Cwmderi Diary 2016: 5 February 2016

In the Deri Deithio office . . .

Ed is in front of the computer in Deri Deithio, listening to the news headlines;

. . . Ed hears the local news

“The funeral of a 38-year-old man is being held today. Dewi Gareth Owen was killed in his home on 15 January.” He turns off the radio.

At Maes-y-Deri, they also listen to the news; “A local man, Mark Jones, is in custody, charged with murder.”

Liam turns off the radio

Liam turns it off, while Debbie bemoans the fact that only £56.76 has been raised in support of Mark.

"Maybe the whole village thinks he's guilty!"

Dol’s explanation is not popular; “Maybe the whole village thinks he’s as guilty as hell! Perhaps the locals don’t want him out – your Kevin turned out to be a rapist, remember?”

"No more talk like that!"

Liam warns her, “If you won’t support Mam, there’s the door!” Debbie cannot believe that Vicky is going to the funeral, after all the hurt Dewi has caused. Dol volunteers to share Vicky’s taxi as far as Llwyncelyn.

Damien thinks he will have a day's skiving . . .

Chester boasts to his mate Damien that he has the house to himself, a fridge-full of food, and a mountain of DVDs and computer games. Damien decides to join him for the day, as he has double maths.

. . . but Chester has to keep up this 'depressed' pretence

“No chance!” insists Chester, “If anyone sees you here, they’ll suspect what I’m doing – and I’m supposed to be depressed!” Damien leaves, and is told, “Enjoy your double maths!”

"I think I left my scarf behind"

Dol arrives unannounced at Llwyncelyn, on the pretext of looking for the scarf she left the other night. Seeing the table, still uncleared from the previous evening, she comments,

"You're a dark horse, Gaynor!"

“Bit of fun last night, was it? You’re a dark horse, Gaynor! Siôn, was it?

"Treat 'em mean, keep 'em keen!"

“Treat ’em mean, keep ’em keen – take it from someone who knows!”

Gaynor is keen to leave for school, but Dol insists that she will do the washing up, and will not take no for an answer.

Debbie tries to enlist Ed's support

Debbie goes to Deri Deithio and wants a word with Ed, who is startled. “Haven’t you heard about our campaign to raise money to pay for Mark’s solicitor? It’s our only hope – will you support us?” she says, and receiving no reply, adds, “You think he’s guilty, don’t you?”

"Money is short at the moment"

Ed tells her that money is short at the moment;

"You don't give a damn!"

“He’s in jail for a murder he didn’t commit – and you don’t give a damn!” exclaims Debbie, “How can you live with yourself?”

"The police haven't said anything"

In the café, Anita is surprised she has not heard anything from the police; Kelly replies that burglars often get away with it.

"It could have been far worse!"

“It could have been far worse – like that Dewi, he was attacked in his home!” She adds a perplexing comment; “He said his name was Rhodri.”

"Two-faced scumbag!"

Debbie comes in and asks Liam to collect Ricky from school as he has a bad stomach. She rails against Ed; “Two-faced scumbag! Says he supports us, but won’t make a donation!”

"I could help out, if you like"

Anita buys a t-shirt, and offers to help out in the café, as she has nothing else to do.

Gaynor tells Ffion about Chester

At school, Gaynor mentions to Ffion, “Dani thinks that Chester is using his mother’s illness as an excuse to stay home from school. I spoke to Britt and she says Chester is depressed. She and I agreed that you should take a pastoral rôle to settle Chester back into school – you’ve got a good relationship with him.”

"It's a chance to prove yourself"

Ffion doubts whether she is the best person for the job, but is reminded, “It’s a chance to prove yourself after your absence,” so she agrees to take on the challenge.

Dol arrives at the café, with cleaning materials, and orders a ham sandwich;

"Hang on a minute! Why are you serving?"

then she comments, “Hang on a minute! Why are you serving?” Anita explains that she is helping while Debbie tries to raise money. Dol shouts to Debbie, “I could have done a better job than her any day of the week!”

"I very much doubt that!"

Debbie replies that she doubts that, and Dol pay for her sandwich, as it is not free;

"Come on – £3!"

Anita demands, “Come on – £3!”

"Living with a Murderer!"

Dol then sits by Kelly and promises, “I’ve got a story for you – ‘Living with a Murderer!’ How’s that for a headline?

"Evil Killer – Brave Gran Speaks out?"

Or how about ‘Evil Killer – Brave Gran Speaks out’?” Debbie is furious as she brings the sandwich, but Dol assures her, “I would give the money to the fund – to help get that loser of yours out of clink!”

"Behave yourself – or you'll be on the next bus!"

Debbie gives her an ultimatum, “Behave yourself – or you’ll be on the first bus back to Pontypridd!”

Ed is still worried about that Deri flat

Ed looks along the street to the Deri, still boarded-up, then turns and meets Vicky in the alley. She is just back from the funeral;

"I've never been to a funeral before"

“I’ve never been to a funeral before. When I saw the coffin, I couldn’t stop crying! The cops were there, questioning people on the way out.”

Ed is surprised that they should still be asking questions after Mark is in prison, but Vicky emphasises,

"I blame myself!"

“They got the wrong man! I blame myself for dragging Dewi into our lives. It’s my fault that Mark’s in prison.”

But Ed does not want to know

She asks Ed for a lift back to Maes-y-Deri, but he rather abruptly refuses.

The burden of guilt is increasing

As she walks away in tears, Ed stands by the double doors at the rear of the shop, in the alley, and slowly sinks to the ground, his head in his hands.

He tries a bit of extreme exertion . . .

Later, he is in the Deri Deithio office, setting up his weight-lifting equipment; turning on some loud music, he begins strenuously exercising.

. . . and then Dol walks in

This is interrupted by the arrival of Dol, to clean the office,

"I don't want you here!"

but he tells her that he does not want her there.

“I’d rather be cleaning here than at home, with Vicky moping around after that bleedin’ funeral,” she says. He again tells her to leave,

"Don't get mouthy with me, boy!"

but she answers, “Don’t get mouthy with me, boy!”

Faced with that attitude, she makes a rapid exit . . .

With a frenzied look in his eyes, he screams (in English), “Get out and leave me alone!” Dol thinks it wise to beat a hasty retreat,

. . . while he continues to develop his muscles

and he returns to his punishing weight-lifting.

"That Ed had a right go at me!"

Outside she meets Liam and tells him, “I need a brandy! That Ed had a right go at me! Raging and spitting in my face he was – and I only went to do a bit of dusting!” She has to dissuade Liam from going in and giving Ed a ‘seeing-to’.

"This family has to stick together!"

As they walk away, Liam says, “You’ve never been there for us! Mark has been like a father to me – and he’s the only father that Ricky has! It doesn’t matter what you think of Mark – this family has to stick together!”

"Do you think Chester's depressed?"

Ffion sees Damien on the stairs at school, and asks if he has seen Chester recently. “Do you think he’s depressed?

"Dodging school is a serious matter"

“I know you’re mates, but dodging school is a serious matter. If we can’t persuade him to come back to school, he’ll be in trouble! Can you help?”

"I'll give it a try"

Damien agrees to see what he can do.

Ed is about exhausted

After his lengthy session, Ed is exhausted; he sits up, takes a drink of water, then drops the glass to the floor, smashing it.

He has cut his hand

As he bends to pick up the pieces, he cuts his hand.

When Damien again visits Chester, he is asked, “Enjoy double maths?”

"You'll have a lot of catching up to do"

Damien warns him that there will be a lot of catching up to do when he comes back to school, but Chester intends to just copy his work.

"Who sent you – Mussolini Llywelyn?"

Chester asks, “Who sent you here – Mussolini Llywelyn?”

Damien warns him that the school are worried about him, and could kick him out; Chester regards that as, “Mission accomplished!”

"Staying off school has made you boring!"

Damien leaves, but not before telling him that staying off school has made him boring.

Ed arrives at Maes-y-Deri in apologetic mood, and Liam advises him that he would have been sorted out, if Dol had not stopped him. Ed gives an envelope to Debbie, explaining that he cut his hand on broken glass;

A threat from Liam

“Keep away from this family – or you’ll have another accident!” promises Liam.

"There's £200 in here!"

Ricky is amazed; “There’s £200 in here!”

Debbie concludes that Mark must have meant more to Ed than they thought, and when he has gone ponders on the fact that he told her earlier he was penniless. Even Dol seems to have changed, as she gives Ricky £5 for a t-shirt, although she vows that she will not wear it.

"He could be in there for years"

Ricky insists that he wants to see his dad; “He could be in there for years – or worse!” Debbie asks what he means, and he replies, “Some people are bullied in prison – you know he can’t look after himself!