Thursday 14 April 2011

The Archers Wednesday 13th April 2011: Fallon translates Jamie

click the 'read more' link below the bullet points to read the full post on this eavesdropping episode

  • Elizabeth really worried about Caroline and Shula?
  • Jolene’s come up smelling of mints
  • Kathy’s reduced to begging for glimpses of Jamie
  • “I can’t really get angry with her”
  • Jolene passes Kathy onto Fallon
  • Daniel’s Bombshell!
  • Is Jamie just lonely?
  • Elizabeth’s birthday



Elizabeth really worried about Caroline and Shula?

I can’t quite tell.

If you take Elizabeth at face value, she is concerned that her decision to poach Roy from Caroline will make things awkward between Caroline and Shula (who are good mates).

But, knowing Elizabeth, it’s likely to just be Elizabeth being worried for Elizabeth. Somehow.

[Elizabeth] “She was very nice to me, in a measured sort of way … I don’t want to cause trouble between you two”

After Shula has had lunch with Caroline, she met up again with Elizabeth – so, again, seemed keen to know if she had created problems. But maybe it’s more about her wanting to know if Caroline is stomping about, wanting to tear Elizabeth a new one?

On hearing that Caroline might not replace Roy – choosing instead to rejig everyone’s work, taking on more work herself as part of that:

[Elizabeth] “Oh no. Then I really would feel dreadful”

Hmmm.

Just because Caroline is a measured, calm, rationale woman who has been quite polite to Elizabeth, doesn’t mean that Elizabeth did the right or fair thing in taking Roy.

She’s not just looked a gift horse in the mouth – she’s stared it down, had a feel of its rump and road tested it for a few weeks before consenting to (so generously) take it.


Jolene’s come up smelling of mints

Jolene’s outside The Bull ‘collecting glasses’ and smelling of mints.

Fallon sees right through that.

Jolene’s been smoking.

But what can anyone expect? Quitting wasn’t Jolene’s idea, this time round. A smoker doesn’t become an ex-smoker through being told to quit. It has to come from them.

(and I do declare my interest – I am a smoker. I am an adult. It’s a nasty habit. That I inflict on only myself. Well aware of the health risks. But no chance of me quitting until I want to)

Jolene claims she only took a “few drags” off of someone else. Which I think is worse than smoking your own (get thee down the shop!).

[Fallon] “And you’re wearing patches already, you must be high as a kite!”

Ah! There’s speaks someone coming up against true nicotine addiction …



Kathy’s reduced to begging for glimpses of Jamie

Even the most anti-Kathy amongst up must feel some pity for her at the moment. Surely?

She hasn’t heard anything from Jamie since she agreed to let him work, and has to ask Jolene and Fallon if she can pop into The Bull just to glimpse him.

Worse still, Jolene doesn’t want to have to deal with Kathy. She reckons she’s “run out of things to say”.

[Jolene] “I can’t do it. I can’t cope with Kathy. Not without a cigarette ..”

Poor Kathy. Son hates her, and the woman he’s staying with can’t be bothered with her.

Which shouldn’t be a surprise. It’s only Kathy’s men that Jolene’s interested in …



“I can’t really get angry with her”

Caroline and Shula are having lunch at Grey Gables.

Caroline’s had a tough week, and is keeping out of Roy’s way. She needs to get her head round the situation, and thinks Roy’s embarrassed.

So – is Caroline really okay with Elizabeth?

[Caroline] “It’s just a bit galling that’s all. I can’t really get angry with her, not with the situation she’s in”

Sounds to me like Caroline is absolutely seething, but she won’t let herself be truly angry as it wouldn’t be the done thing to do.

Tick, trick, time bomb …

Shula offers to be Caroline shipping boy instead (as she knew about Elizabeth’s poaching, but didn’t really feel she could tell Caroline).

But Caroline’s doesn’t take her offer. She’s being very reasonable again, and I don’t suppose there’s much fun in whipping a Saint …



Jolene passes Kathy onto Fallon

As much as I am glad that Jolene is no longer moping and moaning round the place, I must say that I think she’s being a bit of a b*tch when it comes to Kathy.

She might just be doing it to not have to acknowledge that it is very odd that she keeps ‘taking’ Kathy’s menfolk – but she’s being rather insensitive to an already wounded Kathy.

Kathy pops into The Bull, but Jolene won’t actually let her see Jamie. Jolene reckons he’s too busy working, and she wants him to stay ‘focused’.

Eh?

He was only in the kitchen, probably doing the dishes.

I don’t see Jolene maintaining her focus when Kenton’s around …

She then, quite blatantly, passes Kathy off onto Fallon. Mumbling something about Fallon having had “her moments” as a teen, s would be better placed to talk through why Jamie isn’t responding to Kathy.

Give Kathy a break, Jolene!



Daniel’s Bombshell!

What what what???

When Shula mentioned to Caroline that Daniel had “dropped a bombshell”, I had all sorts running through my head.

Had he converted? Come out?? Decided he hated horses???

No.

Nothing exciting at all, unless you’re Shula.

[Shula] “It’s not that terrible, just awkward … he’s decided he might like to be a lawyer”

I was then thinking that maybe there was a problem that Daniel wanted to take after his father (Mark) rather than his step-father (Alistair) … but Shula made it all clear.

Apart from Daniel’s only interest in law before now was watching Boston Legal, he needs to go on work experience for school. Which is when he said he wanted to try work experience in something to do with law. And the nearest place that has something to do with law is Usha’s place of work. Which was also Mark’s work.

Aha!

Here we go again – Shula Vs Usha, round 984022

[Shula] “She’s got nothing against Daniel. I’m the stumbling block”

I was the same as Caroline, in thinking that Shula and Usha had somewhat patched things up over Nigel’s death (well, not really patched up – more of an ‘able to walk down the same street, albeit on the opposites side of the road).

Seems not.

Shula was worried about having to go and ask Usha to take Daniel for work experience, as it’d be her having to ask Usha a favour.

But clever Caroline – make the boy do it himself! That’s what work experience is for.

(also – didn’t Shula still lend her donkey to Alan for certain services? A favour for a favour?)


Is Jamie just lonely?

Fallon is really rather good in trying to explain what Jamie might be feeling to Kathy.

Assuming she’s read Jamie right – she reckons Jamie’s attitude towards Kathy is in part him lashing out at her because he can’t lash out at Sid (for being dead) – and that he feels abandoned, lonely and not understood.

Fallon’s also been there with her dad, Wayne.

[Fallon] “I realised how angry I’d been that he’d given up on me so easily … how he’d abandoned me … even though he was getting nothing in return”

So – Fallon’s advice is for Kathy to not give up on Jamie, and (basically) keep taking his abuse and constant rejection. If she walked away, it’d make him even worse.

[Kathy] “So, I mustn’t try too hard, but I mustn’t stop trying either …I just miss him so much”
That’s all a bit poop for Kathy. But then again, life is often quite poop for parents.

And at least Fallon has promised not to ignore Kathy’s texts, and to keep her posted about all things Jamie.


Elizabeth’s birthday

It’s Elizabeth’s birthday soon.

Jill mentioned the other day that she’s worried about Elizabeth not wanting to do anything – but Elizabeth doesn’t want to celebrate.

As Elizabeth said – what’s there to celebrate?

[Elizabeth] “ … a life without Nigel???”

Shula persuades Elizabeth that she does need to do something, if only for the kids.

So Elizabeth agrees to “do something nice” with them – maybe take them out for the day.

Nothing’s been simple since Nigel died.

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