After much nagging by Liz, Jim apologies to Mike Baldwin in the
hope that Mike will offer him his job back at the garage. However,
Mike decides to publicly humiliate Jim in the Rovers when he apologies
and Jim tells Liz that she wanted him to grovel, and he did, but
he won't ever do it again. Relationships are strained between
Jim and Liz. Josie tells Maud and Maureen in the corner shop that
her friend has seen a flasher and they have a good gossip about
this.
Racquel's modelling agent pays a visit to the Street to see Racquel.
Before he goes into the Rovers, he catches sight of Fiona, and
offers her his business card, and asks her to ring him if she
is interested in modelling work. Racquel tells Fiona she doesn't
have what it takes to be a model, after all, she's not done any
training for the job. Jack and Vera take over the Rovers and both
are working hard. Vera is doing everything from scrubbing out
the toilets to making the hot pot. Yes, the hot pot... Betty has
walked out after Vera told her she noticed that she wasn't doing
much behind the bar and asked her to take on some cleaning work.
Jack has sacked Bill Webster, after Vera told Jack there is no
need for a second cellar man, (although Jack was hoping for an
easy life). The brewery took away the cash register so on the
opening night Vera had to use her handbag as a makeshift till
until something more suitable was found - a biscuit tin! After
working out how much money Vera made on her hot pot, Jack decides
it's not worth the effort for Vera to keep making it herself and
takes up Fred the butcher's offer of buying in some cheap pies
instead.
The couple who have bought Jack and Vera's house, the Mallets,
were upset when Jack and Vera wanted to take their bar with them
to the Rovers, as the Mallets want to keep the bar as a feature
of the house.
Leo Firman has been sacked now from Firman's Freezers. He goes
to the Rovers to tell Racquel what he thinks of her, and to blame
her for him losing his job. At first Racquel is afraid of what
he will do to her, but when he starts calling her a "walking
wonderbra" and calls Curly names, she loses her temper with
him and throws things at him, yelling at him that he's just like
all the rest. "That's for Des, and that's for Tanya"
she yells, throwing food at him until he leaves, walking out of
the Rovers while Racquel throws packets of peanuts from behind
the bar at him. Curly calls in to see Racquel later that evening
and expects to find her upset, but the event has made her much
stronger, and she's off out nightclubbing with a friend.
Vicky and Steve are having some problems with their domestic arrangements,
neither of them can be bothered to tidy up their new flat so Steve
hires a cleaner while Vicky is out at work.
Jack buys in some pies from Fred the butcher and serves them in
the Rovers at lunchtime. A few people eat them and then start
complaining that they have stomach pains, immediately blaming
the pies. Then Alf says that although he ate a pie, he doesn't
feel ill, although he hadn't been drinking because he's taking
tablets for his blood pressure, so then suspicion falls on the
beer for making folk sick. So, Jack and Fred have a shouting match
in the Rovers, each one blaming the other for making the customers
ill when Martin Platt arrives in time to separate them from fighting
and he tells them that there's a stomach bug going around and
he's had to work in the hospital on his day off because of all
of the ill people with stomach complaints. Jack and Fred shake
hands and make up. Jack takes on some new beer from a different
brewery, to mixed reactions from the locals. He isn't too popular
when some of the beer runs out.
Racquel and Curly have lunch together in Jim's cafe and Curly
gives Racquel a kiss. Racquel is proving to be a much stronger
character these days and doesn't wholly approve of Vera's approach
to running the Rovers.
Vicky finds out that Steve is going out for the evening to a casino,
so she goes along with him and puts a stop to his spending when
all of his cash runs out. When they get home, Steve sleeps on
the sofa saying that if she can't trust him with money then perhaps
they shouldn't have got married after all.
Denise's sister and her husband are visiting Ken and Denise for
Danny's christening, (her sister will now be godmother instead
of Rita). The sister's husband is a real wet blanket and Ken has
a hard time getting on with him. The reception for the christening
is held in the Rovers, and Vera puts on a buffet.
The strange Ray Cropper who lives in the same building as Deidre
and Tricia starts wondering what's up with Deidre as he notices
that she hasn't taken in her pint of milk from her doorstep. When
he enquires whether she is alright, she tells him to mind his
own business, she just wants to be on her own. Ray is obviously
concerned about Deidre, and he goes to Mike to tell him that Deidre
is locking herself away from the world. Mike goes round to see
Deidre and she cries in his arms and tells him how much she misses
Samir.
Curly and Reg are stopped by a police officer in the street and
asked if they will take part in an identity parade in the police
station, and both of them agree to do it. The police are trying
to catch the man who has been exposing himself to women (the Red
Rec flasher), and when the lady walks along the row of men in
the identity parade, she picks out Reg as the flasher! Reg is
then called back for a second identity parade but this time decides
not to wear his hair-piece, in the hope of changing his appearance.
However, the police find out he has done this and this gives them
more reason to suspect him as the potential flasher. Relations
between Liz and Jim are very rocky at present. Kevin comes back
from his holiday to find that Baldwin has sacked Jim.
It's Jim's 40th birthday and Vicky and Steve invite Jim, Liz and
Andy for tea. Jim gets drunk and starts causing a scene, much
to Liz's annoyance. Things between Liz and Jim keep on deteriorating
and Jim keeps on drinking and she turns to Des for comfort...
and they end up kissing each other in the Bookies shop!
Reg is distraught, everyone thinks he is the Red Rec Flasher.
Mr. Firman offers Reg a position of National Distribution Manager
in Lowestoft but Maureen and Maude don't want to move, they say
he will be running away from the speculation in Weatherfield if
he moves to Lowestoft. So, finally, Reg tells Mr. Firman that
he wants to stay with his wife and mother in law.
Mike is proving to be very supportive of Deidre and helping her
come to terms over the loss of Samir.
More complaints in the Rovers over the change of beer from Newton
and Ridley to Nuttalls.
P.S. Watch out for a great scene when Reg's wig catches fire.....
There is much uncertainty as to the future of Liz and Jim's marriage
still. Jim is still out of work (despite Kevin passing the odd
job to him now and then). Liz continues to work at Skinner's bookies
with Des Barnes. Des has now made several advances towards Liz
- and she has not exactly turned them down. She realises, however,
that her marriage must come first so she suggests that she leaves.
Des says that he will talk to Sean instead and try to get a transfer
himself. After much heavy discussion, Percy comes in and places
a 20p each way bet on Catering Corp ! Last of the big spenders!
Kevin is having trouble with Jim's replacement at the garage.
He must have a ten minute tea break at an exact time, and for
an exact length. Not to mention the fact that he is paid to work
until 5.30pm and NO LONGER. When Kevin has a rush job and he refuses
to work any extra or to ever be flexible, Kevin fires his new
colleage. Mike is annoyed and says that he has no right. Kevin
persuades a new lad (Tony) to join him in the garage. This was
one of the opposition football players in the pub league. In fact,
it was the player that "fouled" Kevin in the match -
the Rovers lost 4-2 incidentally!
The new residents, the Mallets, are going to be an arguementative
and troublesome couple it seems. Gary brings his old drum kit
to the Stone-clad house and plays it all day whilst his wife is
at work - much to Percy's annoyance. When she gets home, all hell
breaks loose and crockery is thrown!! But just after Judy threatens
to go back to her Mother's they end up in an embrace on the sofa.
I still think that the drum kit will have to go!
Reg carries on being distressed about being branded "The
Weatherfield Flasher." He decides to tell Eric Firman that
he will not take the executive position in Lowestoft. He realises
that he cannot run away from the situation with the Police - it
would only make him appear more guilty. As the week progresses,
the flasher is caught at the Pub Football game. Phyllis is there
to support the Rovers' team and he flashes at her. She bashes
him with her handbag and is branded a hero. When Reg hears of
this he realises that he can take the job after all. He follows
his boss to the Halifax branch because Eric was to offer the position
to the manager at Halifax. Reg gets there but believes he is too
late so turns back. He gets stuck on the moors on route back and
ends up shouting at the sheep! He telephones the shop and asks
Maud to pass a message onto Maureen and then onto Curly. Maud
doesn't and keeps quiet, omitting to tell Reg that Eric called
asking him to reconsider taking the job but that he must phone
back before 4pm. When Reg finally gets home at 4.30pm he is angry
at Maud who makes a quick escape to the Rovers with Alf. Despite
his lateness, Reg manages to get the job and must start on Monday.
He says a tearful and emotional "au revoir" to Maureen
who can't help thinking of her Mother not wanting to move home.
"We'll find a way to persuade her, " says Reg, "we'll
hide her teeth or something...."
