Helen’s raw : The Archers Tuesday 6th December 2011

(emotionally, that is)

• Calabrese, salad, pak choi and masala
• Where will Gloria sit?
•  Henry likes shiny
• Tony is such a back-stabber
• Joe to switch the Christmas lights on
• Holly and mistletoe (again)
• No respect for Pat?

Calabrese, salad, pak choi and masala

Oh my!

Anya (at Ambridge Organics) is annoying Pat. Seems she’s asking for more of one thing, when she actually needs another.

Then Susan is seen in the yard. Looking lost. Muttering something about ice cream.

All while Henry is grizzling in the background.

Step back folks … Pat’s going to blow!


Where will Gloria sit?

At Nic and Will’s wedding?

It’s been a worry, but as Nic helps Will clear a tree, she already feels better.

They’ve just been to see their wedding reception room at Grey Gables, so it’s all starting to feel more real and clear.

[Nic] “As long as we get through the stag and hen nights on one piece”

(um … does Nic know what happened on Will’s last wife’s hen do?)

Seems Fallon has organised Nic’s do – stretch limo to a club. Class …


Henry likes shiny

Especially shiny and dangerous.


Tony is such a back-stabber

Helen’s telling Tony that she’s finding it hard to sleep. Tony sympathises and (in my humble opinion) seems to take the stance that this is all’s Pat’s fault, though he doesn’t say so outright. He does seem to abdicate his responsibility in how Tom and Helen were told about Rich.

[Helen] “It knocked me sideways. It brought back so many dreadful memoires”

[Tony] “If we knew the truth about Rich, it might be painful at first … but in the long run, it might help us deal with the way we feel about John”

[Helen] “Dad. I can’t tell you how much I disagree … even talking about it, ugh, it churns me up every time. I can’t keep looking back … it’ll only create more problems. For the boy, for us, I can’t stand it … you and mum mustn’t take this any further”

Tony agrees that they shouldn’t take it any further.

Um … shouldn’t he have spoken with Pat first?


Joe to switch the Christmas lights on

Only at Jim’s. But he’s chuffed that ‘the prof’ asked him to do the honours.


Holly and mistletoe (again)

Joe’s brought mistletoe round for Nic and Will (though they’d already found some earlier when they were clearing that fallen tree. Joe wasn’t to know, and they don’t tell him)

And Joe is also hawking holly around again. Seems Sabrina has bought some (does that woman never learn?) for her table decoration as part of the Christmas Around the World table decoration competition.

Though the general consensus is that Sabrina’s cleaning lady will end up doing it …

[Joe] “And she bought some mistletoe. Though I don’t think she needs any encouragement”

All the menfolk of Ambridge will be missing Sabrina in her cat outfit. They’ll just have to make do with a peck under the mistletoe.


No respect for Pat?

So Tony is talking to Pat about how Helen feels. He reckons Helen is “raw”, and is doing her best to avoid Pat. She isn’t even eating with them tonight. Which is indeed news, for our new style Helen.

Pat still isn’t getting it. She sees it as a waiting game – that Helen and Tom will become want to know about Rich in time. They’re just not “interested yet”.

[Tony] “Helen simply can’t face going back, reliving the past”

[Pat] “But it’s not the past, Tony., Rich is alive. Now … he’s John’s son … if I could just see him,. Hear his voice .. .what if he sounds like John?”

But no. Tony is adamant that they need to respect Tom and Helen’s wishes, and “things as they are”.
Ah, come on Tony. Even you can’t believe that Pat will walk away from this one?

What about Pat as John’s mum? Surely her wishes to find out if she has a grandson by him should be respected as well?