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Episode Summaries > 1995 > Episode 2515
Written by Judith Colquhoun, Directed by Richard Sarell, Produced by Peter Dodds

Channel Ten: 10/11/95 BBC One: 04/07/96 UK Gold: 21/06/02

Recap
• Lance and Hannah decide to go and stake out the Community Gardens
• Jo gives Flakey the Clown her phone number
• Billy storms out of the house, apologising to Karl and Susan for being such a disappointment to them

No 28 - Lounge: Andrew suggests that Billy might need some time alone, but Susan gets annoyed and says that it's not Andrew's son who's been diagnosed as dyslexic. She apologises and they all sit down, and Andrew tells them not to treat this like a terminal illness. Karl says it might as well be, as Billy's career prospects are ruined, but Andrew tells him that the bright kids learn to hide it. Karl admits that he had such high hopes for Billy, but Susan says that needn't change, just because he might not become a brain surgeon. Andrew suggests that they book an appointment at the assessment centre, and tells them that Billy will probably be relieved to have everything out in the open now.

No 30 - Lounge: Cody is looking through her attendance notes, convinced that Adrian is exaggerating about the seriousness of the situation, while Jen paces around, convinced that she's going to fail. Cody tells her to sit down and do some study, and she'll be fine, but Jen is getting increasingly frustrated and the girls start to lose patience with each other. Cody accuses Jen of leaving all her work until the last minute, while Jen tells Cody that she warned her about getting involved with Adrian. Jen ends up storming out of the house, as Cody realises that they're both losing their marbles.

No 28 - Garage: Billy is sitting in the garage and watches as Andrew leaves the house. He calls after him, and his teacher comes down to join him, saying that Susan thought he'd run away to sea. Billy admits that it's a relief knowing that he isn't stupid, and Andrew says that they'll get help, and points out that he's not on his own, even Tom Cruise has dyslexia. Andrew tells him to believe that this can be overcome.

Community Gardens: Lance and Hannah are hiding behind some bushes, staking out the bus. They're both getting bored, until they hear something and see someone moving around in the compost bin. They decide to go to the police, while Flakey the Clown emerges from the bin, coughing and spluttering.

No 28: Billy walks in. Karl is in the kitchen, while Susan is sitting at the dining table, and he explains that he's been to the library to get some books about dyslexia. Susan tells him to sit down and explains that he has an appointment at the assessment centre the next day. Billy is convinced that they're both ashamed of him, but Karl insists that, although he wanted all his kids to go to uni and get degrees, he just hadn't really thought about it properly. He tells Billy that, if he wants to be a plumber, to make sure he's a damn good one.

No 26 - Living room: Cody arrives and apologises to Jen. Jen apologises back and says that she shouldn't have lashed out like that, not when Cody's going through so many problems with Adrian. She explains that she might need Jen's help as a witness if she takes the matter further. Just then, Joanna starts madly knocking on the door, desperately looking for a lift to the police station as there's been an emergency...

No 24 - Living room: Joanna drags Flakey into the house, followed by Cody and Jen. She says that it was destiny that he called her, but he says that it was only because hers was the only number he had with him. Jo says that he just has a little problem with alcohol, but they're going to nip it in the bud. She announces that Flakey won't be going back to court, because she's going to help him get off the grog, and goes to run him a bath and make up a bed for him. Cody asks her if she's out of her tiny mind, pointing out that other people live in the house and need to be consulted, but Jo says that Annalise, Sam and Marlene met Flakey the other day, and they all got on like a house on fire, so there won't be any problems.

No 28 - Kitchen: Billy is telling Karl and Susan about Flakey being arrested, and hopes that next time people will believe him when he says that someone's watching him. Karl then starts to set up the television set, and says that the little experiment has worked - everyone's talking and reading more. Susan says that there's another reason - she caught him watching a TV at the surgery. Billy accuses him of being hypocritical, so Karl tries to bribe him to not tell Libby and Mal. Billy refuses to accept the money, but says that instead the TV from the surgery comes home and is rotated between the kids' bedrooms.

No 24 - Kitchen/Dining room: The next morning, Jo is making breakfast when Flakey appears, upset that he's forced to wear one of Marlene's old tracksuit tops. Jo says that she had to burn his old clothes, but they'll go to Marlene's shop later and get some more stuff. Flakey's embarrassed by Annalise, Sam and Marlene's reactions to him staying the previous night, but Jo says that was her fault - she should have scrubbed the bathtub. Flakey then accuses her of being bossy and interfering and goes to leave, but she says she's just trying to help and he's not being very nice. He agrees to stay for breakfast and admits that he's just uncomfortable.

Erinsborough Medical Centre - Reception: Cody is telling Karl about Marlene walking in on Flakey in the bath, and Karl is surprised to hear about the clown staying at number 24, as it used to be Mal's favourite show. Kate Cornwall then arrives for her appointment and Karl shows her straight through.

Erinsborough High - Classroom: Susan tracks down Andrew and says that they've just been for Billy's assessment - he's definitely dyslexic, and he took the news better than his mother. She admits that she hoped they'd just say he was lazy. Andrew insists that it's not a problem, and it's positive news that he's been diagnosed. He offers to personally keep an eye on Billy while she's away in Africa.

Erinsborough Medical Centre - Karl's office: Karl has finished examining Kate and she explains that she's made no plans to leave Erinsborough yet. She's been for walks on the beach and to the movies, and has decided to reread all of Jane Austen. She admits that she had planned on reading Proust, but picked up a copy of Emma and that was that. She says that Austen's work is comforting because everything is so clearly defined, and Karl admits that it sounds dull but he's never read any of her work. She tells him that she went to a hydrotherapy class and it helped, and the pain relief is also working, but it's just the nights that are difficult. He offers her a sedative, but she says that nights are when she turns to Jane Austen to see her through. Karl admits that he wishes he could offer her a miracle.

Chez Chez: Susan is telling Andrew how she'd always just expected all of her kids to go to university. They're joined by Karl, who apologises for being late, explaining that things got away from him at the surgery. He's clearly distracted as Susan tells him about the assessment, and Andrew explains that the examination boards are making allowances for teenagers with learning difficulties, offering oral tests and scribes. Andrew tells them about one of his students, Nick, at his old school who was dyslexic and came from a very disfunctional family, but he's just started a three year commerce degree.

Community Gardens: Flakey is hunting through the compost bin for his missing pack of cigars. He begins to wonder if the police took them, and considers going down to the police station and accusing them, but Jo isn't sure it's such a good idea. He then spots Lance and Hannah and races over to them, grabbing Lance and asking what he's done with the cigars. Jo tries to break up the argument, and Lance accuses Flakey of being off his rocker. Jo offers to buy him some more cigars, if he just comes home quietly. Meanwhile, as everyone leaves, Luke appears, standing on top of the bus, smoking one of the cigars.

Featured Regular Characters: Cody Willis, Jen Handley, Joanna Hartman, Karl Kennedy, Susan Kennedy, Billy Kennedy, Hannah Martin, Luke Handley

Guest Cast: Andrew Bibby as Lance Hails, Christie Sistrunk as Kate Cornwall, Christopher Uhlmann as Andrew Watson, Brian Wenzel as Gordon [Flakey the Clown] Orchard

Trivia Notes
• Flakey the Clown has been arrested for being drunk and disorderly three times in the space of a month
• References are made to Detective Illich, though he doesn't appear
• Bernard Curry returns to the regular cast as Luke Handley, having last appeared two months ago, in episode 2469

Summary by Steve

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