Roy and Kirsty up a tree, K I S S I N G? Swipe right for The Archers thread and enjoy the Ambridge dating scene.

[PseudoBadger]

Francis On Sunday evenings, especially, I'm usually to be found resting my elbows on the kitchen counter, hunched over the radio, shushing anyone loitering and trying to make conversation. There's no way I'd ever answer the phone!

DS yesterday: 'Are you listening to The Archers or something? I've asked twice if you wanted any tea.'

He's a good lad.

Except he interrupted you lottie. TWICE! Sometimes, if I want to listen 'live', I have to take my portable radio and hide in my own house. 😁

I remember Rob talking to Ursula about the initial meeting - young girl, what does she know etc.
And didn't he also have a meeting just before he spoke with Alan? Rob mentioned doing psychometric tests - again in an offhand manner.
So he had at least 2 meetings. Presumably, evidence of his bad influence on the boys will have come from the social workers report on Henry.

As for the report, I wonder if it was sent to their lawyers and Helen's passed it on to her, whereas Rob's lawyer hasn't ...

The report sounded exceptionally frank and damning. I had the view that these things tended to be couched in more ambiguous language. Would this be a typical report in real life? Given Rob's problem personality and his inability to recognise it what, if anything, can the judge do to limit his harm to others he comes into contact with?

True. Hmm, shall I write him out of the will for lack of priorities, or reinstate him on the grounds that he makes a decent pot of tea?

Ah lottie. If he can make a decent pot of tea, and hand you a cup in silence while you're listening to the radio, then he's perfect. ☕️

Grumpendorf, I've read a couple of reports which are equally damning - and we only heard the highlights anyway, rather than the whole report.

Although after the comments we heard, I was really expecting to hear that all contact should be in a contact centre, supervised by professionals.

Having Tony supervise the contact sessions is good for dramatic purposes, as we get to hear a normal person's version of what happens to compare with Rob's version - or what we might imagine Rob's version would be.

After Kenton's panic about his licence when Toby brought his moonshine out, I really don't understand why he and Pip are still blithely ignoring technicalities like the law. Quite apart from the licensing issue, if he's planning to sell this stuff surely there are massive health, safety and hygiene requirements?

I don't understand why dopey Pip seems to think that Toby is long term relationship material. I wonder if an ex partner complete with child turning up on their doorstep might remove her rose coloured spectacles where he's concerned.

Have I said recently that if this story ends with anything except Rob's conviction and imprisonment for rape it will be an utter outrage and a complete betrayal of the abused women it was all supposed to be in support of?

Because it's bad enough that the impression we are now gettting of abusive men is that they are pantomime villain types who go round twirling their moustaches rather than Ordinary Joe at number 47.

And surely the parental responsibility order for Henry would have been revoked when the Judge said Rob wasn't to see him?

Sorry about your Mum Francis.

I know what you mean about the landline. You almost develop a sixth sense for bad news calls.

Hoping for a big Jude-style fall-out for Pip followed by a bit of hardship. She's the most indulged of all the characters on air at the moment. R&D really have convinced themselves, and her, that she's perfect. Very irritating.

Thanks ElizabethHoney.

I'm sorry to hear about your DM, FrancisCrawford. I understand that dread feeling too. It's been a few years for me, but I still find sometimes I'm back there too.

Btw, did anyone else have a small panic when Helen said she wished she could "get rid of Rob altogether"?

I had visions of Pat in the witness box again (if anything happened to him) giving evidence against her own daughter!

agree that contact should have been at a centre all along, very unfair on Tony to have to be civil to the man who raped his daughter
I have always cherished the thought of Rob grabbing his foot and tearing himself in half in a rage, like Rumplestiltskin. I agree that portraying him as a pantomime villain is not helpful BUT we have had months/years where to the outside world he did indeed appear ordinary, which has been very salutary.

Isn't the problem abused women face that even after the abuse is exposed people can't tie the abuser to the person they know. Not like rob where his mask has been ripped off. It does seem simplistic.

It sort of fits his behaviour before the stabbing though. He lost his temper with villagers before, albeit not so blatantly, and clearly had a reputation as a bullying boss at Berrow if Stefan's fear of him is anything to go by. He always seemed to me to be a man wound tight who would lose it if thwarted.

I hope Kenton will tell Dave about the moonshine and Toby will be kicked off Brookfield land. Pip will flip.

Well I understand that more, Francis most of us normal folk are a mix of personalities thank goodness, otherwise we would never be able to relax and let our hair down would we?

vango - yeah, I thought 'well you should have done a better job last time'.

Am fully up to date for the first time in a month so am blatently placemarking...