Don’t Buy From Me, Argentina

Helen is hosting a party for Argentinian polo players at Woodcote Park. She falls for Raoul Gomez, a suave Argentinian. Aiden Curtis, the husband of one of the English guests, asks Ken to watch his wife Merrily (!) who is “terribly easily influenced”, meaning that he knows every man in the room fancies her and that he thinks she is having an affair. Ken follows her and uncovers a conspiracy between her, a local vet, David Rennet, and one of the Argentinian polo players, Celestino da Silva. Merrily’s horse, Deauville Dancer, is infertile but Rennet has signed a certificate stating that it is in perfect health. She “sells” the horse to da Silva, thus establishing its value so that the insurance company will pay out when, six months from now, Rennet “has no choice” but to have it destroyed. She arranges to return da Silva’s money when the insurance company pays up, but instead she leaves him as the owner of an infertile horse and disappears by plane with his money, accompanied by another (unknown) man.

Rocky’s bike is in the garage so he has to suffer the ultimate indignity of riding around on a Honda 50 moped! He is asked to collect a valuable painting from an auctioneers for Thomas Kilverton, an irascible old man in a wheelchair. When he is stopped by the police (for speeding!), he is nonplussed to discover that his name is on the sales receipt for the painting, making him the legal owner! Later, he is knocked off his bike by a mysterious black car and the painting is stolen. Eventually he tracks down the “thief” – she is the ex-wife of Thomas Kilverton. Kilverton was trying to reduce the size of the alimony that he paid her by pretending to sell off all his assets. In thanks for recovering the painting and uncovering the scam, Mrs Kilverton gives Rocky a brand-new Yamaha 500 motorbike.

Rocky’s new bike is never referred to again – by the following episode, “All In A Day’s Pork”, he is riding his Norton Commando again, without any explanation as to whether he has sold the Yamaha.

Notes and episode list © Martin Underwood, 1998

Page last modified: 17 December 2008, 23:48