It's Thursday the ninth of September 1999 (9/9/99) - the day of Jason's funeral. Josh and his mates are sitting menacingly (that's assuming that one can 'sit menacingly') in their car, parked outside Number Nine. Mick comes out of his house and walks over to the bungalow. He glances at the car and bearing in mind that this is the gang that attacked him, he seems remarkably unbothered about it.
Inside the bungalow, people are gathering and waiting for the undertakers to arrive. Emily is refusing to go - she remembers her grandfather's funeral and doesn't think that she can face watching another member of her family being "burnt" (cremated to you and me!).
Nikki's obtained herself a bottle of something just a bit little stronger than water and consoles herself with a few large swigs (followed by a few more large swigs).
After the funeral, Nikki's back on the booze, and starts slagging off Susannah in front of Jessie and Katrina. Jessie just manages to stop Nikki from letting the cat out of the bag and Katrina puts the episode down to the fact that Susannah survived the explosion but Greg didn't.
Not unexpectedly, Margi is in floods of tears. "I just feel that I'm gonna cry for ever", she weeps.
Over at the garage, Ron is installing himself in one of the storerooms which Bing has, apparently, agreed to let him use as a temporary HQ for Great Grannies whilst the parade is being repaired and much to Joey's annoyance, he is traipsing in and out with assorted boxes and files.
To make matters worse, the power goes out (watch that cabinet full of pies on the counter, Joey!), something which convinces Ron that this is a foretaste of what will happen come the end of the year. In fact, this theory is reinforced somewhat, when Matt points out the date.
Joey's woes increase when Ron later offers (on behalf of the garage) to store some boxes of Vic's things, which Mark has brought round to the flat, but is unable to leave there because of the building work on the parade.
Niamh then cheers Joey up slightly, when she calls in to tell him that she's won an 'achievement award' (no, I don't know what one of those is, either) on the literacy course she's been studying.
Newly reinstalled resident scally, Jimmy, has been working on a solution to Lindsey's 'Callum' problem and thinks that he's found the answer:
"I've come up with someone who'll sort him out for you", he says.
"Properly?"
"Yeah, finish him."
Lindsey looks thoughtful and it's clear that she's getting a bit nervous about the whole thing, but Jimmy tells her that there's no time to hang about:
"If you want him sorted, the guy has to know *today*", he insists.
Lindsey finally decides to go ahead and she and Jimmy make their way to a garden centre where the hitman has arranged to meet them. Garden centre? Hmm, that's what I thought, but given that I've never arranged to have anyone rubbed out myself, I'm just gonna assume it's normal in these types of situation!
Anyway, the hitman (some very un-hitman-looking guy, who's known as the 'Vicar', because his name's Victor and he "puts people in touch with their maker") advises that his fee will be two and a half grand (two fifths in advance and the balance "when you read the obituary").
Lindsey shows him the photo of Callum which she nicked from Jacqui a few days ago and Jimmy suggests to the Vicar that he'll need a name and address.
"No. Not for the this one" the Vicar replies, staring at the picture but without showing any sign of recognition at all.
And that, it seems, is all there is to it. He reiterates the amount of the final instalment and adds threateningly:
"If it doesn't turn up, I come looking for you. *Both* of you. Good afternoon." And with that, he's gone. One strange cookie, indeed!
Back on the Close, Mick has been looking for Leo and Jerome. When they do eventually turn up, he lambastes them for their insistence on continuing their 'war' with Josh and his gang. Jerome says firmly, that he's not "rolling over" for anyone.
Mick explodes: "Listen here, you. I've got enough up here to know you're on the road to big trouble. Now, backing off isn't rolling over - it's avoiding confrontation and more mindless violence."
"That's *crap*", refutes Jerome. "You're avoiding the issue here. We're talking about racism here. Can't you understand that?"
"Don't you lecture *me* about racism."
Jimmy appears at the front door. He's just heard a report on the radio. Apparently the guy left lying in the road after the fight on the parade has been left needing a wheelchair - paralysed for life, according to the news item.
"It's serious now", Jimmy warns. "GBH."
Leo and Jerome look *very* uncomfortable.
Summary © 1999 Graeme Selway
Brookside and all related materials are © Mersey Television 1982-2001