.

---

Butterflies - Oct 19, 1983 Episode 4-28,   Grade B+ Detailed Summary by John T Burt 2001 Main Butterflies Page

    Special Car use:
When Ben gets home, the window cleaning gear is blocking the drive. The boys race it out of the drive and a wheel comes off. The wheel rolls across the street and up and over the neighbor's car. The neighbor says he's not going to worry about it, the car doesn't care, his wife won't get out of bed and the dog is gone - then he breaks down.

    Summary:
Ben drops Amanda off at the train station. She had hoped he was available. He tells her to check back next year. She tells him no one has ever done a brush off as politely as him.

Ria tells Ruby it will be another grim day. Ruby agrees, she went from age middle 40s to early 100s overnight. Ruby says she saw the guy who chatted her up and now fancies him. Ria says it's OK as long as it is only in the mind but Ruby is spending the weekend with him. Ruby would rather be hurt than be nothing - she's just a cheat. Ria says there's a cheat behind every Hoover.

Ben visits the church remembering Ria and leaves without saying anything. He worries, is Ria's problem something or nothing. Should he accuse, ignore or run away.

When Ben gets home, the window cleaning gear is blocking the drive. The boys race it out of the drive and a wheel comes off. The wheel rolls across the street and up and over the neighbor's car. The neighbor says he's not going to worry about it, the car doesn't care, his wife won't get out of bed and the dog is gone - then he breaks down.

At lunch Ria asks about lunch with Amanda. Ben announces he is going to a convention this weekend. Ria stops eating her trifle and starts working, angry about Ben not talking about Amanda and the sudden three day convention trip. Ben says if she left, it wouldn't stop him from eating his trifle and she should try leaving sometime. When the boys come down, they peer at their lunch looking for the disaster making Ria more angry. Amanda calls, she left something in the car and Ben should store it for her. Ben leaves after the call making Ria wonder. Russell announces that Jeanie is letting him stay overnight for a couple of days and that Annie has called Adam. They feel good. Russell leaves for a phone call and Ria tells Adam she is going into a fog and doesn't know what she is going to do.

Russell and Jeanie talk in the park and kiss but the baby interrupts. They are going to be an odd family but still a family.

Ben tries to eat as Ria packs her bags to leave as he suggested. It's the fog of life and it's all ridiculous she says. She's angry that Ben didn't tell her about Amanda. Ben asks does she tell him everything. She doesn't answer saying they all take her for granted. She leaves to visit an unnamed friend saying there's a trifle in the fridge if he can eat it.

Ria drives off to visit Josie but wants to call first. All the phone boxes are full so she walks in the park thinking she must come here anymore. Leonard jogs up. She is glad he's there because she didn't want it to end so untidely. End what he asks. He wants her but she says he has caused major suffering. She is losing everything because of him. She says "No more" and, after he falsly and theatrically threatens suicide, Ria walks away sadly.

Crying in a phone booth, she calls Ben, who asks where she is, and says she is on her way home.

The End.