Home and Away

Frankie, Frankie!

Frankie!

Gotcha.

Ah Frankie, now what's your mum gonna say?

Have a look at that.

Frank is a very difficult child.

How difficult?

Well, three arrests by the time

you're eight is not bad going.

Mind you, with his background, I'm not surprised.

Father in and out of jail, mother an alcoholic.

I hope you know what you're taking on.

We never thought it'd be easy.

- Look, fostering a child of this sort--

Yeah, we do know, Mr. Jarvis.

That's why we're here.

Anymore you've got like him-- - We'd be just as happy

to take them.

- I think you'll find that one is quite sufficient.

I think you'll find you're wrong.

How's it going?

Fine.

Think it looks like you?

No, not handsome enough. (laughing)

I'll see ya. - Bye.

Frank, Carly, Lynn, Sally and Steven.

More like five is sufficient Mr. Jarvis.

Woo!

- Ah guys. - Ah, show us what you learned

at public speaking. - I'll show you what I learned

in Neshar if you're not careful.

Now, turning 40 for some men it's er, it's like a threat,

end of their youth and all that sort of thing.

But for me, well looking round me,

it's just the start.

I've got a terrific wife, the best.

- Ah mate. - Ah no I'm serious mate.

I've got five top kids.

Frank, Carly, Lynn, Steven, and Sally.

Now what can I say.

What about Milko?

Oh sorry, how could I forget him.

Milko too, sorry mate.

Yeah, we've had our ups and downs getting

to know each other, haven't we?

We'll probably have some more too.

But I think I'm a pretty lucky bloke.

As I turn 40, all I'd like to say is

that er, well I'm just looking forward to the next 40.

I'm looking forward to see you all grow up.

Have kids of your own, and your own 40th birthdays, hey.

You see there's nothing to be worried about

in getting on, and not when you've got as much love

around you as I have.

Yeah, we better cut that cake hey.

- Yeah. - I want the biggest piece..

- Start just there. - Right.

G'day.

Morning.

Can I see you please, Tom.

Yeah, whatever it is, I'm innocent.

What it's that bad hey?

It's not good.

Come into the office.

Hi.

You're home early.

Are you sick?

I just got retrenched.

What?

Yeah.

In their current economic climate,

we regret, if there was any alternative,

all that sort of stuff.

Leading up to the big wham-o.

"Sorry Tom, we're closing your department."

You've been with them 15 years.

Yeah, poor old Sam's been with them 25.

It didn't save him.

I knew things weren't good.

I never thought they'd try a stunt like that.

- You won't have any trouble getting another job.

No, no of course not.

Life begins at 40 hey.

Now, I don't want any of you worrying.

It sounds a lot worse than it is.

Yeah, but you see all those things on TV

about older men losing their jobs

and not being able to get another one.

- Carly. - Well you do.

No, that's all right mate.

I mean that's what we're here for.

So as everyone can talk out their worries

and I can answer them.

- Tom won't have any trouble finding another job

with his experience.

- What if he does? - Yeah.

Well, we've got some savings.

We live off those for a while.

Yeah, I've been trying to get a job.

I'll just have to try harder now, that's all.

Yeah, we know you have, mate.

Look, the last thing I want you doing is acting

like it's the end of the world.

- Well, I could maybe leave school if it gets too bad.

- You'll do no such thing. - No such thing.

That's exactly what I'm talking about.

No hitting the panic button unless we have to.

Which we won't.

No one should lose any sleep over coulds and maybes, okay.

Okay.

Yeah, okay.

There's nothing in here.

(tutting) Friday's always a bad day.

There'll be more tomorrow.

Can I talk to you?

Yeah, course you can mate, what is it?

- I was thinking, I've only been with you a few weeks,

and I'd understand if you want me to go back to the home.

Well, it'll save money.

No one's going anywhere.

Come here.

You remember how we had this photo taken

on your first day here.

We did the same with all the kids.

It's become a sort of ceremony,

the welcome to the family photo.

And once the photo's taken, once you're in that frame,

you're stuck there, you're part of the family.

Through thick and through thin, okay.

- It's just, sometimes I feel like I don't belong.

Do you trust me?

And believe me you do belong.

Okay? - Hmm.

- Yeah, I second that, mate. - Thanks.

A nice one Mrs. F.

Nice one.

It has come to our attention

that you have recently been retrenched.

And despite strenuous efforts over the last six weeks,

are no closer to finding alternative employment.

As you are aware, any change in your circumstance has

to be reviewed by us in case it all goes ill

for the children in your care.

We would regrettably have to reassess your situation

should you prove financially unable

to adequately acquit your roles as foster parents.

- "We would appreciate it if you would call

"to arrange an appointment for you and your wife

"at your earliest convenience.

"Yours sincerely, Tarquin Pearce."

We knew it had to come.

Well, can we do anything?

I don't know.

I'll tell you what, though.

No one's taking our kids away from us.

No one.

Well, that's the bottom line.

Unless you find a job very quickly,

we'll be forced to move on the situation.

Frank's no longer our problem of course, but er,

we'll be certainly reviewing the custody of the others.

- Oh you're over reacting a bit aren't you?

Not really.

The kids will suffer more from seeing their security

tumble down around them than

from being taken away in the early part of the process.

- Their mature enough to cope with things being a bit tight.

- More than a bit, if they keep going on as they are.

- Yeah, well we're doing everything we bloody well can.

There's no point in getting heated, hey.

We have got a plan.

Yes, a last resort.

Well, I'd say we're pretty well there.

Yes?

Well, we worked out some figures.

If we were to sell the house, and maybe relocate

out of the city, we'd make quite a good profit,

we should be able to live off that for a while.