07x02 - Fly Away Home

[bunniefuu]

Here they are, Dad.

Oh, you bought them, Rob, huh?

Where were they?

I looked all over for them.

In my closet.

Oh.

You're going to be playing some golf in Kansas City, huh?

Yeah, General Lawrence called and wanted
me to fly down a couple of days early so

we could get a little golf in before the
conferences start on Monday.

Hey, Dad, you know what you're going to be
flying right over?

What am I going to be flying right over, huh?

Bedford Springs.

Your birthplace.

Well, you'll be looking down 30,000 feet
over your old hometown.

Well, 30,000 feet will be closer than I've
been to Bedford Springs in 25 years.



That's a quarter of a century.

Yes, I know.

You must have been around our age when you lived there.

Yeah, I was, Chip.

Did you do the same things as us?

I mean, the things we do now?

No, Ernie, 25 years ago, the TV shows were different.

I guess some things have changed, Ernie,
but I imagine boys are pretty much the same.

I wonder what my old friends in Bedford
Springs are doing 25 years and 30,000 feet away.

Remember what they say, you can't go home again.

Not without a parachute.

Say, you know something?

If I skip the golf, I could drive and stop off at Bedford
Springs and still be in Kansas City in plenty of time.

You're going to Bedford Springs?

I'll bet the kids you used to know would be surprised.

Guy, Dad, be sure to take your camera so
you can get pictures of the place where

you play and grew up and stuff,
so we can see what they look like.

Yeah.

Would you fellas really like to see the
place where I grew up?

And how?

Well, you're on vacation, so why don't we all go?

All of us?

Sure, Uncle Charley and the whole bunch of us.

Then I could fly from Bedford Springs to
Kansas City and you could drive home.

Gosh, that'd be great.

We'll do it.

That sounds terrific, Dad.

Here we are.

These ought to last you a couple of weeks.

Uncle Charley, we're all going on a trip.

A trip where?

To Dad's old hometown.

Hometown?

Boy, it's like a science fiction movie.

Science fiction?

Yeah.

We're all going back 25 years in time.

Memories, memories, for.

The sea of memories, I'm drifting back to you.

Bob,

Main Street's only three blocks.

Three blocks long.

Boy, they sure built these places big in
the old days, didn't they?

Yeah, they did, Ernie.

Yes?

Can I come in for a minute?

Yes, come in.

You don't recognize me, do you?

Well, Red.

Red Ferguson.

Red Ferguson.

My gosh, it's good to see you, Steve.

Welcome back home.

Well, thank you.

Golly, old Red.

Well, I'm not really Red anymore.

Now they call me Bill.

Hey, fellas, I never knew you had a first name.

Willard.

Willard, sure.

Well, I'll still call you Red, okay?

Hey, fellas, I want you to meet an old
friend of mine, Red Ferguson.

Red, this is my family.

This is Robbie and Chip and Ernie and the
boy's uncle, Charley O'Casey.

Hi, boys.

How are you?

This is a pleasure.

Well, Steve, are your rooms all right?

I manage the hotel now, you know.

Oh, the rooms are fine, Red.

Good.

You're the manager here, huh?

Yes.

Tell me, Red, does the high school still
use the ballroom downstairs for its proms?

Sure.

Nothing much changes around here, you know.

Well, if there's anything you want, just holler.

We'll holler.

Good.

See you around, Chip.

Yes, nice to see you.

I got the old Red Ferguson.

You should have seen him do the Lindy Hop.

What's the Lindy Hop, Dad?

What's the Lindy Hop?

That was a dance we used to do, Chip.

Say, Dad, do you mind if I take a look around town?

Oh, help yourself, Rob.

What are you going to look at?

I thought I'd just see what it was like in
the heart of busy downtown Bedford Springs.

Oh, Rob, Red says nothing's changed around
here, so you'll find all the action at the.

Campus Candy Kitchen right around the corner.

The Campus Candy Kitchen?

Okay.

Thanks.

Dad, we want to see the house where you live.

And your old neighborhood and stuff.

Yeah, well, I want to see it too, fellas.

We'll go right now, huh?

How about you, Charley?

Want to go along?

No, I think I'll stay here and relax.

You think you can find the old place?

Oh, yeah, I'll find it, all right.

It won't look the same, you know.

Everything will look smaller.

Now, come on, fellas.

Let's go.

Hey, Dad, can we stop off at the Campus Candy Kitchen?

Sure.

See you later, Charley.

Well, it's no log cabin, but there it is.

There's a guy in it that's been standing
there ever since before you were born.

Yeah.

See that window on the left?

That was my bedroom.

Stephen Douglas slept here.

Let's take a look around back.

Oh, it's gone.

What's gone, Dad?

Oh, there used to be a big old oak tree in the back.

I remember I built a treehouse in it.

A treehouse?

Yeah, but I guess they've cut it down.

Oh.

Can I do something for you?

Oh, well, thanks.

We were just sort of looking around.

Our dad was born in that house,
and we just wanted to see it.

This is our dad.

You see, I was raised here in Bedford Springs, and...

You're Steve Douglas.

Yes, I am.

I'm Betty Reynolds.

Betty?

You don't mean to tell me you're Vivian
Reynolds' little sister.

I sure am.

Oh, my golly, you've grown.

I am.

Oh, it's good to see you again.

Good to see you, too, Steve.

Betty, these are two of my boys.

This is Chip, and this is Ernie.

How do you do?

Chip, Ernie, hello.

They wanted to see where I lived when I
was their age, and so we drove down to.

Bedford Springs, and I'm showing them around.

Oh, you're welcome to look at anything, inside or outside.

You mean you live here in my dad's house?

I mean, in this house?

Yes, I do.

I guess Ernie thought maybe they'd turn it
into a national shrine or something.

Well, please, Steve, come let me show you around.

Can't tell you how good it is to see you.

Why, she doesn't look like anybody's little sister to me.

You don't think Dad played with girls when
he was a little kid, do you?

Come on.

Well, does the National Shrine look about the same, Steve?

Well, it hasn't changed too much.

But you know, it does look smaller than I remembered it.

Really?

I'll never forget some of those hot nights
during the summer.

My dad and I'd move the chairs
out in the lawn, and then we'd

all sit there with our pumpkin
citronella slapping mosquitoes.

Dad, what's pumpkin citronella?

Well, that was supposed to keep the mosquitoes away, Erin.

As I recall, they loved it.

How come you weren't in the living room watching TV?

Well, in the first place, TV wasn't invented yet.

What'd you have instead, Dad?

Well, we had radio.

You mean you had to do your homework with
a little old radio?

Well, it really wasn't so little, Ernie.

Our radio was as big as a TV.

It had a big horn for a speaker,
and I used to spend hours listening to it.

You know, my parents used to worry about
me listening to radio too much.

You mean you just sat and watched a great
big set with no picture?

That's right.

No wonder they worried.

You should have decided to study and listen to the radio.

Oh, I did what you fellas did.

You know, I played ball, went swimming, fishing.

Carving.

Carving.

Carving?

Oh, my gosh.

Well, look at that.

You know, when I was about, I guess I was


I spent the day carving my initials all over the place.

Bet you got whacked for that, Deb.

I really did, Ernie.

S, D, and E, K.

Stephen Douglas.

Who's E.K.?

Ellen Kiefer.

That's right.

Ellen Kiefer.

Do you remember my dad from way long ago and everything?

Sure do, Chip.

Did you used to play together?

Well, no.

I was just a little girl and your father
was dating my older sister.

He ignored me.

Does Vivian still live here in town?

Oh, she married and moved away a long time ago.

Steve, why don't you come in and have some coffee?

Oh, fine.

I'd like that.

Hey, Dad.

Hmm?

Can we go look for the hill you were talking
about where you used to go belly-wapping it?

Sure.

Or just go down to the corner and turn to your left.

We'll see you later, Dad.

All right.

See you, Dad.

Oh, they're awfully nice boys, Steve.

Yeah, they're all right.

Is that the whole family?

No, no.

No, there's Robbie.

He's 18.

He's here with us, wandering around town someplace.

And then there's Mike.

He's married.

He lives away from home.

Good heavens.

Time flies.

Yes, it really does.

Hey, Dad?

What are you looking for?

I thought maybe Dad carved us initials in this tree.

But he didn't.

Guy.

Just think.

Dad must have stood here just like we're standing now.

Sure.

And he was the same size as I am.

He was my size, too, later on.

I just can't see Dad any size with the one he is now.

He was, but... Come on.

Oh, don't get up, Steve.

Oh.

You know, I was just thinking.

Looking back on it, I must have taken the
prize for bratty little sisters.

Well, I don't remember you that way.

Well, you didn't know what was going on.

Like the time you came early to pick up Vivian
and I deliberately didn't tell her you were here.

She came charging into the living room in her beat-up
slippers, no makeup, and wearing her old bathrobe.

Yes, I remember that.

At first I thought maybe she was planning
on going out with me that way.

Excuse me, but do you remember a man named Steve Douglas?

He used to live here.

He's our father.

Steve Douglas?

Uh, what do they say?

They want to know about a fellow named Steve Douglas.

Oh, debater.

Good speaker.

Was he really?

But only a little fellow.

Short.

Short?

That's right.

They called him the little giant.

But he wasn't no match for old Abe Lincoln.

Oh, we're talking about a different Steve Douglas.

He used to live here.

No, no, not here.

State of Illinois.

Did you know our Steve Douglas?

Yes.

He was born here and everything.

When did he live here, son?

Until 25 years ago.

Oh, well, I wouldn't remember him.

I haven't been here that long.

Well, thanks anyway.

You're welcome.

You see, I had this terrible crush on you.

And naturally, I couldn't understand what
you saw in Vivian.

But then when you stopped going out with
her, I never saw you anymore.

I was completely heartbroken.

Well, that was more than Vivian was.

Of course, we never were very serious.

I know.

Ellen Kiefer was your real girl, wasn't she?

Yeah.

Yeah, that's right.

I remember.

Oh, my, I forgot teaspoons.

Betty, I don't suppose you've ever heard
anything about her since she left here.

I mean, Ellen Kiefer.

Oh, yes, yes, I see her all the time.

She lives right here in town.

Here in Bedford Springs?

Well, I thought she'd moved away.

Oh, she and her husband moved back about ten years ago.

They bought the old McIntyre house.

Well.

Steve, why don't you look her up?

I'm sure she'd love to see you.

She's here in Bedford Springs?

Mm-hmm.

Boy, Al.

Will.

Ellen Keeper phoned.

This dame that you guys met phoned his old
girlfriend, this Keeper woman,

and she called Steve right away.

Boy.

Boy, you should have seen his face light up.

You just don't figure an old guy like that
having a girlfriend.

He's got an old girlfriend.

I guess they were pretty serious.

He was going to leave town and get a job and send for her.

But by the time he got a job, he couldn't find her.

She had left town, too.

What was she like?

Well, he said she was very pretty.

He looked sort of sappy and mumbled
something about her voice.

Soft.

Never really.

Raised it or got angry.

A very peaceful girl.

Sounds more like he's describing a room at the library.

Cheers.

Oh, hello there.

Where's your car?

A car?

Oh, well, it was such a nice day, I thought I'd walk over.

My brother said he bet you I had a big, jazzy car.

No.

Come on in.

Thanks.

Sit down.

That's my sister's.

My mother said you were going to eat supper with us.

Yes, that's right.

My father said he doesn't know you.

I guess that's right, too.

And then he said, if he never does, it'll be too soon.

Big mouth.

Steve, I.

Wanted to meet you at the door.

Well, it's been such a long...

Darling, you look fine.

Oh, come on.

I, uh, I picked up some flowers.

Oh, you shouldn't have done that.

Oh, they're so beautiful.

Well, put them on the supper table.

All right.

Eddie, uh, would you take these in the
other room and put them in the silver bowl?

It's on the top shelf in the broom closet.

Eddie!

Big deal.

That's, that's the oldest one, Eddie.

We, we named him after Ed, my husband.

Well, I'm anxious to meet your husband.

Oh, uh, yeah.

He's, he's out back, I guess.

I'll go tell him you're here.

Sit down.

Oh.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Well, hello there.

There he is.

He's gonna eat supper with us.

All right, all right, all right.

Oh, uh, Steve, this is my husband, Ed.

Ed, this is Steve Douglas.

Uh, hello, Ed.

Douglas.

Uh, uh, sit down, Steve.

Oh, thanks.

Oh, these darn kids.

You get a place fixed up and they only mess it up again.

When was it fixed up?

This morning.

Could have fooled me.

Well, when you have children, it's pretty
hard to keep things picked up after them.

I know.

I want a cookie.

Roseanne, I told you to be quiet.

I want a cookie.

Do you want me to give you a snack?

Ah!

I don't want a cookie!

Ow!

Ow!

Well, she certainly wanted a cookie, didn't she?

I understand you're in the aviation racket, Douglas.

Uh, yes, yes, I, uh, I'm an aeronautical engineer.

Sounds like an up-and-down job to me.

Oh, you take my line, for example, hardware.

I started out small, but now I've got the
biggest store in Bedford Springs.

I plan on opening another one over in Denton.

Over in, uh, Denton, huh?

Main thing is, I'm my own boss.

You know, I don't have to take anything from anybody.

Now, a guy like you, I suppose you have
to answer to something higher up, right?

Well, actually, I don't work for any one company.

I, uh, I work on a contract basis for different companies.

Oh, a freelance, huh?

Well, no, no.

Hey, you know, we got a lot of salesmen
calling themselves freelancers.

What they really mean is they don't have a regular job.

Well, in my case, I... What do you know about that?

Ellen gives me all that stuff about you being a big
engineer and never letting on about the freelance.

Well, you see, the way I work, I, uh...

I'm a freelance.

Who are those kids?

Oh, sit down, Steve.

Well, well.

You know, Ellen's talked a lot about you,
but she never said nothing about freelance.

That's a joke.

Freelance.

We were, uh, just talking business.

Oh.

Well, it's a comfortable place you have here.

Looks lived in.

Well, bought and paid for.

What are we going to eat?

Did you put out that extra chair like I told you?

There ain't much room for it.

Ellen, uh, look, uh, I wouldn't want to crowd you.

Oh, Steve, we invited you for supper.

Well, yes, I know, but, uh... Look,
if you don't want to stay, forget it.

Well, it isn't that I don't want to stay.

All right, then, you're staying.

Well, fine.

I, I just didn't want to crowd you.

Oh, good.

I'll go get things ready.

Come on, Eddie, hurry up.

Freelance, eh?

Well, this is certainly delicious, Ella.

So may my lambs do.

I want some bread.

Put that in the kitchen.

Oh, I was about to say, but now, but you're dead.

I'm sorry.

Now, what are you yelling about?

Cookies!

Cookies!

Get upstairs.

No!

You get upstairs.

You can't just come on out.

I want another young lady upstairs.

Come on.

I'm telling you, you understand?

Laura?

No, thank you.

Don't worry about that.

That tip's over all the time.

Well, it's probably my fault.

I should have gotten shorter flowers.

Oh, that's a kind of tippy.

No, it's a hunk of junk.

A bunch of the women at the church gave
it to Ellen for our silver wedding anniversary.

Well, it's a very, very pretty bowl.

Silver anniversary?

That's 25 years.

That's right.

You mean you and Ellen have been married for 25 years?

Last August.

Well, it was just 25 years ago that I left here.

You mean 25 years that you left town and told
Ellen you'd send for her as soon as you got a good job.

Yeah, I heard all about that.

See, I left here the last of July,
and you were married in August.

How about that?

She didn't wait long to marry me, did she?

Hi.

I was just walking back to the hotel.

What are you doing here?

I'm just on my way home.

I live right up here, remember?

Oh, sure.

Well, come on.

I'll walk you home.

Thank you.

Boy.

What's the matter?

Oh, Robbie was right.

You can never go back.

What?

No, it's just something they say.

Well, you look as though you've seen a ghost.

Well, as a matter of fact, I have, by the way.

I just left Ellen's house.

Yes, I know.

Oh, how'd you know?

Well, I knew you wanted to see her again,
so I called her and told her you were in town.

Oh, you did?

Mm-hmm, I did.

And I suggested it might be nice if she
would ask you over for supper.

For old time's sake.

For old time's sake.

I knew you'd like to meet her nice family.

Let me see.

Betty?

Mm-hmm?

Remember you said when you were younger
you were pretty much of a brat?

Oh, I was.

You mean like the time I fixed it so you'd see Vivian
in her... Beat-up robe and old slippers and no makeup.

You know something?

What?

Aside from being older and prettier,
you haven't changed a bit.

Oh, thank you.

Don't mention it.

Say, uh, I managed to leave before,
uh, well, the way things were going,

I'm sure I wouldn't have gotten any
dessert anyway, but how about joining me

for a piece of pie and some coffee someplace, huh?

I have a better idea.

What's that?

How about you joining me?

Well, uh, for old time's sake?

For old time's sake.

Come on.

Ha, ha.

What could be as nice as an hour with my three sons?

How about an hour with three daughters?

Sure.

Stay tuned for Bobby Joe, Betty Joe,
Billy Joe, and everyone at the Shady Rest.

Hotel on Petticoat Junction as TV Land's
Twice as Nice Morning continues.