- Pat and Tony feel relaxed
- Chris isn’t a happy chappy
- Darrell needs to grovel
- Tom wants to leave organic
Pat and Tony feel relaxed
They had a fabulous holiday. Carnivals, dolphins and rest.
Now back to reality.
Tom driving them home at well over 70 (which Pat pulls him up about). And Tom about to question everything they’re worked for and believe in …
Chris isn’t a happy chappy
Chris’ special moment of being featured in Borchester Life wasn’t a happy one for very long.
Darrell was joking that he should get Chris’ autograph, and is very impressed by Chris’ achievements.
[Chris] “Magazines make things out better than they are.”
[Darrell] “From where I’m standing, you’ve got it made. Lovely wife, perfect job, settled for life.”
Aye, but from where Darrell is standing, he can’t see everything.
Darrell needs to grovel
Seems Darrell hasn’t had a decent run of work since he finished Paul’s job. He “starching” around for bits and bobs.
At least he’s getting out to ask for work.
He tried Shula, who had nothing.
And went to speak to Neil. As Chair of the Parish Council, he’d be in the know about any building projects coming up.
But there’s nothing.
Apart from Amside’s development of the papermill.
Oh dear.
Seems things are tight again for Darrell and Elona, with Elona insisting he takes anything and everything he can get.
Darrell feels he was spoilt by the work with Paul. It was interesting, and used his skills properly.
[Neil] “You want to keep your family going, but you want to hold your head up as well.”
He’d love to work for Paul again, but thinks that won’t happen as Paul is based in London.
(well, Paul may be based closer to Ambridge soon enough. Which could solve Darrell’s problems)
But, maybe Darrell will just have to have his pride suffer again, and ask Matt for work.
Though going straight to Lilian might be the better idea.
Tom wants to leave organic
Tony and Pat are impressed by the way Tom’s been looking after the farm.
All is well and tidy.
But, they don’t get to feel happy or relaxed for very long.
Tom mentions he’s been trying to source extra pork for his ready meals, without any success.
[Pat] “With the horsemeat scandal, maybe it’s not the time to expand the ready meals.”
Tom does not concur.
He tells them he’s been speaking to a chap called Terry, who runs a big herd of pigs. Pat knows him. So knows he isn’t organic.
[Tom] “But totally committed to being welfare friendly.”
[Tony] “But that’s not the same thing!”
Tony’s deeply concerned at Tom even mentioning non-organic. If Tom goes in that direction, it would mean the whole of Bridge Farm would lose their organic status.
Rather flippantly, Tom responds that this may be the way forward.
Pat stops them there. She and Tony want to unwind, rather than get into such a discussion.
They’re just back from holiday, for goodness sake!
Later, when Tony is safely out of the way, playing with Henry.
[Pat] “You promised when you came back from your Uncle Brian’s you committed yourself to bridge Farm and being organic totally, you gave us your word, Tom!”
Tom reckons the world has changed, The market has changed.
[Pat] “Organic isn’t a marketing ploy, it’s a moral standpoint.”
[Tom] “Which doesn’t mean anything if only rich people can afford it … I’m trying to give more people the chance to buy good, welfare friendly food.”
Tom thinks organic is too niche. Pat thinks they’re already given Tom as much of his way, and their support, as they can.
[Pat] “How ungrateful can you get. Don’t we deserve a little loyalty? … Now you want to smash it all up again.”
[Tom] “The stronger the Tom Archer brand is, the stronger the farm.”
What a horrible young man Tom is.
I get his point – that they might need to look for bigger markets – but why does it have to be all about what he wants?
What about expanding the ice cream? The cheese? The yoghurt? Having a chain of Ambridge organic shops rather than just the one?
And why couldn’t he wait until Pat and Tony had settled back in after their holiday?
Nasty, nasty, nasty.
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