Episode 1236

Australian Air Date: 17th May 1993
Writer: Peter Neale
Director: Russell Webb

Damian sinks into depression after losing the game for the Sharks.

Extended Summary

Greg is trying to calm Tug down in the Diner, as he rants on about letting Damian take the penalty and when Shane comes in and Tug start on him about how useless Damian is, Shane just walks out. Roxy has decided to buy a new car and is looks through the paper for one and Luke warns her to be careful.

Pippa and Fin have washed up and when Sally comes in and asks if she can help, Pippa tells her they have almost finished, again begin very curt to her. She goes over and sits down with Michael, who tells her, that Pippa told him about the hug and that she might have got the wrong idea. Sally tells him she doesn’t like being in the same room as her now and that it’s worse than it’s ever been.. He says they all have to hang on in there. Shane comes in looking for Damian and Michael tells him he’s gone out. He finds him and jokes about him getting a moon tan but Damian’s not in a laughing mood. They go for a walk and talk about him going into hiding or having plastic surgery!!! Damian goes on about the game and try as he might, Shane can’t get him to put it out of his mind. Inside, Sally retires to bed to read and Fin goes out. When Pippa asks Michael if Sally’s been talking about her and he once again tells her that Sally’s still upset, Pippa still refuses to forgive her and tells him she’s tired and is going to bed. He just shrugs his shoulders and looks at her in despair.

At the Stewarts Roxy has found a car she likes and although Luke has his doubts, she decides to ring the phone number, to find out a little more about it. As she goes off to do this, Luke asks Alf about the football match and it gets him started. First he goes on about how good he was when he played Rugby and then comments that the likes of Damian should find something they’re good at. In this case, it’s not football.

Over at the Surf Club, Adam’s working at the kiosk and talks to Tug about his training. When Shane and Damian come in, Tug has a go at Damian and tells him to do everyone a favour and drop out of the team. Shane, Adam and Fin tell Tug to lay off him but he doesn’t and goes on bad mouthing the poor guy until he’s had enough and leaves, and Tug thinks it’s funny.

Next morning at the Diner, Luke is giving Roxy last minute advice about the car she’s off to inspect and she says she’ll watch out for any dodgy dealings. Later on, she drives her new car to pick Luke up from the caravan site and takes him for a test drive.

Sally very cautiously asks Pippa if she can take Christopher out and promises not to go to the beach and Pippa says she can. Before they leave, Pippa tells her Michael told her she was upset when she didn’t hug her but it doesn’t mean she doesn’t love her – it’s the way it has to be at the moment. She looks bewildered but takes Christopher out as Damian comes down. When Michael offers him a lift, he refuses and goes off to see Greg. Adam comes in and tries to gee him up and Greg tries to stop him as he goes on and on. Eventually, he sends him packing, only for Tug to come in and start having a go at him, as well. Damian tells Greg, he’s quitting, but before Tug can say anything else, Greg tells him to go and do his deliveries. Once on their own Greg tries to convince Damian to stay but he refuses and walks out. Shane finds Damian at home and he appears to be in a better mood, now he’s off the team. They decide to play some computer games because Damian refuses to go out but after a while, Shane gets bored and leaves, saying he’ll see him the next day.

The first delivery is the Diner and when Tug takes it into the kitchen, Fin lays into him for humiliating her brother but he thinks he’s so clever and she tries unsuccessfully, to put him down. He just laughs and leaves. Bobby and Michael are talking about Pippa and Bobby gives him an idea when she talks about looking to the future. He dashes off, leaving Bobby puzzled. He goes home and talks to Pippa about having another baby. She’s furious and accuses him of trying to forget Dale ever existed and he’s absolutely dumbstruck by her reaction.

All’s not well with Roxy’s new car and after it starts overheating, they manage to get it home and Alf is quick to make a wisecrack or two, until Luke tells him to ease off. She gets another shock, as she finds out just how expensive cars are when they breakdown.

Pippa mops the kitchen floor and refuses to talk to Michael, as her tells her he’s fixed the dripping tap in the bathroom. When he asks if he’s still in her bad books, she has another go at him and this time he explodes, just as Fin comes in.

It ends when he accuses her of thinking she’s the only one whose hurting. Not once has she thought of how the rest of the family are coping and if she’s not careful, it will split the family up and end their marriage as well. He’s so upset, he storms out, leaving her standing there, for once, lost for words…

Avril M Harrison