Cwmderi Diary 2017: 2 November 2017

Dani and Garry are back from their 'Babymoon'

Dani and Garry are back from their visit to Bath, and Garry says he never wants to see the inside of a baby shop again; Dani enthuses over a little pink coat.

"I need to speak to you urgently"

Britt comes in, wanting to speak to Garry urgently, and when Dani has gone upstairs,

"I need money – fast!"

she tells him, “I need money – fast!”

“Are you going to tell me why?” he asks her, but she replies that she cannot.

Garry is taken aback by the amount of money

He is absolutely dumbfounded when she reveals that she wants £147,000.

"It's a pity you're not taking part"

In the shop, Colin tells Eileen it is a pity she and Jim are not taking part, but she points out that it would not be appropriate, as they are the organisers.

"One two, three, one, two three"

He would love to see her waltz, and tries to get her to dance, but the answer is still no.

"Dancing is not for me"

Jim comes in, having heard that Colin was practising, and insists that dancing is not for him; Eileen remarks that it is very quiet in the shop,

"I blame that community fridge!"

and she blames the community fridge. “Everyone is waiting to see what will be there tomorrow,” but Jim says it is better than the food going to waste. Eileen did not think that she would lose business.

The 'guardian of the fridge' arrives

Then Siôn arrives, and is greeted by Jim, “Here’s the guardian of the fridge! Eileen says you’re stealing her business.” Siôn insists that it was not his intention, but Eileen interrupts to say that everyone likes getting something for free.

He wants to enlist Jim's help

Siôn regrets that people can be greedy, too, and that is why he is here; he wants Jim to help police the fridge,

Jim cannot wait to get stuck in

and Jim is only too happy to help; he leaves right away with Siôn.

"You still need to find a celebrity"

Colin reminds Eileen that they still need to find a celebrity for the Cwm Dancing competition.

Elgan prepares for work . . .

Dr Pritchard is looking in the mirror and straightening his tie;

. . . checking that his hand is not shaking . . .

he looks nervously at his hand to see if it is shaking,

. . . and leaves the house

then picks up his briefcase and leaves for the surgery.

"You'll have to tell me why you need the money"

Up in the Deri flat, Garry tells Britt that she will have to reveal why she wants the money; “Dani has gone for a walk – you can tell me what’s going on. I’m not giving you a penny without knowing why.”

"It's none of your business"

She maintains that it is none of his business,

"It is if you want that much from me!"

but he replies, “It is if I’m giving you £147,000! Why don’t you ask Colin?”

Britt immediately orders him not to tell Colin; she does not want to include him in this in any way.

"Do you have the money, or what?"

Garry wants to know if she is in trouble, but she simply demands whether he has the money or not. “I can give you £10,000,” he offers, but she snarls that she knows he could get it all if he wanted to, and that he would find the money for Dani.

He tells her that is not true as he has not got it, and asks whether it is blackmail.

"You can keep your £10,000!"

Britt shouts at him that he can keep his £10,000, and storms out of the flat.

Britt contacts a celebrity . . .

Eileen is speaking on the phone to someone and telling them the money they raise is going to Children in Need, in memory of Courtney.

. . . and Colin is excited already

Colin thinks this is exciting, but she points out that they do not know yet whether he is coming or not.

“I don’t know how you put up with me today,” she says,

"Well, you don't seem to be at your best"

and he agrees that she does not seem to be at her best.

Eileen is worried about Sioned, as usual

“I’m worried about Sioned – she’s been saying these things, and I’m not sure what to think.”

Sheryl checks to see if the practice is going ahead

Then they are disturbed by Sheryl, who wants to ask Colin if they are still practising later today; she says that everyone has taken to the idea of the dance competition.

"We had better get on with counting the stock"

Eileen and Colin return to counting stock in the shop.

Dani takes some packs of sandwiches to the community fridge,

Jim subjects the sandwiches to the smell test

but Jim wonders if they are all right after being in a warm car.

Dani says she is rather fussy about her food

Siôn accepts them with thanks, and asks if Dani is interested in anything there. Sheryl comes in and is invited to help herself, with Jim pointing out that this is, “Within reason.”

Sheryl selects an out-of-date bag of salad . . .

She picks up a bag of salad, dated yesterday and says says that it looks all right; Siôn emphasises that some of these things last for several days. However, when she picks up another bag,

. . . but is forbidden by Jim to take two

she is admonished by Jim; “Whoa – you can’t take two – another little family might be looking for salad, and they won’t have any because you’ve taken two!”

He seems to be taking 'policing the fridge' very literally

He shows her a sign, reading, ‘be a friend to others’. Sheryl obediently puts one bag back in the fridge.

He is even more 'over the top' than Siôn

Even Siôn seems to think that Jim is taking this rather too far.

Elgan is very apologetic

Elgan arrives in the Deri flat and apologises for the other night, stressing that he cannot handle his drink like he used to. He tells them, “The way you raise Gwern is none of my business.”

Garry has been looking into those games

Garry admits that he has done some research into those games, and now Gwern is not permitted to play them any more.

"But I should not have interfered"

Elgan still feels uneasy about interfering, but they assure him that he has done them a favour.

"Have a bar meal on the house tonight"

Garry invites him for a bar meal on the house tonight, to thank Elgan for knocking some sense into him. The doctor is insistent that he will pay for his meal.

Britt consults the Internet

Britt is looking anxiously at the laptop when Sheryl arrives for her dance practice,

Sheryl is concerned

sits down and notices the web page Britt was looking at.

"All Colin's money is gone . . ."

Britt confesses, “You were right – it was a scam. They hacked into Colin’s bank account – and there’s nothing left! All the money he got from Sam – every penny has gone!

". . . and it's my fault for being so stupid!"

“And its my fault for being so stupid!”

Sheryl says that Colin is hiding it well, but then learns that he has not been told about it,

"He has to know, Britt!"

and that she should keep it to herself. “He has to know!” Sheryl insists, and just then Colin returns. Britt pleads to be given some time.

"Who's ready for some samba?"

Colin bounces in, demanding, “Who’s ready for some samba?”

"They're very disorganised at the fridge!"

Jim arrives home, telling Eileen that they were very disorganised over at the fridge, and wonders if she is angry with him for helping,

"You don't mind if I do some shifts next week, do you?"

as he has put his name down for some shifts next week. Then he sees that Eileen is looking very disturbed.

"I've decided to be a witness for Sioned"

“Listen, I have decided to be a witness for Sioned in the case,” she informs him, “To say that she’s not guilty.”

"But you know she's guilty!"

Jim points out she knows that Sioned is guilty; “I don’t have a choice,” Eileen insists.

"You can't lie under oath!"

“Of course you do – you can’t lie under oath, after everything she’s done!” he exclaims,

"But she threatened to kill herself!"

but Eileen replies that Sioned has threatened to kill herself, and as she has a history of depression, her mother is scared about what she will do.

"Wrapping you round her little finger!"

Jim strongly suspects, “She is just wrapping you round her little finger! I thought you were going to let her face the consequences.” Eileen argues that things are different now, and that he would have done anything to save Courtney’s life. He is quite certain that she will regret it; “Sioned is lying – if you were honest with yourself, you know that too.”

Their dancing has improved

Colin and Sheryl dance from the kitchen into the living room, and it is obvious that their skill has improved. “Maybe I should do it in Spanish rather than Portuguese,” Colin suggests,

"How about the Dominican republic?"

“What if Britt and I got married in the Dominican Republic? If I organised it as a surprise, she couldn’t refuse. I might as well start enjoying the money.”

"No – that's a bad idea, Colin"

Sheryl assures him that Britt would be angry with him if he went ahead with this idea, insisting that she would want a small wedding with friends and family – in Cwmderi.

"Just forget about the Dominican Republic"

“Just forget about the Dominican Republic, and we’ll concentrate on the dancing.”

"Eventually you'll beta me!"

In the Deri, Elgan says they will have to organise anothr game next week; “You give me a tougher game every time – eventually you’ll beat me!”

Then there is a sudden, very loud, explosion . . .

Suddenly, there is an extremely loud explosion from outside,

. . . and the doctor cowers in fear

and Elgan drops to the floor by the bar in a panic. Someone says that it was only kids playing with fireworks,

He is very nervous . . .

and Garry asks if the doctor is all right. Siôn complains that it should not happen until bonfire night.

. . . and showing signs of panic

Elgan is still looking very troubled, and breathing rapidly.

"How about the new hotel outside Cwrtmynach?"

Colin suggests the new hotel outside Cwrtmynach, but Sheryl describes it as being too posh. “Is that what Britt would want?” she asks, and Colin does not think she will be happy until he decides on the Deri. “There’s a lot to be said for that – you’ll save a lot of money!” she tells him.

"Has something happened?"

“Has something happened?” he asks, puzzled, “You loved the idea last week, but now . . . Has Britt said something?” Sheryl is quite adamant that she has not discussed it with Britt, but he can see that something has changed her mind.

"Don't organise something too grand"

“I don’t want you to organise something too grand – Britt won’t be able to say she doesn’t want something something so big. You know what she’s like, Colin – she would be afraid to spoil things for you.

"Wait until you've asked her"

“Why don’t you leave the location and planning until you’ve asked her? You can do it together, then.”

"I suppose you may be right"

He thinks she might have a point there, and admits that Britt does love to organise things; “Next week can’t come soon enough – her face will be a picture!” he promises.

"Yes, her face will be a picture, all right"

Sheryl agrees, but not for the same reason.

Elgan announces he is going home

Elgan tells Garry he is leaving the Deri and going home, as he does not fancy any dinner, maintaining that he had a large lunch; Garry is puzzled.

Siôn wants Garry's help with the fridge

Siôn comes across to the bar and asks him, “Have you got time to help with this community venture? The community fridge? We’re looking for more help, and it’s going from strength to strength.”

"I'm only going to say this once – NO!"

Garry tells him, “Listen carefully, Siôn, because I’m only going to say this once – NO!”

An impressive finale

Colin and Sheryl have just reached the end of their routine when Britt comes home, and Sheryl says it is time she went to fetch Esther.

"Now I need a shower!"

Colin reaches the conclusion that he needs a shower,

"You didn't say anything, did you?"

and when he goes, Britt is eager to know whether she said anything.

"You must tell him, before it's too late!"

Sheryl reassures her, “It wasn’t my place, but you have to tell him. The longer you leave it the worse it will be,” but Britt is not ready yet. “You must tell him, before it’s too late!” Sheryl urges her.

Sheryl is forced to reveal Colin's plan

“Too late for what?” is Britt’s question, and Sheryl is forced to reveal that Colin intends to ask her to marry him. He has started planning the wedding and everything.

"I've just been trying to persuade him"

“Oh Sher, you have to stop him!” Britt insists, but Sheryl explains she has just spent an hour persuading him not to book the Dominican Republic.

“You must tell him – I’m in an impossible position!” says Sheryl,

"I need more time, Sher – I'm desperate!"

but once more Britt wails that she needs more time, and that she is desperate. She is told that she needs to come up with a plan very quickly, and Sheryl leaves, as Britt wonders what on earth she is going to do

"I don't agree with what you're doing"

Jim resumes his conversation with Eileen; “I understand that this is difficult for you, and why you feel you’ve got to help Sioned, but I don’t agree with what you’re doing.”