Peggy is very upset to learn that Jack is in a care home.

Radio Times: Lilian is the bearer of bad tidings.

Characters: Gary, Jazzer, Lilian, Peggy, Tom

• It’s a wonder the electric fence isn’t shorting out: Jazzer is a bit late strimming the long grass as Tom comments. He is waiting to interview Gary, though it turns out that, despite being recommended by Jazzer, it’s really Gary’s mum he knows!
• Lilian finds Peggy dozing, so leaves her for a while: she is really in no hurry to impart her news.
• Tom explains to Gary that he will have to work independently, covering Jazzer’s days off. Gary is fine with this. There is a possibility of a full-time job but first Tom offers a month’s trial. Gary is over the moon; he loves pigs. When can he start? Now! So he is given the job of finishing Jazzer’s strimming.
• When Lilian returns, Peggy is awake and she delicately introduces the subject of Jack and where they have taken him – rather too delicately because Peggy smells a rat long before Lilian gets to the point. Was Jack such a burden to them? And why didn’t Lilian tell her; Peggy soon realises that the whole family is party to the matter. She trusted them. How could they do this?
• Gary has made a very good job of the strimming, though it has taken him rather a long time: his motto is ‘nice and steady gets the job done’. There is a problem with his reference, the referee having moved on.
• Nothing Lilian can say is going to placate Peggy. She assures her mum that if Jack isn’t happy they will bring him home, but Peggy is not minded to set much store by her promises now. She concludes that by falling ill herself she has let Jack down. Lilian is worried that, by getting so worked up, mum will make herself ill again. The answer is simple: if Lilian doesn’t want her upset, just go away and leave her in peace.