Episode 2

Summary
Putting Down Roots

Lee settles into life in Wales, exploring the nearby village of Talgarth and meeting his new friends.

Plot
The episode begins with Lee rising later in the morning, around 10am, and meeting Pugh Davies, Morgan's farmhand. Pugh's jibes about Lee's city ways quickly irk the boy and he retreats to his room where Morgan tries to soothe his nerves. Lee, however, is still sore about having been abandoned in Wales and he stubbornly walks to Talgarth, dismissing Morgan's offer to drive him in at tea time.

In Talgarth, Lee gets another taste of the locals, having a run-in with Bryn, the well-known local vagabond. At the newsagents, Lee meets Matthew Gibbs through their mutual interest in tropical fish, and Matthew takes Lee on his bike up to Plas Newydd to visit his fish. There he meets Eileen and Harry Gregory.

By the time Lee returns to Blainau, it is time for supper (only 3:50pm according to clocks in the background), and Morgan offers to cook ham and eggs. The mood changes considerably, with Morgan putting on an affable air (forced, but not unduly so) while Lee recounts his day.

Later that evening, Lee calls Val from the living room phone - the only one in the house - and speaks to Alan. In the background of each call are Morgan and Val respectively, which makes it awkward for Lee who is trying to ask to be brought home. Alan, however, responds to Lee in such a way that it sounds as if he's having a good time in Wales. Val doesn't seem to buy this and rankles at the fact that Alan does not let her speak to Lee or phone back. Morgan is silently upset, knowing that Lee wishes to leave. After the awkward phonecall, Morgan makes up his mind - in order to keep Lee happy in Wales, he plucks up his courage and takes the boy to the Castle Inn at Pengenfford for a pint of beer.

Inside, Morgan is heckled by a group of men - who we later learn include Morgan's childhood friend Tom Griffiths, a neighbour and fellow farmer, and his two farmhands Price and Graham. Tom tolerates his farmhand's jibes, trying to bring them back to the game of cards they are playing, but does not tell the men off for their behaviour. It is only when one of the men mentions Morgan's recently deceased mother that Morgan rises, downs his nearly-full glass, and makes to leave. Lee and Morgan have a beer at home instead, with Lee simultaneously touched that Morgan took him to the pub as a treat and upset that Morgan simply tolerated the other mens' bullying.

Trivia

 * Episode 2 is the only episode which takes place entirely within one single day.

Timeline
Monday 16th Jan 1984