Mary lands a job with a lecherous boss and Rab, fearing she may dump him, turns to his pal Jamesie Cotter for advice on improving his love life. At the pub, Norrie has employed a new barmaid, Davina, who is in the process of changing sex, and the guys are having confused feelings about her. Davina covers for Mary at work and the boss propositions her only to find out that she's a man.

A strange new affliction is visited on the Nesbitt household. Rab's younger son Burney has been diagnosed as gifted and begins attending weekend classes for advanced tuition. But as his talent blossoms, so do the thorns of jealousy and resentment, as Rab and elder son Gash are left hungry in the emotional wasteland.