Channel Ten: 30/10/96, BBC One: 06/05/97
Hannah agrees to be friends with Lance. Phil asks Bill to give back Ruth’s car as she takes the keys from the door and tells him to accept it like a mature person. Libby says that a cab will take ages and it’s her most important exam, English. Brett tells her to calm down, but she says that if she misses the exam she can forget about getting into journalism.
In the lounge at number 26, Casper is asking Ruth questions about Helen’s physiotherapy and why she’s doing what she is to her arm. As she explains that it’s to relieve muscle tension, which is like spasm, he asks if Helen’s arm is spastic, at which point Helen suggests he might prefer to wait for Hannah outside, as Hannah enters and asks if Casper wants to go out. Helen reminds her that she has to go back to school later. As they leave, Helen points out that Ruth looks a bit out of sorts. She explains that her car was broken into the night before and to make things worse they smashed the window rather than tripping the lock, but nothing was taken. Helen says that she should have rearranged her session, but Ruth says that she’s fine.
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Next door at number 24, Marlene is fretting about Libby, but Darren tells her to stop worrying as Brett is with her. She explains that it may be too late by the time the taxi gets there as she has her English exam today, at which point Darren panics and decides to go and get them. Marlene queries that his car is in the garage, but he makes up an excuse about getting it before they start work on it.
Back at number 26, Phil enters and asks what happened to Ruth’s car as she explains that nothing was stolen, he questions if it was Bill, but she says she doesn’t think so and tells them that there is nothing to worry about.
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At number 24, Marlene is sitting in the lounge sorting through Cheryl’s clothes as Lou knocks on the open front door and walks in and invites her to dinner. Lou comments on one of Cheryl’s dresses, saying that she looked amazing in it and they recall the day she bought it. He asks what she’s going to do with it all and wonders if Danni or Janine might be interested in any of it. Marlene explains that they’ve asked her to keep a few bits for them and that she’s kept a cashmere shawl for Lolly. Lou comforts her as she begins to get upset at the thought of Lolly never knowing her mother.
On the driveway of number 26, Hannah asks what Casper wanted to talk about. He explains that his dad has been offered a job in Queensland and he’s taking him with him tomorrow morning.
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Out in the Bush, Libby & Brett are walking along the road as a car pulls up – it’s Darren. They get in and Brett explains that they’ve got to get Libby to an exam. He says that he knows, before Brett wonders how he found them. Darren says that it was luck and tells him to shut up and put his seatbelt on.
At a Salvation Army store, Marlene enters and talks to an officer who looks suspiciously like Harold Bishop, who asks how she is. She explains that she’s fine thanks, unless he wants the truth. He asks how he can help. She explains that she has some clothes to donate, but her grandson has run off with her car and asks if he has someone who could collect them. He says he would be happy to, but can’t for another half an hour. Marlene says that would be fine as it would take her that long to get home by public transport. He suggests that if she doesn’t mind waiting, he could give her a lift in the van. She accepts, before admiring some of the items for sale, saying they’d be worth a bit. The man explains that he was about to price them, but has no idea what they’d be worth. Marlene tells him that she used to own a bric-a-brac shop and would be happy to help. He says he wouldn’t like to impose, but she tells him to get on with what he was doing and she’d have them priced before he knew it.
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In the lounge at number 26, Helen tells Ruth that she thinks she should go to the police. Ruth says that she doesn’t want to upset Bill as the whole thing is already getting out of hand and apologises for letting it interfere with work. Helen says that she can’t go through it all on her own, but Ruth makes for the door as Helen offers to help if she can.
Outside, Hannah is upset about Casper leaving and asks him to stay. He says that he can’t, but gives her his skateboard before kissing her goodbye. As he walks off, Darren drives into Ramsay Street. Libby says that she’s just getting some stuff from the house and asks Darren to keep the motor running whilst she does. Brett compliments him on his driving and says that if he finds the person who stole the leads, he’ll kill them.
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Back at the Salvation Army store, Marlene has finished her pricing and asks what’s next, before going over to help the man with his work. He says that it is very Christian of her, but she says that when you see something that needs to be done, you should get in and do it. He agrees, before suddenly realising that they haven’t been introduced. He says that his name is Ted; Marlene tells him her name and says that it’s a pleasure to meet him. Ted says that to be frank, he’s feeling a bit of a stranger as it’s his first week. She questions him about where he’s from, he says Tasmania, but starts to get defensive as she asks further questions, and suggests that he finds Vicky to cover the shop so they can go and pick up the clothes from her house.
In the kitchen at number 26, Helen is cooking whilst Philip reads the paper. She asks if he has a new tenant for the Rebecchi house, he says no, so she suggests that Ruth is looking for somewhere. He doesn’t seem to like the idea and explains that whilst he and Ruth have resolved their differences, Lance isn’t the best of influences for Hannah. Helen says that Ruth is having a terrible time at the moment and it would be very comforting for her to have Ruth living in the same street. He says that he’ll think about it, but Helen suggests that she should give her a call, an idea which Phil quickly rejects. She agrees to let it rest before walking out and telling him to keep an eye on the sauce she was making.
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Outside of number 24, Marlene & Ted have pulled up in the van as Brett is washing the car. As they get out of the van, Marlene questions Brett about Libby & the exam, whilst Ted looks bewildered at the street, as if he’d been there before. Brett asks who her friend is, so she explains that he’s there to collect his mum’s clothing. She asks Ted if he’s coming, but he says that he’ll just make sure that there is room in the van first.
Inside, Lou smells some of Cheryl’s clothes as Marlene enters. She asks if he’s sure that he’s alright about giving them away, but he says that it’s alright before walking out of the back door. As he does so, Ted enters through the front. She explains that he’s just missed Lou, who is her sort-of son-in-law. He looks knowingly at the back door. Marlene explains that the clothes were her daughters, but they are fortunate enough to have each other. He says that it must be lovely to have family support. She says that it is and offers him a cup of tea.
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At number 26, Hannah walks in, as Phil is leaving, saying that he’s about to meet a potential tenant for number 32. As Hannah walks into the kitchen, Lance knocks on the back door. He apologises for what happened with her skateboard, before offering her some money towards a new one. As she explains that Casper gave her his, Phil comes back in having forgotten the house keys and asks what Lance is doing there, saying that he thinks it time that he had another chat with Ruth.
Still at number 26, Ruth & Phil enter having looked at the house. Ruth says that she thinks it’s perfect and would like to move in straight away, but Phil seems reluctant. He explains that he’s worried about Lance, but she quickly makes him realise that he’s overreacting and he agrees to them moving in. She’s thrilled and says that she’ll just take Helen to Marlene’s and will be back to sort out the paperwork.
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At number 24, Ted is fetching the last box and asks if Marlene would hold the door open for him. She says that it’s been nice to have a chat. As he leaves, he greets Helen who looks like she has seen a ghost. As she enters, she asks about that man. Marlene agrees that he’s nice, but Helen wants to know his name. Marlene says that it’s Ted something or other and asks why she’s interested. Helen says that he looks so much like Harold Bishop, someone she knew once. Helen is clearly shocked and Ruth asks if she’s ok.
Outside, Brett is still washing the car as Ted puts the last box into the van. As he does so, he turns and asks Brett what the name of the street is. Brett says that it’s called Ramsay Street. Ted repeats it, so Brett asks if he needs directions to the main road, but Ted says that he has a street directory in the van and thanks him, repeating the street name as he closes the van door.
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Across the street on the driveway of number 32, Lance & Ruth are talking about Phil. She explains that parents are more nervous over their girls than their boys, but he says that he just wanted to make sure that Hannah was ok. Ruth says that she thinks that as she’s working for Helen and renting Phil’s house, it might be better if he and Hannah kept things strictly business.
At number 24, Marlene is just about to go shopping as Libby comes to the door. She asks how she got on with the exam. Libby says that it went really well and says that it wouldn’t have been much good if Darren hadn’t turned up when he did. Marlene makes her exit as Libby goes over to Darren to thank him for helping, especially as things hadn’t been that good between them lately. Darren says that she doesn’t have to thank him, but she disagrees, calling him a hero and says that it’s a miracle that he found them. He says that it isn’t as he followed them out there and that he was the one who stole the spark plugs. Furious, Libby tells him that he needs help before storming out.
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Next door, Hannah is feeding Holly one of Philip’s slippers when there is a knock at the door. It’s Lance. She apologises for her dad and he says that it doesn’t matter as she’s got her friends and he’s got his, telling her to have a nice life..
Featured Regular Characters: Helen Daniels, Ruth Wilkinson, Hannah Martin, Marlene Kratz, Darren Stark, Philip Martin, Lou Carpenter, Libby Kennedy, Brett Stark, Lance Wilkinson
Guest Cast: Ian Smith as Harold Bishop, Adam Fiorentino as Casper Mack
Summary
by Callum
