800 Words (2015–2018): Season 1, Episode 7 - Episode #1.7 - full transcript
(MELODIC POP MUSIC)
SONG: ♪ War over water
♪ I ought to show you the way to the well
♪ From chaos to disorder
♪ In a town full of lumber
♪ Awaken from slumber to an ancient number
♪ That might still work
♪ That might still work
♪ But we're not running out of time... ♪
Come on.
Hey, Shay...
We're on your side, yeah?
He's on your side.
Let us help.
I don't need anyone's help.
I just want it all to go away, OK?
(MUSIC CONTINUES)
(CROWD SHOUTS ANGRILY)
Please, please, please!
Please keep it down!
Back to your home rooms, now!
- Just leave her alone.
- Sorry?
You heard me.
(WHISTLES SHARPLY) Oi!
You lot, get inside!
BEVAN: In you go.
Thanks for this, Fiona.
Yep, not a worry, Tom.
Normally I'd do this at the station,
but with this number of people...
Yep, you've said.
Everyone in my little office --
wouldn't help, you know, tension-wise.
I'm just gonna make
some tea and coffee, eh?
Beaut. Easy on the caffeine, though, eh?
Righto.
Good of you to come.
Didn't realise we had a choice.
You did, but it wouldn't look
good in the long run, eh?
If you say so, Tom.
Victim, reporting for duty.
Thanks for coming, Bill.
Hey. Why are you here?
- As a witness.
- It's not a trial. Go away.
Reporter, then, for the paper. Got a pen?
No reporters. No-one who
isn't directly involved.
Well, she's not directly involved.
It's her place and she's making the tea.
Don't worry about it.
Deal with those posters.
- I'll be outside if you need me. - No!
BIG MAC: What's the form?
We sit around, hold hands,
then the hugging begins?
No, no, not like that at all.
Have you seen this?
They're all over the place.
Yes, yes, I have seen them.
BIG MAC: Is this your doing?
Nah, not me.
But respect to them.
- What are you doing about it?
- First this, then that.
These are photographs of my
property, illegally taken.
Surely that's breaking some
law -- copyright or something.
All in good time, Bill.
Now, sit, please.
(SCOFFS)
Ah, good.
Welcome. Have a seat.
Let the wheels of
restorative justice roll.
Choo-choo!
TOM: Thanks, Fiona.
I don't understand what you want me to do.
Well, these things normally kick off
with the victim -- that's you --
telling the offenders -- them --
in your own words, how the crime
has impacted upon your life.
It bloody pissed me off,
is how it's impacted me.
I was hoping for something a
bit more constructive than that.
They broke into my home!
They have to be punished.
Is that constructive enough for you?
Come on, Bill. They didn't even
touch your stupid train set.
It's a model railway.
- That's not important.
- It is to me!
I mean in the bigger picture.
The bigger picture is there's
now pictures of my model railway
all over, invading my privacy.
How's that for 'impact'?
- Showing what you're up to.
- Shay!
They're little models on a
bigger model, that's all.
Until they turn into real buildings
in a real town, that's all.
It's not a crime to have dreams, son.
Breaking into a man's home,
vandalising company
property -- those are crimes.
ZAC: Has any of this been proven yet?
Last time I checked, no-one
pled guilty to anything.
I bloody walked in on them, Zac!
And maybe they just
popped round to your place
to let you know that some bugger
had vandalised your precious sign again.
- Oh, no, that was us too.
- Shay, don't.
Why not? Might as well
own up to everything.
It's over anyway.
Yep.
Yeah, we did it.
BIG MAC: And you know it's been
vandalised again, don't you?
"Free shake" -- I mean,
what's that supposed to mean?
Is that a joke at the
expense of old people?
It's their celebrity couple name.
Their what?
Shay and Ike -- 'Shake'.
Like 'Brangelina' or 'Kimye'.
We are not a couple.
I'm treating it as a copycat crime.
- (ZAC LAUGHS)
- Oh, this is funny, is it, Zac?
Come on, Mac -- it's two
kids doing dumb stuff
for something they believe in,
it's not the end of the world.
Oh, that's excellent parenting.
What about you, George?
You're sitting there saying
not very much for a change.
What have you got to say
on behalf of your family?
I'll pick you up after school.
- I can get the bus home.
- No, I'll come get you.
Don't you trust me to get
home without breaking the law?
I don't know. You tell me.
Because once upon a time
I thought I knew you,
but now I have no idea who you are.
- I'm still the same me, Dad.
- Really?
Because I've just found out
all this stuff happening behind my back.
Did I give up the right to a
life when you dragged us here?
Don't you dare use that as an excuse
for the choices you've made!
Oh, I have no excuses, Dad.
I am guilty as charged, on all fronts...
.. so let the punishment rain down.
(WOODY SINGS) ♪ So take my
hand and I'll lead you back
♪ To the other side
♪ Get yourself into a better place... ♪
- Woody?
- ♪ And live your life... ♪
(YELLS) Woody!
Oh, hey, George.
Hope you don't mind me
sitting in your chair.
Just wanted to feel what it was
like on the throne of words.
- Much like any other chair.
- Yeah.
Exactly what I realised.
Not a good work day today, Woody.
Exactly why work is the
last reason I'm here.
- Oh, unless you want to.
- No.
- And no surfing either.
- Nah. Me either.
- Not unless you want to.
- No.
- So why are you here?
- Oh, for you, mate.
Anything you need.
Hey, how did that, um,
restoration thingy go?
How it went was that I sat there, Woody,
thinking I should say something, anything,
and when I actually needed to speak...
What about you, George?
You're saying not very much for a change.
What do you say on behalf of your family?
All I could think of was how much I wished
it was Laura, not me, in that room.
Yeah. Because of her being a lawyer.
No, because she would have known
exactly the right thing to say.
What about you?
What have you got to say
on behalf of your family?
What have I got to say?
For starters, you need
to pull your head in,
stop getting all pompous on it.
Yes, Shay broke the law
and she will own that and she
will face the consequences.
But quite frankly, a grown
man playing with toy trains,
building his little model dream town?
If you're getting a hard time,
mate, you brought it on yourself.
Come on, we're leaving.
And you would do very well
to stay far away from my girl.
Yep. Yes, Mrs Turner. I'm sorry.
Yeah.
Unfortunately it was me.
What have you got to say
on behalf of your family?
Um, well, I mean obviously
I'm catching up on everything,
and, uh, there's a lot to take in.
- What was the decision, then?
- There wasn't one.
Thanks for wasting my time.
And then everyone left.
And I took my frustrations out on Shay
when I dropped her off at school.
Did you know?
Uh, about which bit?
Any of it.
About the civil disobedience campaign, no.
What about the other bit?
The, uh...
.. you know?
Yeah, the 'you know' that I didn't know.
- I thought you did know.
- So you did know?
No! Yes. Well, no.
I mean, I had a feeling
when I saw him sneaking
out of here one day.
Here? They were doing it here?
I can't say that for certain.
I just saw him coming
from the side of the house.
Yeah, from Shay's room.
If it helps, whatever was happening then,
it's clearly not happening now.
I feel like a visitor,
Woody, in my own life,
that I've only just woken
up to the real world.
- God, I'm an idiot.
- No, you're not an idiot.
No, no, yes, I am.
OK, well, look, I'll just hang here.
(CAR DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES)
Hey.
Sign at the studio said you were here.
I know. I wrote it.
- How are you?
- Oh, I've been better.
You had the thing this morning, right?
Yeah.
How did that go? How's Shay?
I have no actual idea how Shay is,
apart from being pissed
off with the world,
which only adds to the feeling
that I've been living under a
rock this whole bloody time.
- How long was it going on for?
- I don't know.
- How long have you known?
- Does it matter?
It does. I'm her father,
I have a right to know.
Shay has a right to a private life.
- She's only 17.
- Exactly. She's 17.
The best thing I could do
was advise her to tell you.
Which she didn't.
It's not entirely surprising.
Well, it was to me.
Pretty much everything is
surprising to me these days.
Have you spoken to her about it?
Words... have been exchanged...
I don't want to talk about it!
- I never want to talk about it!
- Shay...
There's no point in us talking about it
because you won't understand.
(YELLS) I said I'm not talking about it!
The thing is, I realised
that I can handle Arlo.
But Shay...
.. Shay was always Laura territory.
Mothers and daughters.
Yeah. Exactly.
The one thing I can never be to her.
- Did Dad send you?
- What?
To check I'm actually at school.
No.
What are you doing?
- I'm coming with you.
- Why?
As company?
A friendly face?
Haven't you heard? I've got a
whole new bunch of friends now.
They've even got name badges in my honour.
How neat is that (?)
OK, well, how's about
for protection, then?
OK, first thing -- I'm not
the one who needs protecting.
And second -- if I did,
I wouldn't choose you.
ARLO: Gee, thanks.
You ever gonna talk to me again?
- Wasn't planning on it.
- Come on, Shay.
I'm not really sure what I did wrong here,
apart from, you know, not
realising that I was your first.
Go away.
You've got a whole new bunch of fans now,
just dying to be the next
conquest of the great Ike.
You were never a conquest.
Yet strangely I felt like one.
Shay, can I have a word?
- I've got a class.
- Yeah, mine. We can be late.
So, how are you coping?
OK.
Is there anything I can do to help?
Sorry, isn't this where you
give me the official hard word
for bringing the school
into disrepute or whatever?
Oh, we have other people for that.
No, this is me asking you
if there's anything I can do to help.
- Because of Dad?
- No. Because of you.
Look, all I'm saying is I
know what you're going through.
I don't think you do.
The outsider everyone looks at,
going, "That's her, she's the one,"
until you just want to disappear.
I've been there.
And if you want someone to talk
to, you can come to me, OK?
We should get to class.
- Mr Turner?
- Oh, hi, Siouxsie.
Can you tell your
daughter she's my new hero?
- No, I won't tell her that.
- You should. Because she is.
Why don't you tell her yourself?
I don't talk to blondes.
Shouldn't you be on the
other side of this thing?
I'm the black sheep of
my family, just like Shay.
'Saturday'. Jan's phone.
- Is Jan there?
- No. Is that George?
Hi, Noah. Is she around?
No, no, she's not.
When will she be back in?
I was just about to call you, actually.
You guys talk -- like,
you're friends or something.
We are friends.
So she didn't call you
about the restructuring?
What restructuring?
The whole magazine's getting a makeover,
breathing some life into this dinosaur.
Not before time.
And she's not happy about
it, and now she's gone AWOL
and the whole management team's
looking at me like it's my fault. (LAUGHS)
Nightmare.
Alright, Noah, when she gets in,
could you get her to call me?
It'll be top of my to-do list.
Keegan!
(RECORDING) Hi, it's Jan.
Please leave a message.
Hi. It's George.
Could you call me when you get this?
I just need a friendly voice
to speak to right now.
For God's sake.
Will they have to go to trial?
I honestly don't know.
They tagged a sign
and got caught playing 'Scooby-Doo'.
- Who cares?
- I really wish you'd told me.
Dad, the first rule of teen survival
is don't dob on your older sister.
But I did tell her to tell you.
Yeah, you and everyone
else. So why didn't she?
Because it was her thing
and no-one else's.
How could I not know?
Because dads always look away
when it comes to their
daughters, don't they?
FIONA: Knock-knock!
- Fiona.
- Hi.
- I brought you this.
- Let me guess...
GEORGE AND ARLO: Lasagne?
Yes.
What?
Oh, it's just that after Laura died,
people bought us food offerings
and usually it was lasagne.
I'm sorry.
Right, well... (SIGHS)
.. sorry for bringing cliched food.
No, no, honestly, it's much appreciated.
Yeah, no, I'll take that. Thank you.
Would you like a glass of wine?
Ah, I'm fine, thanks.
I was actually just
wondering if Shay was here.
Yeah, she's in her room.
Theoretically she's in her room.
Actually I'm here.
How can I help?
I'm more wondering how I can help you.
- Why would you want to help me?
- Shay!
What, is that not a fair question?
It's fine, George.
Look, it...
.. can't be easy for
you without your mum...
Oh, are you offering to take her place?
Shay, knock it off!
Not at all.
No, I just know what it's like
to be on the wrong side of the McNamaras.
Trust me, they can hold
a grudge for years.
Do you think I actually
care about the McNamaras
and whatever side I'm on with them?
I did what I did because I wanted to.
Let's leave it at that, eh?
Knock-knock. It's just me.
- What are you doing here?
- I came to see Shay.
Yeah, but, I mean, who's
looking after the club?
- Monty.
- What?!
(MEN CHANT) Monty, Monty, Monty, Monty...
MAN: Whoo-hoo!
He'll be fine.
The offer still stands.
- The answer still stands.
- Right.
(SIGHS) Whatever.
So, I hear you're the queen of
the Weld criminal underworld.
Something like that.
Cool.
No, not cool.
Anyway, I came to see if you wanted a job.
- Doing...?
- Well, at the surf shop.
I want to cut back my hours.
Is this you trying to make me
do something more productive with my life?
This is me trying to get you
to do something in this dead-end town.
Other than vandalising it?
Other than being a sad-arse about it.
Thanks, but surfing is
Dad's thing, not mine.
It's working in a shop.
Yeah, but it helps if you're interested
in what the store sells, don't you think?
Fine. I was just trying to help.
I know. Thanks.
Keep stirring the lasagne.
It's risotto.
What the hell is wrong with you?
Oh, apart from being a
slut and a criminal?
- Being so rude to these people.
- You mean your girlfriends?
- Oh, don't start that again.
- Why not?
It's true -- them trying to play mum.
That's for you, Dad, not me.
They're being nice, doing you a favour!
No, they're trying to do you a favour,
helping you deal with
your delinquent daughter.
Give it a rest!
Do you want to alienate everyone
here just to prove a point?
"See how horrible this place is, Dad?
"See how everyone here hates me?"
Is that your grand plan?
I don't have a grand plan, Dad.
Now, I'd like to be alone, if that's OK.
LAURA: (Hey.)
(He doesn't get it.)
He doesn't get it.
(SIGHS)
(PHONE RINGS)
Where the hell have you been?
I've been here is where I've been,
trying to keep the ship afloat.
- What do you want, Noah?
- Your column.
Any chance you could
rustle one up, like now-ish?
Why? It's not due for a few more days.
NOAH: Let me put it this way --
you'd be doing yourself a real big favour.
Why?
NOAH: Well, between you and me,
apparently Jan had this huge falling-out
with the managing editor
and now she's tossed her
handbag and gone bush,
not answering anyone's calls.
But the thing is, George,
with her gone you've
lost your number-one fan.
So?
So the restructuring team are
culling, if you get my drift.
Well, the thing is, Noah,
my column is the last thing on
my mind, if you get my drift.
So if you want to cull, then you cull,
because everything else in
my life has turned to shit.
Why should my column be any different?
(TEXT MESSAGE ALERT CHIMES)
(ALERT CHIMES)
SONG: ♪ A place that's holding no virtues
♪ Where everything is in misuse
♪ If I could only get out of... ♪
- (ALERT CHIMES)
- ♪ .. this town now
♪ A place that's holding no virtues
♪ Where everything is in misuse
♪ If I could only get out of this town now
♪ A place that's holding no virtues...
♪ Hearts of fire
♪ Feels like
♪ We desire
♪ Light
♪ A place that's holding no virtue...
♪ Hearts of fire
♪ Feels like
♪ We desire
♪ Light
♪ All I'm wanting now
♪ Is a break, oh
♪ Then wipe your eyes
♪ And start again
♪ It's an open ending, open ending
♪ Lights are filled with fire
♪ Come take it in
- ♪ It's an open ending... ♪
- (TEXT MESSAGE ALERT CHIMES)
♪ Hearts of fire
♪ Feels like we desire... ♪
- You crazy girl.
- ♪ Life
♪ Hearts of fire... ♪
Right, are we getting the bus or what?
(KNOCK AT DOOR)
TOM: Hello?
GEORGE: Constable Tom.
TOM: George. Mind if I come in?
Sure.
Uh, I don't know if you heard
the siren go off last night.
No.
It was late -- you were
probably all asleep
when the contentious billboard burnt down.
This was found in the wreckage.
Fairly standard petrol can.
You can buy them at the
hardware store over at Stafford.
In a way I'm not sad that bloody
billboard's finally gone --
bane of my life.
I'm just hoping that's the end of it, eh?
Well, I'll let you folks
get on with your day.
- I need your daughter.
- You do?
I did her a favour once.
It's time for some payback.
You know the favour I'm
talking about, right?
I was just taking her to school.
I thought she could skip school today,
especially on the day
everyone's talking about
how the billboard burnt down.
- School or me -- your choice.
- You.
- You cool with that?
- Yeah, sure.
Climb in. You too, Arlo.
I'll drop you at school on the way.
Give your dad some peace and quiet, eh?
- On the way to where?
- You'll see.
Catch you later, George.
BILLY: Wait till you see the
billboard. It's totally trashed.
- It's awesome.
- Not awesome, Billy.
But didn't you say last ni...
No, it's not awesome, Billy.
- Why was Constable Tom here?
- Shut up, Billy.
(PHONE RINGS)
- Hello?
- NOAH: George.
Glad I caught you before you started doing
whatever it is you do over there.
Look, if they want to
cull me, just cull me.
The thing is, mate, turns out
a lot of people like you.
They like what you do and
they want you to stay on.
Fine. Well, what's the problem, then?
NOAH: It's just a couple
of the boys upstairs.
I need to give them something
to get you across the line.
What line?
NOAH: The line you need
to cross to keep your job.
Has Jan shown up yet?
NOAH: Oh, forget Jan.
She is missing, presumed unemployed.
(CLEARS THROAT) This is about you deciding
whether you wish to join
her on the scrap heap.
George, I know this is crap
but it's over to you if
you want to play the game.
You do like writing your
column, right, George?
Then do yourself a favour
and whack one out today.
And make it bold -- not
your usual navel gazing.
You know, we're thinking bold now,
so let's put a rocket up it, eh?
Hello?
Are you still there?
Yeah, yeah, I'm still here.
And OK.
GEORGE: "People think they
know me through this column,
"that somehow this is an
accurate representation
"of my life.
"It isn't.
"It never has been.
"Until now."
KATIE: Your dad's a
pretty good guy, you know.
SHAY: I'm aware what you think of him.
Not what I think that matters.
It's what you think that
we're here to talk about.
He's trying to understand you.
I know.
And you think you do?
I think I'm better at it than he is.
But then he's at a disadvantage
because he's a bloke.
While he may not always get it right,
his heart's in the right place.
Yeah, his heart definitely
is in the right place.
- But mine isn't.
- It could be.
Not anymore.
I don't fit in here and I can't disappear.
Everyone thinks they know me,
everyone having an attitude about me.
Everyone who tries to be my friend
when I don't know what I
actually mean to them.
Can you drop this, please?
I don't really want to
talk about it with you.
So talk about it with George.
When I'm ready, I will.
All I wanted to hear. Come on.
- Where to now?
- Stafford.
Denis is earning me a freakin' fortune,
selling his art to the Eurotrash set.
You can help me spend my guilt money.
(PANTS)
Hello?
(PHONE RINGS)
Aunty Jan?
NOAH: No. Who's this?
Arlo. Who's this?
Noah. I'm sure your dad's mentioned me.
Nope.
Never mind. Uh, hey, is he there?
Uh, no.
NOAH: OK. Cool.
Uh, just called to let him
know everyone loved it.
- Loved what?
- His column.
What, the last one?
Today's one, about your sister.
Sorry?
Anyway, just let him
know I trimmed it a bit
but everyone loves it here.
Brutally honest stuff.
Wait, so it's not actually 800 words?
I know it's called '800 Words',
but, come on, who's crazy
enough to count the words?
Well, he does.
Yeah, he'll be cool.
- Uh, can you get him to call me?
- (HANGS UP)
Hey.
If you're going to live here,
you may as well enjoy it.
I get that.
- You need anything, call me.
- Will do.
Hey.
Congratulations, top work.
What have I done now?
Only sent Dad screaming
over the edge, that's all.
GEORGE: "This is a letter
to my daughter, Shay,
"from a father who no longer
knows how to talk to you,
"and who seems to be getting
it wrong at every turn
"no matter what he does.
"This is a letter to say that I know
"I can never replace your mother,
"no matter how hard I try.
"And the harder I try, the
worse I seem to make it.
"Your mother's gone, and we
both have to live with that.
"This is a letter to my daughter...
".. asking you to talk to me...
".. to tell me what's
going on inside that...
".. that wonderful,
remarkable mind of yours."
Hello.
How was your day with Katie?
- What was the one rule, Dad?
- What?
"The true reason I brought
you here was the ghosts.
"All over Sydney there were
ghosts of your mother --
"the places we'd been, the
things we'd done as a family.
"I couldn't live with those ghosts...
".. so I had to escape them.
"The problem...
".. I realise now, is
that ghosts follow you.
"And I can't compete with
your mother's ghost...
".. not unless you tell me how.
When you started writing your column,
what was the one rule we agreed on?
Oh, that wasn't so much a
'rule' as a 'guideline'.
No, they were and still are rules!
What was the rule, Dad?
"If I am to use you as a source
material I must do so obliquely.
"I must not use your name or
include any embarrassing stuff
"that could be traced back to you directly
"and cause you social death."
You broke every bit of that rule.
You took everything that's happened --
you took Shay's private story --
and put it out there for the world!
She was in tears, Dad.
- Yeah.
- See?
Because I love it.
What?
- Really?
- Yeah.
Just reading it written out like that,
it helped me make my mind
up about a lot of things.
Like what?
It doesn't matter.
The point is, I know you're not Mum,
and you should never have to be her.
So does that mean we can...
.. you know, talk about stuff now?
Not quite yet.
But we will.
(UPBEAT ROCK MUSIC)
We can catch the bus to school.
You don't have to go to
school if you don't want to.
Nah, I had a day off yesterday.
Can't hide here all my life. (CHUCKLES)
Come on, weirdo.
- GEORGE: Got your lunch?
- Nah, I'm all good.
Want me to pick you up after school?
No, do what you need to do.
Go surfing.
Oh, and if you see any of your
lady friends, tell them thanks.
Tell Katie she really helped.
Yeah, I... will do.
ARLO: OK, how come you're
suddenly the queen of serene?
I just figured there's no point
in fighting everything, eh?
No, you can't seriously be
OK with that column, right?
I'm perfectly fine with it.
What are you doing?
SONG: ♪ More-or-ore
♪ Now I miss you
♪ More-or-ore
♪ Now I miss you more
♪ More-or-ore
♪ Now I miss you
♪ More-or-ore
♪ Now I miss you... ♪
(RECORDING) Hi, it's Jan.
Please leave a message.
OK, I am getting seriously worried now.
Please call me.
(PHONE RINGS)
- Hello?
- George.
GEORGE: Hi, Tracey.
I don't know if we need to be concerned,
but Shay hasn't turned
up for school today.
Well, she left here with Arlo.
Yeah, he's here with me.
But apparently at the bus
stop she took off with Ike.
What do you mean when you say "took off"?
On his motorbike.
And he hasn't turned up for school either.
OK, thanks, Tracey.
I'll take it from here.
If she turns up, I'll let you know.
(DIALS ON PHONE)
(RECORDING) This is Shay.
I'll get back to you.
They're not in there. I
checked when school phoned.
But by all means, check again.
- Where else might they be?
- Mate, I have no idea.
- Anything. Anything at all.
- Dunno.
Maybe the place that
started all this hoo-ha.
(VAN DOOR SLIDES)
Woody!
George!
Katie's got me making
the dunnies habitable for the shindig.
- Have you seen Shay?
- In the dunnies?
- Anywhere.
- No, mate, not today!
She and Ike have taken off!
Young lovers on the run?
Yeah, maybe something like that.
Well, look, if I see them I'll sing out!
- Thanks.
- No worries.
How long have they been gone?
- They didn't turn up at school.
- Not long, then.
No, but given recent events...
They're probably just
patching up their relationship.
That's not making me feel any better.
She could do a lot worse
around here, believe me.
Again, not making me feel any better.
Was there anything she
said about this yesterday?
No.
Please don't cover for her again.
I'm not. And I wouldn't,
not in this situation.
OK, OK. I'm sorry.
Go home, wait there.
I'll rattle the kumara vine.
If I hear anything, I'll let you know.
I'm not gonna sit around feeling useless.
I've done enough of that.
So, why would she be here?
You offered her a job,
someone to talk to...
Which she didn't exactly
greet with open arms.
Yeah, you're clutching
at straws there, George.
Go home. She'll come back.
If you like, I'll tell you
places I used to take boys...
Go home. She'll come
back when she's ready.
Yeah, thanks anyway.
Hey, George, great piece today.
What... what piece?
Got a Google alert -- tells me
every time your name pops up.
My column is in the weekend paper.
Not this one. But lovely work.
Reminded me again of how I felt
when my beloved Norma popped her clogs.
But then, my kids aren't
a patch on your girl, eh?
Thanks, Dad.
If you don't want my disappointment,
make me bloody proud of you.
- Pasta?
- Scallops.
Hey, George, if you ever
want to talk, just yell out.
- I'm there for you.
- You are?
- Solo dads.
- Oh.
Teenage girls and all the
nightmares it entails.
But there's joy.
There's always joy as well.
Thanks, Monty.
- Hey, do you play lawn bowls?
- Uh, no.
I find talking and lawn bowls
a very pleasurable combination.
You didn't tell me you
were running it today.
Everyone loved it so much --
the honesty, the plea for help.
People were crying in the office.
So they ran it in the Opinion section
as a taster of where
your column is heading.
But it's not heading there.
It was a one-time thing.
We can talk about that.
And we need another column by Monday.
George, I'm sorry, but
if I dropped everything
every time a couple of kids
wag school for the day,
quite frankly, round here, I'd
have no time for anything else.
She is not wagging school.
You know this for a fact?
Look, even with everything
going on, this is not like her.
I'll tell you what, George --
I'll take a bit of a drive
round the usual places
I catch couples... courting...
.. and if I find her, I'll let you know.
But until then, the best
thing you can do is...
Go home. Yeah, I know.
Nice, nice.
Shay? Shay?
Hey. She turned up yet?
Nah.
- KATIE: Anything?
- Nah.
I've looked everywhere,
asked everyone I can think
of, left messages...
How's the kumara vine?
Silent, I'm afraid.
FIONA: Zac, I don't care what
sob story he gives you --
if that boy shows up,
you call me the moment
he walks in the door, OK?
Good.
Still no sign of Ike.
I gathered that.
Hey, Dad?
Look what I found in Shay's room.
(PHONE RINGS)
- Shay?
- SHAY: Hi, Dad.
Where the hell are you?
SHAY: The first thing I need
to say is I really love you.
I love you too. Where are you?
And I need to say I'm sorry.
- For everything.
- GEORGE: Look, that's fine.
Just tell me where you are. Is Ike there?
No, and this has nothing
to do with him anymore
so please don't take it out on him.
Shay, where are you?
In Sydney.
At Grandpa and Grandma's house.
I made Ike drive me to the airport
and bought a ticket online with your card
but I swear I will pay you back.
Jesus, how long have
you been planning this?
I haven't.
It just happened, OK?
I'd been thinking about it ever since...
.. everything.
And then I read what
you wrote and I decided.
It's what I needed to do, Dad.
And I loved what you wrote, honestly.
About the ghosts being why you left.
Why we left.
Well, your ghosts are my memories,
and I need those to live.
Otherwise Mum dies every day for me.
Did Roger and Trish put you up to this?
No, they had nothing to do with it.
Can you just stop being
all Dad about it, please?
And how long are you planning to be there?
I'm so sorry, Dad.
I tried, I swear, but I can't live there.
I need the ghosts.
You can't live with them...
.. I don't see any other way.
George, it's Trish.
Now, I'm sure you get how
hard this is for Shay
and she's had a hell day...
As we all have, Trish.
So maybe we should just
pick this up tomorrow.
That'd be good.
I just want to speak to my
daughter and say goodnight.
Of course.
(Your dad wants to say
goodnight, darling.)
I love you, Shay...
.. no matter what you
do or where you are, OK?
I know.
She's in Sydney.
Says she's not coming back.
Oh, God. I am so sorry.
(KNOCKING AT DOOR)
OK, that was huge mistake.
I almost died wheeling this
thing up the bloody driveway.
More fool me for getting the taxi
to drop me at the bottom of the drive.
What?
SONG: ♪ War over water
♪ I ought to show you the way to the well
♪ From chaos to disorder
♪ In a town full of lumber
♪ Awaken from slumber to an ancient number
♪ That might still work
♪ That might still work
♪ But we're not running out of time... ♪
Come on.
Hey, Shay...
We're on your side, yeah?
He's on your side.
Let us help.
I don't need anyone's help.
I just want it all to go away, OK?
(MUSIC CONTINUES)
(CROWD SHOUTS ANGRILY)
Please, please, please!
Please keep it down!
Back to your home rooms, now!
- Just leave her alone.
- Sorry?
You heard me.
(WHISTLES SHARPLY) Oi!
You lot, get inside!
BEVAN: In you go.
Thanks for this, Fiona.
Yep, not a worry, Tom.
Normally I'd do this at the station,
but with this number of people...
Yep, you've said.
Everyone in my little office --
wouldn't help, you know, tension-wise.
I'm just gonna make
some tea and coffee, eh?
Beaut. Easy on the caffeine, though, eh?
Righto.
Good of you to come.
Didn't realise we had a choice.
You did, but it wouldn't look
good in the long run, eh?
If you say so, Tom.
Victim, reporting for duty.
Thanks for coming, Bill.
Hey. Why are you here?
- As a witness.
- It's not a trial. Go away.
Reporter, then, for the paper. Got a pen?
No reporters. No-one who
isn't directly involved.
Well, she's not directly involved.
It's her place and she's making the tea.
Don't worry about it.
Deal with those posters.
- I'll be outside if you need me. - No!
BIG MAC: What's the form?
We sit around, hold hands,
then the hugging begins?
No, no, not like that at all.
Have you seen this?
They're all over the place.
Yes, yes, I have seen them.
BIG MAC: Is this your doing?
Nah, not me.
But respect to them.
- What are you doing about it?
- First this, then that.
These are photographs of my
property, illegally taken.
Surely that's breaking some
law -- copyright or something.
All in good time, Bill.
Now, sit, please.
(SCOFFS)
Ah, good.
Welcome. Have a seat.
Let the wheels of
restorative justice roll.
Choo-choo!
TOM: Thanks, Fiona.
I don't understand what you want me to do.
Well, these things normally kick off
with the victim -- that's you --
telling the offenders -- them --
in your own words, how the crime
has impacted upon your life.
It bloody pissed me off,
is how it's impacted me.
I was hoping for something a
bit more constructive than that.
They broke into my home!
They have to be punished.
Is that constructive enough for you?
Come on, Bill. They didn't even
touch your stupid train set.
It's a model railway.
- That's not important.
- It is to me!
I mean in the bigger picture.
The bigger picture is there's
now pictures of my model railway
all over, invading my privacy.
How's that for 'impact'?
- Showing what you're up to.
- Shay!
They're little models on a
bigger model, that's all.
Until they turn into real buildings
in a real town, that's all.
It's not a crime to have dreams, son.
Breaking into a man's home,
vandalising company
property -- those are crimes.
ZAC: Has any of this been proven yet?
Last time I checked, no-one
pled guilty to anything.
I bloody walked in on them, Zac!
And maybe they just
popped round to your place
to let you know that some bugger
had vandalised your precious sign again.
- Oh, no, that was us too.
- Shay, don't.
Why not? Might as well
own up to everything.
It's over anyway.
Yep.
Yeah, we did it.
BIG MAC: And you know it's been
vandalised again, don't you?
"Free shake" -- I mean,
what's that supposed to mean?
Is that a joke at the
expense of old people?
It's their celebrity couple name.
Their what?
Shay and Ike -- 'Shake'.
Like 'Brangelina' or 'Kimye'.
We are not a couple.
I'm treating it as a copycat crime.
- (ZAC LAUGHS)
- Oh, this is funny, is it, Zac?
Come on, Mac -- it's two
kids doing dumb stuff
for something they believe in,
it's not the end of the world.
Oh, that's excellent parenting.
What about you, George?
You're sitting there saying
not very much for a change.
What have you got to say
on behalf of your family?
I'll pick you up after school.
- I can get the bus home.
- No, I'll come get you.
Don't you trust me to get
home without breaking the law?
I don't know. You tell me.
Because once upon a time
I thought I knew you,
but now I have no idea who you are.
- I'm still the same me, Dad.
- Really?
Because I've just found out
all this stuff happening behind my back.
Did I give up the right to a
life when you dragged us here?
Don't you dare use that as an excuse
for the choices you've made!
Oh, I have no excuses, Dad.
I am guilty as charged, on all fronts...
.. so let the punishment rain down.
(WOODY SINGS) ♪ So take my
hand and I'll lead you back
♪ To the other side
♪ Get yourself into a better place... ♪
- Woody?
- ♪ And live your life... ♪
(YELLS) Woody!
Oh, hey, George.
Hope you don't mind me
sitting in your chair.
Just wanted to feel what it was
like on the throne of words.
- Much like any other chair.
- Yeah.
Exactly what I realised.
Not a good work day today, Woody.
Exactly why work is the
last reason I'm here.
- Oh, unless you want to.
- No.
- And no surfing either.
- Nah. Me either.
- Not unless you want to.
- No.
- So why are you here?
- Oh, for you, mate.
Anything you need.
Hey, how did that, um,
restoration thingy go?
How it went was that I sat there, Woody,
thinking I should say something, anything,
and when I actually needed to speak...
What about you, George?
You're saying not very much for a change.
What do you say on behalf of your family?
All I could think of was how much I wished
it was Laura, not me, in that room.
Yeah. Because of her being a lawyer.
No, because she would have known
exactly the right thing to say.
What about you?
What have you got to say
on behalf of your family?
What have I got to say?
For starters, you need
to pull your head in,
stop getting all pompous on it.
Yes, Shay broke the law
and she will own that and she
will face the consequences.
But quite frankly, a grown
man playing with toy trains,
building his little model dream town?
If you're getting a hard time,
mate, you brought it on yourself.
Come on, we're leaving.
And you would do very well
to stay far away from my girl.
Yep. Yes, Mrs Turner. I'm sorry.
Yeah.
Unfortunately it was me.
What have you got to say
on behalf of your family?
Um, well, I mean obviously
I'm catching up on everything,
and, uh, there's a lot to take in.
- What was the decision, then?
- There wasn't one.
Thanks for wasting my time.
And then everyone left.
And I took my frustrations out on Shay
when I dropped her off at school.
Did you know?
Uh, about which bit?
Any of it.
About the civil disobedience campaign, no.
What about the other bit?
The, uh...
.. you know?
Yeah, the 'you know' that I didn't know.
- I thought you did know.
- So you did know?
No! Yes. Well, no.
I mean, I had a feeling
when I saw him sneaking
out of here one day.
Here? They were doing it here?
I can't say that for certain.
I just saw him coming
from the side of the house.
Yeah, from Shay's room.
If it helps, whatever was happening then,
it's clearly not happening now.
I feel like a visitor,
Woody, in my own life,
that I've only just woken
up to the real world.
- God, I'm an idiot.
- No, you're not an idiot.
No, no, yes, I am.
OK, well, look, I'll just hang here.
(CAR DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES)
Hey.
Sign at the studio said you were here.
I know. I wrote it.
- How are you?
- Oh, I've been better.
You had the thing this morning, right?
Yeah.
How did that go? How's Shay?
I have no actual idea how Shay is,
apart from being pissed
off with the world,
which only adds to the feeling
that I've been living under a
rock this whole bloody time.
- How long was it going on for?
- I don't know.
- How long have you known?
- Does it matter?
It does. I'm her father,
I have a right to know.
Shay has a right to a private life.
- She's only 17.
- Exactly. She's 17.
The best thing I could do
was advise her to tell you.
Which she didn't.
It's not entirely surprising.
Well, it was to me.
Pretty much everything is
surprising to me these days.
Have you spoken to her about it?
Words... have been exchanged...
I don't want to talk about it!
- I never want to talk about it!
- Shay...
There's no point in us talking about it
because you won't understand.
(YELLS) I said I'm not talking about it!
The thing is, I realised
that I can handle Arlo.
But Shay...
.. Shay was always Laura territory.
Mothers and daughters.
Yeah. Exactly.
The one thing I can never be to her.
- Did Dad send you?
- What?
To check I'm actually at school.
No.
What are you doing?
- I'm coming with you.
- Why?
As company?
A friendly face?
Haven't you heard? I've got a
whole new bunch of friends now.
They've even got name badges in my honour.
How neat is that (?)
OK, well, how's about
for protection, then?
OK, first thing -- I'm not
the one who needs protecting.
And second -- if I did,
I wouldn't choose you.
ARLO: Gee, thanks.
You ever gonna talk to me again?
- Wasn't planning on it.
- Come on, Shay.
I'm not really sure what I did wrong here,
apart from, you know, not
realising that I was your first.
Go away.
You've got a whole new bunch of fans now,
just dying to be the next
conquest of the great Ike.
You were never a conquest.
Yet strangely I felt like one.
Shay, can I have a word?
- I've got a class.
- Yeah, mine. We can be late.
So, how are you coping?
OK.
Is there anything I can do to help?
Sorry, isn't this where you
give me the official hard word
for bringing the school
into disrepute or whatever?
Oh, we have other people for that.
No, this is me asking you
if there's anything I can do to help.
- Because of Dad?
- No. Because of you.
Look, all I'm saying is I
know what you're going through.
I don't think you do.
The outsider everyone looks at,
going, "That's her, she's the one,"
until you just want to disappear.
I've been there.
And if you want someone to talk
to, you can come to me, OK?
We should get to class.
- Mr Turner?
- Oh, hi, Siouxsie.
Can you tell your
daughter she's my new hero?
- No, I won't tell her that.
- You should. Because she is.
Why don't you tell her yourself?
I don't talk to blondes.
Shouldn't you be on the
other side of this thing?
I'm the black sheep of
my family, just like Shay.
'Saturday'. Jan's phone.
- Is Jan there?
- No. Is that George?
Hi, Noah. Is she around?
No, no, she's not.
When will she be back in?
I was just about to call you, actually.
You guys talk -- like,
you're friends or something.
We are friends.
So she didn't call you
about the restructuring?
What restructuring?
The whole magazine's getting a makeover,
breathing some life into this dinosaur.
Not before time.
And she's not happy about
it, and now she's gone AWOL
and the whole management team's
looking at me like it's my fault. (LAUGHS)
Nightmare.
Alright, Noah, when she gets in,
could you get her to call me?
It'll be top of my to-do list.
Keegan!
(RECORDING) Hi, it's Jan.
Please leave a message.
Hi. It's George.
Could you call me when you get this?
I just need a friendly voice
to speak to right now.
For God's sake.
Will they have to go to trial?
I honestly don't know.
They tagged a sign
and got caught playing 'Scooby-Doo'.
- Who cares?
- I really wish you'd told me.
Dad, the first rule of teen survival
is don't dob on your older sister.
But I did tell her to tell you.
Yeah, you and everyone
else. So why didn't she?
Because it was her thing
and no-one else's.
How could I not know?
Because dads always look away
when it comes to their
daughters, don't they?
FIONA: Knock-knock!
- Fiona.
- Hi.
- I brought you this.
- Let me guess...
GEORGE AND ARLO: Lasagne?
Yes.
What?
Oh, it's just that after Laura died,
people bought us food offerings
and usually it was lasagne.
I'm sorry.
Right, well... (SIGHS)
.. sorry for bringing cliched food.
No, no, honestly, it's much appreciated.
Yeah, no, I'll take that. Thank you.
Would you like a glass of wine?
Ah, I'm fine, thanks.
I was actually just
wondering if Shay was here.
Yeah, she's in her room.
Theoretically she's in her room.
Actually I'm here.
How can I help?
I'm more wondering how I can help you.
- Why would you want to help me?
- Shay!
What, is that not a fair question?
It's fine, George.
Look, it...
.. can't be easy for
you without your mum...
Oh, are you offering to take her place?
Shay, knock it off!
Not at all.
No, I just know what it's like
to be on the wrong side of the McNamaras.
Trust me, they can hold
a grudge for years.
Do you think I actually
care about the McNamaras
and whatever side I'm on with them?
I did what I did because I wanted to.
Let's leave it at that, eh?
Knock-knock. It's just me.
- What are you doing here?
- I came to see Shay.
Yeah, but, I mean, who's
looking after the club?
- Monty.
- What?!
(MEN CHANT) Monty, Monty, Monty, Monty...
MAN: Whoo-hoo!
He'll be fine.
The offer still stands.
- The answer still stands.
- Right.
(SIGHS) Whatever.
So, I hear you're the queen of
the Weld criminal underworld.
Something like that.
Cool.
No, not cool.
Anyway, I came to see if you wanted a job.
- Doing...?
- Well, at the surf shop.
I want to cut back my hours.
Is this you trying to make me
do something more productive with my life?
This is me trying to get you
to do something in this dead-end town.
Other than vandalising it?
Other than being a sad-arse about it.
Thanks, but surfing is
Dad's thing, not mine.
It's working in a shop.
Yeah, but it helps if you're interested
in what the store sells, don't you think?
Fine. I was just trying to help.
I know. Thanks.
Keep stirring the lasagne.
It's risotto.
What the hell is wrong with you?
Oh, apart from being a
slut and a criminal?
- Being so rude to these people.
- You mean your girlfriends?
- Oh, don't start that again.
- Why not?
It's true -- them trying to play mum.
That's for you, Dad, not me.
They're being nice, doing you a favour!
No, they're trying to do you a favour,
helping you deal with
your delinquent daughter.
Give it a rest!
Do you want to alienate everyone
here just to prove a point?
"See how horrible this place is, Dad?
"See how everyone here hates me?"
Is that your grand plan?
I don't have a grand plan, Dad.
Now, I'd like to be alone, if that's OK.
LAURA: (Hey.)
(He doesn't get it.)
He doesn't get it.
(SIGHS)
(PHONE RINGS)
Where the hell have you been?
I've been here is where I've been,
trying to keep the ship afloat.
- What do you want, Noah?
- Your column.
Any chance you could
rustle one up, like now-ish?
Why? It's not due for a few more days.
NOAH: Let me put it this way --
you'd be doing yourself a real big favour.
Why?
NOAH: Well, between you and me,
apparently Jan had this huge falling-out
with the managing editor
and now she's tossed her
handbag and gone bush,
not answering anyone's calls.
But the thing is, George,
with her gone you've
lost your number-one fan.
So?
So the restructuring team are
culling, if you get my drift.
Well, the thing is, Noah,
my column is the last thing on
my mind, if you get my drift.
So if you want to cull, then you cull,
because everything else in
my life has turned to shit.
Why should my column be any different?
(TEXT MESSAGE ALERT CHIMES)
(ALERT CHIMES)
SONG: ♪ A place that's holding no virtues
♪ Where everything is in misuse
♪ If I could only get out of... ♪
- (ALERT CHIMES)
- ♪ .. this town now
♪ A place that's holding no virtues
♪ Where everything is in misuse
♪ If I could only get out of this town now
♪ A place that's holding no virtues...
♪ Hearts of fire
♪ Feels like
♪ We desire
♪ Light
♪ A place that's holding no virtue...
♪ Hearts of fire
♪ Feels like
♪ We desire
♪ Light
♪ All I'm wanting now
♪ Is a break, oh
♪ Then wipe your eyes
♪ And start again
♪ It's an open ending, open ending
♪ Lights are filled with fire
♪ Come take it in
- ♪ It's an open ending... ♪
- (TEXT MESSAGE ALERT CHIMES)
♪ Hearts of fire
♪ Feels like we desire... ♪
- You crazy girl.
- ♪ Life
♪ Hearts of fire... ♪
Right, are we getting the bus or what?
(KNOCK AT DOOR)
TOM: Hello?
GEORGE: Constable Tom.
TOM: George. Mind if I come in?
Sure.
Uh, I don't know if you heard
the siren go off last night.
No.
It was late -- you were
probably all asleep
when the contentious billboard burnt down.
This was found in the wreckage.
Fairly standard petrol can.
You can buy them at the
hardware store over at Stafford.
In a way I'm not sad that bloody
billboard's finally gone --
bane of my life.
I'm just hoping that's the end of it, eh?
Well, I'll let you folks
get on with your day.
- I need your daughter.
- You do?
I did her a favour once.
It's time for some payback.
You know the favour I'm
talking about, right?
I was just taking her to school.
I thought she could skip school today,
especially on the day
everyone's talking about
how the billboard burnt down.
- School or me -- your choice.
- You.
- You cool with that?
- Yeah, sure.
Climb in. You too, Arlo.
I'll drop you at school on the way.
Give your dad some peace and quiet, eh?
- On the way to where?
- You'll see.
Catch you later, George.
BILLY: Wait till you see the
billboard. It's totally trashed.
- It's awesome.
- Not awesome, Billy.
But didn't you say last ni...
No, it's not awesome, Billy.
- Why was Constable Tom here?
- Shut up, Billy.
(PHONE RINGS)
- Hello?
- NOAH: George.
Glad I caught you before you started doing
whatever it is you do over there.
Look, if they want to
cull me, just cull me.
The thing is, mate, turns out
a lot of people like you.
They like what you do and
they want you to stay on.
Fine. Well, what's the problem, then?
NOAH: It's just a couple
of the boys upstairs.
I need to give them something
to get you across the line.
What line?
NOAH: The line you need
to cross to keep your job.
Has Jan shown up yet?
NOAH: Oh, forget Jan.
She is missing, presumed unemployed.
(CLEARS THROAT) This is about you deciding
whether you wish to join
her on the scrap heap.
George, I know this is crap
but it's over to you if
you want to play the game.
You do like writing your
column, right, George?
Then do yourself a favour
and whack one out today.
And make it bold -- not
your usual navel gazing.
You know, we're thinking bold now,
so let's put a rocket up it, eh?
Hello?
Are you still there?
Yeah, yeah, I'm still here.
And OK.
GEORGE: "People think they
know me through this column,
"that somehow this is an
accurate representation
"of my life.
"It isn't.
"It never has been.
"Until now."
KATIE: Your dad's a
pretty good guy, you know.
SHAY: I'm aware what you think of him.
Not what I think that matters.
It's what you think that
we're here to talk about.
He's trying to understand you.
I know.
And you think you do?
I think I'm better at it than he is.
But then he's at a disadvantage
because he's a bloke.
While he may not always get it right,
his heart's in the right place.
Yeah, his heart definitely
is in the right place.
- But mine isn't.
- It could be.
Not anymore.
I don't fit in here and I can't disappear.
Everyone thinks they know me,
everyone having an attitude about me.
Everyone who tries to be my friend
when I don't know what I
actually mean to them.
Can you drop this, please?
I don't really want to
talk about it with you.
So talk about it with George.
When I'm ready, I will.
All I wanted to hear. Come on.
- Where to now?
- Stafford.
Denis is earning me a freakin' fortune,
selling his art to the Eurotrash set.
You can help me spend my guilt money.
(PANTS)
Hello?
(PHONE RINGS)
Aunty Jan?
NOAH: No. Who's this?
Arlo. Who's this?
Noah. I'm sure your dad's mentioned me.
Nope.
Never mind. Uh, hey, is he there?
Uh, no.
NOAH: OK. Cool.
Uh, just called to let him
know everyone loved it.
- Loved what?
- His column.
What, the last one?
Today's one, about your sister.
Sorry?
Anyway, just let him
know I trimmed it a bit
but everyone loves it here.
Brutally honest stuff.
Wait, so it's not actually 800 words?
I know it's called '800 Words',
but, come on, who's crazy
enough to count the words?
Well, he does.
Yeah, he'll be cool.
- Uh, can you get him to call me?
- (HANGS UP)
Hey.
If you're going to live here,
you may as well enjoy it.
I get that.
- You need anything, call me.
- Will do.
Hey.
Congratulations, top work.
What have I done now?
Only sent Dad screaming
over the edge, that's all.
GEORGE: "This is a letter
to my daughter, Shay,
"from a father who no longer
knows how to talk to you,
"and who seems to be getting
it wrong at every turn
"no matter what he does.
"This is a letter to say that I know
"I can never replace your mother,
"no matter how hard I try.
"And the harder I try, the
worse I seem to make it.
"Your mother's gone, and we
both have to live with that.
"This is a letter to my daughter...
".. asking you to talk to me...
".. to tell me what's
going on inside that...
".. that wonderful,
remarkable mind of yours."
Hello.
How was your day with Katie?
- What was the one rule, Dad?
- What?
"The true reason I brought
you here was the ghosts.
"All over Sydney there were
ghosts of your mother --
"the places we'd been, the
things we'd done as a family.
"I couldn't live with those ghosts...
".. so I had to escape them.
"The problem...
".. I realise now, is
that ghosts follow you.
"And I can't compete with
your mother's ghost...
".. not unless you tell me how.
When you started writing your column,
what was the one rule we agreed on?
Oh, that wasn't so much a
'rule' as a 'guideline'.
No, they were and still are rules!
What was the rule, Dad?
"If I am to use you as a source
material I must do so obliquely.
"I must not use your name or
include any embarrassing stuff
"that could be traced back to you directly
"and cause you social death."
You broke every bit of that rule.
You took everything that's happened --
you took Shay's private story --
and put it out there for the world!
She was in tears, Dad.
- Yeah.
- See?
Because I love it.
What?
- Really?
- Yeah.
Just reading it written out like that,
it helped me make my mind
up about a lot of things.
Like what?
It doesn't matter.
The point is, I know you're not Mum,
and you should never have to be her.
So does that mean we can...
.. you know, talk about stuff now?
Not quite yet.
But we will.
(UPBEAT ROCK MUSIC)
We can catch the bus to school.
You don't have to go to
school if you don't want to.
Nah, I had a day off yesterday.
Can't hide here all my life. (CHUCKLES)
Come on, weirdo.
- GEORGE: Got your lunch?
- Nah, I'm all good.
Want me to pick you up after school?
No, do what you need to do.
Go surfing.
Oh, and if you see any of your
lady friends, tell them thanks.
Tell Katie she really helped.
Yeah, I... will do.
ARLO: OK, how come you're
suddenly the queen of serene?
I just figured there's no point
in fighting everything, eh?
No, you can't seriously be
OK with that column, right?
I'm perfectly fine with it.
What are you doing?
SONG: ♪ More-or-ore
♪ Now I miss you
♪ More-or-ore
♪ Now I miss you more
♪ More-or-ore
♪ Now I miss you
♪ More-or-ore
♪ Now I miss you... ♪
(RECORDING) Hi, it's Jan.
Please leave a message.
OK, I am getting seriously worried now.
Please call me.
(PHONE RINGS)
- Hello?
- George.
GEORGE: Hi, Tracey.
I don't know if we need to be concerned,
but Shay hasn't turned
up for school today.
Well, she left here with Arlo.
Yeah, he's here with me.
But apparently at the bus
stop she took off with Ike.
What do you mean when you say "took off"?
On his motorbike.
And he hasn't turned up for school either.
OK, thanks, Tracey.
I'll take it from here.
If she turns up, I'll let you know.
(DIALS ON PHONE)
(RECORDING) This is Shay.
I'll get back to you.
They're not in there. I
checked when school phoned.
But by all means, check again.
- Where else might they be?
- Mate, I have no idea.
- Anything. Anything at all.
- Dunno.
Maybe the place that
started all this hoo-ha.
(VAN DOOR SLIDES)
Woody!
George!
Katie's got me making
the dunnies habitable for the shindig.
- Have you seen Shay?
- In the dunnies?
- Anywhere.
- No, mate, not today!
She and Ike have taken off!
Young lovers on the run?
Yeah, maybe something like that.
Well, look, if I see them I'll sing out!
- Thanks.
- No worries.
How long have they been gone?
- They didn't turn up at school.
- Not long, then.
No, but given recent events...
They're probably just
patching up their relationship.
That's not making me feel any better.
She could do a lot worse
around here, believe me.
Again, not making me feel any better.
Was there anything she
said about this yesterday?
No.
Please don't cover for her again.
I'm not. And I wouldn't,
not in this situation.
OK, OK. I'm sorry.
Go home, wait there.
I'll rattle the kumara vine.
If I hear anything, I'll let you know.
I'm not gonna sit around feeling useless.
I've done enough of that.
So, why would she be here?
You offered her a job,
someone to talk to...
Which she didn't exactly
greet with open arms.
Yeah, you're clutching
at straws there, George.
Go home. She'll come back.
If you like, I'll tell you
places I used to take boys...
Go home. She'll come
back when she's ready.
Yeah, thanks anyway.
Hey, George, great piece today.
What... what piece?
Got a Google alert -- tells me
every time your name pops up.
My column is in the weekend paper.
Not this one. But lovely work.
Reminded me again of how I felt
when my beloved Norma popped her clogs.
But then, my kids aren't
a patch on your girl, eh?
Thanks, Dad.
If you don't want my disappointment,
make me bloody proud of you.
- Pasta?
- Scallops.
Hey, George, if you ever
want to talk, just yell out.
- I'm there for you.
- You are?
- Solo dads.
- Oh.
Teenage girls and all the
nightmares it entails.
But there's joy.
There's always joy as well.
Thanks, Monty.
- Hey, do you play lawn bowls?
- Uh, no.
I find talking and lawn bowls
a very pleasurable combination.
You didn't tell me you
were running it today.
Everyone loved it so much --
the honesty, the plea for help.
People were crying in the office.
So they ran it in the Opinion section
as a taster of where
your column is heading.
But it's not heading there.
It was a one-time thing.
We can talk about that.
And we need another column by Monday.
George, I'm sorry, but
if I dropped everything
every time a couple of kids
wag school for the day,
quite frankly, round here, I'd
have no time for anything else.
She is not wagging school.
You know this for a fact?
Look, even with everything
going on, this is not like her.
I'll tell you what, George --
I'll take a bit of a drive
round the usual places
I catch couples... courting...
.. and if I find her, I'll let you know.
But until then, the best
thing you can do is...
Go home. Yeah, I know.
Nice, nice.
Shay? Shay?
Hey. She turned up yet?
Nah.
- KATIE: Anything?
- Nah.
I've looked everywhere,
asked everyone I can think
of, left messages...
How's the kumara vine?
Silent, I'm afraid.
FIONA: Zac, I don't care what
sob story he gives you --
if that boy shows up,
you call me the moment
he walks in the door, OK?
Good.
Still no sign of Ike.
I gathered that.
Hey, Dad?
Look what I found in Shay's room.
(PHONE RINGS)
- Shay?
- SHAY: Hi, Dad.
Where the hell are you?
SHAY: The first thing I need
to say is I really love you.
I love you too. Where are you?
And I need to say I'm sorry.
- For everything.
- GEORGE: Look, that's fine.
Just tell me where you are. Is Ike there?
No, and this has nothing
to do with him anymore
so please don't take it out on him.
Shay, where are you?
In Sydney.
At Grandpa and Grandma's house.
I made Ike drive me to the airport
and bought a ticket online with your card
but I swear I will pay you back.
Jesus, how long have
you been planning this?
I haven't.
It just happened, OK?
I'd been thinking about it ever since...
.. everything.
And then I read what
you wrote and I decided.
It's what I needed to do, Dad.
And I loved what you wrote, honestly.
About the ghosts being why you left.
Why we left.
Well, your ghosts are my memories,
and I need those to live.
Otherwise Mum dies every day for me.
Did Roger and Trish put you up to this?
No, they had nothing to do with it.
Can you just stop being
all Dad about it, please?
And how long are you planning to be there?
I'm so sorry, Dad.
I tried, I swear, but I can't live there.
I need the ghosts.
You can't live with them...
.. I don't see any other way.
George, it's Trish.
Now, I'm sure you get how
hard this is for Shay
and she's had a hell day...
As we all have, Trish.
So maybe we should just
pick this up tomorrow.
That'd be good.
I just want to speak to my
daughter and say goodnight.
Of course.
(Your dad wants to say
goodnight, darling.)
I love you, Shay...
.. no matter what you
do or where you are, OK?
I know.
She's in Sydney.
Says she's not coming back.
Oh, God. I am so sorry.
(KNOCKING AT DOOR)
OK, that was huge mistake.
I almost died wheeling this
thing up the bloody driveway.
More fool me for getting the taxi
to drop me at the bottom of the drive.
What?