Repo Man

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## Briefing

Jon becomes a local celebrity when he is filmed saving children in a runaway bus, he also has problems getting his watch fixed that broke during the rescue. Grossie's article is published in the Highway Patrolman and is having trouble gaining recognition from his peers. Jon and Ponch stop a credit collector twice and begin having credit problems.

## Report

Grossie is placing copies of the latest Highway Patrol magazine in the pigeonholes of specific people. He then spies through the window to the briefing room. Sindy is rifling through one of the issues placed on the desk. Jon and Ponch tell her not to because Grossie might be watching since one of his articles made it in the issue. Sindy compliments Grossie's article. Ponch tells her they want it to look like they've not seen it. Ponch tells Jon he'll meet him on the freeway since he's got to check if his waterbed has been delivered.

On a school bus the driver is getting stressed at the rowdy children on the bus, he mumbles to himself. A kid playing with his skateboard lets it travel down the length of the bus and it wedges between the drivers foot and the pedal. The driver reaches down to get the skateboard out but when he leans down he clutches his chest and doubles over. A kid behind the driver notices he's not steering anymore and leans over the chair and grabs the wheel in time before it hits two women attempting to get in their car. The children start paniking and screaming. The bus passes Jon who is giving a ticket to another driver, he quickly rides after it.

Jon rides up to the driver's window and tells the driver to pull the key out of the ignition, the boy tells him he can't reach it. Jon tells the boy to keep the bus steady and calls it in. A helicopter in the sky hears the broadcast and heads over to where it's happening. Jon tells the boy to keep the bus steady on the white line and to keep it there, then rides off ahead. Jon sees a bridge coming up and takes a side street, there's some renovation going on the bridge luckily for Jon who climbs down onto a platform and waits for the bus to pass. When it passes, Jon jumps onto the roof of the bus, then crawls to the front and climbs through a window. The helicopters hovers above. Jon pulls out the skateboard from the pedals and then takes control of the bus and pulls it towards the side of the street. A crowd gathers.

Jon asks Mike for his help one more time and they pull the driver free from the bus. A passing doctor offers his help. A news channel car pulls up and they start filming. Jon is helping the doctor with CPR, Ponch arrives and Jon shouts over at him that they have a heart attack victim, Ponch calls it in. Ponch asks Jon if he's okay, Jon tells him he's fine and only broke his wristband. Jon goes back in the bus and tells the children to stay where they are and they'll get a replacement driver soon, he praises Mike. Jon exits the bus and the news anchor asks who jumped on the bus, Jon tells him he did but his story is with Michael who steered the bus.

Jon is getting his watch repaired. The man tells him it will cost $3 and to come back tomorrow. Jon tells him it's only a wristband. The man tells him if he wants it sooner he'll have to pay $5. Jon tells him he'll come back tomorrow.

Back on patrol Jon and Ponch come across an altercation between a repo man and an elderly couple. He is there to repossess a trailer. Ponch finds out that the couple fell back on a couple of payments due to a mix up with their pension cheques, and they told the bank. Jon asks to see his court order but Mr Doyle Ware only has a letter stating he's acting on the best interests of the owner. Jon tells Ware that he needs a court order to legally repossess a trailer. Ponch tells Ware he cannot take a trailer illegally and tells him to unhitch it. Jon asks the elderly man to remove his car blockng the entrance to the trailer park. Ware tells them that he's only doing his job, Ponch tells him they're just doing theirs. Ware demands to know their names, Jon restrains Ponch and tells them their surnames. The elderly couple thank Jon and Ponch for their help, Jon tells them they deal with traffic issues and that they'll need to move the trailer back. Ponch tells Ware to drive carefully, Ware tells them that they'll hear from him again and to believe him. Ponch turns to Jon and tells him he believes him.

Back at Central everyone is gathered around Jon in the report room, they're praising him on his daredevil antics with the bus. Jon tells them the drivers going to be fine. Grossie tells Jon he'll write a story about it and Jon asks if he's a writer. Sindy smiles. Grossie declares himself as a novelist, and starts handing out issues of the Highway Patrolman. Jon tells Grossie he already subscribes. Grossie tells him he gets courtesy copies when his articles get published. Everyone starts leaving the room. Getraer taps on the window to get Jon's attention.

Getraer chides Jon for his actions with the bus. Jon tells him he did what he had to do. Getraer tells him he's got to do some personal appearances now he's a public figure and it's an opportunity to enhance the image of the patrol. Getraer tells him there's a parade at Calabasas and asks him how his horse is since he needs him to ride in it. Jon tells him he doesn't have any parade equipment but he can get some. Jon asks Getraer if he's not really sore at him. Getraer tells him he is, but when he's hot, he's hot.

Jon is walking down the corridor when Sindy chases after him and asks for a big favour. She tells him that two of her cousins are in town, Jackie and Babe. They saw him on television and they'd love to meet him. Jon tells Sindy he'd like to but he's got a horse he needs to feed and exercise. She tells him she's got tickets to the Forum and she'll pay for dinner. Sindy tries to explain to Jon about her cousins but is interrupted by Grossie and Baricza. Jon again turns Sindy down, and he gets ribbed for being too big now to help out a fellow comrade. Jon seeing no other option agrees to go and asks if she needs a lift. Sindy tells him her cousins have a car and tries to tell him about Jackie and Babe but Baricza interrupts her. Sindy again tries to speak about her cousins but is interrupted by Grossie. Jon tells Sindy he'll meet her at the Pizza Paradise around 7pm. Sindy agrees and starts explaining again, but is interrupted by Grossie. Jon tells Sindy he'll meet her at 7 and walks away feeling ambushed.

Jon is waiting at a table at the Pizza Paradise when he sees Sindy behind two women, she sees Jon and heads towards him, two men also walk in behind and Sindy heads to the table. Sindy introduces the two guys to Jon. Jackie and Babe tell Jon they saw him on TV and when they found out Sindy knew him they had to meet him. Sindy tells her cousins that she didn't tell him much about them because when she tried he wouldn't listen. Jackie and Babe fire off a load of questions at Jon and the last one asks how he felt. Jon tells him he feels silly because he thought her cousins were girls. Jon waves over the waitress, who initially greets herself and then is shocked when she sees Jon, a customer sitting behind him screams. The waitress drops her tray of drinks on the table smashing the contents everywhere. Young girls crowd around their table asking for his autograph.

Ponch is waiting for Jon outside the repair shop and is signing autographs. Jon is inside the repair shop and finds out his watch is no longer working. The repair man tells him that jumping on buses can do that to a watch and tells him he can't open his watch without his permission. Jon gives his permission. The repair man tells him to come back tomorrow and hands him a receipt and tells him to get rid of the crowd outside.

Once Jon leaves the shop he is mobbed. Ponch makes his getaway and rides off, shortly after Ponch radios his partner. Jon tells the crowd he has a big emergency and speaks to Ponch in code. The crowd are amazed at the use of numbers.

Ware makes a call from a pay phone across a shop called Casanova's House of Beauty, he asks for Mrs Otis Jessup and proceeds to tell her that her boy has been hurt. As soon as Mrs Jessup leaves the shop, Ware chases after her and tells her there's nothing wrong with her son. He's looking for her husband who's hiding a car and he has the authority to repossess it. Mrs Jessup is incensed he would stoop to such levels to get to speak to her. Ware tells her that she should be grateful there's nothing wrong with her son and he spared her by coming to her outside the shop rather than inside it. Mrs Jessup refuses to give him the information. Ware threatens her job by telling her he'll go inside and tell them everything.

On the freeway Ware is towing a car behind his truck, he is being chased and harassed by another driver. Jon and Ponch are parked off on a slip road and see the harassing car make another car spin. Jon catches up to the harassing car and tells him to pull over. Ponch catches up with Ware and tells him to pull over. The car Ware is towing cuts loose and Jon sounds his siren a couple of times to get Ponch's attention. Ponch calls it in and thanks Jon for the warning.

Ponch goes to see Ware and Jon goes to see the other driver. Jon find out that the driver is Otis Jessup. Otis can't believe that Jon is writing him a ticket when Ware stole his car from his garage. Jon tells him he was driving unsafely. Ponch is examining the tow hook, Ware tells him it's state approved. Ponch gives him a ticket for unsafe driving and if he wants to contest it he can do so in court. Sindy and Grossie arrive to control traffic. Jon is again getting attention from passing motorists. Ponch asks Grossie to take over since Jon is being recognised again.

Ware returns to his office and immediately calls Credit Rating asking about the status of Jon and Ponch. He tells them he has an out of state lien assignment on Baker and two judgements on Poncherello.

Jon is buying parade gear but his credit is turned down and they ask him to pay cash. Jon is confused and tells him his credit is good. The shop assistant tells him their exchange has rated him a bad risk. The shop assistant gives him the name and address of the exchange so he can get more information. Jon tells him he doesn't need a new saddle anyway.

Jon returns to Central and bumps into Getraer who were both looking for each other. In his office, Getraer asks Jon if he's in trouble he should talk to him and that someone rang the Captain to tell him about Jon's bad debts. Then Getraer hands Jon some letters which might refer to Ponch but the spelling of the name is wrong.

At night Ware is searching for car in a parking complex, when he finds it he proceeds to steal it. Jon and Ponch are watching him. He takes the car back to his place and removes the plates. Ponch asks Jon why he would take the plates off. Jon tells him he wants to know too and that they're going to be busy tomorrow. Ponch reminds Jon that tomorrow is their day off. Jon confirms it.

The next morning, Ware leaves his office and Jon tells Ponch he'll meet him around the corner. Ponch checks out Wares place while Jon drives off. Ponch is unable to gain access to the building and starts taking note of the plates in the yard.

Ware arrives at a scrap yard followed by Jon who parks outside. He sees Ware pass over the plate he took off the car last night and it's attached to a wreck similar to the car he took. Ware starts taking pictures of the wreck. Once the pictures are taken the plate is returned to Ware. The owner of the scrap yard tells Ware he still owes him for the last car. Ware hands him an envelope and drives off.

Back at Central everyone is reading the magazine, Ponch tells everyone they should tell him they read his article. Grossie walks in. Everyone tells him they read his article and it was good. Grossie takes his magazines back and tells them he'll send them to friends and walks out. Ponch leaves telling them he needs to meet Jon.

On the street Jon and Ponch are waiting for Getraer. They tell Getraer what Ware is up to. Getraer tells them to hand it over to the DA. Jon tells him that they think they can catch him in the act.

Jon and Ponch park up after speaking to Getraer and Jon tells Ponch he should get his watch. He asks Ponch what's wrong. Ponch is feeling bad about what happened to Grossie. Jon tells him they'll find a way to make it up to him and wishes him good luck. Ponch rides off to Wares place.

Ponch tells him he's here to talk about their credit ratings. Ware tells him it's tough maracas. Ponch tells him he can prove he gave false information and bring charges against him. Ware tells him he's trying to make a living and then they come along and harass him, costing him money. Ponch asks for the papers for the cars on his lot and the one in the garage. Ponch tells him he has the plates of the ones in the lot and he'll start with those. Ware asks what. Ponch tells him an honest collector is one thing, his plate racket is larceny. Ware tells him he doesn't know what he's talking about. Ponch tells him about a scam that would work on vehicles that were stolen. Ware tells Ponch every car on his lot is a legit repo. Ponch tells him he'll tell the DA he said that. Ware questions it. Ponch tells him tough maracas and leaves.

Ponch returns to where Jon was when he left. Jon spots a group of kids coming towards him and tells Ponch to watch out. The kids pass by without incident. Ponch tells him his fame is fading. Jon is glad. Ware leaves his office in a copper '78 T-bird. Jon and Ponch follow. Ware noticed them behind and starts speeding away. Ponch calls it in. Ponch spots the news helicopter again and radios Grossie and Baricza. Baricza cuts off Ware's exit. They end up at an empty warehouse where construction is taking place outside. They chase after Ware on foot. Ware has stolen a loader and rams through a shed causing a fire to start. Because Ware isn't used to the controls he causes the loader to move to the down position and comes to an abrupt halt. Jon and Ponch arrest him on site. Ponch asks Grossie to put the fire out with the loader. Baricza takes Ware away.

Jon returns to get his watch. The repair man tells him he wouldn't want it. He tells Jon things are broken or missing on it. Not happy Jon tells him it worked fine when he brought it in except the wristband. The man tells Jon he gave him permission to open his watch and when he did he found spaghetti. He picks up an envelope and empties the contents into this hand, his watch is in pieces. Jon tells him he just wants a watch that works. The repair man tells him to take one since he has a stick and a gun, he wouldn't put up a fight. Jon tells him he just wants a watch and asks him what he has for $30 or $40. The repair man tells Jon for $40 he can fix Jon's watch like new. Jon tells him he'll think about it and walks out.

Grossie arrives outside the repair shop and Ponch asks him what he's doing here. Grossie tells him he broke his watch when he was driving the skip loader. Ponch tells him he's come to the right place. Jon tells him if he wants a deal to just mention his name. As Grossie is walking to the shop some girls stop him and tell him they saw him on the news and ask for his autograph. Ponch asks Jon what he's going to do with his free time now. Jon tells him he might write an article in the CHP magazine about Grossie.

## Notes

* When Jon exits the bus for the last time he is next seen doing CPR with the doctor, the doctor is doing chest compressions at the same time Jon is giving mouth to mouth.
* Mills Watson appeared in season 1 episode, Rustling.
* When Jon and Ponch first meet Ware, Ponch parks up first and then Jon parks up behind him. The next shot Jon is walking first with Ponch behind him. Also the street is free from any parked vehicles, but when Jon walks towards Ware there's a trailer parked by his bike. They also seem to park in the suburbs which quickly changes to an urban area.
* Jon tells Sindy he needs to feed and exercise his horse. In High Explosive, he hired Barry Lasher to look after his horse.
* The music playing in the Pizza Paradise is the theme tune for this episode.

### Quotes

* Jackie/[Babe]/(Jon): [Hey, we play college football. What you did was real. How'd you psych yourself up for a thing like that?] It is okay to talk about it? How do you feel? (Well, actually, I feel pretty silly, because I thought Sindy's cousins were both ***girls***.) That's what she figured. Sorry to disappoint you. (It's no disappointment, it's a relief.)

### Codes used.

* 11-42 - Ambulance is not required.
* 10-97 - I have arrived at scene.
* Code 4 - No further assistance needed.
* 10-4 - Message received.
* 10-20 - My location is.
* 11-98 - Meet me at.
* 4-15 PC - Disturbing the peace / Penal Code
* 10-2 - Reception good.
* 10-8 - Available for calls.
* 10-23 - Stand by.
* 11-85 - Send tow truck.

## Cast

### Main Cast

* Larry Wilcox: Jon Baker
* Erik Estrada: Frank Poncherello
* Robert Pine: Joe Getraer

### Recurring

* Brianne Leary: Sindy
* Lou Wagner: Harlan
* Brodie Greer: Baricza
* Paul Linke: Grossman
* Lew Saunders: Fritz

### Guest Stars

* Mills Watson: Doyle Ware
* Ned Glass: Watchmaker

### Others

* Don 'Red' Barry: Frank Taylor
* Anna Berger: Mary Taylor
* Casey Brown: Louise Jessup
* Wyatt Johnson: Otis Jessup
* Terrance McNally: Clerk
* Mickey Cherney: Doctor
* Gregg Forrest: Michael
* Bill Deiz: Reporter
* Anne O'Donnell: Waitress
* Jame Milmore: Admirer #1
* Robyn Petty: First Girl
* Marti McKay: Second Girl
* Tommy Bush: Mechanic
* Susan Shearer: Admirer #2
* Wayne Bauer: Jackie
* Henry Acuna: Boy
* Trevor Henley: Babe