04x35 - Listen to the Mockingbird

[bunniefuu]

-Boy, sure is a swell

picture of Mr. Wilson.

-First Mockingbird of Spring

seen in John Wilson's yard.

How about that?

-He built a nest

right in his tree.

-Spring's really here, isn't it?

-Yeah.

And you know what me and Tommy

want to do some night, mom?

Sleep in our tree house.

Can we sleep in our

tree house, mom?

-Oh no, not again.

-Last year you rolled out

and nearly broke your neck.

No tree house.

-OK.

Hey, can we camp out in

the backyard some night?

In Mr. Wilson's tent if

he'll let us borrow it.

-Well, I guess

it'll be all right,

if it's all right

with Mr. Wilson.

-I'll go ask him right now.

You know something?

I bet Mr. Wilson'd like

to sleep in our tree house

some night, like his

grandfather always did.

-His grandfather?

Where'd you get

that information?

-I heard Mrs. Elkins talking.

She said all Mr.

Wilson's ancestors

are bananas and lived in trees.

I'll ask him about that.

That's real interesting.

-Don't bother Mr. Wilson!

Come back here!

[theme music]

-Oh, it's so nice to have

a mockingbird around.

-I love them.

-It couldn't have happened

at a better time, Eloise.

That little mocker

is going to get

me elected president of

the Bird Watcher Society.

-Mr. Timberlake is really

retiring this year, is he?

-After years.

That's something

else that bird'll do.

Help me get

Timberlake behind me.

-Oh, so that's why you

invited him over here today

to see the nest.

-What else?

If I can get Clarence,

Timberlake, and Dorceman,

that Elkins woman

won't get one vote.

-Oh, you slick politician.

-Hi, Mr. Wilson.

Boy, that sure is a swell

picture of you in the paper.

First mockingbird of the

season. that's terrific.

-And there he is,

right up in my tree.

-So, can me and Tommy

borrow your tent today

so we can sleep out in

our back yard in it?

-Oh, well, uh, sometime, Dennis.

But not today.

See, it's packed under a lot of

stuff up in the attic and I--

Oh.

[chirping]

[whistling]

-Boy, that's swell, Mr.w isln.

You sound just like him.

-Hail to thee, blithe spirits.

Ah, Wilson.

You are to be congratulated.

The first mockingbird of spring

has chosen to live with you.

-Oh, yes, I am fortunate,

Mr. Timberlake.

-There's his nest,

Mr. Timberlake.

Right up there, see?

-Uh, I'll show him, Dennis.

I'll show him.

-What a splendid nest.

An excellent location.

He'll be safe from all harm.

-Oh, I assure you, no harm

will come to him in my yard.

I'll be extremely

vigilant, as any candidate

for your high office should be.

-Well spoken, Wilson.

I'm sure if you're

elected, you'll

be a staunch guardian for

our little feathered friends.

-Oh, I will.

I certainly will.

And I'm sure that

Mrs. Elkins, too,

will do her best if elected.

-Well, she'll try, I suppose.

But it will be extremely

difficult for a woman

to fill your shoes.

-Well, Mr. Timberlake!

I thought I thought I

saw you come in here!

-Hello, Mrs. Elkins.

-Mr. Wilson.

Dennis.

-Hi, Mrs. Elkins.

-Is there something we can

do for you, Mrs. Elkins?

-No, thank you.

I just wanted to

tell Mr. Timberlake

that when I'm elected

president of our society,

I'll follow his policies toward

our dear little birds exactly.

-That is so comforting

to hear, Mrs. Elkins.

Well, Mr. Timberlake

knows how I feel.

And when I'm elected--

-Did you see Mr.

Wilson's mockingbird?

It's right up there.

-Yes, it's lovely.

But not Mr. Wilson's bird, dear.

The birds belong to all

of us who love them.

-Indeed they do, yes indeed.

And they're so

exquisitely sensitive

to love and affection, too.

-Absolutely, Mr. Timberlake.

Now, you take that bird there.

He could just as well have built

his nest in Mrs. Elkins' yard,

but he knew where he

was loved the most.

Here.

-Now, Mrs. Elkins,

by week's end there

will be dozens of

them in town, and I'm

sure that you'll have nests

in your backyard, too.

-Well, of course I will.

I love them so.

-Your little old cat Tinkerbell

sure loves birds, all right.

She's always chasing them.

-Mrs. Elkins?

You have a cat?

-Yes, I do, Mr. Timberlake,

but I'm getting rid of it.

I've already made

arrangements to give it away.

-A wise decision.

Well, I must be running along.

It's been so nice, Wilson.

-Must you rush off?

We've hardly had time to--

-I'll walk out with

you, Mr. Timberlake.

And, Mr. Wilson,

when I'm elected,

I'll put you on a committee.

-Well, we'll see who's elected.

Let's just say, may

the best man win?

-No, Mr. Wilson.

May the best woman win.

-Miserable.

I consider this a

profitable day, Eloise.

I think I've got

Timberlake's backing.

-I hope so, dear.

[chirping] Listen.

Isn't that beautiful?

-Lovely.

A fitting lullaby for

the next president

of the Bird Watcher's Society.

Good night.

-Good night, dear.

[chirping]

-Oh, it's : .

Eloise.

Eloise?

-What is it, dear?

-He's still at it.

Every time I get to sleep,

that bird wakes me up.

-I know.

And every time he

wakes you up, you

wake me up to tell me about it.

Now lie down.

[chirping]

-Morning, John.

Isn't this a beautiful day?

-Oh, hello, Henry.

-Boy, oh, boy,

you writers really

have the life, sleeping

until : in the morning.

I wish I could do that.

-As a matter of fact,

I hardly slept at all.

Laid awake all night

listening to that mockingbird.

-You mean you stayed awake

just to listen to it?

Boy, you must love it.

-I don't love it at all,

and I didn't stay awake.

I was kept.

Forget it, Henry.

-Boy, is he grouchy.

Well, I hope you sleep

better tonight, John.

[chirping]

[chirping]

-Oh, shut up and let me sleep!

-Was I snoring, dear?

-Oh, no, no, Eloise.

Oh, I'm sorry to wake

you up, but that bird

is driving me out of my-- How

can you sleep with all that?

Oh, I give up.

-Made a little surprise for you.

Thought it might

make you feel bad.

-Mm, my favorite cake.

Mm.

Well, I have a

little surprise too,

for that confounded mockingbird.

-Firecrackers?

-Left over from the th of July.

If there's one thing birds

hate more than anything else,

it's noise.

DENNIS (OFFSCREEN): Mr. Wilson!

-We've got a surprise

for you, Mr. Wilson.

-Yeah, a surprise.

We've been digging all

morning, in my backyard.

And look what we got

for your mockingbird.

Worms.

-Oh, fine, just what

I've always wanted.

A can of worms.

-We'll leave it right

here, Mr. Wilson.

-Now that little old

mockingbird will never

have to leave this yard again.

Not even to eat.

-Oh, for crying out loud.

-Here, birdy,

birdy, birdy, birdy.

Cheep, cheep,

cheep, cheep, cheep.

-Oh, brother, what

a narrow escape.

Dennis almost caught me

lighting the firecracker.

-Oh, fine.

-I just had time to put them out

and shove them in my sweater.

-In your sweater?

Oh, John, you shouldn't--

-Eloise, I told you

I put it out first.

You don't think I'm silly

enough to-- it's still lit!

[chirping]

-I guess he isn't hungry yet.

The worms are still here.

-He's sitting up

there on his nest.

-Oh, Dennis, I'm

glad you're here.

Say, how would you boys like

to make a quarter, a piece?

-OK.

-Swell.

-Well, you know that

big new drug store?

-You mean the one across

the railroad tracks,

on the other side of town?

-That's the one.

Well, they have a special

kind of hair tonic.

I, uh, I wrote it down.

I want you to get

a bottle for me.

There you are, and here is

a quarter for you and you.

-Thanks, Mr. Wilson.

-It's a pretty long

trip, but we'll hurry.

-No, no, don't hurry.

No, it'll take you about an

hour, but take your time.

Don't hurry.

-OK.

Come on, Tommy.

-Well, you won't keep me

awake tonight, loudmouth.

In about five minutes,

you'll think a w*r down here.

-Jeepers, Mr. Wilson,

what are you doing?

-Please, please,

don't interrupt me.

I'm busy, Dennis.

I-- Dennis!

What are you boys

doing back here?

-You forgot to give us the

money to pay for the hair tonic.

-And whatcha making all

the noise for, Mr. Wilson?

You'll scare the

mockingbird away.

-Yeah, birds get

scared of noise.

-Uh, well, not

mockingbirds, Dennis.

They don't mind noise at all.

-They don't?

-No.

They don't.

As a matter of fact, some crows

were bothering our mocker,

so I frightened them away.

-Boy, you sire did.

No crows up there now.

-Well, you two boys

run along and play.

-What about your hair tonic?

-Well, I've changed my mind.

Forget it.

-Boy, he sure as flipped.

-You know, Eloise, I believe

that b*ating on that pan

actually drove that

raucous bird away.

-We haven't heard a

single chirp all evening.

-What a relief.

Now we can leave the window open

and get a good night's sleep.

Good night, dear.

-Good night, dear.

[chirping]

-Oh, no.

At least I'll keep

some of that noise out.

[chirping]

-Here's your juice, dear.

-Yeah.

-Anything new in the paper?

-No.

-Oh, you sound like a bear.

Didn't you sleep

at all last night?

-I hardly slept a wink.

I tried counting sheep,

but it didn't work.

They didn't have wool.

They had feathers.

-Oh, poor John.

-Well, when I finish

with the paper,

I'm going to do what I should

have done in the first place.

I'm going to get a ladder,

get the nest out of the tree,

and throw it away.

-Oh, you better not let Mr.

Timberlake catch you at it.

-Oh, I shall use

every precaution.

But I've got to get

rid of that bird.

[doorbell]

-I'll see who it is.

-Oh, good morning, Mrs. Elkins.

-Good morning.

-Mrs. Dudley.

-Good morning.

-May we see Mr.

Wilson for a minute?

-Why yes, of course.

Come right on in.

-Dear, Mrs. Elkins and

Mrs. Dudley to see you.

-Good morning, Mr. Wilson.

-Well, what do you want now?

-That's not a very cheerful

greeting, I must say.

-I don't feel very cheerful.

-John's terribly tied.

Our mockingbird kept

him awake all night.

-Really?

Oh, you must hate

that bird, Mr. Wilson.

-Oh, not at all.

I'm devoted to it, as any

true bird lover would be.

Its singing didn't

keep me awake.

I have a touch of indigestion.

-Oh.

Too bad.

-Would you ladies

care for some coffee?

-No, thanks.

We won't be staying long.

-Would you make

some for me, dear?

-Oh, of course.

-Well, very cheerfully,

what do you want?

-Well, I would like to set up

my tape recorder here and record

the song of spring's

first mockingbird.

-For the club's archives.

-Well, of all the nerve.

I see through your

little scheme.

You want to record

my mockingbird,

play it at the club next

week to get you more votes.

Well, just forget

it, Mrs. Elkins.

-Very well, Mr. Wilson.

But when the other members learn

that you have deprived them

of such a wonderful

record, they certainly

won't elect you president.

Come on, Mable.

-Confound it!

Wait a minute.

You've got me over a

barrel, haven't you?

-What a crude remark.

-All right, set

up your recorder.

I know when I'm licked.

-Thank you.

-We'll put it near the

door, so that the cord

will reach the tree.

-Put it anywhere.

-Hand me the cord, Mable.

There.

Now, that will do the trick.

Now, when the bird starts to

sing, you turn it on here.

And we'll go out and put the

microphone near its nest.

-Hi, Mrs. Elkins.

-Well, hello, boys.

-Hi.

-Hi, Mr. Wilson.

Me and Tommy thought you might

let us have your tent now.

-Dennis, I told you, it's up in

the attic under a pile of junk.

It would take me all

day to get it out.

-Maybe it's on top of the junk.

Couldn't you look?

-All right, all right.

I'll look.

Anything to keep you quiet.

-Boy, he sure is grouchy today.

-Oh, his bark's

worse than his bite.

Anyhow, I think it is.

He's never really bit me.

Hey.

What's this thing?

-Oh, that's a tape recorder.

My dad's got one.

-You mean it makes

records of stuff?

-Sure, if you turn it on.

-What turns it on?

-This little gimmick here.

-I hear you told Mr.

Timberlake that you're

going to give your cat away.

-Yes, I told him that.

-Is it making a

record of us now?

-I don't think so.

There's supposed to

be another gimmick

you're supposed to talk into.

-Dennis, I couldn't-- do you

have to monkey with everything

you see?

This is not to be turned on

until the mockingbird sings.

-I'm sorry, Mr. Wilson.

What about the tent?

-Well, I couldn't find

it, so it must be buried.

Now run along, boys.

-OK.

Let's go over to

your house, Tommy.

-OK, let's.

So long, Mr. Wilson.

-So long, boys.

So on.

-Oh, just in time for

your coffee, dear.

-Oh, thank you, dear.

Well, I see Mrs.

Elkins and her chum

have flown off on their broom.

-I saw them leave.

-Well, I guess it's

safe to go and get

that bird's nest

out of the tree.

-What about Dennis and Tommy?

They just went by.

-Well, they're going

over to Tommy's house.

No, the coast is clear.

Moving day for our

feathered friend.

-Hi, Mr. Wilson.

Whatcha doing?

-Uh, Dennis, I thought

you've gone to Tommy's house?

-We're on our way now.

We just stopped at my

house to get some cookies.

-Yeah.

Can't make a trip like that

without something to eat.

-Is that the mockingbird's

nest you're throwing away?

-Uh, yes.

Yes, it is.

The wind blew it

out of the tree.

-Wind?

I don't feel any wind.

-Well, uh, it was a high wind.

But don't worry.

I'll build it another

nest, better than this one.

-How can a man

build a bird's nest?

Only birds know how to do that.

-Oh, I can do it, Tommy.

I've made such a close study

of them, I understand them.

I, I think the way they do.

-Yeah.

He's got sort of a bird brain,

haven't you, Mr. Wilson?

-At times.

Good bye, boys.

-Bye, Mr. Wilson.

Mr. Wilson sure loves birds.

Not many men would

build a nest for one.

-I guess not.

-Hi, Mrs. Elkins.

Hi, Mrs. Dudley.

-Hi, Dennis.

Hi, Tommy.

-Guess what Mr.

Wilson's gonna do?

He's gonna build a nest

for his mockingbird.

-Build a nest?

-Yeah, with his own hands.

-Because the wind blew the

old one out of the tree.

-Are you sure

about this, Dennis?

-Sure I'm sure.

I just saw him throw the

old one in the trash can.

-Well, thank you very much

for telling me, Dennis.

-You're welcome, Mrs. Elkins.

Come on, Tommy.

Bye, Mrs. Dudley.

-Bye.

-Mable, we've got him.

The wind didn't

blow that nest down.

There wasn't any wind?

-You think he took

it down himself.

-Of course.

His wife said that bird's been

keeping him awake at night,

so he got rid of it.

-Well, this should make you

the next president of the club.

-Right.

I'll call Mr.

Timberlake and tell

him to meet us at the Wilson

house and soon as he can.

We'll nail John

Wilson to the mast.

-Then it's true, Wilson?

You actually tore down the nest

of an innocent little bird?

-Yes, I did, Mr. Timberlake.

There's no use lying about it.

-This is dreadful.

To think that I'd

hear such an admission

from the lips of a

man with whom I've

spent so many happy

hours in the woods,

watching the yellow bellied

sap sucker sucking sap.

-He had us all fooled,

Mr. Timberlake.

He never did care for birds.

-Mrs. Elkins, you may

have me where you want me,

but you cannot say that

I do not care for birds.

-It was lack of

sleep and exhaustion

that drove me to do what I did.

-I can understand that.

Once a woodpecker

tap, tap, tapped

on the drainpipe outside

my bedroom window night

after night, until I was sorely

tempted to-- well, never mind.

That was a long time ago.

I've outgrown that.

-Well, I'm glad you understand.

-Yes, but under

the circumstances

I don't see how

I can support you

for the presidency of the club.

-In my opinion, he should

be forced to resign.

-Well, that's a little

drastic, perhaps, but--

-Hi, Mr. Wilson, I-- oh, I

didn't know you had company.

-That's all right, Dennis.

-I brought you some straw

to put in the bird's nest

you're building.

-He isn't building

a nest, Dennis.

He never intended

to build a nest.

Mr. Wilson doesn't like birds.

-Sure he does, Mrs. Elkins.

Mr. Wilson loves birds.

-Mr. Timberlake, will you

please set the boy straight?

It's a shame for him to

have faith in a hypocrite.

-Well, he was only pretending.

-You're wrong about him not

loving birds, Mr. Timberlake.

One time I was going to

take an egg out of a nest,

and he bawled the

heck out of me.

-Shall we go, Mr. Timberlake?

All this prattle

is a waste of time.

-And another time, I found a

baby sparrow on the ground.

Mr. Wilson kept it in a shoe box

and fed it with an eye dropper

until it was big enough to fly.

-That's most commendable,

young man, but--

-And how about this?

He got a tape

recorder so he could

make a record of the

mockingbird's singing.

-That happens to be

my recorder, Dennis.

-Well, anyhow, Mr.

Wilson's the one

who's going to make the

record, and I bet you

he's got some real good songs.

Listen, Mr. Timberlake.

MRS. DUDLEY

(RECORDED): I hear you

told Mr. Timberlake you're

going to give your cat away.

MRS. ELKINS (RECORDED):

Yes, I told him that.

-Why, that's your

voice, Mrs. Elkins.

MRS. DUDLEY (RECORDED):

Did you mean it?

MRS. ELKINS (RECORDED):

Of course not.

You know I've always

been a cat lover.

Frankly, I have

no use for birds.

-This must be some

horrible joke.

I'll turn it off.

-Please, I'd like to

hear the rest of it.

MRS. DUDLEY

(RECORDED): Then why do

you want to be president

of the Bird Watcher's club?

MRS. ELKINS (RECORDED):

For publicity, Mable.

Next year I plan to run

for the city council.

The more offices I get

elected to, the more

times I get my name and

picture in the paper,

the better chance I'll have.

MRS. DUDLEY (RECORDED): Oh.

Aren't you the smart one?

MRS. ELKINS (RECORDED): Smart

enough to fool old Timberlake.

Well, I've got

the microphone up.

Let's go.

-I think I've heard enough.

-I, I never said that.

It must be some fake.

-Yes.

He did it.

-Oh, no.

I know what happened.

Dennis turned on

the machine when

you were hanging

up that microphone.

You got caught in your

own trap, Mrs. Elkins.

-I would suggest, Mrs.

Elkins, that if anyone resigns

from the club, it should be you.

-All right.

I will.

Come on, Mable.

Who needs you and

your silly birds?

-Boy, I never expected to

make a record like that.

-As far as I'm concerned,

it's tops on the hit parade.

-I never should have listened

to that woman, Wilson.

You made an honest confession,

but she tried to bamboozle me.

-And you don't

want me to resign?

-Of course not.

This lad has made me realize

that you're a true bird

lover, despite your one mistake.

And I intend to support

you wholeheartedly

for the presidency of the club.

-Isn't that swell, Mr. Wilson?

-Furthermore, I'd like you to

join me on a little field trip

tomorrow, just the two of us.

I think I know where we can

find a purple breasted beetle

catcher catching beetles.

-I'll be there, Mr. Timberlake.

-I'll phone you this evening.

-Oh, wonderful.

-I'll let myself out.

-Oh.

Oh, fine.

Oh, you certainly came

through for me, Dennis.

-You want me to help you

build the birdhouse now?

-Well, I've changed

my mind about that.

I'll miss the song of our

little feathered friend,

but I can't build a nest that

would be a real home for it.

-Yeah, I guess it

wouldn't be easy.

-I'll tell you what

I am going to do.

I'm going to find that

tent for you and Tommy

if I have to tear this

whole house apart.

And I'll set it up in

your yard for you myself.

-Oh, boy, that's

swell, Mr. Wilson.

Would like to sleep

in it with us tonight?

-Oh, well, I don't want

to leave my wife alone.

-Then we'd better skip it.

There wouldn't be

room for her, too.

-Things worked out nicely for

you today, didn't they, dear?

-Perfect.

No nest, no

Mockingbird, and I'll

still be president of the club.

-Thanks to Dennis.

-Oh yes.

Bless his little heart.

If I wasn't so

tired, I'd go over

and see that he's tucked

into his little tent.

[chirping]

-What on Earth is that?

It sounds like

mockingbirds singing at once!

- ?

It sounds like of them.

-Don't they sound

beautiful, Tommy?

-Yeah, keen.

-I'll bet good old Mr.

Wilson's tickled to death.

-He sure ought to be.

-Great Christopher!

Oh, no.

-Hi Mr. Wilson.

Isn't that a swell

surprise we made for you?

-You made that for me?

-Yeah.

You said you couldn't build

them a real home, so we did.

-It's a regular apartment house.

-And we filled it full

of worms and birdseed.

-And birds moved

in from everywhere.

DENNIS (OFFSCREEN):

Now you'll have

a whole bunch of mockingbirds

singing for you every night.

Isn't that terrific?

Jeepers, Tommy, he's so

choked up, he can't even talk.

[theme music]