Manny Bianco (Bill Bailey) enters Nifty Gifty, a gift shop run by Fran Katzenjammer (Tamsin Greig). Manny informs her that he was hired to work in the bookshop next door, 'Black Books', however found that the shop was closed. After Fran warns him not to work there, Manny manages to open the door to the shop to find a drunk Bernard Black (Dylan Moran), owner of the shop, sprawled across the sofa. Manny informs him that he hired him yesterday, however Bernard can't remember, and asks if he had been drinking. Manny thinks back to the night before, when Bernard had mistaken an old woman for Manny and had unwittingly hired him. Despite Bernard not wanting Manny to work in the shop, he agrees to give him a one-day trial to assess if he is worthy of the job.