Is Oliver Inspired, Or Has He Lost The Plot?

Michael Cochrane (Oliver Sterling)

Monday is the day of interviews at Grey Gables for the post of assistant receptionist and Lynda is at her sniffiest best when she talks to Tracy before the latter’s interview - is that what she’s wearing? There are also pointed references to Tracy’s lack of experience. And not just Tracy, as Freddie Pargetter was also selected for an interview and his experience is even less than Tracy’s, if indeed that were possible.

Lynda wasn’t included in the interview process, leaving that to Oliver and Roy, but she made it clear that she expected Roy to do the decent thing. All to no avail, as Roy tells her that Tracy has been offered the job and, what’s worse from Lynda’s point of view, Oliver wants Lynda to be Tracy’s mentor. Lynda calls Roy weak - “How could you?” she says, in a voice full of anguish. For her part, Tracy describes herself as ‘gobsmacked’ and, I must admit, I was somewhat surprised myself and the title of this week’s blog reflects my feelings. It could either be a really inspired move by Oliver, or alternatively, the beginning of the end for Grey Gables. Freddie wasn’t hired, by the way.

With Ed having been sacked, Home Farm is one man down on getting the harvest in - before long, they are also one tractor down as Brian, standing in for Ed, is thrashing his machine and it eventually grinds to a halt. The solution is to see if Josh has a machine available - he has, but he insists on driving it himself, having heard what Brian did to the spare tractor. Brian has a moan because Josh got commission on selling Home Farm’s other tractor and now they are having to hire a machine from Josh, as well as paying him to drive it. Perhaps you should have been a bit more careful, Brian.

Over at the cricket, Alice and Chris discuss the situation between Kate and Jakob. Alice is convinced that Kate is interested in Jakob, despite her denials and she and Chris hatch a plan to set up a meeting between the pair. The story is that Kate should go on a blind date with a mythical friend of Chris’s and she agrees that perhaps the best way to get Jakob out of her head is to meet someone else.

The meeting is arranged for Thursday and Kate and Jakob soon realise that they have been set up. Kate is all for going to give Alice a piece of her mind, but Jakob suggests that they could stay “to spoil their joke.” He also offers to pay for the meal, by way of apology for the misunderstanding last week and Kate, who is no slouch when it comes to taking advantage, agrees readily.

The couple seem to be getting on well, despite the fact that they spend most of the time teasing each other, and they open another bottle of wine. Kate calls Jakob “self-absorbed”, while he suggests that she has “more baggage than Terminal 5”. Nevertheless, they are enjoying themselves and we’ve never heard Jakob speak so much.

Things were starting to look a little brighter for Jim - Lilian tells him of her plans to shake up the pub quiz, by having a team of quiz experts (the ‘Brainboxes’) take on all comers for a cash prize, similar to the Eggheads. Lilian invites Jim to be one of the contestants, but he declines until Lilian says ok, she’s sure Robert Snell will take Jim’s place, at which Jim says give him a few days to think about it.

Jim tells Alistair that he’s thinking of joining the team and his son is delighted at Jim’s progress and his willingness to face a crowd again. This mood of optimism is spoiled when Jazzer reveals that he has talked to SgtB about Harold Jayston, without revealing Jim’s identity. Jim is very upset - he was slowly getting back to normality and now Jazzer has brought the whole thing crashing down again. Jim feels betrayed by Jazzer and he escapes to the bird hide, saying that he wants to be left completely alone. As Jim leaves, Alistair tells Jazzer that they are pretty much back to square one.

Jazzer’s not one to give up easily, though, and he goes to see Shula. Has she got the addresses of those who attended Jim’s party, as he would like to write to them and thank them for coming. Shula quickly sees through this ploy (Jazzer’s mistake was in saying that he could write, if you ask me) and questions Jazzer’s motives, telling him that she knows about Harold Jayston. If Jazzer got HJ’s address, what would he do? Jazzer doesn’t know, but says that he wants some kind of justice. 

Emma eventually leaves the sanctuary of her room at Ambridge View and goes for a walk outside the village, hoping not to run into anybody. No such luck, as the first person she sees is Will, followed shortly after by Clarrie. It turns out that Poppy has developed chickenpox and Emma offers to bring round some of the lotion that they used for Keira. She leaves it on Will’s doorstep, but he spots her and invites her in for a cuppa. Emma gives him some tips to stop Poppy scratching and the atmosphere is amicable. Will suggests that, despite what’s going on, he and Emma can still be friends, can’t they? “I hope so - right now I need a friend” Emma replies.

Will has a scare when Poppy seems to be getting worse and he takes her to A&E, where he is convinced that his daughter is in danger of contracting sepsis. Clarrie tries to persuade him that the doctors have the situation in hand, but he is not convinced, despite the fact that Clarrie insists that Poppy will be better off in her own bed. Will says he will call Martyn Gibson and tell him that he won’t be going back to work; “I won’t be leaving Poppy’s side until I know she’s better; nothing’s more important that that.”

The atmosphere between Clarrie and Susan is extremely toxic with the two women barely speaking to each other. Their inability to get on leads to a batch of curds being dropped, because Susan wouldn’t get out of the way. Helen gives them a right bollocking and accuses them of being unprofessional. Clarrie says that she doesn’t care if she and Susan never exchange another word, but they’ll have to work together, or they will both lose their jobs. Susan agrees, but adds that there’ll be no friendship - after what Clarrie said to Susan last week, friendship is dead in the water. Come on Susan, say what you mean.

Thursday was the day when the shortlist for Peggy’s Ambridge Conservation Trust was announced, with Lilian sending out e-mails on the dot of 10 am. Kate tries to find out before-hand (admittedly only a minute early) about the proposal submitted by her vegan friends. Peggy refuses to divulge any information, then, at 10 am, she tells Kate that their proposal didn’t make the cut. Kate is convinced that this is because they are vegans, but Peggy says no; it was because their proposal was shoddy.

Other people are also being kept in suspense and we eventually learn that Josh’s scheme was rejected, while Adam is through to the next round, as is the Brookfield proposal, much to David and Rooooth’s delight. 

Speaking of David, September 18^this his 60^thbirthday and his wife asks if he wants a big party, or a quiet celebration? He doesn’t care and will go with the flow, but, when it comes to a birthday present, what he would really like is tickets to a Dr. Feelgood gig. This comes as a surprise to Rooooth, who has never heard him express any interest in musical gigs in all the years she has known him. Perhaps he is embarking on a belated second childhood.

The situation between Emma and the Carters and Ed and the Grundys continues to deteriorate. Susan continues to complain that Emma is not confiding in her and this is neatly illustrated when Tracy turns up at Ambridge View, saying that she has brought along all the stuff for tonight. A bewildered Susan asks what stuff for tonight? Emma apologises, saying that she forgot to tell her mother that Tracy has organised a ‘girls’ night in’ with games to celebrate a ‘Shed Ed’ party. One of the games involves mixing your own cocktails with what’s available in the cupboard. The evening doesn’t end well, as they play another game (‘List your man’s shortcomings’), which results in Emma being reduced to floods of tears.

The next day, Susan is moaning that the house is a tip and that Tracy didn’t help to clear up. Meanwhile, Emma still isn’t confiding in her mother and Susan is becoming increasingly frustrated. “Why is everyone doing their best to ruin my relationship with my daughter?” Susan moans.

Neil comes in from work and is immediately assailed by his wife moaning (yes, I too could hardly credit it). He goes to get changed and leaves her chuntering on about how Ed has got a job as a drover for two days a week - Clarrie is feathering her nest, claims Susan and people are queuing up to give Ed work. Neil notices that she has her coat on, ready to go out.

Where is she going, Neil asks? Her answer is that people wouldn’t be so keen to give Ed work if they knew about his criminal activities and she is going to tell people about them. Neil goes slightly berserk and shouts at her to come back - doesn’t she realise that Ed could be arrested? “For God’s sake woman, what’s the matter with you?” he yells at Susan, adding “Think about George and Keira and what this could do to them.” Susan replies that they will need to learn the truth sometime, but Neil says this is not truth - it’s gossip. He then tears into his wife (about 25 years too late, I’d say), saying: “You are being spiteful.” And, talking about why Emma is talking to Tracy, rather than to her mother, Neil adds: “Why do you think you are always the last to know? You need to take a good, long look at yourself, Susan.” Amen to that, I say.