Fool for Love

Phelan in two scenes. Monday, his ‘so whaddya gonna do about it?’ admission of fraud to Tim. On Tuesday, his ‘I’m a fool for love, I did it all for you’ confession to Eileen.

In these confessions, Phelan only admitted to the Calcutta Street flats development, though. Not about the multiple murders. Nothing more to tell, nothing else had to do with him, he assured her.

Inch by tiny inch we are nearing his downfall – I think. But just when you think he’s caught in the net, he slithers out again. Just this past week, he got out of a great big hole filling rapidly with water and concrete. That was thanks to Tim and Eileen. Then he escaped possible police custody, again thanks to Tim and Eileen.

He tells Tim that, yes, the Calcutta Street project was a scam that ripped off many of the nice neighbours on this street. So what, he says. Vinny ripped him off too, he says. A bid for pity? Or absolution? Maybe laying down a false trail for when Vinny’s body is found. Or just having fun. Who knows?

Tim doesn’t use the material he’s been given – a confession that he had the good sense to share through the taxi radio. He leaves it to Eileen, who heard it all, to do the right thing. And she tries. Sort of.

Instead of going to the police, she goes to Phelan. Confronts him with what he said. Yes, he admits his wrongdoing to her. But he wanted to make life better for her. He wanted to build Jason’s inheritance up – for Jason. On Todd’s involvement, he isn’t so pure of heart. He uses Todd’s history for dodgy dealing, and the fact that Eileen knows that about her son. Just a chuckle and “it didn’t take much dragging, love” is enough to include Todd in any blame that’s going around. So, Eileen, turn in Phelan and you implicate your son as well.

Finally, after canvassing nearly the entire neighbourhood, she does go to the police. She’s given Phelan time to think up his next move. He too goes to the police station and intercepts her. It all goes his way. The police have left Eileen and Liz waiting in the hallway, too busy to take their statement. Then Liz does the gracious thing and leaves Eileen and Phelan to talk in private.

But Liz should have stayed on them like a vulture on roadkill. Because Eileen walks out with Phelan. No talking to the police, no confession of fraud. Eileen is going to stand by her man. Because he’s just a fool for love and he did it all for her. Yep, someone is a fool for love. Just not Phelan.