EPISODE TWELVE: THE PSYCHIATRIST

by Edward Teach

Basil has almost chewed down to his knuckles this week as he watches the V of swans swooping down on his hotel. He wonders if there is a hint of satisfaction and private mirth on the face of the swan in the garden about it all.

As she encourages a group of young men to don their aprons and join the staff of the hotel Sybil watches Basil's nervous twitches intensify with some worry. His ranting at Manuel and his other main member of staff at the forefront of serving the guests doesn't quell Sybil's fears. Particularly as the backroom staff seem to be lounging around and letting all the crockery fall on the floor while Manuel and his associate run around the green room like headless chickens.

Sybil begins to wonder if Basil really is going off the rails and whether she should ship him off to the asylum where she left her rather grey, dull ex-husband. She dumped the boring old codger in a padded room to dribble into his cup of happy pills that have about as much effect as his efforts to bring quality to Fawlty Rovers did.

There is a hint of trouble in the air too. O'Reilly begins to worry about the damage those rampaging swans might cause and if perhaps he would be better served hiding in the scullery until they have gone and he can slip away through the wreckage, unnoticed by Sybil.

Will Basil prove certifiable? Will Sybil fend off the swans and grab O'Reilly before he does a runner with the petty cash? Will Manuel ever learn to count? Or is his pummelled brain irreparable after one too many cracks on the head with a spoon by Basil? Will Manuel stumble off to Mansfield to join Basil's Evil Twin? Will O'Reilly ever build that extension? And will Basil hold onto his sanity long enough to prevent being carted off to Barrow Gurney..?