Coronation Street: Men on the Edge

ITwo men – both lying through their teeth, whose faces are etched with anxiety and guilt.

Two men – both lying through their teeth, whose faces are etched with anxiety and guilt.

Who? Gary and Robert. Though their situations are different, there are similarities.

Gary has killed a man. A monstrous man. The law states that murder is a criminal act. Sometimes though, it’s not as clear cut as that. Could Gary claim, if the case does come to court, that he was severely harassed, that others were too, and that potentially Rita could help out, as viewers will remember that Tina Macintyre and Rita had dealings with him previously.

Gary has no money. So what incredible good luck comes his way when a client, a father, arrives to pay Rick on the proviso that ‘he leaves my son alone.’ Gary says he is an associate of Rick’s and will make sure the money gets to him. This is too great a temptation. The brown envelope brought by the father is full of notes. Gary tries to leave without the money, has a ‘sod it’ moment and turns back to take the money. He immediately gives a confused and questioning Izzy £200 for rent and Jake. She takes it and delivers a lecture he doesn’t need.

Gary’s luck continues when Bethany delivers the gold chain that Gary suspected he had dropped,accidentally, at the scene of the crime.

In the kebab shop Gary encounters Adam, there to buy a kebab for Sarah. Gary comments that Sarah prefers her chilli sauce on the side. Angered by this, Adam calls Gary a loser. On hearing this, rather chillingly, Gary confronts Adam and says, ‘Don’t push me Adam. You have no idea what I’m capable of.’

Robert has been conducting an affair with Vicky, Tyler’s mum, and now she is pregnant by Robert. Robert has expressed his desire to become a father for some time. Part of the reason that Robert and Michelle split up was because they were not in agreement about having a child. We remember when Michelle lost her baby and how utterly distraught she was. Wholly understandable that she would not want to go through this dreadfully upsetting time again.

Lies leap with abandon and abundance from his mouth. He’s held up all the time. The latest reason put forward as to why he didn’t make the wine-tasting was that there was an accident on the M60 – police and ambulances everywhere. Ryan, though, is on to him. He claims that he likes to listen to the traffic reports on the radio and there was no mention of any accident on the M60. He challenges Robert. ‘You’d better not be lying to my mum.’

Both men are suffering, but for the most part they are architects of their own difficulties. Many may not agree but essentially, despite all their various faults, I feel that they are both fundamentally decent men.      

By Ruth Owen, twitter: @ruth1722                                                              

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