Thanks to Martin C. for this description. :-)

Lucy and Matt are reading letters from listeners of his radio program. He and Lucy joke and start a little horseplay when Lucy reads a letter from a lady admirer who wants to meet Matt. Cathy comes in and looks really surprised. Matt is pleased with all the publicity as he says it will help his business. He has also been invited to write a column in the paper. Cathy gives him a letter telling him that he is going to get an official inspection of his surgery. Matt explains it is for upgrading from C category to B category but he needs to clean up things, get new cages, and get an assistant. In Maggie's office everything is hectic and patients are ringing for attention. Terence and Cris arrive and Maggie asks Cris to see to a patient that refuses medication. Maggie asks Terence how his visit to Alex was and he says it wasn't good perhaps even a waste of time. He says that Alex likes it there and doesn't want to return to Wandin Valley. A man comes in with a bad cut on his upper arm, and a dirty bandage on it. The man is Buzz Alcock. Terence and Maggie attend to his cut. At the Club Cookie is talking with Matt who asks if he can put up a note about employing someone at the vet surgery. Esme comes in after jogging and is followed by Frank who asks for coffee to keep himself awake as he has to supervise a driving test in the afternoon. He is closely followed in by a teenage girl. She asks if there is any work, even as a singer, but Cookie doesn't have anything to offer. Cookie suggests she goes see Matt and ask him as he is looking for someone.

At the hospital Buzz wants to get back to work but Terence wants him to have some tests. Terence lets him go but insists he comes back the day after. The girl arrives at Matt's surgery and asks about the job. When Matt asks about her qualifications she says she grew up on a farm and knows how to handle animals. A Mrs Cotton comes in with her rabbit, Bettina. She has to take her driving test again with Frank in the afternoon and is worried about the rabbit who isn't eating. The girl handles Mrs. Cotton very professionally and gets her to leave the rabbit and leave with no problems. She introduces herself as Amy Lee Taylor. In Maggie's office Cris asks Lucy if she has heard anything from Terence that might be about him. Terence comes in so he quietens up and then Maggie and Terence go out on district rounds. At home Frank is preparing onions and carrots for diner and Shirley is reading a book on dreams. They talk about Mrs. Cotton's driving test. Frank gets a phone call about an escaped prisoner in a 4WD who might be arriving in the Valley. Back in Matt's surgery Amy Lee is giving a kitten eyedrops when Cathy comes in and asks for Matt. She says she is Matt's landlord and Amy Lee replies that if the rent is due she cannot help. Cathy hardly has chance to explain that Matt is her lodger at home before the phone rings and Amy Lee takes a mental note of the particulars given. Cathy says it is normal procedure is to write things down but Amy Lee says in a bit of a huff that she will remember it. When Matt comes back she tells him of the three messages that had come while he was away. Shirley comes in with a guitar and Amy Lee claims it. Shirley introduces herself as living in the rest of the house. She asks if Amy Lee wants to stay in the house as both the pub and other accomodation are full (there is a cattle show on). Amy Lee thanks her and accepts. Bettina the rabbit is diagnosed as having teeth that are so long they are preventing her from eating.

At the hospital Esme is nagging Terence about Alex. Lucy comes back with Buzz Alcock's file. Esme is asked to see to a patient outside. She comes back in with a Mr Roberts who has pain in his ear and is taken into the exam cubicle for examination. At the Club Cathy is complaining to Cookie about Amy Lee just as Matt and Amy Lee come in. Matt invites her to join them for lunch but Cathy declines as she has some business with Cookie. Matt and Amy Lee find a table and Matt tells her he'll have shepherds pie and she should order what she wants from the menu. He then goes over to Cathy and asks if she got out of the wrong side of bed. Cookie goes over to Amy Lee and asks if she wants to sing at the Club as his regular can't make it, but she says no, looks upset, tells him she isn't hungry, and leaves. Frank and Shirley are in the kitchen and Shirley is telling Frank about Amy Lee. He is absentmindedly stirring his tea and not listening. When Shirley tells him Amy Lee has a guitar he says it's good that Shirley is learning to play the guitar. He is dreading the driving test with Mrs Cotton. Amy Lee comes in for water and Frank offers her his sandwich as he has to go out and look for the escaped prisoner. Outside Camelot Lucy gets out of her 2CV to go towards Buzz in his Bobcat. The Bobcat is being driven very erratically and changes direction and heads for her. Finally it veers off and drives into a tree. Buzz hits his head on the tree and cuts it badly. Matt and Amy Lee have filed Bettina's teeth and Mrs Cotton is very pleased. She has to collect the rabbit later as she has to leave for her driving test. Amy Lee asks how long Matt has been going out with Cathy. Matt tells her it is a platonic relationship but that Cathy is a very good friend. He then asks why she turned down the gig at the Club. She tells him she hasn't performed in public before and is nervous. Matts asks if she can read through his column for the newspaper, which she declines to do, then he offers to buy her a coffee. Frank and Mrs Cotton are about to start the driving test. The car is very old and she has never driven. She has problems finding the controls and starts the car in gear. Frank is getting worried. The car, once moving, bucks around like a kangaroo. As they start on thier erratic journey an unknown yellow 4WD passes by on a small road behind them.

Cris and Maggie arrive back in Maggie's office and Terence suggests they have a cup of tea. They say that they are suffering from an overdose of tea after their rounds. Lucy comes in with Buzz Alcock and they take him into the examination room. Lucy brings in his file and shows it to Terence. They discover he has a thyroid disease which explains the high heart rate and other strange symptons they had noticed on his first and present visit. Meanwhile Frank is having a terrible time with Mrs Cotton. She can't find the hand brake so Frank tells her to forget it and that they can just drive along at about 20kph. She tells him that she never could understand the metric units but son who lives 30 kg (!) away does. Just then the 4WD passes them and Frank yells that she should follow it. They don't get any further than a few meters before knocking over some drums . At the Club Esme is bantering with Cookie about a couple they know. The stranger comes in and as he approaches the bar he knocks over Esme's port and lemon, orders a big beer, then knocks over that as well. To Esme's question if he is staying long he says he is looking for someone so maybe. In Frank and Shirley's garden Amy Lee is playing the guitar when Cathy comes in and asks if they can start again. She apologises for behavior at Matt's clinic. Cathy says she looks after Matt's business as he is a good vet but a lousy businessman. She also says that she once tried to sing a song at the Club but that it was a disaster. Amy Lee tells Cathy she hasn't played in public before but for her mother who was ill so she missed a lot of school. Cathy asks if she wants to borrow a book with a lot of country and western songs in it and Amy Lee says no as she is not confident enough to start performing yet. Cathy goes in to Matt where she asks Matt if he thinks Amy Lee is runnnng away from something. Matt informs her that she said that she was going to Tamworth to be a singer. Mrs Cotton rings and says Bettina is still not well, but this time with a bloated stomach.

At the hospital Buzz has been transferred into a room and is talking to Lucy and thanking her for her help. Terence comes in and asks why he stopped taking the tablets that were prescribed by Alex long ago. Buzz tells him that as he felt good some years ago he didn't think he needed them. Terence explains why Buzz needs to take them and also that he is also recommending a low dose radioactive treatment and for this Buzz needs to go to Sydney. Terence lets him know that he can lead a normal life but has to take his medication. A wraught Mrs Cotton has brought Bettina back to Matt's surgery. The problem, as diagnosed by Matt, is that Bettina has eaten too much. Mrs. Cotton sobs that it has been an awful day what with Bettina falling ill and Mrs. Cotton failing her driving test The stranger arrives at Frank and Shirley's through the back door and introduces himself as Tom Cameron. Shirley introduces herself as the wife of the local police sergeant whereby he says he is looking for someone. Amy Lee comes in through the front door, sees him and runs out with him in pursuit calling her name. Tom catches up with her in garden and says he has to talk to her. Frank arrives back and sees the 4WD. Before he gets into the garden Tom tells Amy Lee that he was worried about her as she had run away without even writing a note. Amy Lee says she doesn't want to see him again. Frank comes and believes it is the escapee and cautions him to make things as simple as possible by co-operating but Tom says he is not an escaped prisoner and identifies himself as Tom Cameraon, the son of a landowner of a big property in Noranda. He says he came because he wants to marry Amy Lee. At Camelot Cris is cooking and Terence fuming about how Buzz broke the gate and didn't get the dam fixed. Cris offers Terence a glass of wine as consolation and Terence says he wants to talk to Cris. He says he talked to Alex and they have agreed they should talk to Cris. Cris says he understands that he has to leave but Terence says he wants to offer Cris a third share in the practice. Cris seems overwhelmed and says yes its a deal. Terence welcomes Cris and Jessie formally. They toast with the wine. Amy Lee is at Matt's surgery and very upset. Matt comes in and asks if she is OK. Is the guy who arrived her fiance? "Sort of" is her mumbled reply. Matt asks if she can stay and help for a while. He says there is a small formality of filling in a tax form but she doesn't want to. She tries to explain that she has a lot of songs inside her but she cannot write them down. She missed a lot of school and can't read and write and she is devastated. She talks with Matt about her lack of reading and writing and is adamant that she is going to Tamworth. She got a letter from Tom 4 days ago but couldn't read it. She asks Matt to read it to her. It just said he loved her and wanted to live with her for the rest of his life.

At the Gilroys' Shirley takes Frank's sandwich from him as it is Famine Support Day and they are supposed to fast for 40 hours. There is a discussion about how Amy Lee and Tom were let in the house, etc. The phone rings and it's Killer Burke for Frank. He has to go to the Magnolia Vale Colonel Sanders (aka KFC) where food has been stolen. At Boolaroo Cathy and Matt are preparing for the 40 hour famine. Lucy had given a talk at schol and is really enthusiatic about supporting the cause. Matt is eating cake with his tea. The Veterinary Association has postponed their audit and that is okay with Matt as it gives him time to get prepared and get a new receptionist. From what Matt says, Cathy quickly deduces that Amy Lee is illiterate and Matt accuses her of reading too many detective stories. They continue the discussion and Matt says he wants to find someone to help. At the Club Maggie and Cookie are discussing racing and Cookie claims that Maggie's choices are refugees from the glue factory. Frank comes in and they talk about the 40 hour famine support and that a child dies every 2 seconds, whereupon Cookie bets Frank 50 dolars that he can't go without food for the day. Frank tells him it's a bet but that Cookie has to donate the proceedings to the fund. Maggie points out some horses in the races. One is called Juicy Steaks and Frank looks distinctly unhappy. At Camelot Cris shows Terence what they are getting for breakfast. It is normal for Jessie but not for them. They get a barley sugar sweet and water. Cris is really chirpy about the chance to stay in Wandin Valley. They discuss the Famine Day and say that if they cheated no one would know except for themselves.

At the Gilroy's Shirley has cooked Frank a big breakfast which he says no to and Shirley looks really surprised. Amy Lee comes in and is given Frank's breakfast. She says she is leaving because of Tom. Shirley knows the Cameron family from the papers and asks if it is the parents that objected to the marriage. Amy Lee leaves the breakfast uneaten. In Maggie's office Cookie enthusiatically tells Maggie that she had picked all the first five winners. Terence comes in and Cookie leaves. Cathy comes in and talks to Cris. Maggie has a headache and Terence suggests she should lie down. Cathy asks Cris about an illiterate person she knows. Cris explains and says there is help but the person in question has to want to be helped. Matt and Amy Lee are cleaning cages out in the Gilroys garden and discussing the situation. Matt says she owes it to Tom to tell him about her illiteracy. Tom comes and Matt goes in to collect the "fan mail" from his radio program. Tom and Amy Lee discuss things. Tom says he even wrote the words to a song and just needs the music. Amy Lee turns her back on him and says she doesn't love him and never did. He crumples the letter, throws it on the ground, and leaves. Amy Lee picks it up crying. At the Club Cookie offers Frank a sandwich. Frank refuses but warns about the escaped prisoner. At Matt's surgery Cathy comes in and remarks that she knows people can have problems and Amy Lee gets angry with Matt and Cathy. She says she definitely can't stay now that people know about her affliction. Cathy says she wants to help.

At the Club Cookie is very excited as 5 horses in a row have won, the wins picked by Maggie. Matt takes a glass of water in keeping with the spirit of the Famine Support Day then goes and joins Tom. Matt says that Amy Lee came to him for a job and he wasn't interested in her private life but as it was dumped on him he had to get involved. Tom says she had dumped him but Matt says he knows women and sometines they don't know what they want and that he should hang in there. At the surgery Cathy is listening to Amy Lee. She tells of a dinner with Tom's parents and how the mother always looks after the books and correspondence and would show Amy Lee the ropes. When she got the letter from Tom she could envisage his mum showing her the books and knew they would find out she couldn't read. Cathy says she made the right decision. A career instead of a life with Tom. She is getting what she wanted. Amy Lee looks upset. Amy Lee talks to Cris and asks what she is in for if she wants to learn to read and write. Cris says it is difficult for adults to learn and it will take some time. Cookie is meanwhile pestering Maggie to tell him the rest of the horses she chose. Maggie gives him the notes with the numbers. Terence asks if her headache is OK. She says yes but it hasn't really improved. Tom catches up with Amy Lee at Shirley and Frank's garden. He asks why she has changed her mind. She lets him know that she can't read or write and he laughs. She slaps him and runs away. Maggie has been given an ECG and Terence says some Q-waves still remain from the heart attack. Maggie looks at the paper and has to hold it at arms length to read it. Eye strain is quickly diagnosed.

Lucy and Cris talk about food and famine. Cris invites Lucy to a french restaurant the evening after. The escaped prisoner has stolen food and Killer is going to put up a road block. Shirley is cooking chickens for the feast tomorrow and Frank's mouth is watering. Tom comes in and says he loves Amy Lee and will help her to learn to read and write. Then she runs out in the garden with Tom in pursuit. He trips over Fatso. Amy Lee stops and goes back. In the Club Cookie is upset as the last three horses lose. Maggie comes in and Cookie complains. She says she knew the names but got the wrong numbers because she needed glasses. At the hospital it is discovered that Tom has broken his leg. Amy Lee talks to Matt and agrees to stay on. Cris is explaining to Tom about the fracture. He has to use crutches for six weeks and put no weight on the bad leg. Frank comes in and says he has stored Tom's car at a garage. Tom asks where Amy Lee is and Frank says she has gone. In the Club Maggie and Esme are talking about the famine fund and Cookie is worried about getting money back on the dog race next week. Maggie just needs to pick the numbers Frank informs them that the escapee, Jaws Max Barker, is still on the loose. Cookie puts peanuts in front of Frank who mechanically reaches out to take some. Esme warns him (he'd lose the bet) so he doesn't take any. At Boolaroo Matt is getting very hungry. Lucy says the water tastes like coffee. Cathy suggests that they invite Cris and Jessie over for dinner and Lucy says that Cris has invited her to dinner. Cathy asks if it could perhaps be at a little french restaurant?

Frank is woken in the middle of the night by the phone ringing. Killer tells him that the escapee got through the road block. Frank opens the fridge to get some food but Shirley comes in and asks what he is doing. Frank says that the escapee is starting to break into private houses and that he just wanted to check that their fridge was OK. Amy Lee is playing the guitar at the surgery when Matt comes in. They discuss her problem and Matt says she could go to Tamworth and forget Tom or run away. He is biased as he has a good education and job. She asks about Cathy and Matt says she is a pain in the neck but a very good friend. He is on Tom's side as he knows what it is like to love someome who went away. She asks Matt to read the words of the song Tom wrote out loud which he does. In Maggie's office Terence says he has arranged for an eye specialist to look at her eyes. Maggie tells him that since she stopped reading the headaches disappeared. Tom comes in on crutches and asks Terence if Amy Lee has been back. He gets a no for an answer. Matt comes in and asks if Tom is allowed to go out and Terence says yes it's better than hanging around at the hospital. Matt tells Tom he will take him to the Club for the feast. OK says Tom but no more advice on women. No says Matt, he has given up on that.

At Boolaroo Cris collects a dressed-up Lucy and Cathy, in her usual jeans and shirt, says she will see them later at the Club. They leave and Cathy looks unhappy. At the Club Frank looks very hungry and Shirley says they have to wait for another minute before they can start. Frank tells Cookie that he won the bet and the money was well earned. They see Cris and Lucy come in and Maggie says she knows it only means one thing if a doctor and a nurse get too involved. Trouble. They are allowed to start the meal but before Frank can get there Cookie grabs him and shows him that Jaws is there. Frank arrests him and takes him to the police station which means he gets no food at the feast. Cookie says they have an entertainer. Amy Lee Taylor. She sings Tom's song and just after starting it Matt and Tom come in. Tom goes towards Amy Lee and after the song is over they embrace. Cathy turns up and Matt toasts with her.