Monday 9 January 2012

PR disaster for Brian: 08/01/12

(ha!)

The Archers Sunday 8th January 2012

  • Christmas, recycled
  • Ruairi’s back to school
  • Queen’s Diamond Jubilee
  • Brian goes all Victor Meldrew
  • Tracey pulls a crafty one


Christmas, recycled

Brian’s making use of Mike’s big chipper …

[Brian] “That’s Christmas done for another year”

[Mike] “Your tree lives on …”

[Brian] “You’ve just reduced it to a pile of chippings!”

[Mike] “Which will be composted and go to nourish the next generation of plants”

That’s one way of doing it.

I just get a tree with roots, and plant it. I’ll have no garden by the time I retire!



Ruairi’s back to school

And seems quite happy to be so.

Though he wasn’t as happy when Brian couldn’t take him there at the last minute.

That Super Dairy is already coming before family.

Just ask Adam.


Queen’s Diamond Jubilee

[Mike] “Are we doing anything for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee?”

Blimey – I didn’t even know it was due.

But seems so. 2nd-5th June 2012.

Brian remembers the Silver Jubilee, which was in 1977. He recalls it with a groan, as he was on the organising committee.

As was Neil. Who was there representing the Youth Club …

… while I do accept that Neil was also once a youngster, he was 20 in 1957. Maybe he was just a later bloomer.

And Mike got to light the beacon.

Anyhoo – seems there’s a scheme to plant jubilee oak trees (similar to the silver jubilee, where one could sponsor a tree). This time, saplings have been grown from acorns grown on royal estates.

Nice idea.

But where (oh where) shall they put them, Mike and Neil wonder.


Brian goes all Victor Meldrew

[Brian] “What! I don’t believe it?”

Seems the Echo has called Annabelle to get a statement about the Super Dairy.

[Brian] “Who told them???”

They’re going to “splash” a story about the Super Dairy on Thursday.

Though Brian reckons they’ve got “confused facts”, he knows it’ll be damaging whether true or not. He reckons their take on it will be that:

[Brian] “This is the latest scheme by the incompetent bunch who brought you Borchester’s accident prone livestock market …”

And Debbie won’t be amused:

[Brian] “The last thing she said to me on Friday is that PR will make or break this scheme”

Brian really isn’t a happy bunny.

[Brian] “It’s a good news story, Jenny. That’s what’s so frustrating! The cows thrive in this type of setup, it’s designed for their wellbeing, An integrated system like this, with an AD energy plant, is about as environmentally friendly as you can get!”

(answers for what an AD energy plant is, on a postcard, c/o NO. 73)

[Jennifer] “And you’ll be creating jobs”

[Brian] “Quite, but what’s the Echo going with? That we’re a bunch of incompetents dabbling in some grotesque kind of factory farming … we’ll be really lucky if we’ll manage to row back from this”

[Jennifer] “Do you have any idea who could have leaked this story?”

[Brian] “Now I can’t get rid of this nagging suspicion that someone’s blabbed …”

Well, course they have! If someone hadn’t told the Echo, the Echo wouldn’t know.

So – odds on for Adam?

Though what about Pip?



Tracey pulls a crafty one

Tracey’s at home (well, Bert and Gary’s) cooking tea.

[Tracey] “It’s lovely being here. Back in the old homestead”

Bert’s asking her about whether she’s decided to move in. Or not.

She says she is very tempted.

He says it would “mean the world” to him, especially as the house feels so empty.

[Bert] “I always knew where your mum was, when she wasn’t chatting, she were singing”

[Tracey] “Or coughing …”

(Oh come on! That’s a bit nasty)

Seems Bert has to turn the TV on for company, especially when Gary goes out.

But, Tracey is going on about “future” and “security” again. She spells it out. She’s worried that if something happened to Bert, she would be out on her ear. So:

[Tracey] “How would you feel about putting the house in my name?”

[Bert] “Eh?”

[Tracey] “As well as yours, obviously”

Tracey claims she wants to take responsibility as well as provide a future for her kids. Help make sure the rent and the bills and such.

[Bert] “What about Gary … what would happen to him?”

[Tracey] “Nothing. It wouldn’t affect him. He’d just carry on the way he always has”

(Oh be scared Gary. It’ll be a cardboard box if push comes to shove)

AND Tracey has already phoned the housing association to see if it’s okay for her to be a joint tenant. Which it is. And as Bert is worried about contacting them, she’ll even write the letter for him.

[Bert] “Well, in that case, if you think that’s the way to go … alright then”

Do we wonder whether Susan and Neil will be so happy that Tracey is moving out, they won’t notice her ploy?

We don’t get to eavesdrop in on Tracey telling Neil the full story, but she is already twisting it into her doing Bert a favour:

[Tracey] “The thing he can’t stand is the quiet … it reminds him, happy family time … I thought you’d like to know that you’re getting shot of us at last!”

[Neil] “And it’s definite this time, is it …”

And she says the ball is now in Neil’s court.

He better get painting.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I thought Adam but isn't that a bit obvious? Mind you it could be a devious double-bluff...

And how often is. an AD going to raise it's head at Ambridge?

Inga McVicar said...

Yup - Adam would be obvious, but Brian will probably (eventually) blame him anyway!

Excuse my ignorance - but what's an AD?

caroline_venezia said...

Is it an anaerobic digester (digestor) ? Is that what another set of them wanted to build a few years back, but it got thrown out - or was that something different ? The only thing I (think I) remember is that initially the idea of whatever-it-was was said to be to use farm waste, then it moved on to growing crops especially to feed it - and Pat was against that on the grounds that farmers should be growing food for people to eat.