No. 26
Sharon comments to Todd:

SHARON: Wow... depression plus.
TODD: Yeah. Nick reckons he's getting the rough end of the stick: everyone keeps on praising Matt, but Nick can't seem to do anything right.
SHARON: I suppose me coaching Matt for the quiz didn't help much, either.
TODD: Yeah, I guess not.

Sharon says she thought Nick was *all right* about that - but maybe she should quit helping Matt altogether, never mind his learning problems? Todd, however, tells her that it's not just her: there was Aunt Bev and Uncle Jim telling Nick off because of the car. Sharon remarks:

SHARON: It looks like it's up to you and me to make Nick feel appreciated round here.
TODD: You got any ideas how?
SHARON (smiles): Yeah... maybe!

No. 32
Toby is in the kitchen, but Joe comes in and tells him that it's time for bed. Toby tries to protest, but Joe tells him to hop it. Toby asks if he can say goodnight to Cujo first, and he heads towards the back door. Joe, however, tells him to hold on and sit down for a sec. The two of them head over to the table, where Joe says gently:

JOE: We can't have two dogs, mate.
TOBY (cries): Why not?
JOE: Because... we can't have two dogs! So I've found this good home: there's a family over in Elliott Park - the Grahams - they had a Chihuahua once, just like Cujo, and it got run over, and there's a little girl about your age and she really misses him.
TOBY: She can't *have* him. Cujo's *ours*: Katie's and mine.

Joe tells Toby to think how disappointed the little girl will be. He adds that the Grahams are giving him $100. Toby retorts:

TOBY: Katie and me will be disappointed too, you know?
JOE: Course you will, but you'll get over it. You've got Bouncer.
TOBY: Well, I want Cujo *too*.
JOE: You're not having two dogs, mate, and that's flat.
Joe tells Toby that they keep either Cujo or Bouncer, and that Toby should sleep on it and give him his decision tomorrow. Toby sits there looking upset.

No. 28
The next morning, Hilary is at Des's, trying to talk to him as he vacuums the lounge room carpet. She asks him when her tax affairs will be ready, and Des replies that it'll be soon. Hilary asks why it's taking so long. Looking annoyed at the noise, she turns off the vacuum and repeats her question, adding:

HILARY: Is there some problem or something?
DES: Oh no - just a bit flat out, that's all.
HILARY: Yes... but when I gave it to you, you said you'd get it done in no time.

Des tells Hilary that he had a few important clients that came to see him. Hilary retorts:

HILARY: Oh, I see, I see, so you just pushed mine under the carpet, did you?
DES: Yes. No! No, it's just on the back- burner, that's all.

Hilary asks Des if he's implying that she's not an important client. Des replies that he just thought friends would understand. Hilary mutters that *she* thought friends would get decent service. Des exclaims that he can't even finish her return as she hasn't given him her Group Certificate. Hilary retorts that she only *got* it yesterday. She adds that he can have it this afternoon, but she'll brook no further delay. With that, she marches out.

No. 26
Todd is in the kitchen when Sharon comes in through the back door and asks if there's any change in Nick. Todd shakes his head and so Sharon tells him that he knows what they've got to do. They head through to the lounge room, where Nick is sitting on the couch, folding up some T- shirts. Sharon looks at the T- shirts and beams:

SHARON: These are fantastic! Are they for the gift shop?
NICK (mutters): Where else?
TODD: Yeah, I bet you they sell like mad!
SHARON: Yeah!
NICK (coolly): Yeah, *too* well. All Gail wants now are the same old designs; she doesn't want anything new or interesting.

Sharon insists that the tourists *love* them; he'll be a world- famous designer. Nick doesn't look impressed. Todd suggests suddenly that they go down to the skating ramp, but Nick mutters that he's got to get the T- shirts down to the gift shop. He adds bitterly:

NICK: Why don't you ask Matt? *He's* supposed to be the big skateboard star, remember?

Helen emerges from the bedroom area as Nick goes to head out. She tells him not to keep Gail waiting. Indicating the T- shirts, she adds:

HELEN: Have you checked them all? Can't have shoddy workmanship: cuts into your profits.
NICK (irritatedly): I've checked them all - they're all perfect.

With that, he heads out, looking annoyed.

Back yard of No. 32
Toby is sitting on the steps down from the house in the back yard, stroking Cujo. Bouncer is sitting at the top of the steps, watching. Joe walks over and says to Toby that he told the Grahams they'd have Cujo there before lunch - but if Toby wants to keep him, he's going to have to ring them and then it's off to the P- O- U- N- D with Bouncer. He tells Toby to hurry up and decide. He walks off again, leaving Toby to say to Cujo:

TOBY: It's all right - I won't let anything happen to you. They don't know what it's like to be little. What if somebody trod on you, or thought you were a rat and tried to poison you again? I'll look after you, Cujo. Bouncer's big enough to look after himself. You'll be OK.

With that, Toby stands up and heads back towards the house. Bouncer watches him go, letting out a pitiful whine as he does so.

Back yard of No. 32
A short time later, Toby is sitting back on the steps, stroking Cujo and with Bouncer's head resting on his shoulder. He's saying sadly to Cujo:

TOBY: I couldn't let *Bouncer* go the pound - he's my *friend*. You understand, don't you?

Joe comes over and asks Toby gently if he's made up his mind yet. Toby asks if this girl's really nice. Joe nods that she's great. Toby asks if it's a big yard, and Joe smiles that it couldn't be better. Toby sighs reluctantly:

TOBY: OK - Cujo can go.

Joe tells Toby that he's done the right thing.

No. 30
Matt is sitting in the lounge room when Hilary comes in with a tray of morning tea. She sits down and Matt comments that it was a good party last night: it was nice of them to go to all that trouble just for him. Hilary, however, muses that *she* felt a little uncomfortable. Matt asks how come. Hilary tries to resist explaining, but Matt presses her and so Hilary tells him:

HILARY: It's Beverly and Helen: they tend to be slightly snide about my situation as a single mother.
MATT (looking astonished): They do not!

Hilary says she's sure they thought *she* should be the one organising the dinner, but she's never been one for entertaining, and she really regretted it last night. She adds sadly:

HILARY: You only have to recall that disastrous evening with Mr. Muir to see what a failure I am as a hostess.
MATT: You did *fine* that night.
HILARY: After your father, I deliberately *avoided* any sort of relationship. As a result, I don't get *on* with many men.
MATT: Look, Mr. Muir had a good time - he *said* so.
HILARY: Yes, only because I over- indulged. What am I supposed to do, Matthew? Drink myself silly every time he asks me out?

Matt sighs and smiles:

MATT: Oh, mum...!

Joe's ute/A street
Joe is driving along with Toby, commenting that the Grahams seem like a real nice family. Toby doesn't respond. Joe adds the he reckons Cujo will be happy there, no probs - and he's with a family that loves him. Toby cries:

TOBY: I loved him too.
JOE (gently): Yeah, I know you did.

Joe then suggests that they split the profits, and he offers Toby $10. Toby, however, shakes his head and retorts:

TOBY: Blood money.

Joe exclaims that it's *not* blood money: Cujo's jumping around, happy as Larry... he's got his own basket... he's *fine*. All of a sudden, Toby starts laughing. Joe asks him what he's laughing at, and Toby indicates across the street, where an elderly woman is walking along the pavement, wearing her nightie and a dressing gown. Joe comments that the poor old biddy must be lost, and he suggests that they go and see if she's all right. He pulls his ute up next to the woman and calls out to ask if she's all right. The woman replies:

ELDERLY WOMAN: Yes, I'm good, but it's getting awful close to feeding time.
JOE (looking puzzled): Feeding time? Where would *that* be?
ELDERLY WOMAN: What a question! Down the back, of course! They get cranky if they don't get fed, you know!
JOE (nods): Oh, I bet they do!

Joe then turns to Toby and says quietly that he thinks the old girl's from the nursing home down the road. He looks again at the woman again and says:

JOE: Where do you live, love?
ELDERLY WOMAN: Don't be silly, son! Now, that black rooster will have the door down if he doesn't get his feed!
JOE: Oh, can't have *that*, can we?!

Joe then suggests to the woman that she jump in the ute and they'll drop her home. The woman climbs in and smiles at Joe:

ELDERLY WOMAN: You're a good boy, son!

No. 26
Beverly is sitting at the kitchen table. Helen is cleaning her paintbrushes and saying to Beverly:

HELEN: Don't be such a chicken!
BEVERLY (suggests): Maybe I could ring and leave a message?
HELEN (warns): Beverly...
BEVERLY: Oh, Helen, you don't know Jonathan Whiting. He doesn't know the *meaning* of the word 'no'.

Helen tells Beverly that she can't just ring up and leave a message for a patient to find another doctor, especially when he's still in hospital. Beverly sighs:

BEVERLY: Why don't you call and tell him I'm sick? No - dead! [Groans] Oh no, that wouldn't work: he'd only want to come to the funeral!

She then stands up and mutters:

BEVERLY: All right, all right, I'm going - but if I'm not back by lunchtime, send for the straightjacket!

Beverly heads out as Todd and Sharon come in. Sharon asks Helen if she can help them with something. Helen asks what the problem is, and Todd explains that it's Nick: he's really down on himself. Helen remarks:

HELEN: Yes, he *has* been rather quiet for the last few days. Any idea what's upset him?
TODD (hesitantly): Yeah... it's you.

Helen looks taken aback. Todd adds quickly:

TODD: *And* Uncle Jim: you've been hassling him.

Helen tries to protest, but Sharon explains that there was all that stuff about driving without a licence, and she had a go at him about the T- shirts this morning; Matt's been getting all the attention since he became part of the family and Nick's feeling like an outsider. Helen says in astonishment:

HELEN: Surely he knows how we feel about him?
TODD: And you didn't even say anything about his English mark.
HELEN (blankly): *What* English mark?
SHARON: The one for the same assignment Matt did. The one everyone made such a fuss about last night.

Helen realises in horror that she forgot to look at the piece of paper Nick put on the cabinet. She goes and picks it up and exclaims that Nick *did* do well: third in the class. Sharon says pointedly:

SHARON: Worthy of congratulations, isn't it?
HELEN (looking upset): Yes! Oh, I should have paid more attention...

Hospital
As Beverly walks along towards the main door of the hospital, she's practicing aloud what she's going to say to Jonathan Whiting. All of a sudden, an orderly wheels Whiting towards her in a wheelchair and Beverly looks at him in surprise, commenting that she didn't expect to see him there! She adds:

BEVERLY: Leaving so soon?
WHITING: Well, apparently I'm a quick healer. They're sending me home early.
BEVERLY: Oh, that's wonderful! Look, there's something I have to talk to you about.
WHITING: Shoot!
BEVERLY: Jonathan, you've been very sweet... and generous... but I consider the professional standing of a doctor- patient relationship to be inviolate. Therefore, I think it best to find another GP to look after you from now on.
WHITING (smiles): Sure. OK!

Beverly stands there looking astonished. She asks Jonathan if he understood what she said, and he nods that she wants him to go to another doctor. A nurse walks over suddenly and tells the orderly that *she'll* take Jonathan from here. Jonathan introduces Beverly to the nurse - Victoria - and the two women shake hands. As they do so, Beverly notices a bracelet on Victoria's wrist, and she comments that it's lovely. Victoria smiles that Jonathan gave it to her! Beverly, looking relieved, says she has some rounds to make. Jonathan holds out his hand to her and she shakes it. He then turns to Victoria and asks her if she likes dogs! As Victoria wheels him off down the corridor, Beverly stands there and looks up to the sky!

Ramsay Street
Des is vacuuming the interior of his car when Matt walks over and says g'day. Des asks him how he's going, adding that it's not a bad neck of the woods, the old Ramsay Street! Matt smiles that it's beginning to feel like home. The two of them spot Sharon and Todd approaching. Nick is also out in the street and Sharon calls over to him. He joins the others and Todd asks how the T- shirts went. Nick mutters that they were all right. Sharon tells him:

SHARON: I think Helen wants to talk to you.
NICK (darkly): Oh yeah... another lecture, I bet.

Sharon says she thinks it's important, but Nick retorts that it's going to have to wait: he's going for a ride. Matt smiles:

MATT: Hang on - I'll get my board. I'll come with you, bro!
NICK (snaps): Don't call me 'bro'. I'm not your brother. I'm nothing to *do* with your family. I'd rather ride alone.

With that, he rolls off, leaving Matt to ask in surprise what's up.

Erinsborough Elderly Care Centre
Joe has parked his ute outside the Erinsborough Elderly Care Centre and he and the elderly woman he met earlier have climbed out. As they go to head inside the centre, the woman asks:

ELDERLY WOMAN: Who lives *here*?
JOE: *You* do, love.
ELDERLY WOMAN: No, I don't, son! You should know that!
JOE: Well, just humour me, OK?!

The two of them head inside, to where a young woman is standing by a reception area. She asks Joe if she can help him. Joe indicates the elderly woman and says:

JOE: Ah, g'day, I found this old dear wandering the streets and I think you lost one of your inmates.
RECEPTIONIST (coolly): We're not in the habit of losing any of our *patients*. This woman doesn't belong here.
ELDERLY WOMAN (to Joe): I *told* you, son.

The receptionist looks at Joe and asks if the woman's his mother. Joe, however, replies that he's never *seen* her before. The elderly woman cries:

ELDERLY WOMAN: I don't want to stay here. Please take me home, son.

Looking annoyed, the receptionist says to Joe curtly:

RECEPTIONIST: I *thought* as much. We've had dealings with your type *before*: an aged parent no longer useful...
JOE: Oh, hang on!
RECEPTIONIST: Children can be so *cruel* - and after you've slaved all your life for them. What's your name, dear?
ELDERLY WOMAN (to Joe): The chooks, son, I've got to feed my chooks!
JOE: Look, can you just hang on a minute too, please?
RECEPTIONIST (to Joe): Your mother should be at *home*. She's obviously upset.
JOE: *She* is?!
RECEPTIONIST: You can't simply dump her on *our* doorstep.
JOE: Well, what am I supposed to do with her?
ELDERLY WOMAN: Take me home...
RECEPTIONIST: Precisely - and if you can't look after her, there are proper procedures to be followed before she can be admitted.
JOE: I don't *want* her admitted!
RECEPTIONIST: I'm glad you've reconsidered. Good day!

With that, the receptionist walks off, leaving Joe looking flabbergasted! The elderly woman murmurs suddenly:

ELDERLY WOMAN: Mary... *that's* it: my name's Mary. Now can we go home, son?
JOE (mutters): I haven't got much choice, *have* I, Mary?
MARY (retorts): Now, none of that! And don't think you're too old to be put across my knee! Now come on - those chooks will be turning ugly!

No. 26
Helen is painting in the kitchen when the front door bangs and Nick comes in. Seeing Helen standing there, he turns to walk out again, but Helen stops him and asks for a word. Nick walks over to her. He looks at her painting and remarks that it's pretty good - although not her *usual* style. Helen smiles:

HELEN: No - but I'm glad you like it - because it's for *you*.
NICK: And what's *this* in aid of?
HELEN: By way of congratulations for your English assignment.
NICK (murmurs): Oh that. Yeah. Thanks.
HELEN: Look, I apologise for not noticing earlier. There I was, making such a fuss over *Matt's* improvement-
NICK: Did *Todd* tell you?
HELEN: Yes, he did. I'm sorry, but with so many things happening around here lately...
NICK (angrily): Yeah, like welcoming another special Robinson into the family.
HELEN: Oh yes, that - and other things.
NICK: Yeah, well, don't worry about it. Stupid book report anyway. I'll go to my room.

Nick marches off as the front door bangs and Beverly comes in. She joins Helen in the kitchen and sits down. Helen asks her how she went and she replies that it was all right. Helen says:

HELEN: Tell all!
BEVERLY: Well, there's not much to *tell*! There I was, trying to think of ways to let him down gently, and he's latched onto the first nurse to change his bedpan!
HELEN (exclaims): He hasn't!
BEVERLY: He *has*! *And* given her the diamond bracelet he tried to give *me*!

Helen remarks that Beverly must be pleased. Beverly nods uncertainly that she *is*... Helen muses that it doesn't do much for the ego, though, does it?!

No. 32
Mary is sitting at the kitchen table with Toby, sipping a cup of tea and commenting that it's very nice. She looks around suddenly and comments that things seem different: she doesn't remember their kitchen looking like this... and the sugar bowl's different... Out in the hallway, Joe's talking on the 'phone, saying:

JOE: You're absolutely sure? Not missing an old lady? ... I found her - wandering the streets ... Well, you're the last nursing home in the book! ... Yeah, I heard you ... Oh, *I'm* not the ratbag here ... Same to *you*, buddy!

With that, Joe slams down the 'phone and heads into the kitchen, muttering:

JOE: Rude son of a-
MARY: Oo, language! Come and sit down and have a nice cup of tea.

As she pours the tea, Mary asks distantly:

MARY: How long have we had this table?
JOE: *I've* had it for *ages*. Listen, Mary, where do you live?
MARY (smiles): This isn't a time for guessing games, son! Have you fed the chooks, yet?
JOE (groans): We don't *have* any chooks!
MARY: Of *course* we do!

With that, Mary stands up, heads to the back door and starts calling for her chooks. Toby grins at Joe that Mary's funny, and he asks if they can keep her! Joe, however, replies that he's not taking in any *more strays! The back door opens again and Mary comes back in, saying to Joe:

MARY: No sign of them. I *knew* they'd be cranky. Oh well, you'll just have to find them after you've had your cuppa. They're probably wreaking havoc with next door's veggie garden. I'll tell you about chooks: they don't know a good home when they've found one!

Joe looks at Mary in despair!