Frank was a barman in the establishment where a bored Elsie Howard went one night in March 1978. Before she arrived, he served customer Bernard Lane who was a regular there and thought the place was quieter than usual. Frank explained that it was due to being Easter Monday, though it had been packed at lunchtime. Bernard told Frank that another bar, The Ship, had gone downhill since a new landlord has started and he reminisced about when they served champagne and oysters which led Frank to tell a dreadful joke about the latter. He served Elsie gin and tonics when she arrived. Bernard began talking to her and presumed she was a prostitute. When he offered to take Elsie elsewhere and told her not to worry about the money, she hit the roof and started lashing out at him. Frank had to step in