David Troughton (Tony Archer)
Honestly, if Tony gets any more miserable, he'll
top himself. Everything anyone else says or does is examined in forensic detail
so that he can twist it to extract every ounce of self-pity from it. Consider
the following: Peggy gave Jack's old dinner jacket to Rob and, when Tony learns
of this he says that Peggy obviously assumes that he would never be invited to
a black tie do. Be honest – would you invite the miserable sod?
Tony surpassed himself this week when Rob came to
tea. All Tony had to do was to be civil to him for an hour or two, but he
couldn't even manage that and storms out when Rob talks about how generous
Peggy is. This has a somewhat negative effect on the party and Rob leaves.
Helen returns from seeing him off and she is absolutely seething, telling her
parents that Rob will never darken their door again and neither will she – she
and Henry are moving in with Rob.
Quite rightly blaming himself, Tony sinks ever
deeper into a slough of despair, to the extent that, when he goes to the pub,
Jolene says to Eddie "Tony's not a happy bunny." It was standing on a
chair and throwing a rope over the beam in the roof that gave it away, I
reckon.
Mind you, Tony's children aren't helping to lighten
his mood any – as well as Helen leaving home, Tom manages to depress his
father. Having originally decided on having the wedding reception at Bridge
farm ('so that Mum and Dad can feel involved') Tom now wants to go to some
stately home and tells his Dad that the only reason they can't is that the Home
isn't free on the day.
Tom proves why he's never been in the running for
the title of 'Mr Sensitive' when he suggests to Kirsty that they go and look at
the site on Bridge Farm where they will build their house. She's not keen,
saying that that was what Tom and Brenda had planned but she would rather live
away from the Farm. Even though this is more expensive, Tom agrees, but it
turns out to be another cross for Tony to bear, as the plan was that, when the
time came to retire, Tom and wife would move into the farmhouse and Tony and
Pat would take over Tom's house. More misery for Tony, but can you blame Kirsty
for not wanting to live on the farm when Tony is hanging around, oozing despair
and pessimism from every pore?
Rob appears to have caught some of Tom's
insensitivity – Kirsty says to Helen that she would find it creepy, sleeping in
the same bed that Rob and Jess used and Helen suggests to Rob that they should
get a new one. He won't hear of it, saying that there's nothing the matter with
it. Mind you, I don't know how much scope there will be for passion, as Henry
slept between Helen and Rob on his first night and Rob was detained overnight
the next night after a hard day's work away, too knackered to drive home. Is this
the truth, or is Rob really the rotter that some (yes Pat, I am talking about
you) suspect? I really hope not as I couldn't bear the crowing and 'I told you
so' moments if Pat should be correct.
Ed and Emma hatch a cunning plan to get Holly back
from Will and Nic's and that is to get Nic to persuade Will to let Holly go
back to live with Ed, Emma and George. As it turns out, there is very little
needed in the way of persuasion; certainly as far as Nic is concerned. No
sooner has Emma tentatively broached the subject than Nic has offered to pick
George up from school and drop him and Holly (who really ought to be renamed
yo-yo with her changes of address) off at Ambridge View.
"What about Will?" asks Emma, but Nic
says that she'd "rather deal with Will in a strop than have a puppy to
worry about" and tells Emma "you'll be doing me a massive
favour". And let's be honest, she must be used to dealing with Will in a
stroppy mood, as this is his default mode, except for the times when he's
miserable and moaning. Perhaps Will and Tony should go out for a drink
together. I'm sure the Samaritans could take on extra staff.
The rumour of Susan's massive lottery win continues
to spread, with Jennifer saying that she's heard that it is over £2 million,
which is what Jennifer probably spends a year on getting her hair done. Pat
wonders whether Susan will give up work and Eddie tells Clarrie that Neil will
never leave his home or give up his pigs. Clarrie wonders whether Neil might
buy their house, saying that Neil would be a better landlord than Hazel. I fear
a few people are in for a bit of a disappointment when the Carters return and
Neil and Susan might have a hard job convincing some of them that the jackpot
win is just the product of some over-active imaginations and tongues.
The alternative, rival Valentine's night at The
Bull story leaves me cold, although I did smile when Kenton tried to persuade
Tony to go along. But let's end with Tony and Pat. Tony has just walked Jill
home, saying that it was a change to be with someone who appreciates his
company "unlike my children". He tells Pat that Tom doesn't want to
build a house at Bridge Farm, saying that they don't want us. He then gives her
his vision of the future for himself and Pat, which is "No kids, no grandchildren,
no cows; just this big, empty silence." Wouldn't it have been just great
if Pat had replied "By the way Tony, I'm leaving you and moving out"?
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