In the latest episode of Life in the Dales, Reuben Owen’s patience was tested when a simple mistake by his friend Capper almost derailed their plans to repair the road to Ravenseat Farm.
The episode began with Reuben recruiting his friends Capper and Sonny to help fix the road, hoping to assist his parents with the much-needed task. Despite his limited experience with tarmacking, Reuben was optimistic about getting the job done.
Talking to the camera, he shared, “It’s quite nice to be doing jobs for your family.” He added, “You tend to put your own jobs off, and I have been putting this job off for ages. But mum has just finally given me enough stick that, today, we are going to tackle it.”
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However, the mood shifted when Capper took control of the loading shovel. He inadvertently drove onto the soft grass, causing the shovel to sink and get stuck. With mounting regret, Capper admitted, “It’s just bad, isn’t it? I do apologise, Reuben.”
Explaining the mishap, Capper said, “I parked it thinking the ground was hard. It looked hard. But then it sank more and more. I’m just going to fill in my P45 now, while I’m on it. Today is not my day.”
As they struggled to free the equipment, Capper confessed, “I don’t know whether to laugh or cry, or both.” Observing the scene, Sonny noted, “I thought Reuben was going to cry, but he’s half laughed it off. Now he looks very serious.”
When Amanda Owen arrived later, Sonny reflected, “Reuben looks disappointed. I have never seen him look so upset.”
Capper took responsibility by informing the field owners, while Reuben quickly formulated a plan to get the shovel free from the mud. Their combined efforts paid off as they successfully salvaged the machine.
Life in the Dales featuring Reuben Owen airs Tuesdays on Channel 5.