29 December 2014

It is hard work, pretending to be injured

In the shop, Eifion is complaining to Colin, “It’s not easy keeping up this façade, dragging myself around like this,” but he gets little sympathy from Colin;  

"You decided to act like Hopalong Cassidy!"

“You decided to act like Hopalong Cassidy!”   Eifion says that he has made a nice profit out of it, and as Colin has spent a fortune on presents, he urges Eifion to press for more compensation, so he can get his cut.

"Robin's coming?   Is he bringing Batman?"

When Dai and Diane come in, Eifion hides out the back, as Dai announces that Robin McBryde will be coming to the celebration on Wednesday.   

Colin over-emphasises to Dai that Eifion has had the worst Christmas ever, is in terrible pain and cannot do anything for himself.

"He's had too much compensation already!"

Dai’s reaction is that it is all a scam and he has had too much compensation already;  Diane does admit that he was “slightly injured.”   Dai adds, “But not as injured as he’d be if I could prove it’s a fake!”

"The weak link is the woman and her sentiment"

When they have gone, Eifion thinks he has no chance of further money, but Colin says, “I heard Diane worrying about you – now is the time to act and squeeze the last bit of compo out of them.   The weak link is the woman and her sentiment!”

"No, don't tell the children about Meic"

In the café, Katie tells Darren she has booked a taxi for 1:30pm to take them to the airport.   Darren wants to tell the children about Meic, but Katie dissuades him.

Harri Wyn talks to Meic and Anita

Meic has a visit from Harri Wyn, the Palliative Care Nurse, who tells him it is important to have family and friends around him.   He asks if Meic wants to go into a hospice, or stay at home, and Meic is insistent upon the latter;  

“I’d like to be here when it all ends,” he answers.

"My symptoms are getting worse!"

Eifion hobbles round to Bryntirion again, and draws Dai’s attention to the list of symptoms he supplied in the Christmas card, maintaining that they are getting worse.   He receives short shrift from Dai;  

"How many hundred thousand do you have in the bank?"

“We had so many Christmas cards with letters asking for compensation that it takes a while to get through them!   Just remind us, how many hundred thousand do you have in the bank?   Diane and I have lived like poor church mice this Christmas!”

When Diane expressed some sympathy for Eifion, but says they cannot afford to pay any more, 

"I've got no sympathy whatsoever!"

Dai interrupts, “I’ve got no sympathy whatsoever!   A bit of physio and you’ll be jumping around like a ferret!”   When Eifion hobbles away, Dai accuses Diane of, “Being like a jelly baby with him!”

Harri raises the things which will need to be done

Harri discusses the need for a bed downstairs, so that Meic will be in the centre of things, and everything will be at hand.   

"Is home the right place?" asks Darren

Darren, who has joined them, wonders if home is the right place, but Harri emphasises that the hospice will be available if Meic needs it.   Meic admits it is difficult to find the right time and right place to tell friends and neighbours.

Darren announces he will stay with his father

Darren says that he will stay on in the village, while Katie and the children go back to Saskatchewan, and Harri considers he will be a help to his father.

Diane goes to visit Angela, afraid that war will break out between Eifion and Dai;  

Angela reads a very familiar list of symptoms

when Angela sees the list of symptoms enclosed with the Christmas card – “Depression, unable to get out, needs help with meals, and to cope with bills” – she assures Diane, “Leave this with me.”

Katie does not want to go back to Canada without him

Darren returns to Katie in the café and tells her that he will not be accompanying her home, as Meic is not going to a hospice, and he suspects that the end is nearer than he thought.   “He is worse than he is willing to admit – I have to stay.   You’ll have to cope without me,” but Katie is not happy about this.

"Hope their playing is better than their writing," comments Eifion

In the Deri, Colin shows Eifion a rugby ball, signed by the Scarlets Squad, which will be raffled on Wednesday night.   

"Your hands are still working, then!"

Angela arrives, and pointedly comments, “Your hands are still working, then!   You can still open envelopes and write letters!”

Dai and Diane then come in;  “Good grief, not you again!” remarks Dai.   Eifion starts hobbling to the door, saying, “I’m going – I don’t want to waste time looking at you!”

Angela tells him she wants to talk to him;  “Come home then,” he replies.   

"Isn't this yours?"

Determined, she picks up the rugby ball, shouts, “Isn’t this yours?” and throws it at him.   

What a catch! . . .

Eifion drops his crutches to catch it, then realises what he has done;  

"I knew it!" shouts Dai

as Dai shouts triumphantly, “Heavens!   I knew it!”   Eifion tries to convince them all, “My back’s better – something clicked!”

Dai’s response is, “Your neck’s going to click when I get my hands round it!”   Colin comments, “It went crunch – what a miracle,” and Angela adds, “Isn’t it just?”

"I want every penny of that compensation back!"

Eifion insists that his back was injured, but Dai shouts, “Poppycock!   I want every penny of that compensation back!”   

Angela points out the flaw in his "cunning plan"

Taking Eifion to one side, Angela points out that his list of symptoms was copied word for word from her client’s application form.   “I could lose my job over this,” she warns him.

When she volunteers Eifion to play in the veteran’s rugby team, Dai is adamant;  “He’s not contaminating a Cwmderi shirt!”

Meic bids the children a tearful goodbye

Meic hugs Alys, Wil and Katie, and they leave to pick up their bags from Sheryl’s.   Darren assures Anita that Katie understands he has to stay.

"I don't want to be suffering"

Meic confides to Darren that he does not want to be suffering when the end comes;  “I wants it to be quick when it comes – I want it under control, under my control.”

"I'll do anything – you know that"

Darren confirms that he will do anything to help his father.