Cwmderi Diary 2016: 25 August 2016

"Craig has been charged with murder!"

In the café, Garry tells Britt he has just received a phone call; “From the filth – Craig has been charged with murder – someone from Pontypridd.”

"You always get into trouble!"

Britt cannot believe that he has got caught up in this; “You’re paying the price of mixing with scum – you always get into trouble!”

"You're hardly Miss Goody-Two-Shoes, are you?"

He replies that she is hardly Miss Goody-Two-Shoes herself, but Britt goes on, “It’s no wonder that Chester turned out like he has, with you around. Look at this!”

"Look at this – only one GCSE!"

She pushes a piece of paper across the table; “He passed one GCSE out of three – C grade in IT – he’s heading the same way as you!”

Debbie tells all and sundry the result

Debbie comes downstairs, loudly proclaiming, “Ricky’s got ten GCSEs – all grade A!” Mark calls him a genius, just like his Auntie Stacey, and asks how Chester got on.

Colin is furious to find number 7 filled with Sam’s belongings. “I only gave you the spare key for emergencies!” he shouts,

"I want it out by the time I finish at the shop!"

“You’re not welcome to come in here and dump your stuff!” Despite Sam’s insistence that he has nowhere else, Colin is very clear; “That is not staying here! I want it out by the time I finish at the shop – no messing!”

"I want to see Siôn"

Britt arrives at Y Felin to get Siôn’s signature on a document, but Gwyneth tries to get rid of her. “We’ve only just got back from Solva – come back tomorrow!

"I don't want you going on about money!"

“Siôn needed a break, as he was so stressed – I don’t want you going on about money!”

Britt answers that she does not want his money, only to ensure they leave the marriage with what they had before.

"Monks always take advantage!"

“You’re a Monk – and Monks always take advantage!” is Gwyneth’s opinion.

"I expect you're after his money!"

Britt in turn suggests that she is probably after his money.

The peacemaker arrives

Siôn comes downstairs and tries to break up the argument;

"We'll discuss this outside"

he and Britt go outside to discuss the matter in private.

"Can I leave these special offer leaflets here?"

Sara asks if she can leave some special offer leaflets in the shop, then she sees Eifion

"Misbehaving on the camping trip!

and enquires, “How is the budding romance with Gaynor going?” Debbie has heard that he was misbehaving on the camping trip, but Eifion denies that there is any romance.

"Interesting bit of gossip here!"

Geraint and Mal, sitting nearby, take an interest in the conversation.

Sara wonders if Gaynor did not enjoy his performance in the tent. He tells them that he decided to call it a day; “Well, she is a posh headmistress – you’re not in the same league,” comments Debbie, as the two listeners snigger.

“If you must know, she was just too wild for me,” says Eifion, “I couldn’t keep up, and I’ve got photos to prove it!”

"Let's have a look, then!"

When he gets out his phone, Geraint and Mal come over for a look, but then Eifion decides, “No, I’d better not!” much to their disappointment.

"All that we have to show for four years of marriage"

In the garden of Y Felin, Siôn ponders, “It’s odd that this is all we have to show for four years of marriage.”

"We were never suited from the start"

Britt comments that they were never suited from the start – he is far too middle-class for her, but he protests, “I’m a miner’s son with working class values.”

Garry researches private schools

As she walks into the Deri with Mark, Debbie offers to buy Garry a drink; are you ill?” he asks.

"Going back to school, then?"

Mark sees the laptop on the bar, which Garry was just looking at; “Are you going back to school?” he says.

"Ysgol y Mynach doesn't get the best out of him"

Garry reveals that he is thinking about sending Chester to a private school, as the next year is important for him, and Ysgol y Mynach does not get the best out of him.

"Gaynor went out of her way to help Ricky"

“We’re not all geniuses like Ricky!” boasts Debbie, but Mark points out that Gaynor went out of her way to help Ricky when he was in prison, with extra lessons and more time to finish projects.

"That's why he did well – favouritism!"

“That’s why he did well – favouritism!” accuses Garry, “Would that be anything to do with the fact that you’re a governor?” Debbie insists that extra help only works if you have the brains, and Ricky has brains coming out of his ears.

Sara brings Gaynor unwelcome news . . .

Sara calls at Llwyncelyn to advise Gaynor that Eifion is going round saying he has dodgy photos of her on his phone.

. . . which Gaynor finds highly distasteful

“He said that it’s over because you were too wild for him, and has photos to prove it. I saw one over his shoulder, and you had your top open.”

Gaynor explains that she fell over in the field and her top was wet,

"That's not what he's saying!"

but Sara warns her that is not what Eifion is saying.

"I don't want us to separate on bad terms"

Siôn signs the papers and returns them to Britt, maintaining he does not want them to separate on bad terms. Britt replies that he has no interest in anyone but Gwyneth and Gwern these days;

"She's only after your money!"

“More fool you, because she’s only after your money – she’s never been with a man who had money and a big house!”

"You're only jealous"

Siôn accuses her of being jealous, but she assures him, “Why would I be jealous of you? You’re going to prison next week! You’re going down for what you did – you’re in for a terrible shock!

"Prison is a dangerous place!"

“Prison is a dangerous place – especially for a middle-class coward like you!”

"Why are you telling people that?"

Gaynor hurries to Penrhewl and demands why Eifion is telling people he has sexual photos of her; he replies that as they are not together, he can do as he likes.

She worries that the school might believe him

“If pupils, staff or governors believe you, then my name would be mud,” she pleads, but he says she should have thought of that.

“Why are you trying to destroy my career and embarrass me?” she asks,

"You called me a swine!"

and he argues that is exactly what she did to him when she overreacted and called him a ‘swine’.

"And that is just what you are!"

“That is just what you are, if you behave like this!” she tells him.

"I knew that Britt would upset you!"

“I knew that Britt would upset you!” says Gwyneth. Siôn wonders what would happen if he does go to prison;

"Don't worry – I'll look after the house"

“Don’t worry about this place – I’ll look after it as long as Gwern and I can stay,” she says.

"Perhaps Britt is right"

“Is that all you care about?” Siôn demands, “Perhaps Britt is right – you’re more interested in the house than in me!”

"Of course you can stay"

He soon apologises for this outburst, as his head is all over the place; “Of course you can stay – I’m worried about not coping in prison.”

"My place is here with you!"

Gwyneth resolves that she will not be going to the motorbike festival as she had planned; “My place is here with you!”

"No, I have to learn to be strong!"

Siôn urges her to go , as he has to learn to be strong and stay in control.

Sam says he intends to set light to the lot of it

Sam has removed his boxes to the back garden of number 7, and tells Colin that he will have to find a field and burn the lot;

"A headache for me and everyone else"

“If I don’t, they’ll be a headache for me and everyone else.” Colin thinks the recycling centre would be a better idea.

Garry hands over £200

Garry now visits Gaynor, handing her a £200 cheque for the friends of the school; he hopes that she can keep an eye of Chester next year, as he has not done very well this year.

"Is this a bribe?"

“Is this a bribe?” she demands, “Every child at Ysgol y Mynach is treated exactly the same.”

"Ricky has had some favouritism"

Garry points out that is not strictly true as Ricky had some favouritism, but Gaynor insists he had a difficult year, as has Chester,

"And I shall be talking to Chester about assistance"

and she is going to talk to him next term about receiving more assistance.

“Any child who has had a traumatic experience deserves extra support –

"You don't have to pay for it"

“and you don’t have to pay for it, so keep the money.” Garry refuses to take it back, saying he admires someone who tells it like it is.

"What's this story Eifion is putting about?"

As he is about to go, he asks, “Did you know that Eifion is going round, saying he has some dodgy photos? You need to nip that in the bud.” She asks if he has any tips, and he says they can chat over a cup of tea.

Mark delivers a parcel

Siôn is getting in the washing when Mark delivers a parcel;

"What's it like, being locked up?"

Siôn asks him what it is like, being locked up, as he wants to be prepared for the experience.

"Just keep your head down"

“There’s nothing to worry about, as long as you keep your head down,” Mark advises, “Don’t dare stand up for what’s right – or you won’t be standing up very long!

Siôn does not relish the thought

“I know you like expressing your point of view – they can’t be bothered with that in prison – you don’t want to end up getting beaten.

"With a bit of luck, you won't go near prison"

“You’re too sensible to get into trouble – and with a bit of luck you won’t go near her majesty’s pleasure.”

He is so worried, he forgets some of the washing

Siôn is certainly worried now.

"If you don't convince him, come down on him – hard!"

Garry offers advice, “Either you have another chat with him and convince him to see sense, or you’ll have to come down on him – hard! Look into his background, try to find some dirt, and threaten him with it. If you can’t find that, get his phone and smash it!”