"Ah!" "So that's where you got to!" "You said the food over your place was lousy." "Marty?" "Sports editor?" "!" "I jumped on the man!" "He didn't stand a chance." "What did you tell her, Marg?" "Nick!" "Like kissing my brother is not exactly how I recall it." "I just wanted to say thank you for yesterday." "If you kept your mouth shut a bit more often, you wouldn't need so much help." "There's an art exhibition in Indigo on Friday." "I was wondering if you'd like to come." "Yeah, I'd love to." "Are you doing anything tomorrow morning?" "(Knocks on door)" "Holly?" "(Shouting)" "Ooh!" " I got caught up." " The exhibition wasn't great anyway." " I'm sorry, Sean." " I've got to go." "My new business partner, Tim Price." "Louisa Atherton." "Gavin said you're interested in the editor's job." "Are you willing to put the work in?" "Meet the Echo's new Acting Editor." "I think we should move the level crossing accident to page three." "We've got to shame the government into those boom gates." "And that means that Fashion Forward can go to page 13." "Sounds good, but remember the layout's still fluid at this point." "If we get more advertisers on board..." "Oh, that's great!" "Then page six and seven for the menopause feature." " Location, location." " Argh!" "Marty!" "Watch out!" "It's not a very bright place to stand, is it?" "Louisa, Bob Knox is on the phone about the Working Horse  Tractor rally." " Again?" " Before you go, do you have any ideas for page one yet?" "Er..." "No, I haven't quite decided." "It'll be Evelyn Longbottom's retirement, surely." "She's 94, she's been the postmistress for 66 years!" "Vivien, Evelyn's no longer page one material." "Look, this is my fir..." "our first issue, yes?" "We have to show that the new Echo is moving forward." " Our survival depends on it." " So you say." "But you're hardly an experienced editor, are you, Louisa?" "♪ It's the oldest of tales" "♪ Lose the wind from your sails" "♪ I lay down in a bed of roses" "♪ I woke up lying on a bed of nails." "Look, I'm sorry you feel that way, Bob, but um..." "Vivien actually had no right to promise you a double page." "Yeah." "All I can do is six paragraphs and one picture." "OK." "Thanks for calling." "The Working Horse and Tractor rally has always had a double page." "(Groans)" "I don't know what Minna's gonna say about all this." "Well, Mum's not the editor is she, Vivien?" "Sean, we're almost out of embalming fluid!" "Sorry, Dad, I forgot to order it." "You've been all over the place lately, son." "What's on your mind?" "Nothing." "Don't be ridiculous, Louisa." "I've always found Vivien to be an invaluable team player, provided she feels her contribution's being appreciated." "Is she being appreciated?" "Come on, there." "Come on, Mussolini." "You have to feel like part of a team..." "Go on, Mussolini, go on." "...to be able to work on the team's behalf." " Yes, I know." "Holly, the door!" " Quick, Holly!" "Close the door." "Oh!" "I mean, why is Vivien being difficult anyway?" "She must be unhappy about something." "Well, yeah, there are certain modifications at the paper that she's having trouble processing." "What modifications?" "Mum, the Echo has to change." "Just like everything else." "Louisa, everything does not have to change!" "That's an argument put forward by people who think money's the be-all and end-all of everything." "No wonder Vivien's feeling out of sorts." "Vivien." "Vivien, I've been..." "I've been..." "I've been thinking about our um..." "Caring Caroline column, and um... how it's gonna be a very important part of the paper." "And um... what with you being a very er sensitive person," "I was just wondering if you would like to be Caring Caroline." "Me?" " But I wouldn't know what to write." " Oh, well, just just something really caring, like..." "Would you just shut up, please?" "Oh, it's all getting a bit hysterical in here." "I think we'll call a smoko." "I could murder a Chiko Roll." " Tim, we're going for a smoko, mate." " Something really..." " Vivien." " Just something..." "Could you just..." "Sorry." "Just something like er..." ""Dear Caring Caroline," "I have a big crush on my brother's best friend."" " I write the letters, too?" " Yes." "Yeah, yeah." "They're fictional." "But that's unethical." " Tim, do you condone this?" " I've always found ethics somewhat overrated." "I'm kidding." "I'm sure it's just..." "an interim thing, until the real letters start coming in." "(Sighs) I've got to write six stories this afternoon." "Right." "So listen, back to Tim." "Still no sign of a wife?" " No." " Marital status:" "Mysterious." "He strikes me as the kind who's been divorced twice." "Three times, actually." "Or so people think." "But er... between you and me, my second wife's under the floorboards." "Call that knock-off, Rooster." " Catch youse tomorrow." " See youse later." "You can't leave the office like this again!" "Yeah, it looks like a bomb hit it!" "It's a building site, ladies." "That's what they look like." " See you, Tim." "We're out of here." " Marty!" " Yup?" " Why is this mess still here?" " I want it cleaned up, now." " You got it, buddy." " No sweat, mate." " From the graphic designer." "Can you proofread them?" "The guy's grammar-challenged." " Oh, but there are so many." "I..." " Thanks, you're a star." " I'm a sucker is what I am." " Coffee anyone?" " Er..." "No, thanks." " Cappuccino, please." "Cch!" " Ruddy hell!" " Louisa." " What?" "Sorry, Vivien." "I mean... yes?" "I've written a reply to a Caring Caroline letter." "Oh!" "Really?" "Let's..." "let's hear it." "(Clears throat)" ""Dear Love-struck Lucy, it's hard always feeling invisible in men's eyes." "Don't wait for him to return your feelings, because he probably won't." "You should think about becoming actively involved in your community." "That goes a little way towards filling the hole."" "Oh, Vivien." "I need to put a semi-colon after "community"." "Can I have a bit of shush, please?" "Thank you." "I'd like to propose a toast to a very special fellow, a very special friend of mine." "Happy 50th birthday, Pat." "ALL:" "To Pat!" "Hooray!" " Hip, hip!" " Hooray!" " Hip, hip!" " Hooray!" "(Rock music)" "Nick Pickering." "Louisa..." "It's on the tip of my tongue." "(Chuckles)" " Are we still talking?" " Apparently." "That's a relief." "I wasn't sure after our last chat." "Well, I'd better get this to the birthday boy." " I'll talk to you later." " OK." "OK." "Hey, everybody." "Smile for the social pages." "Smile." "So, Chin-Chin, Rita said that you studied IT." "At Tianjin University." "I have blog, too." "I was what West call... student activist." "Really?" "Babe, why didn't you tell me?" "I must save some secret." "It er... make me attractive international mystery man." " He's so cute!" " Rita." " I've run out of serviettes." " Here, take these." " Holly!" " Sean!" " Hey." " Hey, Holly." "I haven't seen you around." "How've you been?" "OK." "I've been busy." "You said you'd call me." "Sorry." "Work." "You know how it is." "Is it because of... you know, what happened with Jake?" "I said sorry." "You know I feel really bad about it and..." "Look, I'm gonna go see the guys." "Well, can I call you?" "I guess." "If you want." "Hey, Holl." "Is there anyone you want me to punch?" "Just a random question." "Come on." "Mum, when's Nick coming round for dinner again?" "Er..." "You'd have to ask him." "I don't think I'm his favourite person right now." "Why?" "What did you do?" "Frankly, I haven't got a clue." "Come on." "We'll turn into pumpkins." "A man from my village, my parents' friend, he advocate for peasant rights." "So he put under house arrest." " What?" "!" " I write in my blog it's not fair." "He do no wrong." "The government angry." "They er... how you say?" "They take me into custody." "They interrogate me for 24 hours." "Babe!" "Did they hurt you?" "Er..." "I get black eye." "They say to me, "You write this again, we charge you with inciting to overthrow government."" "But it's your opinion." "People have a right to express their opinion." "Not in China." "In China, you speak out, you get trouble." "My parents are frightened." "They say be quiet." "Still, it was a good thing you did." "Not good to frighten parents." "They work hard for me." "To honour them is the most important." "Come here, you." "It sucks." "Ever since Jake, he's been acting so weird." "I just want to make things better." "Maybe you should just ring him now." "Already?" "But I only saw him last night." "He'll think I'm a loser." "Well, then ring him later." "But if I wait, he'll think I'm playing games." "Holl, you're not making this any easier." "Sorry." "I'm fine." " Have fun at work." "Bye." " Bye." "Good luck!" "Hey, Sean." "It's me." "Holly." "Good party last night." "Could you give me a call back?" "Thanks." "Bye." "This is big gold mountain temple." "Maybe my ancestor, Ah Chin, he pray to Guan Di in this place." "He sail here with the other men from his village." "Leave behind wife and two children." "Many of them returned, but Ah Chin - we not know what happened to him." "Oh, Tsung Chi, that's so sad." "Come, we make offering to Guan Di, god of war." "And now I ask Guan Di to advise me." "Should I seek the truth about my ancestor, Ah Chin?" "53." "It's hard to understand." "Temple man will interpret." " What is Guan Di's answer?" " You must not tell me question." "Guan Di says yes." "Seek the truth." "But beware of what you may discover." "As you know, I'm working up a web edition." "I'll be giving links to local business sites, and asking for feedback on our stories via the Echo's blog." "No flies on you, mate." "Sounds good." "What's a blog?" "Millsy, how are you, mate?" "It's Marty." "Excellent." "Louisa?" "Want to talk us through the editorial?" "Oh." "Thanks, Tim." "Ahem." "Well, er..." "As you can see from this er..." "list," "I've developed an editorial approach that I think..." "I just remembered!" "Someone's got to go to the printer on Friday and pick up the papers." "Vivien?" "I'll go!" "I mean..." "You know, it just would be good to see my first, our first issue hot off the presses." " Right." " Right." "They'll expect you there at 3:00am, then." " 3:00a?" "!" "Is it..." "(Phone rings)" "Mate, you are an absolute disgrace!" "Yeah, I'll hold." "Can we keep this moving?" "I'm a busy man." "Right, well..." "OK, um..." "I've locked off most of the major stories, but I'm still waiting, of course, on Marty's footy piece." "Yeah, it's in the pipeline." "This is research." "Oh, and we've got to talk about your menopause thing." " You told him." "Good." " We've cut it back a bit." "What?" "Yeah." "Bill Irwin from Indigo Grout and Gravel's bought a half-page." "But the layout said I've got two pages." " I warned you, it's a moveable feast." " You want copy to go with it." "Use this to bang something out." "And you've still got a page for your... change of life thingy." "But it's a feature article." "It needs more than..." "This isn't enough!" " Tim." " It's OK." "I've sorted it." "You've effectively said the same thing twice here." "See?" "If you remove this second sentence, you make your point much more succinct." "Shit, Bruce, this doesn't fit, mate." "Have you measured it?" "And I've cut back on some of the quotes, too." "Oh, no, no, no." "Not the quotes, please." "I worked so hard to get these women's trust." "This is personal stuff that they have shared with me." "Which is exactly why you've got to use it judiciously." "If you print everything they say, your most evocative quotes get lost in the mix." "Oh, right." "And you'd be an expert on menopause, would you (?" ")" "No, but I know an overwritten story when I see one." "Just take it and read it." "OK?" "And if you still think I've butchered your baby, we can always go a few rounds." "Vivien, have you been hiding that smile in a filing cabinet?" "You should bring it out more often." "(Groans)" "VIVIEN:" "Yes." "Yes, you'll have your copies by 4:00am Friday." "You're welcome." "Bye." "(Phone rings)" "It never stops." "Good afternoon." "Rainbow Echo." "Mm-hm." "A small technical issue." "We'll be at Gav's sorting it out." "Mavis, how are you?" "When?" "Tomorrow?" "I'll need to check with our records." "I think he might be planning to um..." "You were right." " It is better." " I know." "Louisa." "It was very good to start with." "I know." "Tim!" "Phone call, line two." "It's..." "Marg Braithwaite." "(Middle Eastern Music)" "OK, girls, thrust." "Thrust a bit, come on." "Thrust." "Release those buttocks." "Come on." "That's it, now come on." "(High-pitched trilling)" "Sorry I'm late." "I got lost... for time." "Oh, who wouldn't with Tim in the office?" "Did he tell you?" "I've asked him out for dinner." "I wondered if that's why you rang!" "Well, I had to write this personal issues essay for my celebrant's course, and I realised how I let men set my agenda, so... not any more." "From now on, if I see something I want," "I'm going to reach out and grab it." "That's gutsy!" "Or grab him, as the case may be." "Good on you!" "Let the goddess out and... (Trills)" "Hi, Holl!" "I'm so sorry I'm late." "Just look what I have to get through tonight." "And I haven't even begun to write my boom gate story." "Mum, guess what?" "I don't give a stuff." "Sorry." "What's wrong?" "Is it Sean?" "I rang him, but..." "he won't call me back." "I think he hates me." "Oh, sweetheart." "I'll do this in the morning, all right?" "What say we make a really nice dinner, huh?" "Just the two of us." "Hm?" "Why won't he just tell me how he feels?" "Oh, sweetheart." "You're asking me to unravel one of life's great mysteries?" "You know what?" "I think men are more scared of their feelings than we are." "Come on." "What do you want?" "Shall we do chicken?" "(Laughs)" "Chinese?" "Japanese?" "So, here I am, this bitter divorcee, on the brink of becoming a wedding celebrant." "It's a tad ironic, to say the least." "I think there should be divorce celebrants." ""I now pronounce you unmarried." Done and dusted in 15 minutes." " It's a fabulous idea." " If you want it, it's yours." "You can offer them 20% off the wedding if they use you for the divorce." "I think you're even more cynical than I am!" "Actually, I should fess up." "I'm a bitter, soon-to-be divorcee." "Er..." "It's not finalised yet, but er... the wheels are turning." "Well... (Clears throat) ...at least I only have one ex-spouse." "You've got three!" "If you count the one under the floorboards." "Oh!" "Yes." "She was very nice, really." "It's a shame she burnt my toast that morning." "So, how many times have you really been married?" "Just the once." "She's got... three kids from a second marriage." " And you've never remarried?" " Mm-mm." " Why not?" " Because I wasn't very good at it." "I don't like doing things I'm not very good at." "That's the only way you'll ever get any better." " Oh, no, I'll never be married again." " That's what they all say." "(Laughs)" "And I said, "No, I'm not chilly, as in the plant chilly."" " Yeah." " That's it!" "That's the joke." "(Laughs)" " This is me." "Thank you." "Thank you." " No, it's a pleasure." " Thank you, for the invitation." " Oh, I've had a wonderful Tim, time!" " Oh!" " Time, Tim!" "You know what I mean." "Yes." "Anyway." "Oh, gosh!" "Thanks." "Would you like to come back to my place for coffee?" "I don't think that's a good idea." "I know how tough it is ending a marriage, and the last thing you need right now is to get mixed up with someone like me." "I er..." "I would like to be friends, though." "Yeah." "Well, I'll get back to you on that one." "(Snores)" ""Indigo Grout  Gravel is a family business of 15 years' standing..."" "Oh, my lord, somebody wake me up when I'm finished!" "Louisa." "Have you heard from Marg?" "Didn't she go out with Tim last night?" "Vivien!" "How do you know that?" "I overheard his side of their phone conversation." "I was colour-coding his cabinet." "Well, I haven't spoken to her yet, but I mean, if they did," "I'm sure they'd have had a great time." "Marg is a lot of fun." "So's Tim." "I mean... don't you think so?" "Well, he certainly does." "I wish Marg luck, but if you ask me," "Tim is only in love with himself." " Correct." " Oh!" "And I've always been faithful." "(Phone rings)" "Oh, Tim, I'm um..." "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..." "Yes, you did." "Can I have a word?" "Valerie." "How are you?" "Mm-hm." "Um..." "Yes, yes." "Um..." "On top of it." "No worries." "I'm not sold on your front page story." "What?" "Childcare Crisis In Indigo Waters?" " What's wrong with it?" " You know the drill." "Research shows we have eight seconds to grab the primary purchaser." "We need to hit them with something much ballsier." " Well, like what?" " Something more emotive." "This isn't hard news." "Maybe not to you, but if you're a young mum, who can't get a job because you can't find childcare, and when you do, it's so expensive it's hardly worth the trouble..." "I'm not saying it doesn't warrant discussion, just not on page one!" "With respect, this is exactly the sort of story that promotes this community's ownership of the paper." "I appreciate that, but it doesn't change the fact it needs a more dynamic hook!" "Corruption, a traffic accident, crime." "Crime?" "!" "In Rainbow's End?" "Oh, my heavens!" "Where did you do your training, in the tabloids?" "While we're talking about training, the last I heard, you are still a cadet!" "I'm sure you've got a lot to do." "Women, eh?" "Can't live with them, can't shoot 'em." "Shut up, Marty!" "Hello!" "How about it?" "Hey!" "I might just take you up on that." "(Squawks)" " Margy!" " Oh, hey, Gem." "How was last night?" "Oh, darling, he is the whole package." "He's smart, and sexy, and successful, funny..." "and completely commitment phobic." "Oh, what a shame." "Are you sure?" "Oh, I'm positive." "20 years ago, I may have deluded myself into thinking otherwise, but not any more." "That man's got "Keep away, lest your heart be broken"" "stamped across his forehead." "So... back to being invisible." "Don't say that." "It's all right." "Darling, we can't all be an eternal object of desire, like you." " See you." " See you." "Easy, mate." "I'm off to Gavin's niece's sports carnival." "Apparently, that passes for news these days." " Here you go, there's my footy story." " What?" "Oh, my..." "You are kidding!" "Oh, you're welcome (!" ")" " Can you type up this rubbish?" " Louisa!" "Just got off the phone to the sports superstore in Indigo." "What?" "Sports superstore." "They've bought a half-page ad." "We can run that with Marty's story on page seven." "Page seven?" "That's my menopause story." " Sorry, we'll have to bump it." " What?" "!" "It's a terrific piece, but we've got to prioritise advertising revenue." "Tim, I am the editor!" "All right?" "I'm gonna be judged on this crappy content!" "Guess what, Louisa?" "It's not about you." "The Rainbow Echo's a business." "Oh!" "Sorry, Mum, I've got to get out of here before I kill him!" " Oh, Vivien." " Minna!" "I've typed up the latest Historical Society news." "Um..." "I'm not sure I can help you, Minna." "I don't know if we're printing the Historical Society news any more." "Things are changing pretty rapidly around here." "There's no need to sound so happy about it." " Excuse me." "Vivien, cappuccino?" " So it's you." " Yes, it was me last time I looked." " And who are you?" "Minna Franklin." "I'll have a flat white." "It's what they call it now, isn't it?" "So, what you're saying is, you're the conscience of Rainbow's End." " Self-appointed." " No, I..." "I'm not saying that at all." "Look, are you going to print this?" "Sorry, doesn't fit our new demographic." "New demographic?" "There's more important things in life than new demographics, like reflecting the community you purport to be part of." " Sugar?" " No, thank you." "You're rather pleased with yourself, aren't you?" "We appear to have that in common." "Tell me, what's the view like from the moral high ground?" "Damn sight better than it is from down there." "(Chuckles) Oh, careful, I nearly caught a smile." "You don't want to mess with that scary demeanour." "I hope you don't mind me saying, but you are a very attractive woman." "Oh, God." "Well, I DO mind you saying." "I'm sure you had no trouble rallying men to your causes." "Well, I've been fortunate." "There've always been like-minded men and women to campaign alongside me." "Ah, but the blokes had ulterior motives." " Oh, they did not!" " Trust me." "I'm sure if I'd been around back then," "I might have joined the queue myself." "Ah, well, you and I were born in different generations, and for that, I can be truly grateful." "(Chuckles)" "Thank you." "Now tell me what you've done to upset my daughter so much." "I mean, Louisa seems pretty displeased with you." "Louisa?" "!" "You're Louisa's mother?" " Mum, Sandy, are you OK?" " Mm!" "I think young Nick's on top of things." "Or under them, as the case may be." "Nick!" "I er... didn't know you were here." "My van's parked over there." "Oh!" "(Laughs) I didn't even see it." "Right, OK." "Well, um..." "All right, I'll just leave you to it." "All right." "Oh, Louisa!" "I don't know why you're having problems with Tim." "I found him perfectly easy to get on with." "(Phone rings)" "Told you." "Hello?" "Oh, hi, Nick." "Yeah, I'll tell her." "OK." "Thanks." "Bye." "The parts for the gas conversion are here." "Didn't he want to talk to me?" "No." "What is it with men?" "(Sighs deeply)" "This is ridiculous!" "I mean, it is not 1956." "You don't have to sit here wondering." "You have a right to demand answers, and fobbing you off is just not good enough." "You know what, Mum?" "You're right." "It's a big job." "It'll take a couple of days, Louie." "Mm-hm." "Oh, well." "I'll er..." "I'll wait." "That stool's not very comfy." "I'll call you." "Right, I'd better get cracking." "Nick, I'm not leaving." "Not till you tell me what's going on." " Why are you acting like this?" " Like what?" " Like this." "Pleasant, polite." " Gee, sorry (!" ")" "No, no, don't make me describe it, because it sounds normal, but you and I know that it's not." "Just tell me the truth." "Why do you hate me all of a sudden?" " Hate you?" "!" " Yeah." "Louie, you're such a twit!" "Really?" "I'm..." "I'm a twit?" "If you took five minutes to think about it..." " Why break a habit of a lifetime?" "Come on, wait a minute." "What is that supposed to mean?" "Nothing." "Forget about it." "Forget it." "No, wait." "OK, so all right, we're..." "we're still friends." "Well, I haven't had a memo to say otherwise." "Oh!" "Oh, my..." "Let's not do that, eh?" "Lt... it's too tricky." "What do you mean tricky?" "What do you think I mean?" "Well, I don't know." "If I knew what you meant, I wouldn't have asked." "(Phone rings)" "Nick Pickering." "Craig." "Look, I ordered the head gasket but it hasn't arrived yet." "Yeah, well, I'm glad we got that sorted (!" ")" "Yeah, I'll call you soon." "(Sighs)" ""Lucky Tiana Braithwaite was runner-up in the under-11 hurdles..."" "Louisa, I need the copy on the boom gate story." "Well, it isn't finished, all right?" "Because I'm so busy doing everybody else's crap!" "Ooh, you Franklin women are feisty, aren't you?" "Feisty, but kind of fun." "Your mum was in." "We had a nice chat." "My mum doesn't have nice chats, she issues instructions." "That's what you think." "That top suits you, Vivien." "Faster, gentlemen, faster!" " Keep your hip down." " Didn't realise you two were in love." "Get off it, Rooster!" "Have a good stretch." "You don't want another hammy." " Sean, can I talk to you alone?" " I'm training!" "It's OK, Smithy, looks like it's important." "He's all yours, Holly." "I've called you three times." "Why haven't you called back?" " My phone's out of battery." " That's crap." " You don't let it go flat." " I've lost my charger." " Don't lie." "Just admit you're mad at me." " I'm not." "I stood you up, but I've said sorry six times and I tried to make a new date" " so why are you pissed off with me?" " I'm not!" "Jake needed people to help with the protest!" " I don't care about that day!" " Why have you been acting weird?" " I haven't!" " That's such a lie!" "Typical guy!" " Typical girl, don't you mean?" "Jake O'Reilly's such a tool, but girls get sucked in by guys like him." "He's so cool and exciting and fun." "Why would anyone hang out with me?" "But he'd drop you as quick as he'd look at you." "And he did." " You're just jealous." " Jealous?" "What, of you and Jake?" "Get real." "You're just a school kid." " Hey, Smithy, you up for the pub later?" " You bet." "Oh!" "The front pages are nearly locked off!" "Hallelujah!" "Holl?" "What's wrong?" "I did what you said with Sean." "It just made things a million times worse." "Oh, sweetheart." "Join the club." "I'm never listening to me either." "Is that Fruit and Nut?" " Hey, Rooster." " Mm-hm?" " Do you get girls?" " Mm." "Yeah." "I do all right." "No, I mean do you understand them?" "Understand them?" " Shit, no!" " Me neither." " Want to play some pool?" " Yeah." "(Mobile phone rings)" "Jeez, mate!" "Who are you expecting - Jennifer Hawkins (?" ")" "It's Dad." "Hi, Dad." "Oh, no." "Yeah, OK." "Yep." "See ya." " Evelyn Longbottom's just died." " Oh, mate!" "That's sad." "But she was like... 200." "It's not that." "Dad's at another job" " so I've got to pick her up." " Spewin'." " Hey, Smithy." " Hey, Gregg." "Hey, Evelyn." "Evelyn." "Evelyn?" " Is... is she?" " She should be in the back, but she's in rigor mortis." "I should have picked her up in the van, but my dad's got it and I couldn't get onto him, his mobile's off." "This isn't allowed, but can we not tell Dad?" "He's being shitty with me." "Yeah." "The sarge is shitty with me too." "He found out I didn't book Rooster for speeding." " How did he find out?" " Rooster got pissed and told him." "Can you breathe into this for me?" "It's just routine." "Oh, poor Evelyn." "She was such a big Roos fan." "Thanks, Smithy." "Shit." "No, I can't believe it!" "Thank you, Sergeant." "Sean Smithwick's been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, with Evelyn Longbottom's body sitting up in the passenger seat." "What?" "!" "Oh, my..." " Are you sure?" " I'd hardly make something like that up!" "Poor Evelyn!" "She'll definitely make the front page now." "Well, Tim still isn't happy with the childcare story." " He did say if there's a crime..." " We're not putting this in the paper." "I don't know what's happened, but Sean is a good kid." "And we have to think of Evelyn's dignity, as well." "Vivien, we can't print this, all right?" "I am the editor of this paper, and that makes me responsible for this paper's editorial integrity, OK?" "I don't give a rat's what Tim thinks." "I just got a call from another newsagent." "I pitched them our new format." "They want you to drop off double their usual copies." "They're expecting them to walk out the door." "Oh." "It must be your marketing expertise paying off." "Oh, it's your content that's got them in." "I know you think I've messed with your vision but your stamp is still on every page." "If I wasn't such a mean-spirited bastard," "I'd say congratulations on a job well done." "(Door closes)" "Thanks." "Well, here we are." "It's kind of surreal being up 3:00am on a school night." " Oh, you shouldn't have come." " I wanted to." "It's not like I was sleeping, anyway." "Do you think Sean feels as bad as I do?" "Ha!" "Trust me, he feels a lot worse." "Well, I..." "I assume, you know." "Well, one would hope." "OK, well, are you ready?" "Yup." "Let's go check out all your hard work." "Hot off the presses, have a gander at that." " (GASPS) - "Undertaker Drives Drunk On Job"?" "How could you do this to Sean?" "I told you, it wasn't me." "You've trashed his reputation all for the sake of selling some papers!" "Look at the size of the bloody picture!" ""Sean Smithwick in happier times"?" "!" "It's disgusting!" "Why won't you listen to me?" "It was Tim!" "You're the editor, Mum!" "That makes you responsible!" "Oh, shit!" "(Sobs)" "You told him, didn't you?" "How could you?" " I didn't!" " Louisa, you can take it up with me." "I found the notes on Vivien's desk." "Do you know what you've done?" "You've destroyed a young man's reputation." " Oh, come on!" "He did that himself!" " No, no." "You don't know Sean, all right?" "This was out of character." "Extremely." "What's that got to do with anything?" "This is probably the most interesting thing that's happened around this place in years, and you passed on it!" "Where's your editorial judgement?" "Where is yours, that you would exploit a young kid's misery just to make a few bucks?" "Can we get real here?" "This is a newspaper!" "A story like this is manna from heaven!" "Not in Rainbow's End, Tim!" "This is not the way we do things around here." "Thanks for nothing!" "Is this some kind of revenge for all of those tickets?" " What?" " You couldn't be this dumb by accident." " Not one "alleged" in here." " Yes, there is." "The Echo has judged Smithy and found him guilty before he's gotten anywhere near a court." " Sarge has had to drop the charges." " Give me that!" "Don't get me wrong, I'm glad for Smithy." "But Sergeant thinks I put you up to it cos he's a mate." "He's given me a second warning, so thanks for nothing." "I put "alleged" in the second last paragraph, but the last three paragraphs are missing." "Why did you send a 5-meg picture?" "It's obvious, isn't it?" "The picture was too big, and the printers have had to lose copy to accommodate it!" "I'm so sorry, Dad." "Well, I can't pretend to be proud about this but you're a good boy, son." "We both know that." "We'll get through this together, eh?" "But I heard Sid Longbottom's phone message." "He said he might sue us." "Sid Longbottom says a lot of things." "Sean." "Sorry, am I interrupting?" "No, you're OK, love." "I couldn't stay at school, I've been too worried." " Are you OK?" " I'm a waste of space." "Don't say that, Sean." "I can't believe what I've done." "Poor Evelyn." "Mum said they've dropped the charge." "Yeah, lucky." "Otherwise I would have lost my licence, and then where would that have left me and Dad?" "Your dad doesn't seem mad." "He's disappointed." "That's way worse." "What have I done to him and the business?" "Sean Smithwick!" "I'm surprised you're not in hiding!" "You should be." "Do you have to kick him while he's down, Mrs Lincoln?" " Come on." " I'm sorry, Lorna." "Sorry is not good enough!" "I should have just called Indigo Funerals - got them to pick her up." "I wasn't really thinking straight that night." " How come?" " I don't know, I..." "Was it because of our fight?" "Yeah." "But that's no excuse." "I'm really sorry for all that stuff I said to you, Holly." "Me, too." "It was my fault." "No, no, it was me." "I..." "I was jealous." "You were?" "My first girlfriend at school..." "I liked her a lot, and she dumped me for Jake." "I thought it was happening all over again, but this was ten time worse." " I'm sorry, Sean." " No, don't be sorry." "I was acting like a kid." "Trust me, you're the most grown-up person I've ever known." "Yeah?" "A guy who gets drunk and drives a hearse?" " You were only just over the limit." " They'd call that a technicality." "Do you know what the worst part is?" "I've failed everyone." "You haven't failed me." "You're the only person in the whole entire world who knew how to help me after my dad died." "That's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me." "It's true." "You're the best person I've ever met, Sean Smithwick." "You really think so?" "Even now?" "...if he knew what a mega pixel was!" "I didn't think he was such an idiot either." "I mean, really!" "I mean, the other thing is it is my very first issue and I look like a fool." "It's OK." "Everyone's gonna know you didn't do it." "How, Holl?" "I'm the editor!" "Oh, Sean!" "He's such a sweetie!" "They're for you." "What?" "From Tim." "Oh, you!" "(Pony neighs)" "Mum!" "Maybe they were chocolates." "I think I've finally found what I'm good at." "Just like you have." "Look, I'm sick and tired of being told what to do by geriatrics!" " What are we doing?" " We're going green, not just talking about it any more." "Now, this place may not look like much at the moment, but we could turn it into something to be proud of." "Bad things happened here." "Can't you feel it?" "Check this out." "What is it?" "The Chinese miners used to bury ceramic jars." "There is something inside." " (GASPS)" " What?" "The Echo is an echo of the voices in our community." "It's not just a sales catalogue." "But if you disagree, you probably have the wrong editor and you'll have to get a new one." "But you'd be making a big mistake." "(Chuckles)" "♪ I lay down in a bed of roses" "♪ I woke up lying on a bed of nails" "♪ It's the oldest of tales" "♪ Lose the wind from your sails" "♪ I lay down in a bed of roses" "♪ And I woke up lying on a bed of nails" "♪ I lay down in a bed of roses" "♪ I woke up lying on a bed of nails" "♪ I lay down in a bed of roses" "♪ And I woke up lying on a bed of nails."