Original subtitles

♫ Worlds away from anyone

♫ They were burning themselves out in the sun

♫ Worlds away from anyone

♫ They were burning themselves out in the sun

♫ There was just enough to get that far away

(slow music)

- [Lockie Voiceover] It's weird how one tiny thing

in your life can trigger a whole chain of events.

Mum calls it the domino effect.

And once the dominoes start to fall,

there's no way of knowing how things will end up.

At least that's what I used to think.

It all started when I was having a surf,

minding my own business,

when, out of nowhere, a wave the size of Mount Everest

picked me up, a whole pile of seaweed

and several hundred terrified fish,

twisted us and spat us out.

That's when the domino effect started.

The force of the wave caused my leg rope to snap,

which meant I'd lost my surfboard.

And Boof found it washed up on the beach.

While I was looking for my board,

I had an argument with the world's

nastiest clump of seaweed.

Then Boof decided to make a few dollars by selling my board.

But on the way, he had a run-in with Mr Streeton.

- Hey, watch out, you big loser.

- [Lockie Voiceover] Now, Mr Streeton

wouldn't usually get upset so easily,

but he was still fragile over losing the mayoral election.

Being called a loser was the final straw.

He went home, and locked himself in the bathroom

and refused to come out.

Meanwhile, back at the second hand store,

Boof was stoked to get some money for my board,

which he lost two seconds later.

And not too long after that, Phillip came along.

Which was lucky for me

because he was immediately on the case.

Phillip called Sarge to come and get my board.

- Got it!

- Good work, Sarge.

- And with the cash he found,

he bought himself a brand new hobby,

and the dominoes just kept on falling.

(screaming)

- Fascinating.

Blisters, maybe even pustules.

Definitely an allergic reaction to something.

Best specimen I've seen

since Amy Connor ate walnuts in grade two.

Been near any nuts lately?

Have you been around anything unusual?

- I did have a fight with 50 tonnes of seaweed.

- That's probably it.

An allergic reaction to seaweed.

Never mind the microscopic things living in the seaweed,

there's a whole ecosystem in there.

It's not looking good.

- There must be something to make it go away.

- Ah.

Pure aloe vera nappy rash gel.

If it works on Blob's bum, it's bound to work on your face.

- Are you kidding?

No way I'm putting that stuff on.

- Your choice.

Bum cream or pustules.

- That'll do the trick, Lockie.

Good thinking, Phillip, nice work.

- I look like salad dressing.

- Well this might take your mind off things.

Guess who has been asked to play a Santa

at Blob's daycare centre?

Me.

Huh?

And if you boys play your cards right,

you might be in line for Santa's special helpers.

- I'd love to, Sarge, but I'm afraid

I have to devote all my energies to my new book.

There's a lot to learn with the art of Feng Shoe.

It's Chinese.

I think it's pronounced fung shway.

It's a very old practise.

Older even than me.

Mostly about generating positivity

and balance in one's life.

- You can get anything you want

if you place the furniture in the right spots.

How can I have never known of this before?

- It looks like it's just you and Blob

in line for number one elf, Lock.

- Sorry.

Not with a face full of bum cream.

Actually, I think I need more on.

- The philosophy is simple.

If I position the furniture in the right way

and create enough positive energy,

I can get the one thing that I really want.

- Phillip, there's no way you can change anything

just by moving stuff round.

Things just happen the way they happen.

- [Lockie Voiceover] Once the dominoes begin to fall,

it's out of your control.

End of story.

- You just wait.

I know I can do it.

- Good on you, Phillip.

A person who stops believing in things

stops believing in themselves.

Well?

What do you think?

- Excellent colour for you, Sarge.

I believe you'll be the best Santa ever.

- Okay, Phillip.

If you can make my rash go away,

I'll believe in your Feng Phooey.

- Don't worry, Lock.

You'll be as good as gold tomorrow.

Things have a way of looking different in the morning.

- [Lockie Voiceover] And Sarge was right.

Things did look different in the morning.

(screaming)

- I'm green.

Phillip.

What's happening?

I'm turning into seaweed.

- It must have been the, um--

- Come on, Einstein, you're the one

who suggested Blob's bum cream.

- The bum cream.

It had aloe vera in it.

How much did you put on?

- About 26 lots.

In an hour.

- "Do not exceed one application every two hours."

Hm, I wonder why.

- Phillip, this is why.

Aah, ooh.

- This is Blob's happy corner.

I'm starting to Feng Shui.

- Yeah, well it's really working.

Look at my face.

- At least your rash is gone.

- [Lockie Voiceover] I decided there were

only two ways to handle this situation.

One, wear a disguise.

(upbeat rock music)

(screaming)

Or two, take Egg's advice.

- No one out there cares what colour your face is.

It's the inside that counts.

And yours looks like it's filled with peppermint cream.

- [Lockie Voiceover] Bad jokes aside, Egg did have a point.

And in the end, I faced the world head-on

and went to visit the one person

I knew would give me a bit of sympathy.

(giggling)

- It brings out the blue in your eyes.

It does. (giggles)

- [Lockie Voiceover] But I got something

much better than sympathy.

Mum started really laughing, for the first time in ages,

and that had to be worth 100 green faces.

- Archie, my old buddy.

- Hey.

Monster, my man.

- You're looking an extra shade of healthy today.

What, you been out for a joy ride?

- Oh nah, must be all the broccoli I've been eating.

Working on your hog?

- Oh, just cleaning her up.

Can't take her with me,

but I'll make sure she's in good nick for the next guy.

They're letting me go on Saturday.

- Oh, that's great.

You must be excited, going home and everything.

- Home?

Not allowed home, Dad won't let me.

It's all right, it doesn't matter.

Just as long as I get to see Vicki.

But as soon as I find a place, you and Joy can come over.

I cook a mean pig on a spit.

- Yeah, that sounds great.

Really looking forward to that pig on a spit.

- [Lockie Voiceover] Turned out Monster

wasn't the only one having a bad morning.

After Boof called Mr Streeton a loser,

the dominoes kept on falling.

(door knocking)

- Please, Dad, will you come out?

We can go fishing after school if you'd like.

Or we can play Scrabble.

I'll let you win this time.

- [Barry] I'm not coming out and you can't make me.

- Barry, darling?

I've laid out all your clothes for work,

including your tie with the kittens on it.

Oh, that's it, Barry.

If you don't open this door this minute--

- I opened the door.

See?

And now I'm closing it again.

So there.

(door slamming)

- Dad, we've got to talk about Colin.

He has to come home.

- Where he'll get the love and care he needs.

- That boy is not setting foot inside this house.

I will not permit it.

(slow music)

- [Lockie Voiceover] Over at Egg's place,

bad news kept getting worse.

- Live separately?

As in, live in two different houses?

- We'll both be here.

- Living in Angelus.

- What does that mean for me?

- It means you'll live with both of us.

Some weeks with me, some with your dad.

- You'll have two bedrooms.

- But won't that get confusing?

- It'll work fine.

We'll work out a whole schedule that's best for everyone.

- That way neither of us has to miss you too much.

- What if I don't want two bedrooms?

What if I'm here and I want a CD that's at Mum's?

Or I'm at Mum's and I left my homework at Dad's?

(sighs) What if I like things just the way they are?

- [Lockie Voiceover] The thing about dominoes is,

once they start to fall,

no amount of moving furniture can change a thing.

(upbeat music)

- I'm not even gonna ask.

- That's probably wise.

How's your dad?

- Well, let's see.

He's locked himself in the bathroom

and refuses to come out actually.

- At least he's home, like you wanted.

- Not like this.

He won't even talk about Monster.

I'm such an idiot for thinking that we could just be happy

and live like a real family again.

It's just gonna happen all over again.

Monster gets out of hospital,

Dad won't let him back in the house.

So there's no one to take care of him.

He forgets to take his medication,

gets sick and ends up back in hospital.

It's the never-ending story.

- There must be some way to convince your dad.

- It would take an earthquake to convince him of anything.

Why is your face green?

- Maybe that's what you could do.

Fake an emergency.

- Very funny, Leonard.

You take yourself to Mr East's room.

And stay out of sight.

No need to make everyone vomit.

(laughing)

(slow music)

- [Lockie Voiceover] The strange thing was,

if my leg rope hadn't snapped that day,

and I hadn't lost my board

and if I didn't get attacked by seaweed or get the rash

then ended up with a green face,

I might never have been sent to John East's office.

And if he wasn't away being sworn in as Mayor,

I wouldn't have checked out

his vintage surf magazine collection

and I might never have found the old yearbook.

Or the chance to help Vicki.

It was Monster, same age as me, looking normal and happy

with an essay he wrote about his favourite day.

And then, Vicki thought of a way to create an emergency.

- Mum.

- It's what?

Where?

- We don't know.

- A couple took it for a test drive and never came back.

They seemed perfectly nice.

- How could you?

I should never have left you in charge of the car yard.

My beautiful car.

- But technically the car's not yours.

It's Colin's, remember?

You gave it to him right after he finished high school.

- And right before he screwed up his life.

- Dad, he's got nowhere else to go.

His room's all ready.

- We want him home, Barry.

- He's my brother.

- He stole it again.

- Dad, he couldn't have.

- He's trying to torment me.

- He's still in hospital.

There's no way it could have been him,

even if you wanted it to be.

- I'm calling Sergeant Leonard.

- [Lockie Voiceover] While Vicki was sorting out her dad,

Egg was even more miserable.

His parent's separation had sent him into a tail spin.

- What if I'm at Mum's house

and I wake up in a heavy metal mood,

but all I have with me is thrash metal?

It's a total nightmare.

- Maybe you could just ride back to grab a CD.

It's not like it's far.

- It may as well be Africa.

That's how it feels.

It's gonna be different.

Two beds, two rooms, two houses.

I just want one house, like it's always been.

(slow music)

With me, Mum and Dad.

- [Lockie Voiceover] I'd never seen Egg so upset before

and I really wished I knew how to help him.

(screaming)

(slow music)

- What have you done to my plant of renewal, brother?

- Your what?

Why is this there?

- It's restoring harmony.

I've shui-ed.

There should be flying water

but all I could find was the jug.

- Phillip, you seriously need help

in an extremely large way.

- No, see it's genius.

I've opened up the good energy to face north,

where Mum's hospital is.

According to my book, Mum should feel the positive energy,

and get better.

Then she can come home.

- This is all about helping Mum?

That's the big thing you wanted?

- You won't think it's so dumb when she comes home.

- No, I don't think it's dumb.

Insane and ridiculous, but not dumb.

Maybe just warn me next time.

- I can't tell when the greatness will strike again,

but I'll do my best.

Oh, just one more thing.

I rearranged the bedroom so I can score

a deluxe archaeology set.

(chanting)

- [Lockie Voiceover] While Phillip was discovering ways

to get Mum home and win an archaeology set,

Sarge was making some discoveries of his own.

- [Lockie] Hi Blob, hi Santa, how'd it go?

- Magnificently.

Fridays are nothing if not.

(slow music)

Eventful.

- [Lockie] Phillip's been shui-ing.

- I won, I won, I won.

I won, I won, I won, I won.

- What's that?

What did you win?

- A Christmas raffle at school.

I won heaps of cool stuff.

- You won a games hamper.

- Yep.

Not exactly an archaeology set, but still.

Definitely the shui.

- The power of positive thinking, son.

Good for you.

- I've got to make some calls, spread the word, pronto.

Do I know anyone in China?

- [Lockie Voiceover] And that was how the dominoes

had affected my life.

So far.

- Interesting day all round today, Lock.

Found Mr Streeton's convertible

abandoned by the side of the road.

Not a scratch on it, thankfully.

- Who did it?

- No clue.

Mr Streeton was one happy chap

when I told him he could pick it up in the morning.

(slow music)

- [Lockie Voiceover] And just then I realised,

maybe Phillip was onto something with the positive energy.

And maybe I could use the domino effect

to help change things for the better.

- Hey, Sarge?

What time did you tell him he could pick it up?

- 11.

Why do you ask?

- Oh, no reason.

Just wondering.

And one more thing, I need a big favour.

Can I please borrow your Santa suit?

- [Lockie Voiceover] The next morning,

my face was finally back to normal,

just in time for me to put my domino plan into action.

- Hey, Arch.

- Hey, Monster.

All packed and ready?

- Yep, yep, sure am.

Just thought I'd watch a bit of telly first.

Don't have to leave here til 10.

- So, hey, good news about your car.

- My car?

- Yeah, the one at the car yard.

Heard it got stolen.

No, it's okay.

The car's fine.

It's in perfect condition.

Sarge has it at the police station.

You can go round and pick it up at 11.

No problem.

- You're a good friend for telling me, Arch.

- Any time.

So, you'll be there?

- You bet I'll be there.

Just try to stop me.

- [Lockie Voiceover] And since I was on a roll,

I kept on going.

(door knocking)

I decided to pay a visit to Egg's parents

and let them know how tough things were on Egg

and how hard he was taking the two homes thing.

I didn't know how they'd take it or what they'd do about it,

but it seemed to go okay.

I only had one more domino to play,

then stand back and hope they fell the right way.

- Baby's come back.

Beautiful baby's come back.

- Dad.

- [Lockie Voiceover] Thankfully,

things went according to plan.

Look what's turned up.

(laughing)

- You remember this, eh?

- [Lockie Voiceover] Starting with a broken leg rope

and ending with me finding an old yearbook.

My favourite day, by Colin Streeton.

- [Lockie And Colin] My favourite day

is the same day every year,

right before the Christmas holidays.

- [Colin] Me and my Dad get dressed up

as Santa and his helper

and drive around town giving lollies to all the kids.

Dad said one day he'll give me the car.

I can't wait.

My dad is the best and I think on that special day

everyone wishes my dad was their dad, too.

- Happy Christmas!

- [Lockie Voiceover] After reading it,

I realised Mr. Streeton and Monster

used to be just like Sarge and me.

And just maybe, if I could get them

in the same place at the same time,

they could be that way again.

I'd never seen Vicki so happy.

Back at Egg's house, things were going much better.

(heavy metal music)

Egg's parents decided they would share Egg's house.

One week at a time, so he wouldn't have to move at all.

Egg thought it was a great idea.

He celebrated by head-banging for seven straight hours.

Personal record.

(slow music)

Things worked out for Phillip, too.

He Feng Shui-ed himself right to hospital

with a sprained wrist and got to have a sleepover with Mum.

It wasn't quite as good as having her home,

but Phillip was pretty stoked.

So was Mum.

So, everything worked out okay.

- Hi.

- Hi.

My brother's home.

- That's good.

- It is, it's great.

Your dad called, asked if we'd seen his Santa suit.

Why do I get the feeling you had a hand

in the way all this has worked out?

I don't know how you did it, but thanks.

I think you're pretty great, Lockie Leonard.

Have a good surf.

(upbeat music)

- [Lockie Voiceover] And that's exactly what I did.

While steering clear of seaweed, of course.

("Worlds Away" by Jebediah)

♫ Boy is breaking underneath the weight of strain

♫ Worlds away from anyone

♫ They were burning themselves out in the sun

♫ Worlds away from anyone

♫ They were burning themselves out in the sun

♫ There was just enough to get that far away