The Archers Wed 12th Jan 2010: Jill at seven

• Poor Kenton
• Joe in vestments?
• The simple pleasures
• Guilt’s not attractive on David
• Those early hurts are the deepest

Poor Kenton

[Kenton] “I wished she’d asked me … well, it doesn’t matter. I don’t want to bother her now that it’s sorted … she knows that (David’s) the reliable one”

[Shula] “Well, he clearly didn’t want to do it which is why I offered … why, what did you want to say?”

[Kenton] “Well, just what fun he was”

It’s not nice being Kenton sometimes.

The black sheep of the family, to the point where he believes that he no-one else will trust him to say the right thing at his best friend’s funeral.

It’s a shame that neither Shula nor David thought of Kenton. Elizabeth is hardly best placed to think of anything …



Joe in vestments?

*shudder*

Still, at least Joe is providing some light relief to the Archer clan.

Kenton and Shula are guffawing away at the fact that Jim hasn’t as yet spotted that Joe’s more interested in a few extra £ than ancient history.

And, at the idea of Joe trying to make more money by becoming a Druid priest:

[Kenton] “ …a priest in white vestments climbs an oak tree and cuts down the mistletoe with a golden sycle”

[Shula] “Sounds quite beautiful”

[Kenton] “Well, not when the priest is Joe Grundy”

While Shula is tempted to get Joe in to do his new found magic on her trees, Kenton's more in the mood for a sing song.

Quite bizarrely, Shula joins in:

“Hey down (Ho down) Derry derry down
Among the leaves so green-o”

Odd, as that was quite a prominent song in the last run of Lark Rise to Candleford.

Maybe Kenton and Shula watch it (Shula, I can imagine, but Kenton? Is he that ,lonely?)

And even more bizarre yet, Helen walks in as Shula and Kenton are singing, making them both behave like naughty school children caught misbehaving.

Still, any laughs right now must be welcomed.



The simple pleasures

At first a bit perturbed to find Shula and Kenton singing in a house of mourning.

[Helen] “They seemed in an …odd … mood”

Helen soon settles down to both comfort Elizabeth, and also make much of her wee boy Henry.

Not that Helen went overboard, or Elizabeth was not welcoming a happy diversion.

All Helen wants to do it to be able to care for Henry, but that’s difficult when he’s still in hospital.

She just wants to be able to give him a bath.

[Elizabeth] “Nigel said it was lucky we had twins as we both had one to bath”

It’s the simple moments that stay with us.


Guilt’s not attractive on David

I’ll admit I reckon David’s quite right to feel a bit of guilt (why else where they both up on the roof?), but he’s going to drive himself insane if he keep being so down on himself.

Despite putting his entire life on hold to run Lowe Loxley with Lewis (including a big society wedding which sounds a bit tricky – likely more of that to follow), David can’t give himself a break for not wanting to speak at Nigel’s funeral.

Would anybody actually expect him to?



Those early hurts are the deepest

[Jill] “You know I was brought up by my mother’s cousin …”

[Elizabeth] “Yes, aunt Daphne, because your father died when you were a baby”

[Jill] “Yes, and then my mother .. she struggled to keep out little family together, but it was too much for her”

“I’ve never talked about how I felt .. .what it did to me .. .it went too deep”

Jill’s talking to Elizabeth about her own experiences of death as a young child.

Her father died when she was a baby. Her mother when she was but knee high. And her Aunt, in trying to protect her from the pain of her mother’s death, decided to keep Jill away from the funeral.

[Jill] “I know what it’s like to not say goodbye … it made me think people could disappear without any explanation .. people you loved, people you thought loved you … you couldn’t trust them ..

“I used to be a very wary person Elizabeth, I didn’t want to be hurt again …but then I met your father, and he showed me I was wrong. He ;loved me, and I know he’d never leave ,me.

“He taught me to love again, so I could start to forgive my mother .. .for abandoning me, for leaving me without a word and never coming back …”

[Elizabeth] “But she couldn’t, you must have known that, she was dead”

[Jill] “I was seven, Elizabeth”

[Elizabeth] “Oh mum, I wish you’d told me before.”

[Jill] “But I had to tell you how important it is – give Lilt and Freddie that chance. Let them say goodbye to their father, please …”

All of which was a bit of a teary moment for me.

Jill was crying at her own pain, and at the thought of her grandchildren having to feel the same.,

Elizabeth was crying as her mum crying.

But, as sad as it all was, at least Kenton managed to both help Elizabeth out, while also being able to find his proper place at Nigel’s funeral.

Lily and Freddie are now going to the funeral. Which means Elizabeth doesn’t want to speak (in case she breaks down).

Which means Kenton will have his chance to pay homage to his mate, properly.

Good.