23. That Way Lies Ruin

0

. 17 February 1996

An elderly woman, Maud, has been mugged. Neighbour Walter Fisher tells her husband Ronald that a local youth, Eric, was responsible, then leads a gang of vigilantes in attacking and badly beating Eric. Ronald tries to help the youngster but suffers a stroke; Walter takes Ronald to hospital where he gets Ash to send an ambulance for Eric. Ronald realises Walter blamed Eric because the family offends his sensibilities and suffers another stroke that leaves him comatose when Maud tells him the real mugger has been caught. Schoolgirl Emma babysits for school bus driver Adrian. Her classmate Joanne once did the same but was fired for making a pass at Adrian. Jealous, she leads a gang of girls in bullying Emma, which results in Emma falling from the upper storey window of the school bus. A married man is planning to run away with his girlfriend but they are trapped in a lift at the airport and he falls down the lift shaft trying to get them out. He is left paralysed and tells Kate to call his wife in order to get rid of his girlfriend. However, he then tells her he was leaving her and his girlfriend returns to his side. An old friend of Matt's tries to get him to sell stolen goods but he refuses. The friend steals his bike but Trevor gets it back for him. Daniel admits to Baz that he isn't cut out for medicine.