Episode 1235

Extended Summary

Shane and Damian are down to do some last minute training and all that seems to be on Shane’s mind, is bad mouthing Angel, just because she saw right through his little scheme. As Alf marks out the pitch in readiness for the big match, he asks Michael how Pippa is coping and the news is not good.. He had hoped she’d come and watch the match but all she seems to do these days, is argue with the family and he feels useless. As Greg puts the lads through their final session, Bruce wonders how they will do and Greg tells him, that after the week he’s had, he hopes they’ll win. Nick thinks Adam was wrong to take the Boat Shed job from him but Greg disagrees and says it was his stupid fault for giving it up. Young Sam wants to join in, but Greg says he wants the team to sharpen up on their own first and they all wait to see Damian take a penalty. Alf’s lost for words when he scores and as the others cheer, Shane goes over and pats him on the back.

Back at Fisher’s, no matter how Angel tries to convince him that returning to school is not an option for her, he keeps coming back at her with valid reasons, for her to do just that. She tells him she won’t end up like Shane because she’ll get a job and she’ll keep reading books. When he asks why she likes reading, she admits it’s because she likes to learn, which is exactly his point. He gets her to admit she likes a challenge but she retorts she doesn’t like all the stuff they teach at school. He tells her that year 11 and 12 are different because students can choose their subjects and surely she has some favourites. She tells him she likes History but her favourite is Latin and Fisher can’t believe it because it’s his too and there are so few students who like the subject. They are both on the same wavelength as they talk about this weird subject. Angel relents and says she could go back to school, if she could do Latin and she knows what Fisher’s going to say – he the only Latin teacher and of course, he’s retiring. So she tells him to forget it – it’s Latin or nothing! Later on, Nick and Shane come in and Shane’s going on about the Sharks beating the morons from Yabbie Creek and it prompts Angel to make a remark, which Shane doesn’t appreciate because it’s in Latin but it has Fisher in stitches.

Fin goes home and finds Sally quietly reading and tells her she heard about Pippa having a go at her and she tries to explain that it’s all to do with Dale. But Sally thinks Pippa hates her and Fin assures her that it’s not true, she just has to give her time. Pippa then comes in with the laundry and says hi to Fin but completely ignores Sally, when she asks if she would like any help. Poor Sally looks so sad. When Michael comes back and hears how Pippa has been treating Sally, he’s shocked and says he’ll talk to her. Damian comes in for his football boots and is convinced the Sharks are going to win. When Pippa comes down later, Michael tries talking to her about how upset Sally is for her outburst but all he achieves, is Pippa shouting at him. Over lunch, Damian puts his foot in it when he asks what the matter is and before anyone can say anything, Pippa has her say. She turns to Sally and tells her she’s still mad with her for taking Christopher to the beach and all Damian can do, is motion to Sally that he’s sorry.

It’s pandemonium at the beach house as Bobby’s trying to get lunch, with Sam bouncing his football in the kitchen and then Greg and Tug come in, followed by Fisher, whose got the oranges for half-time. She gets Greg to get Sam to go and have a shower. Fisher tells her he’s got a bone to pick with her about Angel trying to make him give up retiring but she protests her innocence and he’s baffled. He talks to Greg about Angel having him over a barrel because if he won’t teach her Latin, she won’t go back to school. In light of what Greg’s been through lately, Fisher realises he’s in the same boat but he at least, can rectify the matter – don’t resign.

Down on the football pitch, Greg’s trying to give the team last minutes instruction but is hindered by an enthusiastic Alf, rattling on about nothing. Fisher is driving Bobby and Nick to distraction, as they wait for the match to start, by going on about why he should have to give up retiring, so that Angel will go back to school.

At the Diner, Fin puts the radio on the counter, in readiness for the match and Angel tells her she will be going back to school but hasn’t told Fisher yet. Fin is stoked and almost forgets to switch the radio on for the start of match. The match gets underway and straight away, Damian lets in the opposition and Alf’s flaming mad. As the game continues, Pippa’s packing Dale’s clothes and Sally comes in to talk to her but she doesn’t want to talk but Sally insists. Sally speaks from the heart about Christopher and Dale and tells her she doesn’t like the bad feeling between them but Pippa is so cold towards her and when Sally hugs her, Pippa refuses to respond. Back at the match, it’s nearing full-time and it looks like a draw, when a penalty is awarded when Tug’s brought down. It’s all up to Damian and as the crowd go silent, he runs up and kicks the ball way over the net but knock the commentator of his seat!

At home, Shane tells Nick and Fisher that the team gave Damian the silent treatment and he’s off to stop him slashing his wrists. As he passes Angel, she makes a sarcastic remark and he relies with a similar one. Before Angel can tell Fisher of her decision to return to school, he wants to do a deal with her – he’ll go back, if she does. They shake hands on it and then she tells him that she was going back anyway and he looks miffed.

The atmosphere at the Ross house is gloomy. Damian’s down in the dumps and Pippa still ignoring Sally. Michael tries to make conversation with the girls but when Fin inadvertently mentions the match, she looks over at her brother and sees how unhappy he is.

It ends when Michael tries to convince him that it will all be forgotten in a couple of weeks but Damian disagrees. He refuses to stay for dinner and walks out, leaving Michael standing there…

Avril M Harrison