01x26 - Take a Lesson

[bunniefuu]

Even though it's Friday night
and I don't have a date,

I really don't mind.

After all, there's a world of
exciting possibilities open to me.

Take dancing, for instance.
In this day and age, who needs a partner?

There's always the possibility of
constructive and creative activity,

like doing some extra homework
for extra credit.

There's always the possibility
of a little self-improvement.

After all, nobody's perfect.

Or you can experiment.

Glamour is not quite my field yet, but,
after all, you've got to plan ahead.

Something tells me it's gonna
be one of those nights.

♪ If you're in doubt
about angels ♪

♪ Being real

♪ I can arrange to change

♪ Any doubts you feel

♪ Wait till you see
my Gidget ♪

♪ You'll want her
for your valentine ♪

♪ You're gonna say
she's all that you adore ♪

♪ But stay away
Gidget is spoken for ♪

♪ You're gonna find
that Gidget is ♪

♪ Mine ♪

I was minding my own business,

all prepared to spend
a quiet evening at home...

catching up on
my surfing magazines.

Good night, Dad. Good night.

Good night?
At : ?

Well, for the sake of good health,
I thought I'd take the night off...

You know, read, relax,
get a good night's sleep.

Hmm, for the sake
of your health, huh?

And for the sake
of not having a date. Oh, you poor...

But you did have dinner
less than an hour ago.

Dad, dinner is something you eat
because it's the thing to do.

This you eat
because you enjoy. Okay. Enjoy. Enjoy.

I'll get it.
I'll get it.

You'll get it? How?
You know...

- Here.
- Oh.

Oh, thanks a lot, Dad.
You're a pal. Oh, Gidget.

Dad, well, don't let the
meringue slip into the pizza.

Perish the thought.

Hello?
Oh, hi, Shirl.

Gidget, Gidget,
you gotta come over right away!

- Why? What's the matter?
- It's a surprise. You won't believe it!

Hurry, Gidget.
Hurry!

Okay. I'll be right there!
Gotta hurry.

Gotta hurry. Wait a minute. Wait a minute.
What is it?

Where are you going? Over to Shirl's.
It's a big surprise.

I'll be right back. Now wait a minute,
Gidge. Uh, Gidget!

Daddy, I'm in a hurry. But you can't go out
like that.

Like what? In your pajamas.

No one'll see. And besides,
it's only a few blocks away.

And besides,
I've got my coat over it.

Gidget, Gidget,
so what if somebody saw you?

- Toodles!
- What if you...

Got in an accident?

What took you so long?

Gidget... Gidget,
have I got a surprise for you.

Are you ready? Ready.

You're sure?
Because it is stag-ger-ing!

Well, stagger away.

My daddy
is buying me... Yeah? Yeah?

A car!

That's a surprise for me?

Well, certainly.
You know how much I wanted one.

Sure. Sure, you have.
Uh...

No. It's great.
It's really great.

I'm so happy for you. Honest.
Well, I couldn't be any happier,

unless it were happening to me.

That's not all. No?
What?

You... You are gonna be the very
first of all my friends to see it.

I am? No kidding!
Well, how? When?

Well, tonight. Oh, Daddy?
Daddy, this is Gidget.

- How do you do, Mr...
- Hannah!

Will ya get a move on?
We're ready to go!

Go?
Go where? Come on, Mother!

Coming.

When my daddy decides
to do something... like, wow! Yeah. Wow.

Four weeks you can't make up your mind,
now all of a sudden everybody has to jump?

- Hello, honey.
- Hi.

So go start the car. I'll turn off
the lights. And don't take all night!

Come on, kids. Yeah, Gidge.
Let's go. We'll get Mom later.

Go where? Well, Pasadena, silly.

Where else would you go
to buy a used car? Pasadena?

Well, my father's cousin
Arthur works

for this little old lady
in Pasadena. Now, she...

What do you mean, no? I can't go.

Well, why not? I thought you'd want to.
I thought you'd be thrilled.

Well, I am, but... Well,

positions were reversed,
I know I'd be honored.

Well, I am honored, Shirl,
but I'm honored in my pajamas.

What in the world are you
doing in your pajamas?

Well, how am I supposed
to know you were going...

Hey, either ya want a car,
or you don't! I do. Daddy, I'm coming.

Honest. I'm coming. Hannah!

Boy, does he have
to holler like that?

What are ya doing?

Nobody'll even know. Honest.
I didn't even know until you told me.

Can't I borrow
something of yours? Are you kidding?

Daddy's ready to go. We can't keep
him waiting. He might change his mind.

Just keep your coat
all buttoned up. Well, I don't know...

Well, Gidget,
you can stay in the car. Hannah!

This is the most important night
of my life. You wanna spoil it?

Will ya please!

Well, okay, Shirl, but I have to
call my dad first and ask him.

Oh.

Now what?

She has to call her father
first and ask him if she can go.

Well, what's wrong with that? You're
a good kid. You should take a lesson.

Oh, I thought everybody was in such
a hurry. She's calling her father.

Now? When we're
so late?

Oh. It's busy. Wonder who
he could be talking to?

I'll call back.
He never talks long.

You see, we have this deal...

where we tell each other
where we're going.

Wanna try it again, little girlie?
We'd like to go tonight.

Yes, sir.

It's all part of this really
rather marvelous...

understanding we have based on
mutual respect and consideration.

It's still busy.

I do not... repeat...
Do not believe...

in interfering with another
parent's discipline.

- Oh, that's good.
- But...

But in an instance like this,

when the said parent
cannot be reached,

then the most responsible adult present
ought to make the judgment, right?

Well, only in...

And who's the most
responsible adult present?

Do we, uh, need take a vote
or shall we make it unanimous?

Thank you. It's unanimous.
Me, okay?

I make the judgment.
Let's go!

A few minutes later,

we were on the San Diego
Freeway headed for Pasadena...

At least I thought we were,
till I saw which way we were going.

Mr. Marshall,
aren't we going by way of the valley?

Not me. I go
by way of downtown.

Daddy wouldn't be caught
dead in the valley. Why?

Because he got lost
there once in .

But downtown is miles out of our way.
The valley is much shorter.

With me, a valley
gets once chance.

Doesn't shape up,
it's through. Oh, Daddy.

I wouldn't have agreed
to wait to call my dad

if I knew you were
gonna take the long way.

So you'll call him
a little later.

I'm sorry, sir, that would be worrying
my dad needlessly. I can't do that.

Gidget, I admire your attitude,
and I'd like to help you out,

but unfortunately there are
no phones on the freeway.

Well, couldn't we get off just
long enough to find a drugstore...

or... or a filling station
where I could call?

You don't get on and off
a freeway just like that.

At least I don't...
Not since... .

We can take the next off-ramp
we come to... sorta like potluck.

Potluck?

That's cute.

No.

I wouldn't even suggest it if you
didn't admire my attitude so much.

Oh, brother!

What, "Oh, brother"?
What kinda comment is that?

Instead of, "Oh, brother," you should
take a lesson. We'll take potluck.

There we are.
Ugh, time for a shower.

Hello.
Oh, hi, Larue.

- Hi, Mr. Lawrence. Where's Gidget?
- She went to Shirl's.

Oh, okay. I'll call her there.

Yeah. And tell her
to get home pretty soon.

I don't want her out that way.

Out what way?

We were looking
for a gas station...

or even a little drugstore...

You know, like you can find on
just about every other corner?

Well, we looked...

and looked,

and, minutes later,
we were still looking.

There...
Is that one? If it is, it's closed.

It doesn't make sense.

There's gotta be a gas
station around here somewhere.

Oh, there isn't one around here.
There isn't anything around here.

Where are we anyway? Who knows? We took
potluck, remember?

Now wait a minute,
Shirley. Fair is fair.

It's not Gidget's fault we can't find
a station. Thank you, Mr. Marshall.

It's her fault
we're looking for one.

It's not her fault
we can't find one.

Wait a minute.
Down that street... isn't that one?

It is.
Oh, thank heavens.

Yeah.
Thank heavens I found it.

Yes, sir. Fill 'er up? No, thanks.
Little lady has to use the phone.

- Go ahead. Get a move on.
- I just can't. No.

I said I wouldn't have to get
outta the car. Remember I said...

- What's the matter?
- Is something wrong?

You said I didn't have to get
out of the car. You did.

Now what's her problem?

She's in her pajamas.

- In your pajamas?
- In her pajamas?

What are you doing
in your pajamas?

Mr. Marshall, please.
You don't have to holler at me.

You're in your pajamas,
and I shouldn't holler?

What's the idea? Well, it's sort of
a long story.

- Does your father know?
- My father...

Yeah, the man with
the marvelous understanding...

The one you have to call every five minutes
even when you're with responsible adults...

Does he know you're out wanderin'
the streets in your pajamas?

I'm not exactly "wandering
in the streets," Mr. Marshall.

Yes or no? That's all.

He knows? Yes.

And he approves of your going
to Pasadena in your pajamas?

That's just the point. He doesn't know
I'm going to Pasadena in my pajamas.

- Make sense to you?
- Mm-mmm. It certainly doesn't.

- Me neither.
- You butt out.

You should be ashamed of yourself
goin' around in your pajamas.

- No wonder we couldn't find a gas station!
- What?

The number.
What's the number...

So I can call this great father
with this marvelous understanding?

- Well, I think maybe I bet...
- No, no. I want to talk to such a man.

- Oh, boy.
- The number?

- Granite - .
- Thank you.

.Mr. Marshall. Mr. Marshall,
tell him I'm all right.

Uh, tell him what I'm doing,
where I'm going. In your pajamas?

Well, if the subject
should come up.

The important thing is
he shouldn't worry.

If you ask me, he should start.

.

Oh.

Larue, I'm tryin'
to take a shower.

Well, what I want to know is,
did you say Gidget went to Shirl's?

Yeah. That's right.

Well, which one: Shirley
Mitchell or Shirley Marshall?

I don't know.
Who lives a couple of blocks from here?

I do.
Hello? Hello?

Larue, why don't you
just call both Shirleys?

Good idea.

Well, I gotta say one thing
for your father.

He not only has a marvelous understanding,
he's got a marvelous gift of gab.

Oh. The line was
still busy, huh?

Well... Oh, maybe the phone's out of order.
I checked. He's talking.

Now do you mind if we get back
on our way to Pasadena?

Aren't you gonna ask the boy
for some directions?

Who needs directions?
Who can't find a freeway?

Okay, so I can't find a freeway.
Send me to jail.

Wait a minute.
Isn't there a sign up there?

What's it say?
What's it say? I don't know.

I can't read it. Neither can I.

I can. Good, good.
What's it say?

What's it say? "Turn right."

Right. Right.
"Exit. Do not enter"!

Ooh!

You told me to turn right.

Only so I could see the sign.

You explicitly asked me to
read that sign, Mr. Marshall.

That's all.
I give up.

Uncle. Surrender. Help!
Oh, Herman, stop it. Let's go.

Yeah, at this rate,
I'll never get my car.

Oh, is that what we're
supposed to be doin'? I forgot.

We've been so busy
lookin' for freeways...

And callin' up fathers...

And discussin' pajamas and...

Runnin' outta gas.

Runnin' out of gas?

Well, you picked
a good place to do it.

What do you mean?

Look there, down the block...
there's a gas station.

It is. It is!

- And not just any old gas station either.
- You mean...

That's right. It's the same one.
How's that for a stroke of luck?

Well, somebody'll have to go
get the kid and send him back...

with enough gas
to get us to the station.

- I'll do it. You stay with Gidget.
- I'm the father. I'll do it.

Mr. Marshall,

speaking of fathers,
why don't you call mine again?

Oh, that way, your running out
of gas won't be a total loss.

At least now we can find out where
we are and go straight to Pasadena.

Nothing more
can happen. Ha!

Nothing else can happen.
We've been lost,

we've run out of gas... We could have
a plane crash.

A plane crash? With her in the car,
anything's possible.

Still busy.

Did you try both Shirleys?

I sure did. And Gidget can't
be with either one of them,

because I called and called,
and neither of them answer.

I can understand why the
Mitchells didn't answer.

Why?

'Cause they moved. But somebody
ought to be home at the Marshall's.

Unless... Well, there's
one possibility.

- What's that?
- They might be out.

Seems like a fair deduction.

But if they're out, where is Gidget?
Why haven't I heard from her?

You'd think a man
who was so anxious...

to get a phone call
from his daughter...

would stay off the phone
for maybe seconds.

I can call Arthur and make sure
that car is still for sale.

Look. There she is...

Creeping into
still another heart.

Oh, Herman,
she's not all that bad.

Besides, someday we'll
probably laugh about this.

I'll give you -to- .

What'd Arthur say,
honey? His line's busy.

Did you get him? Did you get my dad?
The line was still busy.

Did you hear that, Willie?

Now, Gidget, you're just
gonna have to

forget all about your father
until we get to Pasadena.

Oh, that's...

Because Mr. Marshall's had
just about all he can take.

Yeah. I know how he feels.
So have I.

- What?
- I'll bet he busts more eardrums...

What is it, Herman? I found out where
we've been all night.

Where? Where do ya think?

The valley? In the valley.

The way things have been
going, that'd be my guess.

Well, we're on the right track now. Another
minutes, you can call your dad, Gidget.

Oh, I don't have to. I'm sure
Willie got to him by now. Willie?

The gas station attendant. Huh?

Well, he's gonna call my dad
and tell him not to worry

or call the police or anything,

in case he thinks
I got kidnapped.

Oh, boy.

Herman, what are you doing?

I'm takin' her right home.

"Not to call the police"?
Who is this?

Willie who? Oh, well, she's all right,
sir,

but she said to tell you that she's
slightly involved in a sticky situation...

Uh, something she can't get out of,
but she says she'll work it out.

- Oh, she will.
- Yes, sir.

She said the main thing is for
you not to worry, just go to bed.

And she has her key, and she'll let
herself in and see you in the morning.

- After she's cooked up a good story, huh?
- What's that?

I warned her she'd get in a
spot, but she wouldn't listen.

Now she wants me to go to bed so she can
slip in without explaining. Not a chance.

Afraid I don't understand.

I'm entitled to a very
large "I told you so,"

and I'm gonna see to it
that I get it!

"Slip in" indeed.
Not tonight, my darling daughter.

You are going to get
a royal paternal reception.

You will do your explaining,
and I will do my I-told-you-so's,

and maybe you will understand...

that when I say it is not a
wise idea to go out of the house

in your pajamas, I am right.

Gidget, that you?

Impossible.

Good-bye.

Now don't start crying.
That's all we need.

I take her in like that, and her father
will really think she was kidnapped.

Well, it won't be far from
the truth.

I didn't want to go with you,
but you all insisted.

And I don't know why, unless you needed
somebody to blame everything on...

for running out of gas
and getting lost.

And all I ever wanted to do
was just obey my father.

Take a lesson.

Walk her to the door.

Look, uh, kid.

I, uh... I may not be a marvelous
father like yours, but...

You certainly aren't.

My father's a man of understanding.
He lets people explain. He listens.

He doesn't go around hollering at people.
Boy, are you noisy!

Me? Noisy? Shh! You want to wake up
the neighbors? Take a lesson.

That's what you should do...
Take a lesson from my father.

He doesn't say one thing,
then do another.

When he says something, he means it.
And he sticks by it.

He's a man of dignity
and integrity.

And he's solid,
and he's consistent, and he's...

He's... He's...

in the bushes?

Daddy, for gosh sakes, what are you doing
hiding in the bushes in your pajamas?

- What else?
- I am teaching you a lesson.

Didn't I tell you not to go out
of the house in your pajamas?

Yeah, but at least I threw a coat
over mine. But you went anyway.

Now look what you've done. What I've done?

Look at the position
you've put me in. Me?

Gidget, I'm going
to m*rder you! Daddy, you're hollering.

Feet of clay.
Feet of clay!

So you're the marvelous father.

She's been tellin' me
all about you.

Yeah, but I was mistaken.
You're both the same,

you... you... adults.

Gee, she said "adults" like it was
a dirty word. What did she mean?

I don't know, but when she uses language
that strong, it behooves me to find out.

You will
excuse me, sir. Oh, be my guest.

She's right about one thing.

He is a man of dignity...
Even in his pajamas.

Herman, take a lesson.

What do you mean when you call somebody
an "adult" in that tone of voice?

I mean they're unreasonable,
inconsistent, selfish, stubborn,

pig-headed, illogical human beings
who go around hollering at people...

before they know what they're hollering
about, and won't listen, won't let...

Hold it. Hold it. You said the magic word.
"Human beings."

Being an adult doesn't mean
you have to stop being human,

only that you should be able to temper
it and gauge it a little better.

We all have feet of clay, Gidge.
We all make mistakes.

Yeah, like Mr. Marshall.

And like me.

I made plenty of
mistakes this evening...

Blaming you for my own
stupidity, hollering.

Aw, you're allowed.
You got plenty of mistakes coming to you.

Yeah? How come? 'Cause you so rarely act
like an adult.

Good night, Gidge. Good night, Dad.

That's why Dad's
so nearly perfect.

Right... I said "nearly" perfect.
If he were all perfect,

I'd probably start taking him
for granted

and never appreciate
his finer qualities.

I think all dads should
take a lesson. Toddles.