Episode 148

Extended Summary

Alf is still reading Rod’s papers by lamplight in the front room.Ailsa tells him he’s been at it for hours but he says he still hasn’t made his mind up yet.Early the next morning, he takes his boat out to the wetland, watching swans and feeding pelicans.When he gets home, he reflects to Ailsa that he used to go fishing there with his father.However, he’s still in favour of the development, saying that changing Summer Bay isn’t the same as destroying it and his grandfather had to change things to establish the town in the first place.Ailsa accepts his point of view and doesn’t want it to affect their relationship.Alf agrees but doesn’t want her undermining him but Ailsa says she’s not going to lie about her opinion.Alf thinks it will reflect on him if even his wife says he’s backed a dud and that, while equality is all right in theory, the rest of the town won’t see it like that.

Bobby and Steven are going for their early morning run on the beach, with Steven constantly talking about Narelle.Bobby sees Alan nearby and they start chatting.Alan says he’s smoothed things over with Barbara but hasn’t told her his plans yet.Barbara is horrified when Alan comes to school and tells her he’s going to be a professional surfer, thinking the stress will affect his blood pressure and his aneurysm, but Alan says he could play it safe and still die.Don interrupts them and Alan leaves after exchanging a few polite words. Barbara tells Don of Alan’s plans but Don isn’t going to discourage him since it’s the first time he’s shown any ambition.

Steven is asking Frank for advice on girls, after he bombed out with Alyce.Frank points out he got on okay with Sandra but Steven says that was because they were good friends whereas this is more about chemistry. Frank asks if he’s chasing eighteen-year-olds again and Steven admits she’s actually nineteen:It’s Narelle. Frank doesn’t think he has a chance but Steven knows she’s looking for a great kisser and thinks he can win her over.Later, at school, Carly sees Steven chatting to Candace Thompson, one of the older girls, and thinks he’s chatting her up.Steven says he’s doing a survey on how girls like to be kissed and asks her opinion.Bobby realises it’s to do with Narelle but Steven insists it’s a science project.Bobby says it’s to do with whether two people are right for each other but Carly thinks technique is important.Before she can give Steven much advice, Don tells them to go to class.

Later, Barbara asks Bobby to stay behind after class and asks her help in talking Alan out of his plans. Bobby finds Alan making notes on the beach and asks if he should surf with his aneurysm.Alan realises she’s been talking to Barbara and takes her for a milkshake at the store.He tells her that he’d rather die doing something he loves than give it up and die anyway and says he knows that everyone’s scared of him dying, he was too which is why he was acting crazy before.He says that the thing that scares him most is if he ends up a vegetable being kept alive by machines.Bobby agrees that would be worse and he makes her promise not to let him be kept alive like that, since he can’t ask his family.

Carly and Sally find Steven’s survey and Carly laughs at what Alison said before Sally notices Narelle’s name scrawled all over the folder and Carly realises Bobby was right about Steven liking her.Steven comes in and asks for the folder back;Carly and Sally throw it between them, teasing him about Narelle being too old for him, before he retrieves it.Steven goes round to the flat where Narelle thinks he’s there for Frank. With feigned reluctance, Steven says he’s having trouble plucking up the courage to kiss girls.Narelle offers to give him some tips and he goes to kiss her but then acts as though he can’t and runs out.Once outside, he celebrates the first stage of his plan.

Carly finds Steven staring at his image in a mirror and practising kissing techniques.Sally arrives with Narelle and Carly and Sally tease Steven before leaving them alone.Narelle gets Steven to kiss him and he makes several failed attempts as she gives him advice.He asks her to let him try it by himself and gives her a long, lingering and definitely mutual kiss.Narelle seems impressed.Later, at the flat, a spaced out Narelle is setting the table and Frank notices she’s set too many places.Narelle asks if the age difference was a problem with him and Roo and he says if two people are right for each other it isn’t an issue and it was only two years anyway.Narelle says she thinks she’s fallen in love with a fifteen-year-old.