Monday, 12 February 2018

You Could Always Pull an Extra Shift at the Chicken Factory, Nic.

Becky Wright (Nic Grundy)

Kirsty’s still on the warpath and gives Jennifer a hard time when she runs in to her, accusing Brian of hiding away. If you want him Kirsty, he’s in his shed ‘seeking solitude’, and ‘clearing his mind’ in preparation for writing his acceptance speech at the Borsetshire Businessperson of the Year awards. Kirsty angered Jennifer so much apparently that she cleared out BOTH her fridges. It’s certainly a different approach to housework; I wonder how angry she would need to get in order to clean her cooker? Well, the cooker might be in for a treat, because Brian gets a call to say that his nomination for Businessperson of the Year has been withdrawn because the sponsor (the local paper, The Echo) doesn’t want to be associated with him any more.

Over at the Bull they’re getting ready for a quiz. Alistair and Shula’s team is short, so they draft in Philip Moss. Philip gets the first round in and spots Kirsty, whom he persuades to join them. No sooner has Philip and Kirsty sat down than Alistair gets another round. Now, Peter and I are no strangers to pub quizzes and will confess to liking a drink or 2 to sharpen the mind, but I think lining them up before it’s even started is a major tactical error, especially as Alistair seems so keen to win. In the end they lose, but there’s plenty of friendly banter between Alistair and Kirsty as they find out that they have lots in common, and Philip asks Kirsty out for lunch.

Toby’s reading up on how to be a father from a book given to him by Bert Fry and listening to advice from Nic Grundy – what could possible go wrong? He goes with Pip for her scan and while they’re waiting to see the midwife he persuades her to go to aqua-fit classes, using free passes that Kirtsy’s been handing out. Pip tells him that that her parents are upset that Elizabeth knew Pip was pregnant before they did. When she gets back Roooooth seems fine and they talk it through, although there are some crossed wires as Roooooth wants to talk about everyone’s future roles on the farm while Pip’s talking about everyone’s roles with the baby. Later on Roooooth catches Pip helping a cow with a breech birth and is furious, saying that Pip’s put her baby at risk.

Roooooth takes over and Pip goes off to her aqua-fit class, but who should also be there but Toby. Only he couldn’t find his trunks and had to borrow Rex’s, which turn out to be Speedos. Pip calls his ‘budgie smugglers’ indecent and Toby gets into the pool to a chorus of wolf-whistles from the assembled ladies. After the class Pip tells Toby about the earlier incident in the calving shed and he offers to do some night shifts – even though he hasn’t any experience. When Pip tells Roooooth she bursts out laughing but promises to talk to David about it anyway, who bursts out laughing too. So that’s a ‘no’ then is it David?

We haven’t been over to Berrow Farm for a while so it was nice to eavesdrop on Justin showing the parish councillors how the new pig unit’s coming along. Neil Carter, who must be feeling better now, seems to be impressed and offers some of his own advice. Brian calls in, more to catch Neil because he wants to know if he remembers who the contractors were who dumped the contaminated materials on his land. However Justin has a bone to pick with him – why didn’t he tell him about his award? Justin was at the dinner and was surprised when they announced a different winner, not to mention having to fend off questions from the rest of the board of Borsetshire Land. They’re embarrassed about the publicity and Justin thinks Brian’s in danger of being voted out.

We then hear that the Courier’s running with the story, calling Brian a ‘tainted businessman’. Susan takes it upon herself to warn Brian and heads off to Home Farm where she finds Jennifer and Adam. They’re already not in the best of moods because one of Adam’s soft fruit buyers has cancelled an entire order because of worries about being associated with them. So imagine their reaction when Susan hands over a copy of the Courier and shows them the story, before telling them that a copy gets delivered to every household in the Ambridge area.

Brian’s not there because he’s gone to Borchester to get his car serviced, and we catch up with him ordering a scotch in The Crown. He’s popped in because he heard that someone that used to work for him drinks in there and might know something about the chemicals that were dumped on his land. Philip happens to be at the bar and Brian tells him that it was a wasted visit, as the man in question is now in a nursing home suffering from dementia. Brian’s car won’t be ready until tomorrow and Philip offers to give him a lift back to Ambridge. He talks to Brian about Kirsty and talks about the age difference between them – 10 or 12 years. Brian’s strangely silent on the subject. Remind me Brian, how much younger than you was Siobhan Hathaway when you got her pregnant with Ruairi?

Following last week’s incident with the alcohol-free mojito, there’s more trouble for Nic. Jolene and Kenton have been organizing a Mr & Mrs event for Valentines Day, but Nic told Emma what they were planning, and now the tea room have come up with the same idea. Nic’s distraught, and Will comes home to find her in tears. He’s angry that Emma copied the idea and ruined the Bull’s event and wants to give her ‘both barrels’! He get’s the chance, metaphorically at least, in the Bull later on when Nic’s behind the bar and Emma walks in. The three of them have a right old slanging match that ends with Nic telling Emma that she’s jealous because her and Ed “can’t climb out of the gutter”. The whole pub has heard this and Jolene rushes over to break it up, sending Nic home early. I can’t help thinking that when Kenton and Jolene compare notes about their part-time barmaid, she’ll be out on her ear, and looking for an extra shift at the chicken factory.

Following my comments last week about the kefir storyline, we now have someone who is claiming they’re actually feeling a benefit from it. Apparently Ian is drinking the stuff, even though you would think that someone with his refined palate would run a mile from it. But wait, the whole project could still go udders-up, as Susan’s gone kefir crazy and is trying to boss everyone around to make sure she gets her daily goat’s milk on time. Helen tells her to lay-off the pressure, especially on Pat who does the milking, and Susan goes off in a huff, later telling Chris that she’s going to tell Helen to “stuff her stupid job” – let’s hope that’s the end of it. Good luck finding another one Susan, after all you’ve already said you’re worried about the prospect of Neil retiring and I’m sure you don’t want to put any further strain on the Carter family finances.


No comments:

Post a Comment