Episode 16 Redundancy!

Narrator It's a week since Andy left home. Since then quite a few things have happened. Peter apologised profusely to Arnold, who accepted the apologies very graciously indeed. Perhaps too graciously. Arnold seems strangely preoccupied, and he keeps on disappearing for a day or two at a time. Superbooks stopped asking for more and more information when Peter sent them a blunt telex asking them to stop wasting his time. He finished it by very pointedly telling them that he still had a business to run. Their business... Sheila is worried sick about Andy. Di is trying to console her. They're having lunch together at the Dog and Bone.

Di Cheer up, Sheila. He is a big boy now. He'll be OK.

Sheila I can't help worrying about him. I'm his mother after all.

Di Arnold says he'll be OK. He told me to tell you that he's sure Andy's all right.

Sheila Oh, Di. Words, words, words. What does Arnold know about it?

Di He loves Andy. He loves you and Peter. He… he understands things.

Sheila I'm sorry, Di. I know Arnold means well. It's just that...

Waiter Are you ready to order, Madam?

Sheila No, not yet. But I wouldn't mind another drink. How about you, Di?

Di You're on! Same again, please.

Waiter Two gin and tonics with ice and lemon?

Sheila Yes, please. As I was saying, Di, it's just that I'm his mother.

Di 'Flesh of my flesh and blood of my blood'? That sort of thing?

Sheila Well, yes. I guess so. And I miss him...

Di Yeh.

Sheila He's such a good boy, you know.

Di Agreed.

Sheila I don't know what got into him, selling those shares.

Di If he did. He did deny it, you know.

Sheila No, they were his shares, all right. We've got the details.

Di Really? That's funny...

Sheila Why?

Di Hmm. Arnold told me that Andy was completely innocent. You know, he...

Waiter Two gin and tonics. Ice and lemon. Would you like to order lunch now?

Sheila No, thanks. Not yet. We're waiting for somebody.

Di Cheers!

Sheila Cheers!

Di What was I saying. All, yes... Arnold thinks there's more to this than meets the eye.

Sheila Tell me more! You know, I don't trust those Americans. They smile at you and all the time they're...

Peter Hello, girls!

Di Hello.

Sheila Hello, Peter... What's the matter?

Peter The matter. Oh, nothing much... I've just been tired, sacked, kicked out.

Di Oh!

Sheila Oh, no.

Peter Yes. I've just been made redundant...

Narrator Well, Peter was very difficult with Dan and with Superbooks. So what did he expect? A promotion? Anyway, we'll soon see what happens... So far as I'm concerned, the main issue is: where is Andy? He's only a very young man – and he seems to have disappeared.

Episode 17 The Joys of Unemployment

Narrator It's now over a month since Peter was made redundant. In the meantime he and Sheila have received a couple of postcards from Andy: one from Manchester and another from Liverpool. Andy appears to be OK and still protests his innocence For Peter it's a very difficult time.

Sheila I must say it makes a change to have you help me do the shopping.

Peter The problem is going to be how to pay for it.

Sheila Oh, it's not that bad, Peter. I'll start work next week, and ...

Peter And I'll stay at home and play housewife.

Sheila Cheer up, Peter. You should soon get a good job.

Peter It's not very likely. I would if I could, but I can't.

Sheila Oh, come on! A man with your publishing experience?

Peter My experience isn't worth a damn. The industry's in recession.

Sheila But Bensons was doing very well...

Peter Yes. As a result of specialisation and good management. But we were the exception.

Sheila Is it really that bad?

Peter It's worse. There just aren't any jobs going.

Sheila But surely you can find something?

Peter I've tried. I'm still trying. But every time I apply I'm turned down.

Sheila Why, Peter?

Peter They all say the same thing. I'm overqualified for the position and wouldn't be happy in it.

Sheila I see. Yes. There may be some truth in it.

Peter There is. That's the problem. I'm used to running things my own way, not taking orders.

Sheila Something'll turn up, Peter.

Peter I honestly don't think so.

Sheila Oh, cheer up. It's so unlike you to be depressed.

Peter I'm worried about our finances, Sheila.

Sheila But you got a nice golden handshake when you left ...

Peter When I was kicked out, you mean.

Sheila OK. When you got the boot ...

Peter And it won't last all that long. There's the mortgage, Cynthia's school fees, ...

Sheila Oh, don't, Peter. We'll manage.

Peter Not if we don't face facts. We'll have to tighten our belts, love.

Sheila We'll cope, darling. Remember what your grandfather used to say: 'Every cloud has a silver lining.'

Peter And every silver lining has a bloody cloud!

Sheila Don't be so gloomy, Peter. It's so unlike you.

Peter I don't feel like me. But I'll get used to it, I suppose.

Sheila Oh? Used to what?

Peter To being unemployed ... and unemployable.

Narrator Peter sounds really fed up, doesn't he? To be honest, I can't say that I blame him. Things are not looking so good for him, to say the least.