05x17 - The Good Samaritan

[bunniefuu]

(dramatic orchestral music)

- [Announcer] Robert Young.

And Jane Wyatt.

(children laughing)

With Elinor Donahue, Billy Gray, and Lauren Chapin.

In Father Knows Best.

- Well hi, everybody.

Greetings, and salutations, and all that.

- Hello son.

- Who wound you up?

- Don't bother me, my dear sister, with trifling remarks.

I have very important things on my mind.

- Such as barbecued spare ribs, maybe?

- I'll be back in time for soup, mom.

But first I have to dash out, and do

a little old good deed for somebody.

- What for?

- Oh it's just somethingMr. Brooks dreamt up,

instead of writing an essay.

And boy what a snap.

All I have to do is go out and find somebody,

and give 'em a helping hand, do 'em a little favor.

And then it's home with nothing to do,

for the rest of the weekend, but loaf.

- That's an odd assignment.

- Oh I think it's great.

- Well Bud, charity begins at home.

How about getting another bench from the garage?

- Or giving me a hand with the barbecue?

- My bike's got a flat tire you can fix.

(stammers)

- Good deed has to befor a complete stranger.

(speaking in Japanese)

Honorable family.

- Oh well I can forget we're related

long enough for you tohelp me with the dishes.

(audience laughs)

- Honorable son not havetime for idle chit-chat.

He has duty to perform.

- [Margaret] But your dinner!

- Please mom.

When a guy is full of impulses,

and his heart is bursting over with

the spirit of doing and giving,

don't discourage him.

(lively orchestral music)

Fair thee well.

(lively orchestral music) (audience laughs)

(melodic orchestral music)

I beg your pardon, madame.

May I help you across the street?

- Why?

(audience laughs)

- Well, because your arms are full

of heavy packages, and it isn't safe

crossing such a busy street.

- Young man.

I've been crossing streets without help

ever since the first gasoline buggy

scared the feathers offmy neighbor's chickens.

- Well I was just tryingto do a good deed.

- Good deed, eh?

I know your game.

Soft soak me with your pretty speeches.

Then you grab my bundles and go

hip-hopping down the road like

an eight legged jackrabbit.

I know a scallywag when I see one.

(audience laughs)

(tires squeal) (horns honk)

(audience laughs)

(melodic orchestral music)

- Hi there.

- Hello.

- Painting, huh?

- Yep.

- Need some help?

- Nope.

- Say, do you ever falloff one of those planks?

- [Painter] Nope.

I might knock a bucket of paint off, now and then.

Usually falls about where you're standing son.

(audience laughs)

- You know, I'm pretty good at painting.

- You don't say.

- Yeah.

Painted our neighbor's fence last year.

Yeah, they were gonnahire a painter to do it,

and I said I'd do it for nothing.

- Look son, I don'tknow what's your racket,

but I'm pretty busy right now.

- Well I don't have a racket.

I just wanna help you.

- Doing what?

- [Bud] Oh you name it.

Painting, sanding.

Cleaning brushes.

I'll even steady the ladderfor you, so you won't fall off.

- My boy, I've been doing my own painting,

sanding, cleaning brushes for some years.

And I don't need anybody to hold a

ladder for me, yet.

You dig me?

- Yes sir.

(audience laughs)

Well there you are dad, the whole miserable story.

Well Mr. Brooks had a great idea.

"Put words into actions," he says.

"Try living them, instead of merely speaking them."

(laughs)

Well I just wish he'd try out his theory

himself, instead of pawning it off

on a bunch of unsuspecting, and innocent students.

- Well I can see why you're disillusioned, Bud,

you've had a trying day.

Do you know, thisproves something to me.

- Yeah, me too.

Proves I should stay home, and mind my own business.

- No, it proves that anything worth while

takes a little time, and forethought.

Even something as simple asdoing a small favor for someone.

- Oh dad, let me tell ya, you're in

for a shock if you think doing a

small favor for somebody is simple.

I'm lucky I got away with my life.

(audience laughs)

- Bud, if you really wanna help somebody,

you first have to findsomeone who needs help.

Who wants help.

- Well as far as I can see, everybody has

been doing what they've been doing

for years, or more.

And they don't need me to cross up their lives now.

(audience laughs)

And anyway, I'm too young to be

sacrificed for anEnglish Lit experiment.

I've had it.

(lively orchestral music) (audience laughs)

(knock on door)

- [Kip] Hey Bud!

- Come in.

- [Kip] Your dad said I'd find the body in here.

- Try doing any good deeds today?

- I haven't had time, Ihad to pick up my mom,

and take her on her social welfare routes.

Which reminds me, how would you like

to do a super deluxegood deed for somebody?

- How would you like to drop dead?

- No kidding.

Here's one all set up for us.

I got it right out of mom's record book.

These people are in trouble.

Listen.

M.S. Brown, and wife, Mary.

East Oak Street.

Mr. Brown out of work.

Mrs. Brown in hospital.

And they got seven children.

- My heart's bleeding.

- Bud, they're being evicted.

- So?

- So, I borrowed my uncle's trailer,

and I figured with yourcar, we can help 'em

move their stuff into a garage someone loaned them,

until they can get straightened around.

- Take my advice, Kip.

Don't fall for this story.

Don't even think about it.

Run man, run.

(audience laughs)

- You'd rather flunkEnglish Lit, is that it?

- Well, no.

- These people gotta get out of their house

by midnight tonight, or go to jail.

- Are you sure they really want help?

- Well that's my mom's job.

Keeping track of poor people like this.

- What'd she say about it?

- Well this is our good deed.

Not hers.

(somber orchestral music)

- Okay, I'll try once more.

Gosh, looks like they'vealready been tossed out.

- [Kip] I told you they were in trouble.

- [Bud] Yeah, I wonder where everybody is.

(audience laughs)

- [Kip] School's taking care...

Care of the kids tonight.

(gasps) (audience laughs)

- Well I suppose we could start loading everything.

- Yeah.

Where do we start?

- Well lets start with the easy pieces,

and work up to the hard stuff.

(canary chirping)

- Hey look, a canary.

(canary chirping)

- Hey, yeah, here I'll take this.

And you start with the sofa.

(audience laughs)

- Thanks a lot.

(audience laughs)

Hey this must be a picture of their kids.

- There's seven of them alright.

- All girls too.

- No wonder Mr. Brown's in trouble.

(audience laughs)

Well.

What now?

- [Kip] Well.

Wait for Mr. Brown, and find out where to take it.

- Boy, I hope my jalopy will pull us.

- Maybe we'd better try and find out.

- Yep.

You may have to push.

(engine rumbles)

Push!

(groans)

You don't look like you're pushing.

- [Kip] Well I'm pushing.

- Okay.

(engine sputters)

No man, no.

No the clutch will burn right out.

No we can't do it, maybe we can do it...

- What's going on boys?

- Oh, are you Mr. Brown?

- No.

- We're trying to pull this trailer,

but guess we haven't got enough horsepower.

- This your stuff?

- Oh no, we're just helping the people

who live here move their things.

- Yeah they gotta be outby midnight, or else.

- Oh.

Well where are they now?

- Oh, we don't know.

- Well...

I have a heavy car.

Maybe I can help.

- Hey that's great.

- You'd better try it first though,

the trailer's really heavy.

- That's a good idea, son.

A real good idea.

- That's sure nice of him, huh Kip?

- Yeah.

You know this good deed stuff's okay.

It's catching.

(audience laughs)

- Are you sure Bud didn't say where the Browns lived?

- No dear.

Well he and Kippy left in such a hurry,

I didn't get a chance to ask them.

- Well for Bud's sake I hope this good deed

turns out alright.

I'd hate to see him turn into a bitter,

disillusioned, old man at his tender age.

- I felt sorry for him.

He tried so hard today.

(phone rings)

Maybe that's Bud.

Hello?

Oh yes, Mrs. Watkins.

It's Kippy's mother.

No.

The boys left here about seven o'clock.

They went to help some people

by the name of Brown, move their furniture.

He what?

Oh no.

Well, Mrs. Watkins, do youhave the address of the Browns?

Yes.

I'll tell Jim.

He can take a drive over there, and maybe stop to them.

Don't worry.

Goodbye.

- [Jim] Now what?

- Well, Kippy took it upon himself

to help these people, and Mrs. Watkins says

this particular case is in an extremely delicate one.

- Well didn't she know what the boys were doing?

- No, not until now.

She says even the church hasn't been

able to offer its services.

Well Mr. Brown, it seems, is rather a difficult person.

He's stubborn, proud,and has quite a temper.

Well Jim!

Here.

And most of all, he doesn't want help.

From anybody.

- I'll just give it a little short

trial run, down the street.

Now, oh say, you'd better hold on to this canary.

We wouldn't wanthim to fall off.

- Okay.

(engine rumbles)

Hey, it's pulling swell.

- You know it's a good thing he came along.

My clunk would've never made it.

- Oh gee, I forgot to ask his name.

- Oh we'll get it when we thank him.

- He's still going.

- Yeah, guess he's gonna give it a real good test.

(laughs)

- Bet Mr. Brown will be surprised

when he gets home, and finds we've loaded

everything for him.

- Yeah, I wish he'd come.

It's getting awful late.

Hey, the car's out of sight.

- He oughta be coming back, I think.

- Hey, maybe he broke down.

- Could be.

- You think we oughta go see?

- Yeah.

(ominous orchestral music)

What's the matter?

- My keys are gone.

- Where?

You mean...

- No wonder he gave us the bird.

(audience laughs)

- What do we do now?

- Call the police.

And then check in with the Foreign Legion.

(audience laughs)

- Bud?

- Dad!

Boy am I glad to see you! - Good to see you!

(audience laughs)

- What's going on here?

- [Mr. Brown] Wait a minute, wait a minute!

Hey.

Who...

Who are you?

What's going on around here?

What are...

What are you doing with my canary?

- Are you Mr. Brown?

- Yes, I'm Mr. Brown.

What are you doing here?

Where's my furniture?

- I'm Jim Anderson, andthis is my son, Bud,

and this is Kippy...

- Never mind the social introductions,

just tell me where my things are.

- Well they're...

They're gone.

- They're gone, where?

- We wanted to help you move.

- Yeah but my carwouldn't pull the load.

- So when someone came along and

offered to help...

- Go on, Kippy.

- That's just what happened.

He went on.

(audience laughs)

- On.

And on.

- He took off with everything.

(somber orchestral music)

- I don't know what happened, Mr. Brown,

but I'm sure we can iron this out, and explain everything.

- You better be able to.

And it better be good.

- Believe me, Mr. Brown, if you don't

get your belongings back, I...

Personally will seethat you are reimbursed.

(phone rings)

- Nelson speaking.

Yep.

Yep.

Where'd you find him?

Everything there?

Okay.

Fine.

They picked up your man about miles out of town.

Everything's there.

(somber orchestral music)

- Mr. Brown?

Is there something we can do to, sort of

make up for the trouble we caused you?

- Yes.

There's something you can do.

You can leave people like me alone.

We have enough troubles without the

do-gooders, and the well-meaners, messing up our lives.

We don't need your help.

We don't want it.

Is that clear?

- You shouldn't take this so hard, Bud.

- Well all I know is dad, that all day

yesterday I tried to do something good

for somebody, and all that happened

was I got kicked in the teeth.

And I'll tell you something else.

I'm never gonna lift my little

finger to help anybody again, as long as I live.

- Maybe that's the way Mr. Brown feels.

Maybe that's why he's bitter and hard.

Maybe somewhere alongthe way he's been hurt.

Like you.

Except no one took the trouble to put him straight.

To show him that not everyone is dishonest.

Bud.

Do you trust me?

- Well, I guess so.

- I spent the morning doing a little

research on Mr. Brown.

He's an honest, hardworking man, who's

had more than his share of trouble.

Whether he admits it or not, he needs help.

More than anything else, he needs a job.

- Well then why doesn'the go and find one?

- Mr. Brown has a wife in the hospital.

Seven children to take care of.

I imagine that cuts intohis job hunting a bit.

- Well I can't do anything about that.

- Yes you can.

You can help find him a job.

- Me?

Why should I help him?

- Because three people need a little

of their faith in human nature restored.

Mr. Brown.

You.

And I.

(somber orchestral music)

- Well.

Okay, dad.

I'll look around town.

I wouldn't count on this idea working.

- I'm not counting on it, Bud.

But I'm sure hoping it.

(lively orchestral music)

(audience laughs)

(Bud groans)

(audience laughs)

- Are you alright, son?

- Oh yeah, I'm fine, fine.

- [Painter] What athing to do to somebody

who practically saved my life.

You know, if youhadn't have caught that

ladder, I would have fallen for sure.

Here.

Say.

Aren't you the boy I was talking to the other day?

- I'm the one.

What's left of me.

- Do you know, I've been worrying about you ever since.

Hey.

- [Bud] How do I look in green?

(audience laughs)

- I'm afraid I gave youa rough time that day.

But you know, I was behind schedule.

I ran out of paint, and it just

seemed that everything went wrong.

Have you ever had a day like that son?

- Yeah, millions of 'em.

But then it all happened in one day.

- Isn't there something I can do

to make up for all this?

- Not unless you know of somebody that

might have a job open.

- Oh, and what kind of a job?

- Almost anything.

See it's for kind of anacquaintance of mine.

He really needs it.

- Well I know the head of the Employment Agency, here.

Maybe he can help.

Lets go and see what cooks.

(melodic orchestral music)

(lively orchestral music)

(Jim whistling)

- Jim.

- Hi, honey.

- I'm glad you're home.

(audience laughs)

- You don't look very happy.

- I'm not.

I'm furious.

If I could get myhands on one Mr. Brown,

just for two seconds...

- Well now, wait a minute.

- Bud's been running his legs off,

for that ungrateful man.

Trying to find a jobfor him, and he finally

found him one, and...

Oh, I'm so mad Ican hardly talk.

- Where's Bud?

- In the kitchen.

Drowning his sorrow in milk.

(lively orchestral music) (audience laughs)

- Bud.

What happened?

- Nothing I didn't expect.

- Well.

Tell me about it anyway.

- I found a job for Mr. Brown.

It's on a farm, near town.

Good job, good pay.

There's even a little house that

goes with the deal, so he can live there with his family.

- Well, did you tell Mr. Brown about it?

- Yeah, I told him.

- He didn't as much as answer Bud.

- Well...

He must have said something.

- You know I traipsed all over town,

trying to find him.

When I found him he was coming out of the county hospital.

I told him about the job.

He just...

Looked at me, and turnedaway and walked off.

- Well I don't think people like that

deserve to be helped, Jim.

And I don't blame Budfor being disillusioned.

- Oh, no relax, mom.

I'm just glad I gotthe word early in life.

(audience laughs) (doorbell rings)

I'll get it, that's Kip.

We're going to a show or something.

(audience laughs)

Hi, Kip.

- I don't know where to begin, Bud.

Oh.

I...

I guess I owe all of you an apology.

It's not easy for me to do.

You see, no one's ever done anything much for me.

Everything I've got I've had to fight for.

After awhile that gets to be a habit.

It gets so that you don't expect or

even want people to help you.

And then when they do,

you're suspicious, and...

- You don't have to apologize, Mr. Brown.

- No, this time I want to.

You see this afternoonwhen you found me, I...

Well I believe I was very...

I didn't...

I guess you know I have quite a family.

Seven girls.

- I've got two sisters.

They're girls too.

(audience laughs)

- As of this afternoon,I have eight.

- Eight girls!

Mr. Brown, I forgive you for everything.

- Oh that's wonderful! - Congratulations, Mr. Brown.

- Well won't you come in?

- No, no thanks.

See I'm on my way tostart that new job your

son found for me.

Thanks, Bud.

- It's okay.

(melodic orchestral music)

Eight girls.

Boy, I think I got problems.

(audience laughs)

(audience applauds)

(melodic orchestral music)

(melodic keyboard music)