Well, since you ask me for the life history of Cliff Golding

I believe I do have a timeline of events that you might find educational.

Currently in Chronological order
  1. 1976 – Reading

    Deborah tells her parents, Jerry and Hilla, that she got engaged during a trip away. Her father is delighted at the news, but her mother is more sceptical.

    Deborah explains that she met her fiancé on a ferry crossing to France. He was working onboard and looked after her during a storm.

    Jerry is amused to discover that the man comes from Dover and is named Cliff.

  2. 1980 – Dover

    Deborah is filling out a passport application for her husband, Cliff, in preparation for a holiday.

    Cliff has never been abroad. Even though he works on a ferry and goes to France four times a day, he has never disembarked from the boat.

    The two bicker about Cliff’s unhelpful answers and about what counts as a ‘distinguishing mark’.

  3. 2017 – Hastings

    Russ returns home from fishing with his dad, Cliff.

    His daughter, Toby is hostile to the idea of fishing and confronts him as he arrives in. Russ explains that he doesn’t actually use a hook, so all he is really doing is “fish feeding”.

    After Toby leaves, Russ and Alex talk more about Russ’ pretend fishing. Apparently, Cliff doesn’t know that Russ deliberately doesn’t catch fish. He just thinks that Russ is bad at fishing, which he enjoys teasing him about.

    • Russ is Cliff’s son
    • Toby is Cliff’s granddaughter