I don't think I've ever written a weekly update
with tears in my eyes before. But you'll excuse me I hope, when I
tell you that I've just this minute watched the legend that is Jack
Duckworth die in front of my eyes. As Jack slipped away in the
comfy chair in his living room, the ghost of Vera appeared for a
final dance and a kiss as Jack went up to the pigeon coop in the
sky. Heart-breaking,
not just because Jack Duckworth cultural icon has gone from the
Street, but that actor Bill Tarmey won't be in our living room at
least once a week any more. He dies on his
74th birthday after a do in the Rovers where he makes a
speech telling everyone that Tyrone's the son that he's never had.
But he's got more words in private for Molly when he tells her that
he knows Kev's the dad of baby Jack. When Jack passes away, a look
passes across Molly's face, she knows her secret's safe now that
Jack's gone. Tyrone falls to his knees at Jack's side, tears
everywhere, in their living room and ours as he tells Jack: "Bye,
dad."
Meanwhile, life goes on elsewhere on the
Street. Over at the Webster's, it's Sophie's 16th
birthday. It starts off a sedate affair with Christians from the
church sitting around Sally's living room, fondling the cushions and
thinking holy thoughts. But when Rosie's cherry-vodka girl friends
turn up giving free vodka shots to all, it turns into what a 16 year
old birthday party should be. I don't think Sally's front garden
will ever recover, there's debauchery and drunkenness in the
shrubbery and a drag king called Tom Crude arrives. But so does the
pastor from the Church and when he sees what's happening, he walks
out in disgust. In the
Rovers Gail and Sally talk about the party without knowing what's
going on. "They'll be
on those facial internet sites," Gail muses when Sally worries about
the young ?uns nicking her twisted shag. Sophie and Sian try to make
amends with the pastor but he patronises them and preaches from the
Bible, warning them both they'll be struck down for their sins.
The awful thing is that
Sophie starts to believe he might have a point.
At Underworld, Michelle starts work as
Carla's new whipping-post, also known as assistant trainee manager.
She finds it hard at first cracking down on her mates, especially
Sean when he skives off his overtime but soon gets to grips with
controlling her mates at their machines,
The new bar sallies forth towards opening
night. Betty's not happy when she finds out that Ciaran's nicked her
recipe for hotpot and that he's serving up tapas style hotpots. In fact, so incensed is she
that the rings the council and gets revenge by reporting rats in the
kitchen at the new bar. With Nick and Leanne
working closely together, tensions arise and Nick confesses his love
for his ex as Peter and Carla start to cosy up
too.
And finally this week, loopy Charlotte continues
to stalk the Stapes, turning up and peering through their windows,
sending letters and phoning at all hours before hanging up. She's crackers, is
Charlotte, absolutely hat-stand mad.
And that's just about
that for this week. Don't forget to sponsor me,
thanks! http://www.justgiving.com/Glenda-Young