Recap
- Janelle slapping Kim across the face
- Dylan telling Connor to smarten up
- Stu letting Lyn and Steph know Stingray is in breach of bail
- Stingray and Sky about to whack the intruder
Roo's Hovel
Stingray gives the intruder an almighty thwack on the noggin with the plank of wood, only to find out that it's Stu he's just hit and not Roo. The teens are confused and ask what Stu's doing - besides writhing on the floor with monster concussion, nothing much. Excuses the teens could use: Stu rhymes with Roo. They both have animal associated nicks (Roo and Chooka). The possibilities are endless...
Number 26
Janelle makes another threatening call to Stingray's voicemail ("Get your butt back here!"), while Toadie paces in the background and Bree and Kim try to calm her down. Stinger's going to be late for his trial but Janelle reckons they could just tell the judge he's sick, heck; it's worked for all those Christopher Skase-type people before. Toadie knows a 'Dear Mr Judge Man, Stingray is sick and can't make it, signed, Stingray's mum' note isn't going to cut it. They also have another problem - if they reschedule the court hearing till after Stingray's 18th - which is in a few days - "he's going to go to adult prison (if they lose)".
Roo's Hovel
The three make their way outside with Sky apologising; they didn't know it was Stu. Stingray tells him that they were there to nab Roo and clear Dylan's name, but Stu reminds him of his court hearing that day and how he kinda needs to be there.
Sinister music starts up as someone watches them from behind a shed - we can only see their hand.
Stingray yells at Stu that he's not going anywhere as Stu pushes him towards the car, but Stuart says he has to appear in court, "do you want a contempt charge as well?" Stinger relents and angrily goes to the car. Stu tells Sky to hop in as well, they need to get home ASAP and she can always catch the train back to get Dylan's car. I'll betcha one whole dollar creepy hand man steals it.
Karl's Flat
Max swings by for their jogging date and is met with a mess and a half. Oscar the Grouch would be like, 'This? Is messy, yo.' Karl scrounges around for his shoes while Max nearly sits on an old food container.
MAX: It's all good. Doctors should crop their own penicillin more often.
KARL: (finds one runner) Yes, well, I can go for a quick hop with you.
Max queries whether the mess is equivalent to the mess in Karl's mind at the moment. He adds that Karl should tell Susan he's not over her and that he's not loving the idea of her getting re-married so much. Karl scoffs that he can't do that, he's made his bed (literally, yes, the other way... well, just take another look at the mess), and has to deal with his decisions. Max still thinks he should be honest. Anyone want to employ him for hire-a-hubby? He's doing a marvellous job folding Karl's washing there.
Gloomy Island... that's now Bushland
Connor and Dylan are ambling along; drooling over what food they'd love to be eating right now. Surprisingly, Bugs and Nemo aren't high on the list. Connor says that even if they do find a shop somewhere they have no cash. Dylan has a solution to that; there was some cash in the Bishops' suitcase. Connor's kind of horrified at that thought but Dylan gently reminds him that they wouldn't have needed it anymore.
Karl's Flat
"Right," Max abruptly says, "time to find someone else then." Karl says he doesn't think he knows how to meet a woman these days but Max believes the Internet is the way to go (especially if you log on to www.neighboursfans.com/forum - a lot of laydeez would be quite happy to meet you Karl...). Karl doesn't think he's quite that desperate yet...
... But takes his words back as we see Max and Karl sitting in front of the laptop looking at a singles site. Karl's agog at the amount of single women out there. They lean in for a closer look at one profile (a lady who names her body type as "sensational"). Karl tries to contain his interest in the lovely lass. "She seems... uh, well, not too bad".
Bushland
Dylan is trying to remember the plan for when they hit civilisation but is struggling a bit and Connor has to fill in the gaps. Connor doesn't think it's going to be easy finding their way out but Dylan tells him to cope with it and keep moving. Oh, and if they happen to hear a monster in the foliage, then running would be a swell option.
Karl's Internet Café
It seems as though Karl has given up hope quite quickly, claiming that any one of the women on the site could be a bunny boiler. Max reminds him of whom he used to date.
KARL: Izzy, alright, fair cop. You could have warned me about her.
He then goes on to moan about the dating hell that was Margaret Greer - another "well-adjusted" woman that Karl had the misfortune to be with a while back. Max tells him to give the site a fair go, all he needs to do is put up a profile of himself and...
KARL: How do I describe myself, hmm? An aging divorcee who lives in a one-bedroom trash pile? Yeah they'll be falling over themselves won't they.
MAX: Mate, you're a doctor, it's a gimme!
On his way out the door he also compliments the good doc on his physique which is quite buff... "For your age". He wishes him luck as the bow-chicka-bow-wow chorus makes a snazzy reappearance.
Bushland
Connor says he thinks they're close now and comments on how fresh the air is. Fresh air for a fresh start and all that. Dylan thinks that's peachy and agrees by collapsing into a heap on the ground. Connor mocks "Mr Fitness with his abs of steel" piking out while "Spud Man carries on", but gets concerned when Dylan seems intent on staying put. Connor tells him they're almost back to the land of the living but all Dylan can picture is cops, suspicious locals, "or maybe jail where I get a few years to contemplate a life without Sky."
Road
Stu is flagged down by a police car for speeding (tsk tsk Constable Parker). Sky says it shouldn't be a problem, Stu's a cop, he can just cop his way out of it, but Stu says it doesn't work like that. Stinger catches a glimpse of the policeman in the rear-view mirror and starts to freak out. It's a cop that used to have it in for him back in Colac and will recognize him for sure. "Sorry, Stinger, I don't think we're going to make it back to the court on time," Stu sighs.
Bushland
Connor is trying to give Dylan a pep talk about not giving up but Dylan's lost his zest. He tells Connor to go on without him but the Irish lad won't hear of it. Dylan didn't give up on him when he was losing it, now he's going to return the favour.
CONNOR: Stop complaining. Now, do you want me to carry you or are you going to walk yourself?
DYLAN: (sighs) Honestly... I could use a shoulder to lean on.
CONNOR: Lean away.
(He helps Dylan up and they continue to amble on their way)
DYLAN: You stink.
CONNOR: So do you.
DYLAN: Do you think anyone's going to let us in their car stinking like this?
CONNOR: Ah... hopefully we'll bump into someone with Toadie's sense of hygiene.
Number 26
Janelle and Bree let Toadie know that Stinger's on his way home with Stu and Sky but Toad says it's too late, "round one is over". Janelle starts to get narky but Kim says for her to calm down, he thinks it's commendable Stingray wanted to find Roo to clear Dylan's name.
Stu and Sky walk through the door... Stingrayless. Stu lets them know Scotty's in remand. Isn't that just brilliant.
Karl's Internet Café
Karl's on the phone to Mal telling him about Max's crazy Internet dating plan, but judging by Karl's surprised tone, Mal thinks it's a good idea. We see the computer screen (his name is 'The Love Doctor' - oh Lordy) and the many email replies Karl's received in answer to his profile (I pause and look for familiar member names... There's a Tasha, a Judy, a Kate... anyone owning up?). He hangs up from Mal, not believing his good fortune. "Woah, the love doctor is in," he baritones, as the sexy music score kicks in again. Bwah!
Number 30
Stu walks in the door and Toad lets him know that he's organized a meeting with the judge later on so he can beg and plead Stingray's case. Stu apologises for not doing more for Stinger, but Toadie says it was good he showed faith in him. It's Toad's turn to apologise when he finds out that Steiger's taken Stu off undercover cases for a while but Stu says it's okay.
Toad jumps up to go and see Stingray but Stu quickly asks if they should organize a wake for Connor with some mates that night. Toad makes an excuse to get out of it but then comments on how lame he sounds, he just doesn't want to confront the fact that Connor's gone. Stu doesn't either.
Number 26
Sky is giving Bree a comforting hug on the couch and tells her that Stingray's a strong guy; he'll cope in the remand centre. Janelle scoffs and this and tells Sky off, "Just a remand centre? That shows how little you know, those places can be flippin' vicious." She says that's it's her stupidity that caused Stingray to go to Colac but Sky icily tells her she thought it would make more sense to have a licensed driver and didn't want to leave him alone. She goes home in annoyance.
Bree tells Janelle off, Sky was just trying to help. Janelle apologises, she's just feeling on edge at the moment. Kim says that everything will be fine, Scott's a good kid and they'll just have to trust that the universe is playing everything out as it should. Janelle barks at him to leave the "hippy" jargon alone, she doesn't need to hear it right now. Kim tells her to woah horsey, it's just something he finds helpful sometimes... as well as taking a walk.
When Kim leaves, Janelle turns to face Bree.
JANELLE: Go on, I can tell you're itching to have a go at me.
BREE: I'm not, I'm just sad for you. You need dad at the moment and you're just shoving him off.
JANELLE: Oh you heard him. That kind of hot air never done anyone any good.
BREE: You need what he's offering, love and support. Dad came for all the right reasons, mum, why don't you just drop your defences and get over it?
Bushland - Now With Added Road!
Dylan and Connor finally make their way out of the trees and find a road. They wonder which way to start walking and try to think where south might be.
CONNOR: What's that thing you do with your shadow at noon?
DYLAN: It points south at noon...
CONNOR: Right...
DYLAN: So... (realising the dilemma and getting sarcastic) we just need to find out when it's twelve o'clock and we'll be set.
Dylan spots a bag full of garbage that some inconsiderate driver dumped on the way past. They scrounge through the bag like a pair of magpies, eating all the gross discarded food and slurping the germ-infested drinks, until Connor finds the local paper with their pictures in it. He flips it over and they see a picture of Sky from after the crash. Dylan can't believe she's alive.
Scarlet Bar
Karl saunters in with some print outs and finds Max at the bar.
KARL: Max, just one question.
MAX: Fire away...
KARL: Who's da man?
Um. You are? He shows Max all the replies from the laydeez and says he's got "more hits than the Beatles". Max asks what he put in his profile to get all that attention so Karl shows him the copy he printed out for him. Hee! His profile pic is his fan card pic, and he's got the same shirt on as he does now! Max chuckles at Karl's mention of "early forties".
They sit down so Max can help him sort through them.
KARL: There's one here that seems very nice but it says 'smokes occasionally'. Could I put up with that? I mean if it was occasional?
MAX: (gives him a look and puts on a really tragic sensei voice) You have much to learn, grasshopper. Most of these profiles, they're like, well they're like real estate listings. The truth gets stretched just a little.
KARL: Really?
MAX: Yeah really. For 'smokes occasionally' read 'smokes like a train'. For 'looking for commitment' read 'husband hunting'. For 'crazy sense of humour' read 'nutty'. Nut. Teee.
Karl thinks it's all too much but Max says to buck up little camper, Ms Right is in there somewhere, they've just got to find her.
Number 26
Toadie comes to talk to the Timminses and says that Stinger's not too good. They're treating him okay he's just a bit scared. Kim walks in not long after and he and Janelle say they want to see their son, but Toadie replies they can't until tomorrow morning because of legalities. Toad gives them a list of stuff that Stingray requested and Kim says he'll get on to that as soon as he can. Bree wants to know when the new hearing his and Toadie sadly tells them that the court couldn't accommodate them before Stingray's 18th.
KIM: So the stakes are raised; adult prison.
TOADIE: I'm afraid so. And to be totally honest, if he sticks to his plea of not guilty and the story of coercion, I can't see how we can win.
Road South of... Somewhere
Dylan can't believe what's he's reading about Stingray in the paper (the heading reads 'Plane Horror Teen Is Innocent Teen Claims'). He's angry that his brother is sticking to their story when he should really be blaming Dylan. Connor starts to say Stinger's got guts when he realises Dylan's walking off. He asks where he's going and Dylan replies that he's going to hitch back to Erinsborough, he's got to help Scotty in person. Connor tries to tell him it's a bad idea, he'll get caught, but Dylan growls that there's no way he's nicking off to start a new life when his brother could be going to jail.