Cwmderi Diary 2018: 25 October 2018

Iolo has been cooking breakfast

Iolo has prepared a full Welsh breakfast, and tells Eifion that he has a big day ahead of him at the WRU; “I don’t care, as long as they don’t ask awkward questions,” Eifion says,

"Make sure you stick up for what's right!"

and Iolo advises him to stick up for what is right.

Eifion does not fancy any breakfast, and Iolo comments, “I guess the idea of listening to Dai’s nonsense is enough to put anyone off their food. Have you heard from the CPS?”

"I haven't heard from the CPS"

Eifion regrets that there has been no contact so far, and thanks Iolo for letting him have the boys over next week. He promises to find a place to live after that; “Let’s just hope it won’t be prison!”

Dai says he is watching his weight

At Bryntirion, Dai has not had a full breakfast, as he says that he is watching his weight; “It’s only four weeks until the big day.”

"I don't want the groom's father being ill"

DJ warns him that he does not want the groom’s father being ill; “Or the best man, more importantly!” Dai corrects him, and admits that he is starting to lose sleep over it. “I was awake all night, pondering my thoughts –

"I had a Eureka moment!"

“and suddenly in the middle of the night I had a Eureka moment. A surprise engagement party for Non in the Deri – not a big affair. What do you think?”

"Can't talk now – I've got to go"

DJ wanted to talk to him about the wedding, but Dai is in a hurry, as he has to meet the WRU bigwigs with Eifion. DJ is disappointed not to sort out the best man business.

"Have you told your father?"

Non arrives just as Dai is leaving, and asks DJ if he has told his father;

"Now's not the time to be a coward"

he admits that he did not have a chance, but she scolds him, “Now’s not the time to be a coward.”

"Why were you so late coming to bed?"

At Penrhewl, Eileen asks Jim why he was so late coming to bed last night, and he apologises for disturbing her.

"What were you doing out there until midnight?"

“I noticed that a light was on in one of the sheds – what on earth were you doing there until midnight?”

He makes up an unconvincing tale of checking the animal feed, and making sure they had enough pitch to paint the shed roof,

"I've noticed your strange behaviour"

but she tells him to stop lying. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed your recent strange behaviour.”

"You eat tins of Spaghetti Bolognese day and night!"

He replies, “You, the woman who eats tins of Spaghetti Bolognese day and night, saying that my behaviour’s strange!”

Dai has been given some information by Siôn

Before their meeting in Cardiff, Dai has received some advice from Siôn, who has done some research into the case;

"Howard from Tremyrddin has 'previous'!"

Dai tells Eifion, “The good news is that Howard from Tremyrddin has ‘previous’. He’s done this sort of thing before, and Siôn suggested that we emphasise this Howard’s homophobic attitude. It’s a major point with public bodies these days – ageism, sexism, racism – all kinds of -isms.”

Eifion is not particularly worried about today; it is the fact that he could go to prison.

"Unless they had a Convicts XV!"

Dai rather callously comments, “Then you wouldn’t play rugby at all – unless they had a Convicts XV!”

"I wouldn't be able to see my children, Dai"

Eifion points out that neither would he be able to see his children.

Dai just advises him to tell the truth; “Actually, leave the talking to me.”

They take their seats

Then the disciplinary panel come in, and the hearing begins.

"You'll be better than Dai!"

In the village, Mark comments to Iolo about him being best man, and tells him that he will be better than Dai; “He talks rubbish mostly. If you arrange a stag party, give me a shout – but I can’t manage Vegas.

"Ask your father if I can stay in the house"

“Ask your father if I can stay in the new house at mate’s rates – you know, that holiday home he and Anita have bought.” This comes as news to Iolo.

"You could say the club is waving the pink flag"

In the disciplinary hearing, Dai is speaking at length; “Cwmderi RFC is leading the way here, you see – you could say that the club is waving the pink flag. At least three of our players, including Eifion here, are gay – and they’re the backbone of the team.”

"Do you think that what you did was right?"

Eifion sits, looking increasingly depressed as the chairman asks him if he thinks what he did was right; reacting in the way he did. He would like Mr Rowlands to reply himself,

"I should have reacted differently"

and Eifion admits that he should have reacted differently. Dai interrupts again, to point out, “He was provoked, wasn’t he?”

The chairman asks again, “Tell us honestly, would you do the same again?”

"I would try not to do that again"

and Eifion replies that he would try not to do that. Again there is an intervention from Dai;

"This Howard is nothing but a homophobic bully"

“The truth is, this Howard from Tremyrddin is nothing but a homophobic bully. I’m sure you would agree there’s no room for such a disgusting attitude on our rugby pitches.” Eifion does not appear to have grown any more hopeful.

"Have you bought a holiday cottage with Anita?

Iolo goes straight to Y Felin, and enquires, “Have you bought a holiday cottage with Anita?” Siôn replies that he does not know how much of a holiday cottage it is,

"It's a house in Aberporth"

but it is a house in Aberporth. He would like to have told Iolo himself.

"Did you use Grandad's money?"

“Did you use Grandad’s money? And is he aware of it?” Iolo demands, but Siôn replies that he does not have to explain to anyone how he spends his money.

"Are you annoyed you didn't get a fair share?"

“Are you annoyed because you didn’t get a fair share?” Siôn wonders, “You and Tyler earn enough to buy a place of your own.”

Iolo is adamant that it is nothing to do with Tyler or the money;

"You're spending a lot of money with someone you hardly know"

“You’re spending lots of money with someone you barely know.”

"We want a project to work on together"

Siôn protests that he has known Anita for years, and they want a project to work on together.

"Are you going to live there?"

“Are you going to live there?” Iolo asks, and his father says that they will rent it out initially, but in the long term they could go there as a family.

“I don’t think you’ve thought this through – how can you pour so much money into another house?” Iolo angrily demands.

"It's a good idea to have money in property"

Siôn explains that he is self-employed, and it is a good idea to have money in property – he does not have much of a pension.

"Anita's behind this, isn't she?"

“Anita’s behind this, isn’t she?” says Iolo, and Siôn admits that it was her idea. Ever more heated, Iolo shouts, “You’re doing it again – being fooled. Gwyneth, Britt – you never learn, do you? You can’t live together in Cwmderi, but you’re buying a house – it doesn’t make sense!

Iolo makes no secret of his disapproval

“If you think I’m poking my nose into your business, fine. Good luck to you!” and he walks out of the house.

Good news from the CPS for Eifion

The disciplinary panel over, Eifion is back in the Deri, and has just learned that the CPS have dropped the charge; he has received an e-mail from his solicitor.

"We did well with the WRU as well"

“A double celebration!” says Dai, “As we did well with the WRU too.” Eifion is grateful for Dai speaking on his behalf,

"That's my job, to look after the club and its players"

“but he explains that is a Chairman’s job, to look after the club and its players.

“What you need to do now is draw a line underneath it all,” Dai advises;

"How did it go, then?"

Iolo enquires how it went, and is told, “The club wasn’t fined, and Eifion only received a six-week ban.”

"He shouldn't get away with that!"

Iolo wants to know what happened to the bloke from Tremyrddin, and when informed that it was only a three-month ban, considers that too lenient. “He shouldn’t get away with that!” Eifion points out that he is just happy that it is over, and that the CPS have dropped the charges, so he is having a celebratory pint, but Iolo is quite adamant, “That homophobe should apologise.”

"Look, rugby comes first!"

Dai becomes angry, and tells Iolo, “Look, I made sure that the WRU knew exactly where the club stood, but it’s not up to the chairman to have a crusade! Rugby comes first, then politics!”

"You both have starring rôles at DJ's wedding"

Eifion encourages them not to argue, as they will have to get on with each other at DJ’s wedding; they both have starring rôles. He asks Dai, “Aren’t you going to buy the best man a drink?”

This catches Dai off guard, and he mumbles, “Best man . . . er . . . yes, good.”

"DJ hasn't told you, has he?"

Iolo realises that DJ has not told him, but Dai pretends that he has, and it had been forgotten with all this WRU business.

“You’re not disappointed, are you?” worries Iolo,

"No, not a word!"

and Dai admits that DJ has not said a word.

DJ is working out who to invite to the engagement party

At Maes-y-Deri, DJ is compiling a guest list for this surprise party, and asks Mark, “Why don’t I just invite people who want to come – or that might risk spoiling the surprise element – Non could find out. The party is a good idea.”

"Non does not like secrets, mind"

Mark reminds him that Non does not go in for surprises, but DJ replies that it is only a few drinks in the Deri at the end of the week.

"What's going on? You're acting weird"

Then she returns home and wonders what is going on, as their behaviour is weird.

"Did you get a chance to talk to your Dad?"

“Did you get a chance to talk to your father?” she asks, but DJ was waiting for him to come back from Cardiff. “We had better go and tell him now, in case he finds out about Iolo from somebody else,” recommends Non.

"I was excited and wanted to tell someone"

“The fact is, Siôn, I was excited and wanted to tell someone,” says Anita,

"We agreed to keep it quiet"

but he reminds her they agreed to keep it quiet. “I wouldn’t have been able to keep it secret for ever,” she protests, and he snarls that five minutes would have been nice.

"I wanted to tell everyone we'd done something big together!"

“I wanted to tell everyone we’d done something big together!” she insists, “Something good!” If he had known she was going to do that, he would have told his family first,

"I didn't want Iolo finding out for Mark Jones!"

rather than Iolo finding out from Mark Jones. He says that he is disappointed in her, and there is no point in denying that.

Dai pours himself a drink

Back home at Bryntirion, Dai pours himself a glass of malt;

"Dad, we want to talk about the wedding"

DJ and Non arrive, and want to him about the wedding.

"I know – Eifion told me"

His father replies, “I know – Eifion told me, but don’t worry – I bought Iolo a pint.”

DJ did not want him finding out like that, and Dai admits he is somewhat disappointed;

"My own son wasn't man enough to tell me"

“I found out through Eifion, and then I realised my own son wasn’t enough of a man to tell me himself!” DJ stresses that he tried to tell his father this morning.

“You’ll still be the groom’s father,” says Non, and Dai is pleased that is one thing that no-one can take away from him.

"I'll take you to the Deri later"

Just to show that he does not bear grudges, he will take DJ to the Deri later.

“It’s not as if I’m missing out on everything – I’ll be part of the stag party, for starters,” Dai remarks, “And Diane would appreciate an invitation to your hen party,” he tells Non.

"There will not be a hen party!"

She replies that there will not be one,

"Diane and Kath are already talking about it"

so he says that Kath and Diane are already talking about it; they will be wearing fancy dress and pink wigs. Non states quite clearly she does not want a hen party, and she does not have many friends.

"I would appreciate it if people stopped making a fuss!"

“I would appreciate it if people stopped making a fuss!” she exclaims, “And, if you don’t mind, I won’t join you in the Deri later, either.”

Eileen is speaking to Cadno on the phone when she hears a lot of noise outside.

"The boys are coming to stay next week"

She tells Jim that the boys are coming to see Eifion next week, and Cadno wants them to stay at the farm. “It’s a big change for the boys,” she muses, and Jim reminds her that they are facing a big change too.

She is very excited to have more Spaghetti Bolognese

He has bought something for her – four tins of Spaghetti Bolognese.

He goes on, “And I’ve got something else for us as a family – close your eyes.”

Jim has constructed a cot for the baby

She dutifully does so and he brings in a baby’s cot; “I thought it would be more special if I made it myself.”

"That's what you've been doing at night!"

“That’s what you’ve been doing at night, isn’t it?” she squeals, and he says he cannot wait to be a father again.

"The best of luck, Iolo, on being best man"

In the Deri, Dai wishes Iolo the best of luck as best man;

Dai thanks Siôn for the information

Siôn comes in, prompting Iolo to go to a table with DJ. Dai thanks Siôn for the information about the Tremyrddin player, which was a great help,

"Congratulations on the new house, Siôn!"

adding, “Congratulations on the new house – jacuzzi and everything – is there a golf course there? I enjoy some golf at the seaside – that’s what I miss about our holiday home in Spain – a round of golf near our villa.”

Siôn does not want any more of this

Rather than staying for a pint, Siôn decides to get a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc to take home.

"We sold the villa because we didn't fit in"

Dai goes on about selling the villa because they felt they did not fit in; Siôn points out, “You were foreigners.”

"It must be serious if you've bought a house"

Mark concludes that it must be serious if they have bought a house together,

"It's no business of yours, Mark!"

but Siôn’s terse reply is, “Maybe it is – but it’s no business of yours, Mark!”

Iolo has been watching . . .

Iolo has been watching with interest, and DJ enquires what has happened between him and his father;

. . . and DJ offers advice

“If you want any help, I know from recent experience with my father that it’s better to make up, rather than let it fester for too long.”

"I take it that's not for me"

Siôn arrives at number 10 with the bottle; “I take it that’s not for me,” comments Anita, but he replies that it is for both of them, if that is what she wants.

"I'm sorry, Siôn"

He gets out two glasses, and she assures him that she is sorry, but just wanted to tell somebody.

"Iolo's angry I didn't tell him"

“There’s no point in bearing grudges,” he says, “Actually it’s a bit of a relief – apart from Iolo, of course. He’s angry I didn’t tell him, and worried that I’m rushing into things.”

"What we're doing is sensible"

On the contrary, Anita considers that what they are doing is sensible, and mature;

"To Morawel!"

they drink a toast, “To Morawel!”

"I really ought to go, Mark"

DJ thinks it is time he went home, but is persuaded by Mark to have just one more; “After all, we’ll be brothers-in-law soon,” comments Mark. DJ thanks him for the welcome he has always had at Maes-y-Deri, but Mark replies that it is the least they can do.