Cryptic crossword No 978

I pulled this out of the pool of recent puzzles without any idea of what it entailed, honest! Mind you, it was the other half of the story that I got first, but from 6d all the same; is 9a trying to make up for an absence, I wonder? Ticks went to 11a (ha!), 16a (ha again!), 30a (neat surface), 4d, 7d & 22d (probably my favourite). I was also tempted to tick my LOI, 20a, because I do like a silly clue, but it took me so long to get that I can't, if only out of jokey spite. Ta for the fun puzzle!

Very nice - I enjoyed 11a, 12a, 16a in particular!