Episode 2537

Australian Air Date: 26th January 1999
UK Air Date: 24th February 1999

Joey’s mental condition worsens when he starts having hallucinations. Gypsy decides that she’s no longer going to live in fear. Rebecca is wooed by a local women’s club.

Extended Summary

Irene is getting worried about Joey as he does not return home. He walks into the Diner and looks rough and messy. Ailsa quietens Alf and calls Irene to let her know of Joey’s return. Irene comes to the Diner, thanking Alf and Ailsa. He is reluctant to go home, but goes. Joey blocks the door in his room, causing difficulties for Irene when getting through. He’s listening to his inner voices, both voices being opposite to each other. When he’s about to drink the hot chocolate Irene made for him, he is advised not to drink it as it may be poison. At the same time, another voice shouts at him telling him to ignore the other voice and to drink the chocolate, putting him in a dilemma. He puts some stuff on his bed before rearranging them, but what does this bizarre collection mean? Meanwhile, Chloe, Irene and Will are on the sofa, listening to the thumping and banging noises coming from Joey’s room.

Duncan seems to be a changed boy. He does not like it when Alf pats him on his head, ruining his hair. When asked by Ailsa whether he’d like to spend the day with his parents at the beach foe the commemorations, his reply was ‘Boring’! At the beach, he stays away from them while he’s hanging around with his mates. His actions has Alf worried, but Ailsa tells him it’s normal for boys of his age to be behave like this.

Gypsy tells Natalie she’s going to see Will. Natalie tells her she should not go on her own. Gypsy insists she is fine and will be OK. Joel returns and urges her to heed her mother’s advice. Gypsy ignores it, spelling it out to him that there’s nothing he can do to protect her. Will and Gypsy both have a talk and he expresses his views on how well she is struggling after her kidnapping. Later on at the beach, she thinks she has seen Robert, first as a clown, and later as one of the people. After a closer look, or that person turning around, she breathes with relief when she realises that Robert’s not there.

Rebecca and Travis mess around with their loving and cuddles, giving Joel an uncomfortable feeling of living under the same roof as his brother. She has her mind made up whether to accept the invitation to join the Wednesday Club, notifying Travis of her intention not to join. Travis tells her she has been thinking for so long – a week. She is trying to draft a letter for the club, to let them know she is refusing her invitation to join. Natalie performs some of her cleaning duties in the Nashes, although Rebecca tells her she shouldn’t have to worry about cleaning. Natalie’s answer is that she’s always like that in other houses, and that it’s something to do. Natalie and Joel decide to go to the Diner for breakfast, but find it closed on their arrival. They decide to spend the day at the beach for Australia Day instead.

Almost everyone in the Bay is making plans to commemorate Australia Day. They go to the beach. Rebecca moves up to the stand for the Wednesday Club. She is greeted by a member who says they need more people like her. The member asks her does she want tickets. Rebecca asks for two, but realises that she actually means that they would like her to help sell tickets. Fireworks are shot up in the sky, and everyone’s enjoying them, except Joey, who moves to an inflatable lifeboat, where he then hides…

Guest Cast

DUNCAN STEWART (BRENDAN McKENSY)
OLIVIA FRASER-RICHARDS (ELISE & LAUREN NEWMAN)
JACQUELINE (JOELLE ROBINSON)
CLOWN (JILLIAN RIFFELL)