Cwmderi Diary 2015: 26 October 2015

Opening time at the café

Debbie opens the café and briefs her mother on what to do,

Dol wants some toast

but Dol is more interested in having some toast for her breakfast.

Dol is perturbed to receive a call

Then her phone rings; she ignores it, saying that it is, “Insurance or something – waste of time.” Debbie hands her an apron and tells her to smile for the customers

The genuine pictures are rather sparse . . .

Colin and Gwyneth are pinning the few remaining genuine competition entries on the walls in the Antur;

. . . so Colin produces some he made earlier

then Colin produces some he made earlier. “It’s the only way,” he assures Gwyneth, “We’ll just add them to the mix. Do you think I have chance of winning?”

Kelly reports to Gethin that Ffion will not eat anything; then she has an idea, and asks Gethin to stay while she pops out for a few minutes.

"Haven't you got somewhere else to go?"

Ffion comes in and comments to Gethin, “One down, one to go! Haven’t you got somewhere else to go?” Gethin insists that he is going nowhere.

"Try to eat something"

“You must regret having anything to do with me,” laments Ffion, but he simply urges her to eat just a little, without any success.

"OAP discount on Thursdays"

Dani comes into the café and meets Dol; “I work in the salon – if you want a trim, we do OAP discounts on Thursdays,” says Dani.

Dol sees a way to make some money

Dol invites her to put anything, big or small, into the tips mug clearly marked “Dol”.

She sees Dani’s handbag and remarks,

"I saw one like that on Ponty market"

“I saw one like that on Ponty market,” but Dani insists that hers is a genuine designer model. “It’s hard to tell the difference,” answers Dol.

"This is the boost she needs"

Kelly has gone round to Y Felin, where she asks Britt to bring round Arwen for just a few minutes; “She’s a bit better, but I think this is the boost she needs. We’ve locked her in the flat since last week – she hasn’t had a drop since – we must be doing something right! She’s desperate to see Arwen, and she’s not eating.”

Britt remains stony-faced

Britt is unmoved and refuses.

"The last thing she needs is losing her mother!"

As she leaves, Kelly’s parting shot is, “Arwen’s had too many people turn their backs on her – the last thing she needs is losing her mother as well! Think about it!”

Dol appears rather partial to cake . . .

Debbie catches Dol helping herself to yet another slice of cake, and demands that she stop eating in front of the customers,

. . . and Debbie demands she pays for it

and that she pay for what she has consumed. Dol empties her tips mug and gives Debbie the contents, then has another call, which she rejects.

Garry wants his rent

Gethin receives a text from Garry, demanding unpaid rent; when Kelly returns unsuccessful, he leaves,

"I want my phone!"

and Ffion demands, “I want my phone – I might have some messages!” Kelly will not hand it over, so Ffion storms, “It’s not up to you!”

"Look at yourself – you're a mess!"

“If I left things up to you, where would you be?” Kelly asks her, “Look at yourself – you’re a mess!” Ffion acknowledges this, but denies being scared of anything.

“You’ve lost everything – that must feel fantastic, but you’re dealing with it great,” courages Kelly.

Ffion retorts, “Who the hell are you to tell me how to live my life? You don’t know what I need!” Kelly tells her to eat her sandwich,

They both look shocked at Ffion's ferocity

but Ffion refuses and throws the plate across the room,

The plate lies, shattered into pieces

where it shatters on the floor.

Kelly tells her she needs support

As Ffion cleans up the remains, Kelly assures her she knows how hard it is to beat something on her own; “You need support – other people’s help. I was in the gutter like you, and do you know how I came through it? I admitted I needed help.”

"You must let people help you"

Ffion sits on the floor by the washing machine; Kelly tells her she will recover, but she must let people help her.

"Why should I talk to you?"

Ffion demands, “Why should I talk to you? I don’t know you – you’re not my friend. You don’t want to know about my problems – nobody’s ever wanted to know! Everyone who didn’t like me has left me – nobody hates me as much as I hate myself!”

Kelly clearly sympathises with Ffion's plight

As tears stream down Kelly’s cheeks, Ffion continues, “I can’t leave – I’m stuck with me! Dad was the lucky one – he left once he found I was on the way!” Kelly wonders whether she has ever thought of looking for him, as perhaps he is the missing piece of the jigsaw.

“So I can blame him for all this?” asks Ffion,

"I'm what's wrong – no-one else!"

“No, it’s simple – I’m what’s wrong – no-one else!”

"But sometimes, only a Mam will do!"

In the café, Dol tells Britt, “Being a Gran is great – any trouble and you can hand them back. But sometimes, only a Mam will do!” Britt is caused to think.

Anita points out the dirty crockery . . .

Anita then complains that she has been served tea in a dirty cup;

. . . so Dol cleans it with her apron

“A bit of lippy never hurt anyone,” comments Dol, as she wipes it with her apron.

Debbie's offer of a fresh cup is rejected

Debbie, seeing this, offers Anita a fresh cup, but she has had enough and leaves.

Incensed, Debbie orders her mother out of the café.

Debbie calls Gwen in desperation

Then she phones Gwen; “Can you cover in the café for a while?”

Eagerly awaiting the result

The villagers gather at CwmFM for the results of the art competition; Gwyneth announces the winner is . . . Courtney!

Everyone is happy – except Debbie

Meanwhile, Debbie is looking round, trying to find Ricky’s entry.

"This baby is hard work"

At Maes-y-Deri, Vicky complains to Dol that her baby is hard work. Dol recalls that in her day there were terry nappies;

Dol recalls going down to the river with her washboard

“And no washing machines – we used to go down the river with a washboard and mangle!”

"Promise me you won't end up like me"

After Vicky has gone for a nap, and Dol has rejected yet another call, she speaks to baby Nicky; “Promise you won’t end up like me – I’ve made a right mess of my life. Don’t you do the same.

Nicky listens to every word

“Work hard in school and keep out of trouble, because trouble always finds a way of catching up with you.”

"I pushed everyone away!"

Kelly encourages Ffion that she has not had a drink in a week, but the reply is, “It doesn’t matter – I haven’t got anyone – I pushed everyone away!”

Just then the buzzer sounds, and Ffion insists she does not want to see anyone.

Arwen runs to her mother

However, she changes her mind when Arwen comes in with Britt; she runs to Ffion and they hug.

"Where is Ricky's picture?"

In the Antur, Debbie demands to know where Ricky’s picture is; Colin says it may have been mislaid,

"I'll report you to . . . OFCOM!"

but after Debbie’s threats to report him to OFCOM, he admits, “I had a bit of a disaster – I threw most of the pictures in the bin by accident! So I made some myself to put on the walls.”

"You have to give the trophy back!"

She turns to the other people and announces, “Sorry, this is all a sham! Colin did most of the pictures. It’s not fair – you have to give the trophy back!”

"We all know what you're like in a competition!"

Courtney objects to this, and so does Eileen; “You’re just angry Ricky didn’t win! And we all know what you’re like in a competition! Do you expect me to believe you won that election fairly?”

With this argument going on in the background, Anita comments to Colin, “You managed to spoil the whole competition! I hope you’re happy!” Debbie tries to wrestle the trophy from Courtney, but Eileen intervenes.

Arwen, colouring happily with Ffion

Arwen is doing some colouring with Ffion when Britt says it is time they went. Ffion pleads for just five minutes more, and Britt assures her, “We’ll be back once you’re better.”