- Pip‘s a failure (not entirely unexpected)
- Brookfield to become a tourist mecca
- Neil’s not one to judge
- Please, please, please, let me get what I want
Pip‘s a failure (not entirely unexpected)
Pip gets an early morning call from a Mr Andrew Hartman, Head of Agriculture at the University.
Oh dear.
She takes the call, then leaves Brookfield without a by or leave.
[Ruth] “Whatever’s happened, we need to sort it out before mum arrives on Saturday. The thing we could do without is a stressful Easter.”
While driving away, Pip calls Spencer. (I do hope she has hands free)
[Pip] “I certainly wasn’t expecting a first, but I was sure I’d done enough to pass.”
But no … she’s failed two modules. Which she’ll have to sit again.
[Pip] “Why is this happening to me Spencer? … I suppose I might have let things slip a bit last term.”
(really? We didn’t notice, Pip)
That girl really is oblivious. She even blames David and Ruth.
[Pip] “I mean having them on my back all the time hasn’t helped.”
When Pip gets back to Brookfield to check the lambs, David manages to corner her, and force her to tell him. He’s not a happy chappy, even though she can resit.
[David] “But if you fail again, you’ll have to repeat the whole year!”
[Pip] “But I won’t fail.”
[David] “You just have!”
Seems Pip failed Farm Assurance and Quality, but only by 2%.
[David] “A student of your caliber shouldn’t be anywhere near just the pass mark.”
And she also failed crop management systems.
[David] “I don’t understand. This is all stuff you’re passionate about, that you have firsthand knowledge of!”
Pip reckons she’s just been too busy to be able to focus on her studies.
[David] “All you have to do is your University work and a few tasks on the farm … I think you’ve changed Pip … since you went on that skiing holiday.”
David reckons Pip is now unreliable. And has stopped aiming high.
Pip reckons Brookfield is her problem.
David then brings up the dead ewe and lambs – dead, because of Pip’s lack of work around the farm.
To which Pip starts crying, and storms off.
Brookfield to become a tourist mecca
Seems David and Ruth have had no joy renting out Rickyard,
[David] “If we don’t let it out soon, we’ll have to try holiday lets. Ruth’s not keen, but we have to make it pay.”
Neil’s not one to judge
Darrell’s down The Bull, trying to apologise to Neil by buying him a drink.
[Darrell] “Elona can get emotional sometimes.”
Darrell tells Neil that he has to be out and about – meeting mates from the trade – or folks won’t know he’s available for work. And he asks if Elona said anything about his past:
[Neil] “It’s none of my business. And I’m not the type of man to judge anyone.”
But Neil does tell Darrell to talk to Elona. And quickly.
[Darrell] “Why can’t she just be grateful now I’m bringing in some cash?”
Well.
Seems our Darrell isn’t the brightest spark in the matchbox …
Please, please, please, let me get what I want
Yup … Pip’s taken refuge in her bedroom, and is listening to The Smiths.
(more than a reasonable reaction, in my opinion)
Ruth comes to talk. Would seem Pip is feeling a tad more reasonable.
[Pip] “I’m sorry mum. I’ve let everyone down … Dad’s so disappointed in me.”
[Ruth] “He was shocked, mainly … Treat this as a wakeup call. A serious one.”
[Pip] “Yeah I am. Today was horrible. I don’t want to be in this situation again.”
Have we had a break through?
Though pip thinks David is still being too hard on her, and that she does pull her weight around Brookfield, she seems to be open to the fact she needs to work harder. And perhaps have fewer nights out.
[Ruth] “Try and learn from this Pip … promise me you’ll try harder next term.”
[Pip] “Yeah. Thank you mum.”
[Ruth] “It’s alright. It’s what I’m here for.”
Later, to David:
[Ruth] “She’s upset. I don’t think it helped you putting her under pressure.”
[David] “I didn’t mean to. She’s got to realise she needs to look at her attitude … She needs to get away from that skiing crowd. Far too rah rah for my liking.”
(David really has got it in for the skiing set. Has Pip actually seen that much of them since she got back?)
[David] “How about we try and have a good Easter. I think it’s time we all made a fresh start.”
[Pip] “Yeah. Sure.”
Hmmm.
Pip didn’t sound at all too sure there.
2 comments:
It's "by your leave" BTW, as in "with your permission". I only point this out because I thought for a long time since childhood "common or garden" was some kind of "communal garden" and puzzled over the meaning. :-)
Hello Ralph,
Yup, that's how I'd take "by your leave". Hope we're both right ... While we're sharing, I used to think it was "damp squid". The shame.
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