In the bookshop, Black Books, Bernard Black (Dylan Moran) goes about his daily business when Manny Bianco (Bill Bailey) rushes into the shop, looking for The Little Book of Calm. Manny is late for work and, after much stalling from Bernard, rushes out of the shop in a hurry. Bernard, however, must see his accountant and asks Fran, owner of the shop next door, to look after Black Books while he's gone. Fran suggests to Bernard to get an assistant, as she will not be able to look after his shop in a few days time as she is being birth partner to a friend. When Bernard arrives to see his accountant, Nick Voleur (Tony Bluto), he learns that Nick is a fugitive and has fled from the police.