Wednesday 30 November 2011

The Archers Wednesday 30th November 2011: Helen might be back to Hellin … *sigh*

(and I’ve been so smug that she’s a changed woman – the Helen haters will have a field day over this!)
  • Lilian puts Brenda in her place
  • Helen’s making cheese
  • Brenda’s skiving
  • Tom’s terrified for Helen
  • Helen begs Pat
  • Everyone enjoys a good gallop, according to Lilian
  • It takes a red coat to stop Lilian looking like a cow
  • Tony still adoring Brian’s failures



Lilian puts Brenda in her place

Brenda’s been away in Nottingham doing Lilian’s bidding.

She was quite happy, as she got to visit her friend Lottie. She also got a “good girl” for bringing back information packs and photos.

Brenda and Lilian are at the Mart, casing the joint before tomorrow’s formal opening.

[Lilian] “Such a shame the animals have to come in and spoil it!”

Brenda starts waffling about how she used to go to cattle sales with her dad. Lilian really isn’t interested.

And when Brenda mentions about being at the opening tomorrow:

[Lilian, with sarcastic pity in her voice] “Oh Brenda, did I say, I think it’s better you stay in the office. In fact, you better get back there now, darling, pronto, the emails must be piling up from yesterday. See you Brenda!”

[Brenda] “Uh! Cow!”

Tee-hee. Lilian does keep a grudge going, but with such class.


Helen’s making cheese

Which pat doesn’t see as a good sign. It’s her first batch since Henry, and she hadn’t mention she was going to make it.

[Tony] “You know Helen. She seeks refuge in routine when the water’s choppy … I expect she wants some peace and quiet. And to get away from you”

[Pat] “Charming!”

[Tony] “Well it’s obvious you’re dying to pounce on the subject of Rich”

[Pat] “I’m trying to act normally”

[Tony] “It’s not working. You’re like a coiled spring!”

[Pat] “I’m worried she’s closing off”

[Tony] “She’s just being Helen”

[Pat] “Exactly. We had that dramatic exit from super. Racking tears shaking the whole house. And this morning, nothing”

[Tony] “Pat .. back off. You know you can’t ever force her and it doesn’t work … what they need is support to deal with this in their own way … you need to stop this obsession with a grandson you may never meet and concentrate instead on the children you have here!”

[Pat] “I love my children more than anything”

[Tony] “Then give them time”

[Pat] “Yes, yes you’re right”

[Tony] “At last!”

But Pat then heads off to go and see Helen.

[Tony] “You’ll be at her in her den!”

[Pat] “I agreed not to push her, not to ignore her”

Pat really isn’t giving up. But where she thinks finding Rich could heal the family, Tony thinks it could break them.


Brenda’s skiving

She’s met up with Tom at Jaxx rather than returning to work (as she was told to by Lilian. Oh dear).
Lilian will catch her out one way or another.

Brenda may reckon she’s a cow, but she’s the cow who pays her wages.


Tom’s terrified for Helen

Starting on with how Pat and Tony sprung this all on him and Helen when Brenda wasn’t there:

[Tom] “They’ll just love it when it’s the nuclear foursome, the claustrophobic clan”

Tom then moves onto his fears for Helen.

[Tom] “It’s all so weird … No warning, like a rabbit out of a hat, so insensitive, nightmare. Helen’s love for john and her, well, her worship of him I suppose, went so deep, I suppose. All her problems stem from his accident. She walks on this thin layer of ice all the time. And I’m always expecting it to crack and fall though …

“So why were mum and dad prepared to risk that again? After all the progress she’s made, fighting her way back from Greg, starving herself, and this one great achievement of hers that says ‘hey mum and dad look I’m better now, I’m well’, they have to go and trump that with this virtual grandson. It’s so crass.”

Tom’s terrified Helen will unravel.

Brenda manages to get Tom off the topic long enough to talk about he feels. He admits he’s struggling to “make sense of it” and that he thinks this will open up all of the old family wounds.

[Tom] “It’s totally spooked me Brenda. All my life I’ve tried to move out from john’s shadow. Now this”

So John’s back to displace Tom.

But I do believe him when he says that he’s thinking more of Helen. For once, Tom isn’t just in Tom’s world.


Helen begs Pat

[Helen, crying] “Mum, please don’t phone Sharon … I’m not ready … I’m so confused.”

[Pat] “I know. And I promise I won’t. Not yet”

Note that Pat said “not yet”.

Even Helen about to break down isn’t going to change Pat’s mind.


Everyone enjoys a good gallop, according to Lilian

Lilian is teaching Henry the way gentleman ride by bouncing him up and down.

[Tony] “You’ll make him sick”

[Lilian] “We’ll, who doesn’t enjoy a good gallop, eh”

Quite right Lilian.

And Henry seems to agree. He’s happily chuckling away.


It takes a red coat to stop Lilian looking like a cow

Lilian’s showing off her new coat to Tony. She was desperate – her mum and Jennifer were both out.
She’s bought it for the Mart’s opening.

[Tony] “I’ll try not to mistake you for a Hereford then!”

Might also help Brenda stop mistaking Lilian for a cow as well.

(I know – Hereford are beef cattle …)


Tony still adoring Brian’s failures

Tony and Lilian are chatting about the Mart’s failure (so far).

[Lilian] “He can’t always deliver what he promises”

[Tony] “Well he loves the big talk, doesn’t he. It would be rather delicious if the microphone failed in the middle of his opening speech … I’m sick of him and Jennifer going on and on about this wonderful so called legacy project of his when he’s clearly going to make a packet out of it!”
Lilian reminds Tony that she’s also on the Board.

[Tony] “I was being wicked”

[Lilian] “Be careful what you wish for …”

[Tony] “I’ll just have to content myself that Brian may have a sleepless night tonight worrying”

[Lilian to Henry] “What a naughty gramps you've got!”

Tony then has a dig about Brian swanning off on holiday.

[Lilian] “Well, there’s always problems waiting for you when you get back”

[Tony, cheering up] “Yes, that’s true!”

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