” he tells her, but she replies that there is no need and it is not about the money, anyway.

"I wanted to create memories"

“I just wanted to spend some time with you, create memories – we’ve got plenty of time for that.”   Brynmor promises that will be his priority from now on and Eleri describes him as, “So cute, Dad.”

"You go downstairs, Brynmor"

Kath now walks into the room and he compliments her that she looks lovely;  she tells him to go downstairs and that she will follow him in a moment.

"What is your game?"

“What is your game?” she demands of Eleri.

"Thanks for coming"

Downstairs in the bar, Cai introduces the evening and thanks everyone for coming;  “Before we start, Cassie wants me to remind you about the collection for Howard – please give generously.   

"The person we've all come to see – Siôn White!"

“Without any further delay, let me introduce the person we’ve all come to see – Siôn White!”

"Knock, knock . . ."

Siôn begins with a ‘knock knock’ joke, which hardly raises a smile, except from Eileen.   

This is going to be a tedious evening

Mark and Cheryl look unimpressed if this is going to be the quality of the evening.

""I'm not going to let you take advantage of Brynmor"

Upstairs in the flat, Kath warns, “I’m not going to let you take advantage of Brynmor.”

"Have I done something to make you think that?"

“Have I done something to make you think that?   So where has this come from?”   Kath heard him say that he would pay for those tickets and suspects that she is after his money.

“Have you really got tickets for Craig whoever?” she demands, 

"Is that good enough for you?"

so Eleri goes to fetch her phone and displays the tickets, wondering if that is good enough for Kath.

“I’m not the one taking advantage here, Kath,” she goes on, “Dad’s and Cassie’s names should be above that bar, not yours.”   

"Our finances are none of your business"

She is emphatically informed that their finances are none of her business.

“It’s not nice when someone questions you, is it?” Eleri growls, but Kath simply does not want to see Brynmor get hurt.   

"You're the one who's going to get hurt here"

“You’re the only one who’s going to get hurt here, Kath, if you don't stop this nonsense,” Eleri menacingly warns her.

"Why did the chicken cross the road?"

Downstairs, we are now subjected to a joke about a chicken crossing the road because MFC was on the other side.   This does not cause much hilarity either, 

Only Eileen seems enthusiastic

except from Eileen, of course.   Hywel did not realise that she and Siôn were such good friends.

“Now, most of you think that the Mabinogi and poetry from the Middle Ages . . .” Siôn drones on, 

"I'm getting some food"

while Eileen gets up from her chair, telling DJ that she is getting some food, so he asks for a sausage roll.

However her objective . . .

The collection bucket is on the same table as the food and this appears to be Eileen’s main objective.   

. . . is to retrieve some cash from the bucket . . .

She looks around to make sure that everyone is either watching Siôn, or has dropped off to sleep, then helps herself to some of the bucket’s contents.

. . . which she folds up

As she is folding up the notes, 

"Let's take a five minute break"

Siôn, from his position at the microphone, can see what she is doing, and proposes that they take a five minute break.   Mark shouts that perhaps he should work on his punchlines.

"Where are you going, Eileen?"

Meanwhile Eileen is heading towards the door, but Siôn follows her and asks where she is going.   “Home – Sioned has phoned to say that Huwi-John is ill,” she replies.

"You're better than this"

“Listen, I’ve admired you for many things over the last few weeks and I would never tell you what to do, but you’re better than this,” says Siôn, 

He pointedly looks at her handbag . . .

looking down at her handbag.   

. . . so she thinks it wise to go back in

She turns and walks back into the bar.

"I was shocked that you were married"

continues, “To be perfectly honest, I was shocked that you were married – and the more I get to know you, the more bizarre I find it – but what do I know?”   

"You know nothing about our marriage"

Kath maintains that she knows nothing about their marriage, 

"Dad and I do talk – about a lot of things"

but Eleri replies, “Dad and I do talk – about a lot of things – things you would have no interest in.”

"Don't you dare try to come between us!"

“Don’t you dare try to come between us!” Kath cautions her and is told that she cannot expect someone like her to like the same things as her father, as he has said himself.

"What do you mean – 'someone like me'?"

Kath snatches the photo from her hands and demands, “What do you mean, ‘someone like me’?”

"From such different backgrounds"

“I’m just saying it’s cute that two people from such different backgrounds can be in a relationship.”   Kath advises her not to worry about their marriage, 

"I'd like you to show a little more respect"

but would like her to show a little more respect towards the people who are important to her father.

“All I’m saying is that you don’t have much in common – 

"That idiot son of yours"

“Dad has taste – your idea of fun is bingo and vodka and lemonade with Cassie and that idiot son of yours!”

"I want you out!"

Kath demands whether she has finished, then announces, “I want you out!”   Eleri simply laughs at her, so she repeats, “I want you out, I said!   Now!”

"Because the hair on her legs was too long"

The Comedy Evening does not appear to be improving;  whatever the last joke was, the punchline is, “Because the hair on her legs was too long.”   This time not even Eileen laughs at it 

"Would anyone from the audience like to tell a joke?"

and Cai is forced to intervene and ask if anyone from the audience would like to tell a joke.

"What about you, Mark?"

“What about you, Mark?   You had plenty to say earlier,” comments Siôn and 

As he about to launch into his performance . . .

Mark receives a lot of enthusiastic encouragement.   

. . . his mother is throwing Eleri out

Unfortunately his joke is disrupted by Kath coming downstairs in the process of throwing Eleri out.

“All right, I’m going – you don’t have to escort me out!” Eleri protests.   

"What is your problem?"

Kath had been hoping that she would be civil at least, but Eleri demands, “What is your problem?”

"She's determined to come between us!"

Kath snarls at Brynmor, “Don’t look at me like that – I’ve tried everything with her!   She’s determined to come between us!”   

Brynmor orders both of them upstairs

Brynmor instructs her  and Eleri to go back upstairs now.   “You didn’t hear what she said!” shouts Kath.

Both Mark and . . . 

As they leave the bar, Mark 

. . . Cassie look pleased with this development

and Cassie look rather triumphantly at each other.

"You didn't hear what she said!"

Upstairs, Kath is still insisting, “You’re not listening – you didn’t hear what she said,” 

"I don't know what has upset Kath"

while Eleri maintains that she does not know what has upset Kath.   “You know exactly what you said!” is Kath’s riposte.

“She wants to throw me out,” Eleri whines to her father, 

"No-one is going anywhere!"

but he is adamant that no one is going anywhere.   

"I'm not having her staying here!"

Kath refuses to have her staying there and Eleri demands where she is supposed to go.

“There’s a hotel in Cardiff,” Kath begins, but Brynmor points out that Eleri is not leaving.

"If you won't accept that, we have a problem"

“And if you won’t accept that, well, we have a problem!”   

Another smirk from Eleri

Eleri smirks in a self-satisfied fashion at Kath.

"Thanks for pushing me to do that"

As they dismantle the sound system, Siôn thanks Cai for pushing him to do that;  “I know I wasn’t the biggest hit, but at least I did it.”   

"Gwen would have been making most fun of you"

Cai replies is that if Gwen had been there, she would have been the one making most fun of him.

"Shouldn't you check on your mother?"

At the bar Cheryl wonders if Mark ought to go and check on his mother;  “No, it’s better to let the dust settle first,” is his answer.

"Block him!"

Gaynor receives a message on her phone;  when Cheryl learns that it is Tom, she recommends blocking him.   “No, wait – his aunt has died – at least I know what he hasn’t been in touch – 

"That's the last time I listen to you"

“that’s the last time I listen to you.”   Cheryl is not convinced by his excuse.

"He wants to go one a date next week"

“He wants to go on a date next week,” Gaynor continues, and now Cheryl imagines that she does not regret listening to her.

"I thought you were pleased Eleri is back in my life"

“I thought you were pleased that Eleri is back in my life,” says Brynmor, 

"She had no right to say what she did"

but Kath still insists that she had no right to say what she said.   

"That's no reason to kick her out"

“That’s no reason to kick her out in front of a pub full of people!” he adds.

"She insisted on walking out"

Kath points out that Eleri insisted on walking out and causing a scene;  “I’m not lying to you, Brynmor – unlike her!   

"I don't like the effect she's having on you"

“I don’t like the effect she’s having on you – it’s not like you to threaten anyone, especially my son.”

He agrees that he will apologise to Mark;  

"Will you do the same to my child?"

“Will you do the same to my child?   Come on, Kath, we all have to make an effort with family.”

"All I get back is cheek!"

Exasperated, Kath replies, “Effort?   That’s all I’ve done with her since she’s been here – and all I get back is cheek.”

Now Brynmor maintains that Eleri adores Kath;  “Does she really?   And since when have you been discussing our marriage with Eleri?”   She appears to have hit a nerve here, 

"We discuss a lot of things"

as Brynmor rages that they discuss a lot of things.

"Right, I'm going to bed"

Kath decides that she is going to bed, but is told that she is being childish;  

"Don't make me choose between you . . ."

“And Kath, don’t make me choose between you – 

". . . because you're not going to win!"

“because you’re not going to win.”

"I know exactly where I stand now, don't I?"

She pauses for a moment to digest his words, then says, “Oh, well, there we are, then – I know exactly where I stand now, don’t I?”