Recap
- Debbie telling Phil that he stabbed her in the back.
- Cath telling Darren she'll find someone else to teach her to drive.
- Susan maintaining her hard line with the suspensions.
Worksite
Darren's unloading the Ute, complaining that Mal should be there to help. Libby replies that he'll be coming, Cath wanted a word with him first. Darren seems a bit unnerved by this.
Number 30
Cath tells Mal that she's quitting lessons with Darren, telling him that Darren thinks that she's stupid and he's a hopeless teacher who makes her feel stupid. Mal doesn't quite know what to make of this turn of events but says that if it's what she wants...
Worksite
Ah, it's the allotments. Yes. The bus.
Darren suggests that he and Lib go out that night, catch a movie. She's all for that, but wants to go to an early session as she doesn't want a late one. Libby remembers that he's supposed to be giving Cath a driving lesson - he tells her that he quit. She's hopeless, does everything wrong, doesn't listen to anything he says and she'll never learn how to drive.
Gee. What is the likelihood of brother and sister comparing notes on this?
Lou's Place
Phil's telling Lou about the suspension and thinks it's harsh; detention would have been enough. Joanna and Debbie come past on their way to seal the deal and Phil offers Debbie his lucky pen with which to sign the contract. Debbie refuses, saying that she doesn't need luck with good management skills on board.
LOU: It's got chilly in here all of a sudden.
Phil says that his day started off bad and is getting worse. Everything he says or does is wrong and he's getting a bit fed up of it.
Allotments
Mal arrives and asks Darren about him hassling Cath. Darren apologises and says that it's all over. He apologises and says that it's all over and done with but Mal replies that Cath'll get over it. Darren's a bit flustered until Mal says that Cath told him about Darren being useless and her sacking him. Mal jokes that Cath will probably try and rope him into doing it now and for the love of all that is holy, are there no driving instructors in the Erinsborough region??
Libby's overheard this exchange and immediately questions Darren about it. He says that she's probably made up a version of events for Mal so she doesn't come across as the bad guy. He then suggests they head down the pub for a meal.
Lou's Place
Lib goes off to order the meals and Mal asks what went wrong between Darren and Cath. Darren makes an excuse as to Cath's bad driving before going to give Lib a hand.
Martins
Hannah is reading a magazine until she hears someone coming and quickly hides it among her books so when Phil comes in it looks like she's working. Phil is so not fooled and pulls out the magazine.
Debbie comes home from the solicitors and remarks that it went really well, in fact, it was nice to be treated with a bit of respect. After teasing Hannah about being on suspension she talks about being in charge of the Coffee Shop; all she needs to do now is turn a profit and convince the landlord to go ahead with the renovations. Phil offers his congratulations but Debbie ignores him.
When Debbie mentions that she'll be heading down to the Coffee Shop to talk to the staff Hannah asks if she can go When Phil refuses, Hannah points out that there's no food in the house. Phil's response was that he was planning on going shopping, only he had to make a trip to the school. He agrees to let her go for one hour so Hannah starts dreaming of all the food she can have... with the sister discount of course. Phil points out that Debbie can't exactly be giving out freebies on her first day and so Hannah guilts him out of ten bucks.
Coffee Shop
Debbie's talking to the staff, saying that if the takings go up so will their wages. This gets their approval, as does her promise that if they help make this place a success they will have jobs as long as they want them.
Cath and Toadie start to talk about how good it'll be with Debbie in charge as Toadie makes himself a milkshake. The good times stop abruptly as Debbie asks if Toadie will be paying for the drink now, starting a tab, or wanting his pay docked. She makes it clear - no more freebies. And thus ends the briefest honeymoon period in Neighbours history.
After the break, Debbie asks Cath how her driving lessons are going. Cath says that Darren's no longer teaching her so she'll have to pay for an instructor. Debbie mentions that Lou's taught people in the past so maybe she should ask him.
At a table Toadie is justifying to Hannah why the staff should be allowed freebies; it's quality control. Hannah replies that there's no way Debbie will let him eat all her profits.
Phil comes in and wants to talk to Debbie. He wants to bury the hatchet but she's not interested. Her concern now is that she wants to make the Coffee Shop successful and prove him wrong. Her comment that Phil's not supported her one step of the way is quickly rebuffed - he's given her advice and there's no way he would have sabotaged her efforts. Debbie reluctantly calls a truce, much to Hannah's relief.
Hannah brings up the state of the kitchen and offers to clean it for her... for a price of course. Debbie says it's a great idea. Three flaws. One, she's underage and therefore not allowed to work. Two, she's on suspension which means home, studying. Three, if Debbie did it herself it would be free! Hannah points out that Debbie has a million other things to do, and even Debbie's admission that she couldn't afford to pay her much doesn't sway Hannah's enthusiasm.
Lou's Place
Lib is looking through the paper at the movie choice when Cath walks in to a quip of, "it's Nigel Mansell". Mal invites Cath along to the movies and Darren's suddenly very keen to get out of it all as Libby suggests a double date. Cath says that she can't tonight as she's going to talk to Lou about driving lessons.
Coffee Shop
Hannah is scrubbing the kitchen as Toadie helpfully points out all the bits that she missed. He is kicked out of the kitchen and goes up to Susan who's ordering her lunch from Debbie. Susan's surprised to see him still here, Toadie replies that he was giving Hannah the run down on the Health and Safety requirements. He jokes that if she wanted to suspend him it'd be fine - he could use a day off to earn some cash. Susan is not happy about this.
Martins
Susan calls in to see Phil and tells him that Hannah's working at the Coffee Shop. Phil says that she was there for lunch but Susan says that advice to parents whose kids are suspended are to keep them at home and keep them occupied with school assignments. Phil's not happy to hear that Hannah's actually being paid for it as well and promises Susan he'll sort it out.
Coffee Shop
In what has to be a breach of Health and Safety, Debbie is making food right next to where Hannah's cleaning the oven top. Hannah bargains her way up to $7 to clean the fridge, inside and out.
That's like £2.
Debbie tells Hannah to be quick as she'll have to be home soon but Hannah's going on about how she could do this every Saturday morning for a $20 flat fee.
Phil walks in and demands that Hannah comes home right away. Debbie wants Phil to keep his voice down and maintains that Hannah isn't actually working for her, just doing her a favour. Phil isn't having any of it and hauls Hannah off.
Country road
To a nice, jovial, light hearted tune we have clips of Cath's driving lesson with Lou.
The poor man looks terrified and cringes every time Cath nearly comes off the road, does emergency stops instead of coming to a graceful stop at a junction, reverses instead of driving, takes corners at very wide angles and generally is a bad, bad driver.
Lou asks her to pull over, and whaddya know, it's time to go home. And Lou will drive.
Kennedys
Karl is doing the crossword as Toadie is talking about how the Americans call jam "jelly", which explains the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches they're always having in cartoons.
Susan comes home and Karl jumps to his feet to welcome her back but she's in no mood for it. She immediately lays into Toadie for how he spoke to her at the Coffee Shop at lunchtime. He may live in her house but during school hours he shows her respect and treats her accordingly. Toadie quietly apologises and goes off to feed Cassie.
Karl tries to offer Susan a cup of tea but she snaps at him that she will not allow students to take advantage of her good nature. Karl says that Toadie's sorry but she says it's not just them, it's the parents blaming the school for everything and letting the kids run riot. Karl offers to run Susan a nice hot bath but she says she knows where the bathroom is and storms off.
Face it, Karl. You're in the wrong. Surprised he's not learnt that one already after so many years of marriage...
Ramsay Street
Mal, Darren and Lib are unloading the Ute as Lou and Cath drive up. Lou gets out and lets Cath get into the driving seat, telling her that he wants her to reverse park into the space between Darren's Ute and his car. She starts off OK but it quickly goes wrong, crashing into the front of Darren's Ute and taking out just the headlight in that nice little accident reserved only for soaps.
Martins
Toadie's telling Hannah about Susan's outburst and Phil is quick to defend Susan, saying she's under a lot of pressure. Only that very morning he was saying that the power had gone to her head and now it's understandable pressure?
Karl calls over for the PTA accounts and Phil takes him to one side, wondering if Susan's avoiding him. Karl says she's just tense and it'll calm down, they just have to ride it out and not let it get to them.
Number 30
Lou says that at least no one got hurt in Cath's little accident, and wants to talk insurance with Darren. Darren says he'd rather fix it himself but Lou says that it can be a lesson for Cath.
Yes, on how to hike up your premiums, fill out reams of paperwork, chase monies and have the stress and hassle of trying to get somewhere.
They go into what you should do after an accident, Lou tells Cath not to apologise or to ever admit fault, even if you are to blame. Cath's adamant that she'll never be able to learn how to drive and storms off. Lou says to Darren that now he knows why he wants nothing to do with Cath.
Martins
Debbie comes home and starts on Phil for his outburst earlier. Phil defends his position but Debbie sees it as a way of causing her grief and embarrassment. There were lots of different ways he could have dealt with that situation, but he had to go in, all guns blazing, and yelling loud enough so everyone could hear. She thinks he is desperate to prove that she can't do it and tells him to stay out of her life.