17 April 2018

"Until next time on 'Dad – What Dad?'"

Vicky is once more broadcasting via her iPad;  “All you single mothers out there, you don’t have to lose the glam when you become a Mam!   Until next time on ‘Dad – What Dad?’, From me, Vicky Collins, toodle-oo.”

"She hasn't stopped all weekend!"

Kath complains that she has not stopped all weekend;  “If she’s not in the lounge, she’s upstairs!   And have you heard what she’s saying?   She’s lying through her teeth!”   Mark’s opinion is that she is not doing any harm.

"You're hogging the entire house"

Ricky also disapproves of her hogging the house with her vlogs.   

"You're trying to copy Sara"

“You’re trying to copy Sara, aren’t you?” says Kath, 

"She's trying to be Sara!"

and Ricky says she is trying to be Sara, and that doing a vlog is nothing special.

“Yes it is!” Vicky replies, “When people can’t wait for the next one!”   She goes upstairs, and 

"Give her a break – she's enjoying it!"

Mark urges them to leave her alone, as she is enjoying it, but his mother is quite clear that she is not enjoying it.   

Ricky complains that she is taking over the house, and has even been in his room.   

"If she doesn't stop this nonsense . . ."

“If she doesn’t stop this nonsense, I shall have to move out again!”   

"And I might have to come with you!"

Kath agrees that she might have to move out with him this time.

Elgan is watching his video

Elgan is watching a video which he has made, detailing his experiences;  “Then I heard him, pleading for help – he had been hit, and there was blood everywhere.   He was a mess.   I assured him that he was going to be all right.   I lifted him over my shoulder and made my way out.   

"They seemed to understand what I was saying"

“I shouted back to the children that I would come back for them soon.   They seemed to understand what I was saying, but Tim was limp, his eyes were vacant.”

"He was dead!"

In his mind, Elgan can hear the bombs exploding, and the video continues, “He was dead.   I turned to go back inside, and another mortar exploded.   The roof fell in, and there was screaming – 

"It went quiet everywhere"

“and then nothing – it went quiet everywhere.”

"You did well to listen all the way through"

His therapist thanks him for carrying out that difficult task;  “You did well to listen all the way through.”   

Elgan recalls that he promised he would go back to get them – and they believed him.   

"I let those little children die!"

“I let those little children die!”

"That's rather short notice, Dai!"

Dai has called an urgent meeting of the rugby club committee;  Eifion complains that he has not had much notice, but he and Cadno we'll be there.   

"The rugby club has run out of money"

“The rugby club has no money to renew the lease on the pitch!” he tells Cadno.

"What do you want?"

Garry arrives, to see the shed, and is not welcomed by Cadno;  “No dodgy business, right?   This is a reputable farm!”   

"When will the shed be available?"

Garry wants to know when the shed will be available, because the butcher is coming tomorrow, 

"At least a couple of hours"

and Eifion replies that it will be at least a couple of hours.   

"This will be the most exciting episode yet!"

Vicky is vlogging yet again, and predicts that this will be the most exciting episode yet.   “This stylish single mother is going to start her own business.   

"I used to work as a fashion designer"

“I used to work as a fashion designer in one of the large department stores – and they’re desperate to have me back.”

Kath and Mark cannot believe their ears 

"I'm going freelance!"

as she goes on, “As I’m single and stylish, I’m going to go freelance – cool or what?   I won a couple of awards from my work years ago, which proves that people like my stuff – so wish me luck – and buy my designs!”

"We need to talk to her!"

Kath comes the conclusion that they need to talk to her.

"Where was Iolo on Saturday?"

Tyler is manoeuvring the pram out of the front door of number 7 when he is spotted by Dai, who wants to know where Iolo was on Saturday.   

"At home with Greta and me"

Tyler replies that he was with him and Greta.   “He should have been in a number 9 shirt, putting the ball into the scrum!” moans Dai, 

"The club is in crisis!"

and argues that the rugby club should come first.   Tyler disagrees with this evaluation

“The club is in crisis and we need better players,” Dai continues, “If Iolo wants to be with Greta, why don’t you play?”   

Tyler says no

The answer to this is no, so Dai marches off, muttering, “Nefi wen!”

"How do you feel, listening to that?"

The therapist asks Elgan how he feels, listening to that account.   

"Guilty and angry"

He replies, “Guilty, angry – I felt hot and sweaty, and I was shaking.   The worst thing was the eyes – seeing the fear in the eyes of the children, and Tim staring at me – vacant, dead eyes.   

"I usually hear the voices in my head"

When I told the story I felt weird – putting a voice to memories that usually occur in my head.   But it was a relief in one way as well.”

"How would your friends react?"

He is asked how he thinks his friends, or Gaynor, would react if they heard that recording.   

"They would blame me for letting him die"

He is sure that they would blame him for letting those children die.   “What about Tim?” the therapist adds, “You were trying to save the life of a fellow soldier.”

"I didn't get the chance"

Elgan acknowledges that Tim was dying anyway, and reiterates that he should have gone back for those children.   “I intended to, but I didn’t, because I didn’t get the chance – another mortar struck!”   

"It was out of your control"

The therapist points out that it was out of his control, but he protests that does not change what he sometimes sees, when he closes his eyes.   

". . . and I did nothing!"

“Those children staring at me, pleading with me to help – and I did nothing!”   Again she says that he knew it was beyond his control, but that does not change what he still feels, and assures him that he is doing well.

Dai is looking for money . . .

In the Deri, Dai emphasises how much he values Garry’s sponsorship of the rugby club, and wonders if it is possible that the club could have some money upfront for next season.   

. . . but Garry is not interested

The answer is, “No!   I’m throwing money away already!   Until I can be associated with a success story, I’m not interested!   I’m a businessman, not a charity.”

"Eileen, Sara and now you!"

Dai bemoans the fact that Eileen said no, Sara said no, “And now you!”   Britt, who has just arrived, 

"And the chip shop!"

adds the chip shop to his list, pointing out that the Dry January antics did not help the club’s reputation.   Dai rants about the poor quality of players, and of the coaching staff, 

"The club needs a revolution!"

insisting that the club needs a revolution.

Vicky seems to do nothing but create vlogs

Vicky is signing off yet another vlog, and Kath tells Mark to have a word with her, 

"Why do you have to tell these lies about yourself?"

but she herself begins, “We can’t understand why you have to tell these lies about yourself – we heard you!”   

"It's only a vlog"

Vicky says that it is no big deal – but only a vlog.   Mark reminds her that she is giving advice to women who believe she is telling the truth, and Kath adds that the lies are getting worse.

"Nobody will look if I'm just me!"

“I have to lie – nobody is going to look at my vlog if I’m just me, are they?” replies Vicky, exasperated.   

"You're a great mother, and you're popular'

Kath stresses that she is a great mother to Nicky, and she is popular, but the Internet is not real life.

"There's nothing false about the Joneses"

“You’re one of us, whether you’re a Jones or not – and there’s nothing false about the Joneses.   We don’t pretend to be anything but ourselves – and, personally, I’m proud of that, and you should be too.”   

Kath seems to be getting through to Vicky

The message seems to get through to Vicky.

"I'm not training twice a week!"

Iolo tells Tyler that Dai has gone over the top, wanting two training sessions every week;  “I can’t commit to that – rugby is supposed to be fun!”   

"There may not be a club"

Tyler replies that if they cannot pay for the pitch, there may not be a club, and Dai has called an emergency meeting tonight;  he does not want to see the club go down.   

"You'll end up doing what Dai wants!"

Iolo warns him that if he gets on to the committee, he will end up doing what Dai wants, but Tyler replies that he is actually trying to do something.   Iolo is not going to argue about this, but leaves for work, 

"There won't be any changes while Dai's around"

his final comment being, “Don’t kid yourself that there will be any changes while Dai’s around.”

Eifion has almost finished cleaning up . . .

Eifion is sweeping out the shed, 

. . . and Garry is quite impressed

and Garry admits to being impressed with it;  

"How would you like to join me?"

“How would you like to join me in the business?” he enquires, “It would seem to make business sense.   Sell all the produce under the name of Penrhewl Organic Meat – my meat is organic, too.”

"What farm is this meat coming from?"

Eifion is still unconvinced, and demands, “Right, what farm is it?   You said yesterday the meat was local.”   

"There's no catch – just more money for everyone"

The reply is that he will find out soon enough if he comes in with Garry.   He insists that there is no catch – they can combine stock and reduce costs – which results in more money for everyone.

Elgan's therapy session continues

The therapist asks Elgan what his friends would say about the fact he was there at all, in the middle of all the shooting and bombing.   

"They'd probably say I was brave . . ."

“They’d probably say I was brave,” he replies.   She asks what they would say about what happened that day, 

". . . and that I tried my best"

and he expects they would say he tried his best, to save Tim, and that there was nothing else he could have done.   They would say it was not his fault that the bomb struck.

When asked whether he agrees with that, he says that he probably does, as it is the truth;  

"I've been punishing myself for years"

“There was nothing else I could have done.   I’ve been punishing myself for years – blaming myself for what happened – feeling guilty – but there was nothing else I could have done!”

"All you have to do is deliver"

“The butcher will chop and pack the meat, and all you have to do is deliver,” explains Garry;  Eifion says it sounds too good to be true.   

Cadno reminds of the meeting

Cadno tells Eifion that it is time for the rugby club meeting in the Deri.   Garry leaves, 

"I don't trust him!"

and Cadno again emphasises that she does not trust him, but Eifion advises her to think about the money.

Greta shows no signs of wanting to sleep

Tyler is playing with Greta when Iolo returns home, 

Tyler is feeling shattered

but Tyler says that he is shattered and will not be going to the meeting.

"The club is in crisis!"

In the Deri, Dai is anxious to get the meeting started;  “Off the field, the club is in crisis, on the field, we’re facing the drop!   I have pointed out the problems we have, and we need better players, first of all.   

"We should upgrade the coaching"

“We should also upgrade the coaching.   I have someone in mind – someone who’s had a bit of experience abroad.”

"Are you trying to get rid of me?"

“Are you trying to get rid of me?” demands Hywel, the current coach, 

"All right – I resign!"

and promptly resigns, wishing him, “Good luck, Dai – you’ll need it!”

Ricky is rather taken aback . . .

When Ricky walks into Maes-y-Deri, 

 . . . by the lack of anything vlog-related

he finds Vicky playing with Nicky, and is surprised that there is no sign of a vlog;  he is told that she has given up.   “Wasn’t anyone watching?” he enquires, 

"They might rely too much on her advice"

and Kath points out that there was a danger that people might rely too much on Vicky’s advice.

"Are you staying for a meal, Rick?"

When Mark asks Ricky if he will be staying for the meal, Kath answers, “Of course he will – he’s one of the Joneses, and we stick together!”

Hywel sits disconsolately at the bar, 

"It's only rugby!"

and Britt comments, “I don’t know why you’re bothered – it’s only rugby!”   Elgan comes in, looking quite cheerful, and Garry asks if he wants a job, coaching the rugby team, as Hywel has been sacked, 

"I've always been a football man"

but he replies he has always been a football man.   

"You said you used to coach rugby in Australia!"

“Didn’t you tell me a while ago you used to coach rugby in Australia?” Hywel comments, and the doctor is forced to confess that he has never been to Australia, explaining that it is complicated, but it is all in the past now.

"Nice to have a chat with someone who knows his rugby"

Dai appears at the bar and orders a pint for the doc.   “It’s nice to have a chat with someone who knows his rugby.”

"The equipment is coming in the morning, then the meat"

Garry surreptitiously informs Eifion that the equipment will be delivered in the morning, and the meat in the afternoon;  then he will bring the butcher to Penrhewl.   

"We'll be a good team!"

“We’ll be a good team!” he predicts.

"How long have they been such good mates?"

Britt asks Cadno how long Garry and Eifion have been such good mates, 

"Garry's renting a shed from us"

and is told that Garry is renting a shed from them.   

"Not enough room at the garage, I'm told"

“It’s for car parts – not enough room at the garage, so I’m told,” says Cadno, but Britt looks sceptical.   
Cadno takes Eifion’s pint over to him, and he seems enthusiastic about working together with Garry, 

Britt knows that something is afoot

but Britt is eyeing them suspiciously.