Play for Today (1970–1984): Season 5, Episode 3 - Back of Beyond - full transcript

[jaunty music]

Someone needs to stop Clearway Law.
Public shouldn't leave reviews for lawyers.

[contemplative music]

[rocks clatter]

[suspenseful music]

[sheep baa]

Late this morning, girl.

I'm not.

Keeping me from my breakfast.

Do you eat with a paper, then?

Helps my digestion, Rachel.



Silly nit!

[pastoral music]

See you at school!

Here boy!

Here boy!

Coo-ee!

[children chatter]

Bye, Dad.

Have a good day, love!

[bell rings]

-Watch out!
-You watch out!

-Stop pushing!
-I'm not pushing!

You're looming over me, breathing on me.

I can't help breathing.



You can keep it to yourself.

Or breathe on someone
who likes baked beans.

Ah!

So what are you doing after school?

Shopping with Mam.

Then what?

Have tea.

Then what?

Homework.

We could walk up the valley.

What for?

A walk.

I'll ask Dad.

Oh, come off it, Rachel.

Well, walking at night, with a boy?

It won't be dark.

You can have supper at our place.

There's piglets now, born last week.

I'll come and see the piglets, then.

Great!

Hello.

Where next?

Butcher's.

Mam,

Mm?

Must be funny, mustn't it?

What?

Living alone.

Oh, I don't know, I
quite fancy it sometimes.

Yeah?

Just sometimes.

Well, I might fancy it.

Never, who would you talk to?

Wouldn't worry me.

Oh, don't talk daft, girl.

Your tongue's never still.

Now then, what's it to be?

I never know.

Oh, thought you might have a fancy.

Well, Thursday, isn't it?

Yes.

Mincemeat on Thursday.

Oh, end of the week, and my purse empty.

[bucket handle clanks]

[water splashes]

[girl giggles]

Can't say I'd fancy it at night.

Can't say I'd fancy it any time.

She's a good pig.

Sow.

Pigs is pigs.

But she's a sow, there's
sows and boars, and--

You're a bore.

Oh, shut up, you'll disturb her.

Dad.

He's early.

Hallo, David.

You know, I kept a pig once.

It was before your time, girl.

Mam and I were just married.

Bacon, we thought, home-cured bacon.

[sow grunts]

And we'd a little bit of land in the back.

Well, a pig can show affection.

Oh yes, this one used to follow me around

our bit of orchard.

I'd be digging, and
there he'd be, watching.

He'd flop down on his
side, close his eyes.

But if I moved, he'd be up and after me.

Well.

I couldn't eat him after that, could I?

Like a friend, that pig.

So, I sold him.

So someone else would eat him?

But Dad couldn't?

No, indeed.

More like cannibalism.

[pastoral music]

Coo-ee!

Coo-ee!

Boo!

Hello.

Well, I hid!

I only wanted to say hello.

Dad,

Mm?

What would you think of living
all alone on a hillside,

back of beyond?

Well, it'd depend on the hillside.

Yeah.

[Dad] And whether I had a supply of water,

and plenty of books.

Yeah.

[Dad] And who came to see me.

What if no-one came?

Oh, I shouldn't like that.

Still, I suppose I could go and see them.

But if you didn't know anyone?

Oh, I can't imagine no knowing anyone.

Nor me.

[children chatter]

Bye, Dad.

Have a good day, love.

Flowers is daft.

So are you.

She's daft.

And so are you.

Maybe I am daft.

Come on, then.

David.

Please?

Is Rachel not with you?

No, my late night, Meg.

I know, but she's not home yet.

She didn't say she'd be late.

Well, don't let's wait
to eat, I'm hungry, eh?

Leave them there.

Coward.

Only your friend.

[gentle music]

[chickens cluck]

Come cycling this afternoon?

If it's warm.

It will be.

See you by the canal.

Bet it'll rain.

[cheerful music]

[screaming]

I didn't mean it!

[screaming]

[rushing water]

Thanks for the egg.

It was lovely.

So big and brown.

Thanks.

Come on, then.

[gentle music]

Terrific, that wind, wasn't it?

Shame, broken tree.

Oh look, a nest.

And eggs!

Thrush, I think.

A thrush made its nest
in our hedge last year.

I saw the little birds being fed.

Dad used to collect snails and
put them on the wall for her.

We could hear her cracking the shells.

Horrible.

Cruel, Mam said, laying those
snails out like on an altar.

But Dad said we've too many snails.

And the birds were overworked.

So he was giving her a helping hand.

Sentimental, Mam said,

and have you no thought for the snails?

Dad just laughed.

But he didn't collect so many after that.

Well, the paper's under the store.

Thanks for the egg.

Well, I have to go.

Bye.

I,

I'm making tea.

Well, I have to get to school.

I'll come again for the tea.

Maybe I'll come Saturday, okay?

I'll have some tea on Saturday, huh?

Saturday.

Thanks for the egg.

Just lovely, so fresh.

My pleasure.

Pleasure.

[suspenseful music]

Look, are you sure she wants you to go?

Dunno.

She's not there, I'll go to David's.

Saturday.

I said I'd come, Saturday.

I don't need to stay.

I don't want to put you out.

I made little cakes.

Goat's milk?

Yes, goat's milk.

No.

I had a lovely young husband.

Lovely young husband.

On Sunday, I made him cakes.

No, the old man's.

But there weren't so many Sundays.

Only one a week.

Yeah.

Not so many weeks.

My name is Olwen.

Yes, everyone knows you're Olwen.

On the hill, they say.

On the hill.

Quite friendly, like.

Fancy you, rolling your own.

Yeah.

Oh, the old man showed me how.

Cheaper, he said.

Old man?

Yes, my husband's father.

Well, he was,

he was here until he died.

I buried him.

Yourself?

Yeah.

You dug the grave?

No, no, they dig the grave.

They?

Well, those who do such things.

I, I saw them do it.

My husband has no grave.

Well, no grave that I know of.

Do you know about Olwen?

That where she walked, the
white flowers sprung up.

Yes.

She was courted and wed by a prince.

My husband told it to me.

He wasn't a prince, mind you.

And there was never no flowers
showing in my footsteps.

Looking for the flowers again,

the old man used to say,

when I was a long time fetching the water.

What do you do when you're ill?

Oh, but I'm never ill.

I had a tooth pulled once, there.

Well, that was a long time ago.

I clean them, you see.

With little sticks I
cut from the birch tree.

Like the old man showed me,

way they did it in the old days, he said.

Clever old man, he was.

Well, thanks for the tea.

You going, then?

Another drop of tea before you go?

Oh, no thank you.

You liked my cakes, didn't you?

Yes, I did.

You'll come again?

Won't you?

Yes.

Next week?

[gentle music]

[Customer] Yeah, they're mild, though.

Yes, the children like--

Mild, indeed, yes please.

The children don't like anything else.

Anything on offer today?

Oh, we've got mandarin oranges,

and Ideal milk, the children like that,

Lovely.

-And--
-Any squash?

Oh yes, we've got lemon, orange, lime.

Oh, I'll have two tins of mandarins,

Ideal milk to go with it,

and what are the flavours of the squash?

[Shopkeeper] I've got orange, and lemon.

She does smell.

It's not surprising, only pump water.

Never gets a proper wash, I reckon.

No, she smells of goats.

[pensive music]

[bicycle bell rings]

This taking tea on Saturday.

Is it right, Gareth?

She's a, she's a harmless
enough old thing.

Playing lady bountiful, isn't she,

our Rachel.

Bye!

Sorry.

You're late, and you're keeping me late.

And the headmaster is never late.

Oh, little thing.

Is this Olwen?

Yeah.

Now, what did she do that for?

It can't live, it's foolish.

Now go and change.

We'll take it to David's
place before school.

But it's mine!

Go and change.

Hurry now!

More blasted presents.

You know, you should never have taken it.

It'll die down there with us, on its own.

They'll know what to do on the farm.

Accepting presents.

The next thing she'll be
wanting something back.

I gave her flowers.

Once in a while, a few flowers--

Stop lecturing, Dad,
we're not in school now.

Am I lecturing?

Dad's mad.

I wouldn't say that.

Chicks die easy.

He's mad.

She likes to give me things.

It's mine.

[Cobbler] New shoes, is it?

About time, too.

[water splashes]

[bicycle bell rings]

-Hi.
-Hello.

Seeds, for you to plant.

A present.

You give me two presents,

so I thought, well, dad said--

It's my pleasure, my pleasure.

Well, they're little
white flowers, alysum.

White?

Yes.

Oh, plant them together, is it?

If you like.

Then tea.

The old man made this for me.

I had flowers in my hair when
I was married, white flowers.

I wound in my hair.

It was long, to my waist.

Like yours.

Long fall of brown hair,
with white flowers in it.

It looked beautiful, my husband said.

Oh, he was a lovely young man.

And money in his pocket.

Cover them up, [speaks Welsh]
and by the end of the summer

they'll be showing white.

My hands were little,
like yours, at my wedding.

But I knew what work was.

I worked very hard when I was a girl,

scrubbing floors for ha'pennies.

"Marry him," my Mam said,

"He's got money in his pocket."

And he had.

Not a fortune, mind you,

but the other, he never had
more than two ha'pennies

to rub together.

No work, you see.

No.

We was in the valley where the coal is.

"Marry him," Mam said, "get
clear out of this place."

And I did.

It was sad to leave
what I knew, my friends,

little houses, clothes packed,

but he was lovely, my husband.

Came to the town of a Saturday.

Came in a little cart,
with apples from his trees

and potatoes and such like.

There was some, could buy.

I would wait by the cart
to smell the apples.

And he give me one.

"Lovely," I'd say,

"You can pick your own," he'd say,

"from my orchard, if you'd
care to come with me."

Well, I did, in the end.

Moneyed as he, and smell of the apples.

Did you go back?

After the old man died, I went back.

Walked over the hill, took a train.

There was no one in the house I knew.

Did you never write?

I washed a lettuce for you.

Come on.

Playing with fire.

I'm the worrier, Gareth.

Yes.

Little lady bountiful, you said,

Ah, that's what I mean.

She's a, she's a very lonely woman.

You shouldn't trifle with, oh.

You know, when I'm at school
I can talk 19 to the dozen.

When I have something
I really want to say,

It's a cruel place.

Cut by men.

I waited two hours.

I couldn't say no, could I?

She'd washed a lettuce special.

Two hours, and no tea.

I had tea.

Have you ever tasted goat's milk?

I'll never marry.

You can't tell.

Anyway, marriage is obsolete.

[cheerful music]

I've got something inside to show you.

I can't stop now, school, you see.

Oh, just for a minute.

You see, Dad's headmaster,
and he'll be waiting.

I can't wait any longer.

I have an appointment before assembly.

She'll have to cycle down.

That stupid old woman.

I was married in white.

White flowers in my hair.

You told me.

All in white.

In a little chapel, over the other side.

I walked down the aisle to my husband,

white shoes on my feet.

Why are you whispering?

Why are you?

My shoes I wore to my wedding.

Quite pretty.

So small!

They're for you.

For your wedding.

Oh, no.

I mean, I shan't marry.

I kept them for my daughter,

Oh?

But I never had no daughter,
nor no son, neither.

So they'll do nicely for you, my girl.

My wedding dress.

The mice had it,

had a good feed out of my wedding dress,

But they wouldn't eat it.

Oh, yes they would, if
they was hungry enough.

They'd make nests from it.

Yeah, lovely nests.

It's no good to you.

No.

No, still, you've got the shoes.

Thank you.

I have to go.

I'd have liked a daughter.

Dad'll be waiting.

The kettle's boiling!

I'll be late for school.

Thanks!

I'm sorry.

Hurry, now.

You'll need to cycle, your father's gone.

Hurry, girl!

You knew he had a meeting
before assembly this morning.

Rachel.

I don't want them.

Go inside now and change.

You're going to be late.

She must go to Auntie Bronwyn's.

Will Bronwyn have her?

Last time Rachel was there,

She was sent home in a hurry.

Cheeky, Bron said.

Well, she'll have to have her.

It's half term next week,

the whole thing is getting out of hand.

I mean, next thing that
woman'll be down here herself

with her hand-me-downs.

I wonder what she'll do.

Oh, just get on with Auntie Bron.

No, Olwen, I mean.

Do as she did before.

I can't have her upsetting Rachel.

Is Rachel upset?

She's too young.

That Olwen's like a
witch laying hold on her.

Oh, Megan.

You said so yourself.

I never said witch.

I pass the cottage sometimes in the car.

Thought it might be a kindness,

oh, I don't know,

Stop, talk.

If she'd let you.

There's always a first time.

Oh, and a last.

Oh, why am I dithering, Meg?

Always dithering.

Dithering in the backyard
when my mother was dying.

At least Rachel did something.

I don't know.

You see Meg, well, deep down,

deep down, I don't care tuppence
for what happens to Olwen.

Yes, she must go to Bronwyn's next week,

when school finishes.

[suspenseful music]

[bicycle bell rings]

[children chattering]

You don't have to see her.

You're always at that silly woman's.

But I promised.

You're getting to be as daft as she is.

Shut up.

Ah, come on, let's go.

Makes me sick, the way she's
always on about that woman.

[bicycle bell rings]

Hello.

Hello.

You're early, girl.

Am I?

Yes.

I've been chopping wood for the winter.

We can have our tea by the fire then.

Toast bread, little bit of cheese.

Well, I'd better get the kettle on.

Would you rather go for a walk?

Huh?

I'd like a walk.

Make a change from being
stuck inside, Olwen.

Come on.

But my hat and coat inside the house.

You don't need them.

Come on.

The old man worked here.

When he was a boy.

He worked here.

Sometimes I sit here,
I sit for a long time.

And I think I can hear the
busy comings and goings

of the men at their work.

Small little man, he was.

Your husband?

He was killed, wasn't he, your husband?

He went to the war, love.

And he was killed?

I have his pension.

So he was killed.

He never came back.

Oh, I waited.

I waited a long time.

At night I would walk among the trees,

and smell the apples and look for him

coming along the lane.

The nights were warm.

It was a warm autumn, that year.

Good crop of apples.

And the old man watching from the window.

Sometimes in the moonlight,

I would see his face watching.

Both of us watching.

Then the snow came, and
the long dark nights.

And we sat by the fire and he said

"He won't come now."

So it was then he took me to his bed.

The nights were lonely, do you see?

For both of us.

What else was there to do?

Sometimes, of a night,

I would look out of the window

and think I could see my
husband coming over the hill.

He was dead.

No.

You silly old woman.

And that dirty old man.

No, he was clean.

Next week I'm going to my auntie's.

So I won't be coming for tea.

Or the papers.

In fact, I may not come with
the papers at all after that.

It's a bit far.

I've made you cakes.

My mam wants me to have tea at home today.

Your Mam?

Yes.

So I best be off there.

Kettle will be boiling.

Bye.

Thanks for everything.

Thanks.

[pensive music]

[suspenseful music]

Hello?

Hello?

[cries out]

Gareth, stop, the papers!

Papers?

On the wall, she hasn't
collected the papers.

[flies buzzing]

Hello?

Well, the goats seem to have been milked,

could she be hiding?

There's no sign of her.

Well, there's nothing we can do.

No, nothing.

Nothing at all.

[car engine starts]

[suspenseful music]

[rocks tumble]

And Auntie Bron's got a new cat,

which gives her a total of seven.

Dad?

Auntie Bron's got seven cats now.

She says it's the last
and didn't want it anyway,

but what can she do with
they come to her door

starved and needing a home?

But I said you have to be firm,

otherwise you'd be overrun.

Cause cats know when
they're onto a good thing.

[chicken clucks]

David?

David?

Rachel, you're back!

That shower just caught me.

Did you miss me?

Never.

Where's the pigs?

Moved on.

Hey, where's my hen?

Getting wet, I reckon.

She's dead.

Dead, my hen?

Olwen.

Olwen?

You're joking.

She went over the quarry.

She jumped?

No-one else was there.

Do you reckon she jumped?

Where's the dog?

Wouldn't leave the cottage.

It's old, Dad says it'll die soon anyway.

I took it some food.

Where is she?

The morgue.

Dad never said.

He never said.

Come on, Ben.

Come on.

Come on, Ben, I'm not gonna hurt you.

Come on.

Come on.

Come on, good boy.

Come on, Ben.

No, no, Rachel, I won't, I won't have it.

Not the dog.

I mean it'd be like, like having her.

I mean, what about holidays?

I mean, we couldn't go away.

I can't, I can't have it in the house.

[water trickles]

Dad?

Did she jump?

[pensive music]

Someone needs to stop Clearway Law.
Public shouldn't leave reviews for lawyers.