Source: BBC Radio 4; The Archers Archers: 2013-04-02 Tuesday http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/archers archers_20130402-1920a.mp3

You are listening to Tuesday's episode of The Archers from BBC Radio 4.

Give me a call back when you are free. Thanks.

Have you seen my phone charger?

No. ...... Right. So, I have called Neil, Pip's milking this morning, Helen's cheese-making, ...

Ah, do you want the rest of this coffee?

You finish it. Got a load of pig admin to do.

Thought you like to be busy.

I do, but ... I'm not pushing the other stuff through fast enough. Oh, god. I've got to make a start on the mucking out as well.

rather you than me.

day gone.

Ah, got it.

It's such a pain.

What's that?

The mucking out. Such a waste of my time.

Another nail in the dairy herd coffin?

It's not a joke, Brenda. ... would be so much easier if mom and dad would see sense.

At least

Lilian

the evil every time she walks in

office

She's not that bad.

Huh ?  I told you. She blames me for every minor mishap.

We all have our issues at work, Brenda.

pompous. It's different for you. You are lucky. You get to manage your own time. You are your own boss.

Yeah, as part of a family business which feels pretty dysfunctional at the moment.  I mean, talk about overreacting.  ... Mom practically accuse me of treason.

I guess sometimes things don't turn out the way you expect them to.

Sorry, what did you say?

Don't worry about it.  Right, I'm off.

Yeah. OK. See you later.

 

Oh, I wish you didn't have to leave so early.

Oh, Me too. But the breakfast meeting with the prospective co-developer can only go on for so long. ..... Aren't you gonna get that ?

Ah, it's not important.

Right. Well, I really had better go.

Oh, Lilian.

Oh, I know. I'm already late, and Brenda is bound to assume her sulky face by now. Besides, I've got to move some money between bank accounts to pay for suppliers. Supposed to be done yesterday, but I was rather,  uh, distracted.

Be distracted again.

Sounds like someone's desparate to talk to you.

I told you it's nothing. They can wait. ... 

There's one person

me right now, then I'm looking at her.

Ring me later.

Yeah. Bye.

Bye.

You have one new message.

Paul, It's me. I'm not going to tell you again. You need to stop calling me. I don't want to see you or talk to you. I know you've spoken to Grace, and she's told you about my plans. But what I do with my life is my business. So please, just leave me alone.

 

Tea?

Ah, perfect timing.

How's it going?

Ah, OK. Good thinking work... ... ...

Yeah.

Thanks Pat. ...... Maybe we should give him a break. I mean, he has been working non-stop.

I know.

He is a grafter. And he is dedicated. You have to give him that.

His heart's clearly not in keeping the cows any longer.

That's probably the case.

quite upfront about it.

now he's pursuaded

side

persuaded Helen to take

side.

own

I suppose so.

I thought ... made some good point yesterday.

Did you ?

Well, you have to admit that Tom does have a powerful case.

What are you saying ?

Well, the truth is, I was shocked when he first presented his idea, but as time ... on, I have to say ... beginning to understand the logic of it.

There's logic on both sides, though.

if we put aside our emotional attachment to the herd, then the figures do add up.

choices we've made for Bridge Farm. I've

never

solely dictated by money. And we've won out.  Against the odds.

Helen's right.

as a business decision. If we sold the herd, we'd get a large lump sum, which could be invested in the farm, or even in our pension fund. Plus, we'd save the costs associated with milking, the feed, vets' bills, ... fees, not to mention Trevor and Pip's wages.

OK. So, Tom can make it look good on paper, but that still doesn't mean it's the right thing to do.

Yeah, yeah, wait a minute. Think it through. Say we give up the 32 acres we rent, then Tom could rent the remaining grass land we've got for his pigs.

badly

wants to expand

buy

all the other .... needs from tha farm.

You'd need a awful lot of pigs to use all that pasture.

he says he's been researching in new technique, feeding the pigs on grass silage. ... ... be perfectly placed to service that. ..... I know it's a difficult thing to get your head round. I'm not finding it easy. But we have to accept that Tom's proposition would save us a lot of time and money. The cost of the herd far outweighs the cost of buying in the small amount of organic milk we need to make the yougurt, and ice cream, and cheese ... and we would be released from the .... milk price for the rest.

Oh, Tony, I can't argue with that, but we've chosen our way of life and the cows are integral part of that life. I'm sorry but I can't agree it's the right thing. I just can't.

 

Good afternoon, Amside ... ... Oh, hello. Right. I see. Um, hang on a minute. .... .... What? ... I'm very sorry but I seem ... the payment should have been made yesterday. Sorry. No. I'm sorry I can't hear you. Can I call you straight back? Thanks.

Lilian Bellamy's phone.

Oh, uhm, sorry.

Brenda! What on earth do you think you are doing?

Your phone kept ringing and I was

important call.

I'm sorry

How dare you answer my mobile ?

You left it in here. I couldn't

it's not your responsibility to answer my call.

Calm down, will you ?

You should have just ignored it.

Lilian

about three missed calls in a row.

you are spying on me now ?

I thought it might be an emergency.

Well, you are not paid to make those kind of judgement.

For your information,

actually

my phone

finance manager from the Builders Yard. He was ....

Was he ?

Apparently the payment for the latest batch of stuff we ordered still hasn't been made. I thought you were ... ... bank transfer first thing this morning.

I was in a meeting.

Oh yeah, your power breakfast.

Just slipped my mind. I'll do it straight away.

Next time, you can take the call from the Buiders Yard.

Well, you could have reminded me to make my payment when I came in.

I've got my own work ... to take care of.

Part of your ... , Brenda, is to manage .... .... Matt's diaries. Why on earth do you think I employ you?

Perhaps because no one else with her right mind would take a rubbish thrown at me.

Good afternoon. I'm sorry. Brenda speaking. Hi, yep, sorry, I was about to call you back.

 

What do you want?

To talk to you.

There's nothing to say.

Don't hang up Celia, please.

Paul.

Listen to me. I have to speak to you.

I've told you.

Doesn't what I think or feel mean anything to you any more ?  You can't just forget who I am. What I am to you.

What you are to me? Nothing, Paul.

It's not that simple.

It is, to me. I want you out of my life, once and for all.

 

OK. That's good. ...... Hey, Bren. I was right. The market's moving.

What?

You know, I've got such a good feeling about this project.

Really?

The tide's clearly turning against cheat meat. But people still need instant meal solutions, as long as they are not too highly processed.

You mean like your ready meals?

Yeah. And of course, now they want British. Tracable meat. Welfare-friendly. I mean, if I can offer something that says Gourmet on the label, but doesn't cost a bomb, the supermarkets will be knocking my door down.

"Hi, Brenda. How was your day?"

O... Oh, sorry. How was your day?

Pretty rubbish.

Sorry to hear that.

I need a glass of wine. ......... Do you want one?

No thanks.

How long do you plan to work for ?

I'm just finishing up. ..... So, what happened? 

I feel like I've been fire-fighting all day. Lilian keeps making stupid mistakes, then it's up to me to pick up the pieces.

suppose ... ... rough end of your job.

It's not actually, Tom.

Oh, OK.

totally

at lunch time because I answered ths stupid mobile.

Right.

She blames me for practially everything.

Well, can be a bit annoying when someone takes a call that's meant for you.

What?

I mean, Dad did it the other day, when another holiday company wanted to talk to me about the ready meal ......

What happened today is completely different. She totally ... into me. It was really out of order. What a cow!  I mean, she wouldn't speak to anyone else like that.

Yeah.

Tom, are you listening?

Sorry?

I said, "Are you listening to what I am saying?"

Of course.

What did I say then?

You were talking about Lilian.

And?

You answered her mobile and she got upset.

What else did I say?

Well, .....

I don't believe you. I've had an awful day and you are not even bothered.

So, Lilian was in a bad mood. Try and forget about it.  It'll've blown over by the morning.

exactly

Are you sure that's wise ?  I mean, she is the boss.

What's that supposed to mean?

Well, you don't want to lose your job, do you?

Actually, right now, I can't think of anything I'd like more. Lilian thinks she can treat me like a skivvy, like a nothing.

Come on, Bren. At least you've got a job.

that office

I'm always the first one and the last to leave.

I know.

And then, I come home and you are so obsessed by your ready meals and your pigs and your spreadsheets that we can't even have a conversation about my day.

We can. We are. Look, I'm turning this off. OK ?

It's not the point.

Brenda, I've had a tough day too. This is the only chance I get to do my admin so that I can properly plan and expand the business.

How can you expect me to be interested in what you are doing if you can't be interested in me!

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