Lionel and Jean have just finished having lunch in Hampshire with Penny and Stephen, who are clearing the table. Penny tells them to just relax, that they'll be right back. When they leave, Lionel tells Jean that they can get away soon, but Jean says that they can't just bolt their lunch and go. He wonders why Penny's gravy is always gray. Jean doesn't know -- it tastes fine, but it just isn't aesthetically pleasing. Stephen and Penny return and Stephen says an odd couple of rhyming lines about a flowerpot which surprises everyone. They wonder why he said it at all and Stephen can't answer. He doesn't understand it himself -- it just came into his head. Penny wishes he wouldn't think of such things. Irritating, he thinks, when you don't know where a thought comes from. Lionel never gave that much thought. Jean thinks you never think of a thought -- a thought is a thought -- she thinks. This discussion seems to please Stephen, although it seems to confuse everyone else. Penny simply thinks they'll have coffee. Lionel says that after that they'll have to leave. Penny says "Stephen?" He tells her that yes, he'll have coffee. She says that she means for him to go and make it. He looks confused and then heads for the kitchen to get the coffee. When he is gone Penny says that they must forgive Stephen for not seeming himself. Jean tells her that they hadn't noticed. Stephen is hiding the strain.
Stephen is undergoing some stress because Penny is going into the hospital tomorrow. They look concerned and ask why. 
"I'm dying," she blurts out. Jean asks who told her. Nobody told her, Penny says. She just knows. Lionel thinks someone would have mentioned it if she were dying. What is she going into the hospital for? She tells them it is for a "feminine" thing. Almost immediately Lionel gets up to leave -- he says he wants to help Stephen with the coffee. Penny tells him that there's no need -- plus he wouldn't understand anyway. She assures him that Jean does, but Jean tells her that actually she doesn't understand. Penny whispers to her. she takes it in and says "Penny, that's not a feminine thing." Penny asks if she's sure. "We all have a small intestine," Jean answers. This dying business... Lionel says. Jean tells him he could have put this more tactfully. Penny reassures them that the word holds no fear for her. Lionel wants to know if she's going into the hospital for an operation. An exploratory operation. Lionel tells her that that's just having a look around. "That's what they say," Penny says, but "they probably won't bother to bring me round." Stephen comes back into the room and says he's having problems making the coffee. Penny tells him she should have done it herself in the first place and she leaves to see to it.
Stephen asks if she's told them. Yes, about going into the hospital. No, he means about "the dying business." Jean says that she believes that Penny did mention it. Stephen tells them that the whole district probably knows it by now. Lionel asks if he believes her. No, not logically, Stephen says, "but she seems so sure." She's not the world's greatest optimist, Jean reminds him. He tells them he knows it's an awful cheek but he wonders if he can stay with them for a few days. "What?" says Lionel, disbelieving. Jean tells him that most men would want to be near their wives at a time like that. Stephen tells them that that's just the point -- the hospital is in West London, nearly just around the corner from their house. He thinks they don't want him and again says it is pretty cheeky of him to ask, but Lionel insists that he stay with them.
Jean and Lionel are in the car, driving away from Penny and Stephen's. She asks Lionel to stop the car. He does and looks at her -- "what?" She leans over and gives him a big kiss. She tells him that Sandy once said that he was "kinder than he wanted to be." He isn't sure how to take that. She observes that although he must have hated the idea of Stephen's staying with them he said "yes" straightaway. He tells her that he really didn't want to. "Why did you?" she asks him. There was nothing else he could have said -- he has a balmy wife who is convinced that she was going to die and if they left him on his own, he would start to believe it. Jean recalls that Penny never once called her "Poor Jean." Lionel speculates that it must all be nonsense. "Good old Stephen, he's so..." Jean finishes the sentence "...thick." Yes, but "vulnerable, thick," says Lionel. Jean thinks that's so sweet and she leans over to kiss him again. Just then some kids drive by in a car and hoot at the kissing couple. Jean tells him they'd better get going because they are setting a bad example for the younger generation.
Sandy tells them she doesn't mind moving in with Judith while Stephen stays with them. That's settled then, says Jean. Except, Judith points out, that Stephen is used to sleeping with someone. Lionel looks at her questioningly. Not her she tells him -- Stephen is used to sleeping in a double bed. Well, it would be a bit of a squash with two of them in her bed, says Sandy. Lionel says he could take the single -- then Stephen can have their bed. What about me, asks Jean. Lionel forgot about her and laughs. All three of the women can't sleep in Judith's bed. Sandy will take the single. No Lionel will sleep on the couch, no Judith will. Jean stops them all -- they're making it much too complicated. Sandy moves with Judith, Stephen moves in Sandy's room and she and Lionel stay put and that's that, except.... Lionel tells her not to make it complicated again. She's worried that Stephen will feel very much on his own. Lionel tells her that he is not coming in with them. She says she doesn't mean with them, she means with him. Lionel feels very sorry for Stephen, he says, but he draws the line at sleeping with him. "Poor Uncle Stephen, though -- poor Aunt Penny." And she's so young, too, says Sandy. Lionel tells them that before they get the black crepe out he wants to say something. He says that Penny is occupying her half a brain with the weird notion that she's at Death's door -- and she's not -- she's simply going into the hospital for an exploratory. Lionel reminds them that this is the point in the conversation where everyone is supposed to agree with him and say that there isn't anything to worry about. They tell him that people sometimes have premonitions and you can't really dismiss Penny as being half-baked. Sometimes people simply lose the will to live. They start talking about voodoo and eskimoes and Lionel feels they are losing their focus. Their primary concern should be with finding ways to cheer Stephen up.
"...so the parrot says, I didn't see a thing. I got so excited I fell off my perch." Lionel leads Stephen into Sandy's room, carrying a suitcase and still trying to peddle his parrot joke. Of course, Stephen doesn't understand it. "He didn't have any feet," Lionel tries to explain. "The parrot or the man?" asks Stephen. "Was he born without feet?" Lionel gives up. He gestures to show Stephen the room and tells him that he hopes he'll be comfortable. Stephen says it's a girl's room and Lionel tells him it's Sandy's. He assures Lionel that he won't rummage around. Lionel begins to leave but Stephen asks him not to go. Lionel looks uncomfortable, but under the circumstances, feels that he should stay in case Stephen needs to talk. Stephen unpacks a pair of "jimjams." He thinks they're a bit flashy for his taste. They appear to be black with white stripes. 
He puts them under the pillow, saying that Penny bought them for him. Lionel says he thinks they are quite -- he searches for the right word "...cheerful." Stephen picks up the pillow to have another look, but doesn't actually see that "cheerful" is appropriate. He asks if Jean buys Lionel's jimjams. Not so far. Stephen says he often thinks of those one-piece jobs they used to wear as a child. "You do?" asks Lionel. He does. It's Lionel's turn again. He apologizes and tells Stephen he just can't think of anything more to say about pajamas. He was just making small talk. He mentions that Penny wanted to have a talk with Jean. Lionel tells him that he was surprised that he didn't take her straight to the hospital. He wonders what she wanted to chat to Jean about, but Stephen says he doesn't need three guesses. He asks if there is a free drawer for some of his clothes and Lionel tells him that Sandy emptied the first two drawers of the dresser. He walks over and first feels to see that it's empty. Lionel tells him that there's no need, but Stephen feels it is best to check first -- girl's bedrooms can be mine fields.
Meanwhile in the living room Penny is asking Jean to take care of Stephen. Jean tells her that that's why they have him staying there. She doesn't mean now, she means afterwards. Jean asks her not to start. She wants everyone to wear something colorful. "When?" Jean asks. Penny gives her a look. Jean doesn't want to hear more of this. "You have told the children?" Penny asks. Jean tells her that yes, she did tell Judith and Sandy and they don't believe it either. Penny says that she and Stephen never had any children and he'll be on his own... Jean asks Penny to excuse her and she rushes out of the room first, to see about the tea and second, just to get away. She goes into the kitchen where Judith and Sandy are sitting and tells them they were supposed to be making tea. They point to the end of the table where the tray of tea is sitting. She wants to know if they are supposed to be drinking it through a long straw. They explain that they were just waiting for a good moment to bring it in -- they were being discreet. Jean tells them there are no good moments and, in fact, now Penny is talking about their looking after Stephen once she's gone. She says she needs reinforcements. Before she can go back to the living room Penny comes into the kitchen. "For Those In Peril On the Sea," says Penny. Jean wants to know what about them. She wants that played at her funeral. She's already told this to Stephen, but she's sure that he'll forget. By the way is anyone interested in her jewelry?
Jean and Stephen are standing around the hospital room. It's a large room and Penny is in a bed which is enclosed by a floor to ceiling curtain. She tells Stephen that he can come in. Since there are no walls, Jean can hear Penny giving Stephen a list of things to do back home. Jean backs off into an area where there is another patient. "I'm Gladys Teape," the old woman says. She tells her that she knows who Jean is. 
Jean asks if she's sure. Yes, "you're Cilla Black," she tells her. Jean denies this several times but the woman refuses to believe it and concludes that Jean is simply incognito. She asks if Jean has seen her green teapot. She hasn't, but she says she'll look for it. Lionel walks in with a bouquet of flowers that he got in the hospital gift shop and asks what she's doing. She informs him that she's looking for the teapot and tells him that Mrs. Teape is hallucinating. Lionel tells her that, no, Mrs. Teape is fast asleep. Stephen backs out of the area where Penny's bed is and says he'll see her that evening. "Maybe," comes the voice from the other side. He tells Lionel and Jean that Penny would like a word with them. They walk through the curtains and leave Stephen alone with Mrs. Teape. She tells him that she has just seen Cilla Black.
Penny tells Lionel and Jean that she wants them to talk with Stephen about being a bachelor. Lionel reminds her that he's been a bachelor. Yes, but not for a long time and he has to relearn the skills. Lionel isn't sure he has any skills in that area. Jean tells her to just stop with all this negative thinking -- she even has Stephen believing it now. They hear Mrs. Teape singing to Stephen.
Jean's back in the kitchen with Judith and Sandy who ask if everything went okay. Yes, apart from someone thinking that she was Cilla Black. Jean explains that some poor old soul was hallucinating. 
She tells them that Penny was issuing final instructions. They ask if she wants some tea, but she tells them that she needs some wine after the hospital experience. Alistair is also in the kitchen and he asks how Lionel is doing. Jean explains that even now he's talking to Stephen - Penny has asked Lionel to prepare Stephen for life on his own. She asks if Alistair would be willing to give Lionel a hand. At that moment Sandy is handing Jean the glass of wine and Alistair grabs it to fortify himself for the assignment.
Stephen and Lionel are having this talk in the living room. Lionel is pacing, making small talk. Stephen says he knows why Lionel maneuvered him into the living room and old Pen is right -- he could use some advice about going it alone. Lionel says it is like a curse -- this black cloud that seems to have descended. Just then Alistair comes in and tells him he's not going to be on his own. 
Stephen says suppose he were. They assure him that he won't be. But suppose. Okay, Alistair will go along with him -- but it's not for real, it's just three guys chewing the fat. Whichever way you slice the pie, Alistair says, it's not all bad: you're free as air and you can come and go as you please and no-one ever tries to talk you into doing things you don't want to do. Stephen asks him "what about the opposite sex?" "Hey, Steve," says Alistair, "they are out there." Stephen tells him that they are not where he lives. Alistair says that in "chewing the fat" terms they are assuming that he has a London flat. He hadn't thought of that. Stephen remembers that Lionel used to have a flat in London. He wonders if, in fact, they were out there. He supposes they were, but he doesn't want to give Stephen the impression that they were trying to batter his door down. Alistair asks who sits at home waiting, anyway. Lionel says that he did most of the time. "Man, the hunter, eh" says Stephen. Alistair growls at him. Stephen growls back, weakly "grrrr?" Lionel reminds him that they are only speaking hypothetically. And "hypothetically, mightn't I be a bit long in the tooth for all this grrrrr business?" asks Stephen. Alistair assures him that this is not the case and he's beginning to make all this sound very appealing to Stephen. 
Lionel feels it is necessary to point out that he is going to be with Penny, the woman that he loves, for a long time to come. Alistair tells him that Lionel is right -- perhaps he overstated the case for the single guy. And being free as air is not all it's cracked up to be because you're only with someone who is temporarily special. Stephen says that he doesn't really know what he'd do without old Pen. Jean walks in with the tea, sees how sad they all look and backs out into the hallway.
Stephen is in bed, but he's wide awake. 
There's a knock at the door and he pulls the covers up and announces that he's quite covered. It's Lionel and Jean who have popped into to say goodnight. He is quick to point out that the Teddy Bear which is on the nightstand is not his -- Judith lent it to him for support. Jean tells him that he doesn't have to make any excuses because it's nice to cuddle a Teddy. 
Lionel, she says, has a Teddy. Lionel looks horrified at that statement. He confirms that he has one -- no shame in it. They tell him that everything will be okay. The trouble is, he tells them, that Penny has only had one premonition before this and it was "spot on." Well this one won't be, Jean says, and gives him a kiss. He tells them that he is very grateful and he lays down in bed. After a few moments he says "oh, what the hell," grabs the Teddy and cuddles with it.
The next morning they are all sitting around the living room. Stephen says he thought they'd all be at work, but Jean tells him that the office will look after itself for a little bit. Stephen worries that the hospital should have phoned by now. Lionel says that you can't really expect the hospital to be dead on time. 
He should have worded that better, he thinks. Exactly on time. Hospitals are pretty busy and they could be running late or maybe they just haven't gotten to the phone yet or maybe there's an emergency... "With Penny?" asks Stephen. No, just someone squeezed in, Jean speculates. He wants to know with what. Squeezed into the queue for the operating theatre, she tells him. Lionel points out that everyone is just getting too tense, so he suggests that they get untense. The doorbell rings. It's Alistair, who tells them that there is no time for niceties: everyone should get down on the floor and lie down with their feet touching. Lionel wants to know if he heard him correctly. 
Alistair says that he saw this once in Portugal -- it is a way of concentrating group energy. Jean says that she's sure this is very well-intentioned, but... She sees that Stephen is already down on the floor. "It is for old Pen," he says. Jean supposes it can't do any harm. Jean and Lionel move the coffee table and they all lay on the floor with their feet touching. He tells them to clear their minds and chant. Jean asks what they should chant. He says "uh." All of them chant "uh." 
No, he tells them he's just trying to remember what the chant was. "Owhhhhhh," he says. They all follow. Mercifully, the telephone rings. Sandy answers it -- it's the hospital for Stephen. Jean takes the call. She listens and hangs up. She reports that they have found a small blockage in the small intestine, which they've removed. There are no complications and Penny is just coming out of the anesthetic. Stephen is thrilled at the news. Jean gives him a big hug. "Bloody woman," says Lionel.
They're back at the hospital. Jean tells Stephen to go in first. Stephen walks thru the curtains. Lionel looks at Mrs. Teape and says he wonders who she'll think Jean is today. Stephen walks back out and says that Penny isn't there. "She's gone.
They took her away," says Mrs. Teape. Stephen faints. Some time passes and Stephen is lying in the bed, while Jean and Lionel pat his hands. Jean thinks he is coming around. "Am I dead?" he asks. 
He wants to know about Penny because they took her away. Lionel explains that she was in a side ward because Mrs. Teape was singing at the top of her lungs and chattering the night before. They moved her so that she could get a decent night's sleep. Penny's bed is wheeled into the room and she's hollering at the people who are moving her because they are "charging about" with this bed. There's no need to do that, she says, after all they aren't in the Grand Prix. Lionel hears her screaming and concludes that she's all right. She asks what Stephen is doing in her bed. Stephen gets out of it and they roll Penny into her bed. The nurses tell them not to stay too long.
Penny is not embarrassed by or apologizing for all the furor she's caused, but she does say she knows why Lionel and Jean are looking at her like that. "Dying," huffs Lionel. Jean points out that Penny had six people in a state of near-hysteria. She tells them that she couldn't help having a premonition. Next time she has one Jean doesn't want her to tell anyone about it.
Lionel and Stephen are in the living room. 
Lionel doesn't understand what's the matter -- a few hours ago he was talking about funeral arrangments and now the only worry he has is cleaning up the house before Penny comes home from the hospital. Stephen tells him that he was just thinking about the day before when Lionel and Alistair and he were chewing the cud. "Fat," Lionel corrects him and tells him that it was just a hypothetical discussion. Stephen realizes that but says that when Alistair was talking about freedom and all those women out there -- for one awful moment it all sounded very attractive. He wonders if there is something intrinsically evil in him. Jean comes in and says that she left the Teddy Bear on the bed in Sandy's room just in case. Lionel seems surprised that Stephen is staying, but it's only while Penny's still in the hospital. He says it will be nice to have a fellow to chat with. Stephen expects they'll have some jolly decent chats. "I suppose you'll be back at work tomorrow," Lionel says to Jean. "Oh yes," she says emphatically and thankfully. Stephen says he's going upstairs to wash his face and then he's taking them both out to lunch.
They're finally alone. Jean wonders if they're just two silly people. No sillier than most, Lionel tells her. Penny did have them all going. "Premonition..." Jean thinks it was just fear. He tells her that he's having his annual checkup the next week. She points out that he never mentioned it. He tells her that it was all overshadowed by events. 
"You're not worried, are you? she asks. He tells her that no-one really looks forward to an examination. Not as they would a holiday, she says. And she concludes that he'll be fine. But if there is anything... She doesn't want him to go on. He tells her that one has to think of these things. If something does go wrong he'd like her to have his jewelry. She hits him with a pillow.