No. 28
It's evening time. Mike is telling Des that they're going to have to invite everyone from Ramsay Street to his 21st birthday party - and there'll be a couple of teachers and a few assorted friends. He adds that he'll put some music tapes together - and he asks Des how he feels about Spare Parts putting in a guest appearance. Des points out that they haven't played since Fifties night, but Mike insists that that's all right! He asks Des if he reckons Henry will be in it and Des laughs that he'll be in it like a shot! The doorbell rings suddenly and Des and Mike head over to answer it. They find Madge on the step, there to hand over the takings from the Coffee Shop. She tells Des that Harold would have brought them, but he has a Scouts function. Mike tells Madge that she and Harold are on his list for his 21st, and he asks her if they'll come. Madge muses that it could be a bit awkward with the Robinsons there, but they're not going to let that put a damper on Mike's big night. Des suggests that it could be a chance to bury the hatchet and end the backyard feud. Madge, however, says grimly:

MADGE: I doubt it, Des - some things just can't be mended.

No. 26
Nick is lying back on the couch as Beverly checks his leg and ankle. She asks if it feels any better, but Nick groans that it's no better than it was this afternoon. Beverly tells him that she's brought some crutches home from the hospital and he'll have to use them for a couple of days. Looking horrified, Nick exclaims that he's riding in a skateboard competition: he has a bet with Zadro, and if he wins he gets a date with Sharon. Jim remarks that that's strange sort of currency to bet with, but Sharon insists that she can hack it if she has to. Nick suggests that he could put his leg on ice. Beverly points out that the ligament still needs time to heal, but Nick says that if he can get the swelling down he can strap his leg into a boot. Beverly warns him that he could do even more damage to his ankle.

NICK: Yeah, well, that's a risk I'm gonna have to take. I have to be in this comp tomorrow - one way or the other.

No. 32
Joe is trying to work out how to work his new video camera when Noelene comes in and smiles:

NOELENE: Joe, guess what: I got the job!
JOE (flatly): Congratulations. Which one?
NOELENE: At the casino in Darwin - working as a croupier.

She goes on that jobs like this are really hard to get: the money's fantastic and it's night work, so she'll have heaps of time with Tobe. Joe is still fiddling with his video camera when what Noelene said dawns on him suddenly, and he says sharply:

JOE: You're taking Toby *with* you?
NOELENE (shrugs): Why wouldn't I?
JOE: Oh, no reason, yeah. Just wasn't thinking there for a second. Just as I got used to the kid hanging round... gonna miss him.

Joe then asks Noelene if she can't hang round Erinsborough a bit longer. Noelene tells him that there's no work going there. She adds that she's not trying to take Toby *away* from him, but she has to do what's right for her, too, and this job's what she needs right now. Joe sighs heavily.

No. 26
The next day, Nick, Jim, Beverly and Helen are sitting down to a late Sunday-morning breakfast when there's a knock on the back door and Sharon comes in. She asks Nick how his ankle is and he declares that it's strapped up and ready to roll. Helen warns him that he should still be resting it, but Nick retorts that he's made a decision to ride and that's it. Des comes in through the back door suddenly and tells everyone that it's birthday time: it's Mike's 21st and they're all invited. Nick and Sharon, however, both tell Des not to invite *them* after Mike held out on Nick's skateboard. With that, the two of them head out. Jim then asks Des if *Madge* has been invited to the party. Des just stands there and says awkwardly:

DES: Madge? ... Yeah. You're not going to let that stop you from coming, though, are you?
JIM (sighs): No. None of us relish the thought of spending an evening with the Bishops, but we'll go for Mike's sake.

Des remarks that all he has to do now is convince Sharon and Nick to come and they might have a party on their hands!

Skateboard ramp
Matt is watching Zadro on the skateboard ramp when Nick and Sharon walk over, Nick hobbling slightly. Nick calls to Matt that he didn't know he was a skateboard fan. Matt shrugs that he just thought he'd see how Nick goes. Zadro walks over and tells Nick that he might as well give up *now*. He turns to Sharon and leers that it's going to be a big night for them - and he bets she can't wait. With that, he walks off again, leaving Sharon to groan:

SHARON: You mind if I throw up now?
NICK: Don't worry about him - he's history.

Nick heads off for a practice run - but as he does so, he goes over on his ankle again and collapses to the ground. He cries at Sharon that he can't *walk*, let alone *compete*. Sharon asks what they're going to do *now*. Nick tells her to cut the bet off with Zadro so she doesn't have to go out with him. Sharon, however, retorts:

SHARON: Fat chance, Nick.

Matt suggests suddenly that *he* could ride the board for Nick. Looking surprised, Nick remarks that he didn't know Matt *could*.

MATT: Well, it's been a while - but unless you've got any *better* ideas...?

Skateboard ramp
A short time later, Zadro is rolling from end to end on the ramp as Nick sits on the ground and watches. Sharon is helping Matt on with protective elbow and knee pads, and he muses:

MATT: Mate, I feel like Robocop wearing all this gear!

Nick tells Matt not to let Zadro psych him. At that moment, Zadro walks over and, looking at the injured Nick, taunts:

ZADRO: What's this, Page? Sick parade?
NICK: Done my ankle.
ZADRO: Oh yeah? Funny how things like that happen when you know you're gonna get slammed.

Nick tells Zadro that *Matt's* going to ride for him. Zadro comments that the rules of the game allow subs, do they? Nick just retorts that there *are* no rules, so Zadro can like it or lump it. Zadro tells Sharon not to make any plans other than *him*. He walks off. Nick tells Matt to do his best - there's a lot at stake here. As Matt walks over to the ramp, Sharon throws him a helmet!

No. 32
Joe is filming Bouncer on his video camera, saying:

JOE: I bet you never thought you'd become a movie star, eh, mutt? The Rin Tin Tin of Erinsborough!

Noelene walks in and says to Joe awkwardly that she's decided to take that job in Darwin. She adds that she gave it a lot of thought - and he'll still get to see Tobe at school holidays and Christmas time. She suggests that she'd better tell him, but Joe replies that he's gone down to the park with Katie, so it'll have to wait 'til he gets back. Changing the subject, Noelene asks Joe what he's doing.

JOE: I'm making a videotape for mum. She wants to keep her finger on the pulse of Ramsay Street.
NOELENE: That'd be right!
JOE: I've already got Toby on tape; now it's *Bouncer's* turn!

Noelene leaves them to it. Joe points the camera at Bouncer - who just lies there on the floor, not moving! Joe sighs at him:

JOE: What's wrong, mate? You don't look too happy. You're not too pleased about Toby going either, are ya? Yeah, well, join the club, sport - I'm not too thrilled about it meself...

Back yard of No. 26
Jim is planting some new trees along the fence, but Helen asks him if that's wise: when they grow, they'll drop even more leaves into the Bishops' pool. Jim, however, explains that he's chosen evergreens - they should give them more privacy eventually and block out the noise of the Bishops' pool filter. Helen smiles that she thinks they're a very good idea!

JIM: Yeah, I hope they're equally well received on the other side of the Berlin Wall!

Skateboard ramp
Zadro is performing stunts on the ramp as Sharon, Nick, Matt and a crowd of other kids watch. There's a round of applause as he finishes. It's then Matt's turn. Nick and Sharon look on and appear to be impressed at his skateboarding prowess. The crowd's enthusiasm increases and there are more loud cheers and whistles. As Matt's turn comes to an end, a young guy acting as adjudicator declares him the winner! The crowd applauds and Zadro shakes Matt's hand reluctantly!

Back yards of No. 24 and No. 26
Madge is watering down the sides of the pool in the back yard of No. 24. She can hear classical music, and she goes and leans over the fence and demands of Jim:

MADGE: Would it be too much to ask for a bit of peace and quiet on a Sunday morning?
JIM: I didn't think you were talking to us?
MADGE: I'm not. I'm complaining about that mournful dirge. Would you turn it down?

Jim does as Madge asks. Madge then spots what he's doing and says curtly:

MADGE: You're not planting more trees?
JIM: Nothing wrong with your eyesight!
MADGE (tersely): You do realise, don't you, that's going to mean more leaves in my pool, clogging up the filter-
JIM: Uh uh, not *these* trees, Madge. These trees are non-deciduous trees, which means they don't shed their leaves in the winter, so your pool filter should suffer no extra danger from their presence.

Helen calls across from where she's painting that she thought Madge would care for the extra privacy. Madge, however, retorts that she certainly doesn't care for the extra *shade*. Jim just tells Madge that he has work to do: he has to water his trees.

MADGE: Water them? Oh Jim, don't bother, please, it's the *least* I can do.

With that, Madge steps down from the fence, leaving Helen to ask Jim suspiciously what Madge is up to. At that moment, a torrent of water comes over the fence as Madge aims the hosepipe into the Robinsons' garden! The water covers Jim and Helen and causes the paint to run on Helen's painting. After a few seconds, Madge pops her head back over the fence and smiles:

MADGE: Whoops!

Back yards of No. 24 and No. 26
A few moments later, Jim warns Madge angrily that they ought to call the police and have her arrested for assault. Helen snaps:

HELEN: You've ruined my painting. Turning a hose on people is something you'd expect from a two-year-old.
MADGE (furiously): If it's childish behaviour that's getting up your nose, Helen, why don't you have a chat with your son-in-law? If he hadn't added insult to injury by adding more trees, none of this would've happened.
JIM (yells): The trees are only two feet tall, you stupid woman!
MADGE (roars): Don't you call me stupid, Jim Robinson, or I'll climb this fence and flatten you!
JIM: That'd be right, yes: resort to violence when your argument's so full of holes you couldn't possibly convince anyone you're right.
MADGE: I *am* right.
HELEN: You are *wrong*, Madge: you always have been and you always *will* be.

Des appears in Madge's back yard suddenly and calls to everyone that it's a beautiful day! Madge snaps at him that it would be if her neighbours moved to Thursday Island!

JIM: Anywhere would be preferable to living next door to *you*.

Madge turns to Des and demands that he tell the Robinsons that they've got no right to plant more trees to block out her sunlight and put more leaves in her pool. Des, however, insists that this has got nothing to do with him; he's just an innocent bystander. He then holds up some pieces of card and explains that they're the official invitations to Mike's 21st. Indicating Jim and Helen, Madge says curtly:

MADGE: I suppose you've got one for them, too, have you?
DES: Yeah.
MADGE: Well you can keep mine - I'm not going. I wouldn't be seen dead in the same room with that lot. One has to draw the line.
JIM: Well that suits *us*. One Bishop at Mike's party is more than any decent human being can possibly understand!
MADGE: What would you know about 'decent'? Your grandfather cheated at cards.
HELEN (furiously): It was *Jack Ramsay* who cheated at cards.
MADGE (snaps): Don't you slander *my* family.
JIM: We don't even want to *know* your family.

No one notices that Des has slunk off to avoid the arguing!

No. 28
Mike is talking on the 'phone and hangs up as Des comes in. He tells Des that the party's going to be great: he's just had another two acceptances. Des, however, tries to explain that he's just been to see Madge and Jim, but Mike interrupts him and smiles that it's not just the party that's going to be special, it's the people in the street: the way they always pull together - they're such good friends. With that, he walks off, leaving Des unable to tell him about the escalation in the ongoing feud.

No. 32
Joe is pointing the video camera around the lounge room at No. 30 and saying:

JOE: See, mum? Place hasn't changed that much, has it? No nicks or dings in your furniture... No clothes everywhere or pizza cartons stacked knee-high! Bet you thought the place would be in a real mess, eh? Well, nah, not anymore - I'm a reformed sort of a bloke: no more Mr. Slobby - well, not overly, anyway!

Joe finishes the filming on a photo of Toby on the mantelpiece. He sighs:

JOE: Not fair is it, champ? You and me take so long to become mates, then you have to go again.

Noelene's voice behind him says suddenly:

NOELENE: Maybe not.

Joe turns to look at her and she explains that she's just been on to the casino, telling them that she'd accept the job, but the staff quarters don't allow kids, so that's it: the end of her promising career as a croupier. Joe comments sympathetically that it's a bit rough. Noelene sighs that there's not much she can do about it. Joe, however, tells her that there *is* another way if she wants the job that much. Noelene asks:

NOELENE: Leave Toby *here*?

Joe tells her that she goes up there for six months, saves all her money, then comes back and starts her new life like she planned. He adds that he and Toby get on real good, now; he's not trying to muscle in - he accepts that Noelene's got custody - but he's just trying to think of what's best for both of them. He insists that he'd take good care of Toby; she wouldn't have to worry about him. Tears well-up in Noelene's eyes as she says:

NOELENE: OK. If it's all right with Tobe, it's all right with me.

No. 26
In the kitchen, Helen and Jim are telling Beverly about Madge's attack on them. Helen is ranting that Madge ruined her painting. The front door opens suddenly and Nick, Sharon and Matt come in, Nick calling:

NICK: Break out the champagne! Bring on the dancing girls!

The three adults join the kids and Nick tells Beverly that she was right about his ankle. The 'phone rings and Jim goes to get it as the kids continue explaining about how Matt took over from Nick and won first prize. Nick suggests that they go and show Henry the trophy. Helen, however, stops him quickly, explaining that there was a serious escalation in hostilities with the Bishop family this afternoon, and she doesn't think Madge would appreciate a member of the Robinson family in her house right now. Jim hangs up the 'phone and turns to Helen, asking:

JIM: Did you enter us in some sort of magazine competition?
HELEN: Oh yes, the 'Good neighbours, good friends' competition.
JIM: 'Modern Family' magazine?
HELEN: That's right. Why?
JIM: Well apparently they're down to the finalists - one lot of which are the Bishops and the Robinsons; and they want to send a reporter round tomorrow to talk to us and the Bishops: see if we're worthy of the major prize.
BEVERLY: Which is?
JIM: A trip for both families to Disneyland!

Everyone lots out a gasp of astonishment. Helen, however, demands:

HELEN: Yes, but what chance do we stand if the 'good neighbours, good friends' aren't even *talking* to each other?

Jim looks at Beverly wearily!