Friday 24 August 2012

Vicky and Mike agree to test: Mon 20.08.12

The Archers Monday 20th August 2012
  • When is a bath a kitchen sink?
  • Vicky can see thumbs
  • Would you gamble on not being 1%?
  • Matt’s not a nice man

When is a bath a kitchen sink?

At Joyce and Arthur’s, because Darrell’s pulled their one apart.

[Joyce] “It’s not been easy, Arthur got cross because I’ve been doing the washing up the bathroom, he found a fork in his bath water, so I said to him make sure you give it a good rinse before you put it back again!”

[Darrell] “I bet he got a wet flannel for that.”

But not to panic. He’s got it fixed again.


Vicky can see thumbs

And a little hand.

And the baby sucking its mouth.

They’ve had their scan, and Vicky reckons the baby has grown (well … that is the idea …).

Mike can only grunt about the quality of the scan picture.

[Mike] “It’s an, um, good picture yeah, it came out good and clear.”

He then tells her to put it away in her handbag.

I really can’t work out if he’s embarrassed, or just doesn’t want to think about the baby in case they have to make a rather difficult decision …


Would you gamble on not being 1%?

The midwife tells Mike and Vicky more about the amniocentesis test.
The test takes skin cells from the fluid around the baby, then they grow them in the lab to check for Down ’s syndrome.

But, the test carries a risk of causing miscarriage.

A 1% risk.

Which Mike sees it as routine. But Vicky sees as one woman in a hundred losing her baby.

[Mike] “Only a few, though.”

[Vicky] “But it still happens. I don’t think I can do it Mike.”

The midwife stresses that though they have to think carefully about what to do, they also are running out of time. Vicky is now 20 weeks pregnant. They have 4 weeks until they can terminate (if that was there decision, if the test results showed anything).

Mike asks the midwife how late they can leave the test.

Vicky starts crying.

[Mike] “Come on love, it’s just like we said, getting the facts.”

[Vicky] “How could you do it Mike … are you sure you haven’t made up your mind already!”

[Mike] “You really think I want us, to have …”

Mike doesn’t want to automatically terminate if the tests show the baby does have Down ’s syndrome. He just doesn’t want to:

[Mike] “ … rule anything out at this stage … we’ve got to be sensible about this. Responsible.”

[Vicky] “What do you mean responsible?”

Mike reckons having a baby is a big change to their lives.

[Mike] “Even more so if, well, you know .,.. we gotta go into it with our eyes open, and that means all the facts.”

Actually, Mike’s quite right.

And does sound like he hasn’t made up an opinion about anything.

He also tells Vicky that he does want her to have the test, but that he’d support her if she decided not to. He’ll support it, no matter what.

[Vicky] “And if I do, and it’s positive, what happens then?”

[Mike] “Well, well at least we’d know, we’d have a chance to prepare ourselves … what I find so hard … is all this uncertainty. I need to know the facts.”

Later on:

[Vicky] “If I’m honest there’s a part of me that feels the same. I know it’s what you Mike, so, I’ll do it.”


Matt’s not a nice man


Darrell is a nice man.

He’s nice to Joyce and Arthur, including having the decent to feel guilty when Joyce feeds him cake.

Sounds like lovely cake.

But Darrell knows that he has to choose between being fair to Joyce and Arthur, or bringing home the bread for his family.

(well, not actually the case, but that’s how Darrell sees it)

Joyce then talks about Elona. Seems Joyce was in The Laurels for a bit, and remembers how lovely Elona was. She reckons Darrell’s just the same – so kind and patient.

But Matt calls.

He wants Darrell to handle an ‘emergency’. One of the tenants has had their flat broken into, so needs a new door fitted.

Darrell argues with Matt (brave chap!). He’s just ripped up floorboards at Joyce and Arthur’s. he doesn’t want to leave them in that sort of mess.

But Matt’s not listening.

He reckons this other tenant is a “one man tenant association”, so Darrell better fix some other problems while he’s there. It’ll only take him a day or two.

[Darrell] “I can’t go off and leave them now. It wouldn’t be playing fair, would it?”

[Matt] “Just do it!”

Well, I wouldn’t argue with Matt …

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