20 December 2016

Diane has purchased the flowers

At APD, Diane has buckets of flowers, ready for the wedding, when Linda arrives with the unwelcome news that DJ has cancelled it.   

"I had no choice but to tell him"

“I was not going to tell him about the cancer, but I collapsed, so I had no choice.   I think it’s best if I leave Cwmderi – will you give this to DJ for me?”

"Will you give this to DJ?"

She hands Diane a letter, and says she does not want to be there when he reads it;  “If I stay here, he’ll mollycoddle me and send me to some hospice.”   

"You have to sort this out with him"

Diane replies that this is something she has to sort out with him, and gives back the letter.

Chester seems to be all alone

Chester is sitting alone in the café, when Britt spots him and comes in;  apparently he was supposed to be meeting Tomos, but he has not turned up.   

"It's so boring around here!"

“I hate it round here – it’s so boring!   I can’t wait to move away,” he moans, 

"There's a party tonight!"

but Britt answers that it had better not be before his party, which she announces is to be in the Deri tonight.   He seems remarkably disinterested.

“And another surprise, as you’re so bored,” Britt tells him, “You’re going to play the part of Buttons in the pantomime – it’s hilarious!”

"What do you think I am – five years old?"

“What do you think I am – five years old?” demands Chester, “No-one my age wants to play Buttons!”   Britt insists that Dani wants him to do it, and he should think how pleased Garry would be.   Chester asks, “Will you pay me?   

Britt thinks she had better cough up

“I’m skint, and every actor deserves to get paid!”

"I haven't told Cadno yet"

Linda and Diane go to Penrhewl, where DJ informs them that he has not yet told Cadno that the wedding is off.   He argues, “She’ll understand – it’s not cancelling, just postponing.”

"Until I die, is it?"

“Until I die, is it?” demands Linda, and Diane admits that she has known about the cancer since the summer.   

DJ is furious about the secret

DJ flies into a rage that his mother kept such a thing from him for so long, 

Diane beats a hasty retreat

and Diane considers it opportune to leave them to talk.

"I'd give anything to change things"

“Are there any more tantrums to come?” enquires Linda, “I know you’re suffering – and I’d give anything to change things, but I just don’t have the energy to listen to anyone telling me how to live the rest of my life.”

"All your problems are over, Dani!"

Britt breezes into the Deri and tells Dani, “I’ve got good news, if you’re looking for a Buttons.”   Dani thinks that she is about to say Colin’s name, but is disappointed;  Chester would love to do it!”

"Chester is too much of a risk!"

Dani is forthright;  I don’t have time to be diplomatic – no!   I’ve worked my guts out and Chester is too much of a risk!”   Britt emphasises that they have to keep him busy while Garry is away.   

"I'll keep him busy, if I can have Colin"

Dani will strike a bargain with Britt;  “I’ll keep Chester as busy as I can with the panto if you give me Colin!   Out of everyone in the village, who is perfect for the part?   

Britt is not exactly happy

“Come on, Britt, Colin really wants to do this – and he’d be fantastic!”

Britt tries to organise a friend for Chester 

Mathew passes, and Britt asks if he is working tonight;  “Would you mind having a word with Chester?   About football, computer games, girls, anything – his friends can’t come.   Could you invite him somewhere?”   

"All right – if I get a bonus"

Mathew is dubious about this until Britt adds, “I’ll make sure there’s a bonus in your pay packet!”

Britt wonders what this says about her as a mother

Britt feels a failure;  “What kind of mother pays someone to be friends with their son?”   Dani is more concerned that she should get Colin, and when Britt agrees, hugs her very enthusiastically.

"There may not be much time left"

Linda tells DJ, “When I had it the first time, my whole life was one treatment after another – I did whatever the doctor and radiologist told me to.   That was about getting better, but it’s different this time – there’s no cure, and there may be not much time left, probably a year max.   I’m so sorry, for both of us!   

"I want to be there!"

“Please don’t cancel the wedding – I want to be there!”   

Emotionally, DJ concedes

DJ, with tears in his eyes, agrees that the wedding will go ahead.

No exactly packed with party-goers

The Deri appears conspicuously empty when Britt arrives with the family;  Chester asks where everyone is, 

"I'm here – what else do you need?"

and Catrin responds, “I’m here – what else do you need?”

Colin has some constructive criticism 

Colin has been studying the script, which he describes as great, but offers Dani a few suggestions for improvements.   

He suggests some philosophical changes

“We could make Cassius an all-knowing rat – Cassius Confucius – who could be the conscience of Diabolo Dad.   It would create some interesting relationships between the characters.”

"Anything to stop Gethin complaining!"

Dani readily agrees;  “Anything to stop Gethin complaining that he’s just a rat in the background!”

"Why isn't Garry here for my party?"

Chester expresses to Dani his disgust that Garry has not come home for this party.   Dani replies, “I’m disappointed too, but what he’s doing is important to him.   he knows you’re safe with people who love you – which is more than you can say for the refugees.”

A rather awkward meeting between Mathew and Chester

Britt then sets up the meeting between Chester and Mathew, who says,  I’m new to the area and don’t know a lot of people – we could do something some time.”   Chester looks askance at him, as he continues, “We could watch Swansea City play, or do some computer games.”

"Are you asking me on a date?"

Chester is not impressed;  “Are you asking me on a date?” he demands, and assumes that his mother has set this up.   

"You ought to stop trying to pick up schoolkids!"

“You ought to stop trying to pick up schoolkids!” he advises Mathew.

The flowers are now past their best . . . 

After dark, DJ and Linda go to see Diane at APD, and find that the flowers are all dying, much to Diane’s consternation.   

. . . and DJ has a fair idea why

“Aren’t they the buckets that Dad uses to wash his paintbrushes?” asks DJ.

Linda tells Diane that DJ has finally seen sense.   He apologises for the way he spoke to her, 

"I know a florist in Llanelli"

and Linda mentions that she has a friend in Llanelli who is a florist, who should be able to help.   “I want some advice on which outfit to wear,” she says, and invites Diane to assist her.   

"Keep an eye on the shop until your Dad gets back"

DJ is left to mind the shop until Dai returns.

Colin calls the (rather small) gathering at the Deri to attention, as he would like to say a few words on behalf of the family.   

"You're not family!"

“You’re not family!” interjects Chester.   Colin agrees that he is not, but they have all made him feel as if he is.   “Lovely speech!” shouts Chester, and applauds.

"I realise that things are tough"

Colin tries to go on, appreciating that things are tough, 

"You don't know anything about me!"

but this time is interrupted by, “You don’t know anything about me!”

"Go home, Chester!"

Britt has had enough, and orders Chester, “Go home!   Everyone is welcoming you back!   Colin’s too kind for someone like you – he even lied about how friendly you were when he visited you!”

"Perhaps Colin is desperate for friends!"

Chester suggests that perhaps Colin is desperate for friends;  Britt replies, “Look around you, Chest – Colin’s not the one desperate for friends!”   

Chester, about to slink off home

Humiliated, Chester walks out of the pub, and Britt comments, “I could have handled that better.”

"What do you think of this one?"

As they deliberate over dresses, Linda asks what Diane will be wearing at the wedding;  

Diane is not happy with her outfit

“Oh, something I’ve had for a while – I paid a lot of money, and always get it out on special occasions,” Diane replies, adding mournfully, “In fact, I tried it on this morning – 

"I looked old, and fat"

“I looked old, and fat, like mutton dressed as lamb!”

"Can I interest you in a vol-au-vent?"

Colin tries to interest Britt in a plate of vol-au-vents, while she laments that she has been to funerals that were more fun.   Colin does not know what else he can do to help Chester;  Britt reassures him, “You tried to protect me from the truth – 

"My knight in shining armour!"

“you’ve been my knight in shining armour!” and gives him a hug.

"I don't know what's wrong with me"

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me these days,” says Diane, “I make silly mistakes at Awyr Iach and APD.   I’ve seen Dai cleaning brushes in those buckets hundreds of times!   I’m not much use in either place – no use to anyone!”

"You've got depression"

Linda asks if she has told Dai how she feels, and diagnoses that she has a touch of depression.   

"I'm fed up with myself"

Diane explains, “I’m fed up with myself, I feel as if I’m going round and round in circles, and don’t know why – but I shouldn’t be burdening you with this.”   On the contrary, Linda says she is enjoying being treated like a normal person.

"If you don't like work, give it up!"

She advises, “I don’t know how much time I have left – buy a new outfit, and if you don’t like work, give it up!   Do you really want to say on your deathbed, ‘I’m so glad I wore that disgusting outfit, and stayed in that job I hated?’”   

"Will you come with me?"

Diane asks if she will come with her to buy a new outfit.

Chester has more than one credit card

Chester is looking at a laptop screen, which indicates that a credit card has been declined;  he simply selects another one and enters its number.   

It seem that he intends going to Greece

Then we see that he is purchasing a flight with flyforless.com to Athens, costing £753.   With one more click, the screen reads, “Transaction complete,” and he smiles.