Episode 3702

Extended Summary

BEACH
Alf comments on Kim’s swimming ability, and on learning that he has ‘a bronze’, offers him a part-time lifeguard job. Kim wonders if he’d be able to do it full time, as he is going to pack in school and Alf agrees to think about it

CARAVAN PARK
A typical morning in the Hunter household. No one fancies Beth’s pancakes as Jade rushes out to meet Seb, Robbie is preoccupied with finding his school tie, which Beth ‘finds’ tucked into his jeans, and Max and Henry feign illness. She agrees that they feel hot… but clocks on when they refuse to go and see Flynn. She decides to take them anyway – ‘just to be sure that it isn’t something serious’.

FLYNN’S PLACE
Flynn has spent the night on the sofa, and neither he nor Sally slept well. They don’t want to argue, but Flynn doesn’t like her invading his space – he doesn’t tell her how to teach properly. Beth arrives accompanied by Henry and Max to Flynn’s 24-hour surgery

SURGERY
Flynn takes a look at the boys – they seem normal, but Henry claims he really did feel awful before. Flynn ‘suggests’ that Beth go outside, and as he tucks into a tub of sweets he questions the boys about their reasons for trying to skip school.

FLYNN’S PLACE
Flynn walks through to Beth and Sally in the house, informing Beth that they aren’t sick, which doesn’t come as a surprise, but she isn’t happy to learn that Max and Henry are scared of going to school because of Hyde. Sally reasons that Hyde means well, but suggests she has a word with him. Beth insists that she do it, before departing. Sally walks away from Flynn before he can start talking to her.

SCHOOL
In his office, Hyde looks at his laptop to find something on the screen (possibly Irene’s virus-checker?), and starts to call out to “Miss Rose” (?) before swearing to himself, realising that no help is at hand. Kim walks in, wanting to talk and Hyde accuses him of tampering with his computer – again. Kim makes the announcement that he’s no longer a pupil – he’s quitting. Hyde protests that he won’t graduate until he’s twenty at that rate, and Kim takes the chance to make himself clear – he doesn’t want to continue in education full stop. He refuses to support Kim in his decision, but Kim doesn’t care – he doesn’t need anything from his father

Outside school, Sally catches up with Robbie, Tasha, Seb and Jade, and asks Robbie about the whereabouts of Max and Henry and they all reckon that max and henry’s fake illness stunt was to do with Hyde. Funnily enough, no one seems to like him, but Sally suggests they try to compromise.
Sally stops Kim as he leaves school, who tells her he’s dropping out, but Kim won’t be talked out of it – having Hyde is a father has been enough of an education for him. He reckons he’s doing it for his own good – to get rid of the control his father has over him.

SURGERY
Irene is having trouble tracking down files on the surgery computer, exasperated and confused at Colleen’s methods. Reception is a mess of files as Flynn searches to find that of a particular patient whose records have gone AWOL. Colleen arrives in the nick of time and they ask for her help. Typicing surprisingly quickly for a non-computer-literate person she locates she locates Bernie Goldsmith’s file on the computer in seconds – filed under ‘melanona’. But she tells them that not everyone is filed under their ailments, and Irene is exasperated at her ‘system’ – it will take her months to sort everything out. Colleen is upset – she tried to do her best, and despite their protests she reckons that she was not good enough as she was too old-fashioned. She offers her help at any time, prepared to do what she can for Flynn, but is just glad that Alf values her.

SCHOOL
At assembly, Sally speaks to the pupils about the first school council meeting. Before she can dismiss the assembly, Hyde steps up to address the kids – he is reinstating his “zero-tolerance” policy as a result of the recent vandalism and disruption – therefore the entire school will be punished if disruption occurs again. Jade stands to protest, and Hyde agrees that it isn;t fair that everyone be punished – but the people responsible must be dealt with. He suggests that she, as school councillor, addresses the behavioural issues that exist, but she resents the idea – she’s there to represent the pupils, not discipline them. Hyde frowns and suggests that if she is not prepared to carry out her duty then he will be forced to rethink the whole idea of a school council. She protests that it’s not fair, but he doesn’t want to know – life is unfair – and dismisses the assembly.

BREAK

SCHOOL
Sally has a word with Hyde about his attitude, implying that she knows who is responsible, but won’t give him names – she reckons their ‘parents’ (so that’ll be Henry’s Mum and er, Max’s uncle then…) will be talking to him soon enough but he tells her that if she doesn’t like the way he runs the school, then she’s free to leave. He demands respect and obedience, but Sally refuses to be treated as some sort of pet. He reckons she reported him to the department, but she strongly denies it, and he informs her of the fax he received that morning – there will be an investigation taking place into the boxing match. Sally isn’t sympathetic – he should have expected repercussions, but he doesn’t care about his popularity with anyone – even the department. He makes no response when she offers her ‘help’.

CARAVAN PARK
Beth calmly talks to Max and Henry, wanting to get to the bottom of it – she won’t blame them for anything. Henry states they wouldn’t have “done anything” had Hyde not paid out on them in the first place, and Beth recieves a confession about the computer trouble, and eventually gets a confession about the graffitti – but Max claims it was HE and Henry who did it. Beth’s calmness goes out of the window, and she demands they get their uniforms on – they’re going to have a chat with Hyde, and they’re going to confess.

SCHOOL
Hyde fiddles with a metal desk swinging ornament thingie, not looking up as he asks Max and Henry’s opinions on possible punishments for disrupting the school. He comes down hard on them, dishing out a three week suspension, much to Beth’s horror. Beth sends the boys out, and protests to Hyde – she can;t believe that he’s so bent on getting students to take responsibility for their actions but yet he doesn’t seen to care why the boys did it. He wonders what she expects him to do – “pat them on the head and tell them it’s alright?!”. She tries to appeal to the education-freak within him – he’s destructing the boys education, but he won’t be moved – the suspension stands. Beth glares, picks up her bag and walks out

SURGERY
Colleen (along with that giant stuffed tiger she has taken to carrying about) is leaving after having given Irene some assistance, pledging her help at any time. Irene tells Flynn that Coleen knows everything about all of the patients, and loves the job, despite her faults. Irene offers to find a way to make it work betwen Flynn and Colleen.

DINER
Flynn and Irene discuss their plan with Colleen – Irene would only be in once or twice a week to oversee technical stuff, and they pile on the praise about how well she gets along with the patients. Irene tells her that she would be doing her a HUGE favour as she is so busy with Hayley, Tasha and Uni. Colleen agrees to think about it, before returning to work, not wanting to let Alf down.
Sally enters the diner, and Irene notices the tension between she and Flynn.

SCHOOL
The first school council meeting is taking place on the school stage, where there are five of them in attendence, discussing what to do about Hyde. The suggestions thrown around include a petition, a strike, or a sit in. The latter seems to be the popular option – at the end of the day they would lock themselves inside, and lock Hyde out. They, or at least Jade, decides to have a ‘petition’ to see who wants to get involved, but ‘Karla’ is concerned about it messing up their HSC and backs out of the idea. Seb reassures Jade.

SURF CLUB
As Leah races outside to puke, Robbiem Kim and Tasha enter. Tasha suggests that Kim ask Irene if he can move in, and Robbie seems dead set against the idea, suggesting that kim staying on with them is for the best. Kim knows that Max wants his room back though.
Alf has added Kim to the lifeguard roster, but Kim is unimpressed that he’s only part-time. Alf tells him that he doesn’t agree with kids that drop out of school early – if he wants the job, it can only be part-time.

FLYNN’S PLACE
Sally arrives home for lunch, and Flynn is already there. Tension is still in the air, and they concede that they “need to talk”. Sally doesn’t get why he got so upset – all she did was ask a question – and Flynn apologises, and explains why he reacted the way he did. He promised after his Mum’s death that he would do anything to help others live and to keep them out of pain – life is too precious, and that’s why he put his foot down about helping Floss die. Flynn asks her to tell Floss he will help in any way – so long as it’s within the law.

GYM
Leah has to stop a class early due to her persistent morning sickness, and despite her apologies Jesse is wound up – they were paying customers who expected a professional service. She doesn’t think she has much choice, but Jesse isn’t taking it lightly. Leah is furious at Jesse’s lack of sympathy and support, and walks out.

Jesse chases Leah out of the surf club, but she refuses to listen to him, accusing him of caring more about the gym than about her. Flynn catches up with them to enquire as to what is going on and Leah gets in first – Jesse thinks it’s unproffessional and selfish to get morning sickness. Flynn stands up for Leah – it’s not her fault, but Jesse resents his intervention. Leah decides to quit if she’s “that bad for business” and storms off, with Flynn rather than Jesse in pursuit…