01x08 - Tenting Tonight

[bunniefuu]

-Dennis, come here.

Dennis, you have no
business using the air

from my tire to
fill your balloons.

-I just borrowed it, Dad.

When I'm through with the
balloons, I'll put it back.

[theme music]

-You know what Mr. Melton's
got on his hi-fi, Tommy?

He's got a record
with a lion on it.

-I got a book with a lion on it.

-This is a sound of a lion.

The roar.

Just like you hear
in the circus.

-I'd rather hear
it at the circus.

Is your dad going to take you?

-I don't know.

He's still mad on account of
I had to blow my balloon up

while he was going.

-Boy.

-Hey, look at that!
-Wow!

What is it?

-It's a reindeer.

I've wanted one of
those all my life.

-Careful.
It may be alive.

-Don't you know anything, Tommy?

What we've got here is the
front half of a reindeer.

You're supposed to
use him indoors.

-What for?

-To hang things on.

Help me put it in my wagon.

I'm gonna take it
home to good old Mom.

-Hey, we got a postcard
from the Wilsons.

-Oh.

What do they have to say?

-Having the greatest
trip of our lives.

We'll tell you all about
when we return on Saturday.

-That's today.

-Our best to both of you.

And little Dennis?

-Well, he really must
be in good spirits.

-I'm afraid things
will cool down

when he finds finds out what
Dennis did while he was away.

-I'm home!

-Don't slam it!

[slam]

-There's the fastest
slam in the west.

-Guess what I've got, Mom?

-Well, you've got a dirty
face, for one thing.

What else?

-A surprise for you.

Close your eyes!

You to, Dad.

I'll be right back.

-I wonder what it can be?

-Oh, it's probably a flower
he picked up from someplace.

-I hope he didn't get it
out of the Wilsons' garden.

One thing I can count on.

It'll have a broken stem.

-Well, you can
always throw it away.

-Not on your life.

-Close your eyes, and don't
open 'em 'til I tell ya!

-All right.

-Bye, Dennis.

-Bye, Tommy.

It's right in front of you, Mom.

-Can I smell it?

-Do you want to?

-Of course I do.

-OK, bend over.

Now smell.

-This doesn't smell
like a flower.

-Of course not!

Open your eyes.

[gasp]

-Don't be scared, Mom.

It's not alive.

-Where did you get that?

-In somebody's trash box.

I figured we could put
it up in the dining room.

-Oh, Dennis!

-I bet you never thought you'd
have one of these, did you?

-No.

-Would you rather put
it up in your bedroom?

-What say, Mom?

-Dennis, you shouldn't
bring things like this home.

-It was a tough job,
but I wanted to.

You know why?

'Cause you're the best
mom in the whole world.

-Thank you, Dennis.

-Where are we gonna put it, Mom?

-Well--

-Hey, Dennis!

The Wilsons just
drove up out front!

-Uh-oh.
-What's he?

Your lookout?

-I think I'll go
straighten up my room.

-Just a minute, young man.

-It's for Mom, Dad.

She's been trying to
get me to do it all day.

-Dennis, you have to tell
Mr. Wilson sooner or later,

and you might as
well do it right now.

-Can't we cal him on the phone?

-Come on, Dennis.

-You're trying to
carry too much, George.

You'll strain yourself.

-Oh, nonsense, Martha.

These two weeks
have rejuvenated me.

Why, I feel like a new man.

-Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Wilson!

Welcome home!

-Oh, Mitchell, Dennis.

Come on over.

I'll tell you all
about our trip.

-OK.

Come on, Dennis.

-Now George, you be
nice to little Dennis.

-Why, of course I will.

I told you, Martha.

I'm a new man.

Well, here we are.

Home at last.

-Now, you know how easily
Mr. Wilson gets upset.

I don't want you to say or do
anything that'll bother him.

-And I don't have to
tell him what I did?

-Yes, you do.

Only don't upset him
with anything new.

-Hello, Henry.

How are you?

-Fine, thank you, Mrs. Wilson.

How are you?

-I'm fine, too.

Hey, Mr. Wilson!

You're wearing a Smokey
the Bear hat, aren't ya?

-Smokey the Bear!

Aw, Dennis, it's
good to see you.

-It's good to see
you too, Mr. Wilson.

I've missed you.

-Ahem.

Dennis has something to
tell you, Mr. Wilson.

-Oh?

-Go ahead, Dennis.

-Well, the day after
you left on your trip,

there was this swell little
kid that was playing baseball.

-A swell little
kid named Dennis.

-Uh-huh.

-I hit a home run.

-Wonderful.

-Right through your
kitchen window.

-Oh?

Oh, well, well, uh,
boys will be boys.

After all, what's
a broken window?

-Well, that isn't
all, Mr. Wilson.

Go ahead, Dennis.

-Well, the ball sort of
bounced across the kitchen

and turned on the water faucet.

-Oh, so we lost a little
water down the drain.

I mean, boys will be boys.

-We didn't lose it down
the drain, Mr. Wilson.

-The baseball ended up in the
sink, acting as a drain plug.

-So you lost all your
water on the floor.

-Goodness.

-I looked in through the window
and saw what was happening,

so I call mom and dad.

-How could you
look in the window?

-I climbed up on your trellis.

Dad's already fixed it.

-Oh?

Then what happened?

Well, Alice and I came over
and cleaned up the mess.

It didn't hurt anything.

-Oh, thank you, Henry.

-Of course, I had to jimmy
the back door open to get in.

-Oh, you did?

-Boy, was that door a mess.

-Of course, I fixed it later.

And the window, too.

-Well, then,
everything's all right.

I guess boys will be boys.

-Well, that's not
quite all, Mr. Wilson.

-Ah?

-Yesterday Dennis
played baseball again.

-A home run?

-I'm a regular Willie May

-The same window.

-Oh, my lands.

-But it didn't hit
the water faucet!

-I'll pay for the
window, of course.

-What are we laughing
about, Mr. Wilson?

-Oh, that's a very funny story.

-I'm happy you can see
it that way, Mr. Wilson.

-Ah, Michell, you know, I've
been an old grouch in the past,

but that's all over.

From now on, Dennis and I
are going to be good friends.

-Really, Mr. Wilson?
-Sure.

-Do you want to take
me to the circus?

It's gonna be right
over in the park.

-Dennis--

-Well, by golly, I
just might do that.

-Wow, that would be swell!

-Mr. Wilson, I hope you
don't mind my commenting,

but you're a changed man!

-I really think he is, Henry.

-I know I am.

How could I be otherwise?

I've been communing with nature.

I've slept beside a babbling
brook under the stars.

I've listened to
nature's creatures

calling to me in the night.

-Did Mrs. Wilson want
a drink of water?

-Mrs. Wilson?

No-- Dennis, I was referring
to the animals and the birds.

One night, I heard
an owl hooting.

[imitating owl sounds]

-Boy, you sure sound like one.

Do it again!

-All righty.

[imitating owl sounds]

-And at that moment, all
the primitive instincts

of my ancestors came back to me.

-What did you do?

-Well, I slipped quietly
out of my sleeping bag,

picked up by flashlight,
and went looking for him.

-Boy, you're just like
Daniel Boone, Mr. Wilson.

Did you find him?

-Well, no.

Martha, now that wasn't funny.

-Oh, yes it was.

-He was walking along, shining
his light up into the trees,

and he walked right
into the brook.

-That's 'cause you
didn't want to leave

a trail, huh, Mr. Wilson?

-Dennis, you're a good friend.

You know, you ought to
go camping sometime.

-Boy, that would be swell!

-Can I help you bring in
the rest of your gear?

-Well, sure.

Come on.

-Dad, can I sleep out
in the backyard tonight?

-Dennis, I don't have a tent.

-Oh, don't be a
killjoy, Mitchell.

He could borrow our
camping equipment.

-Wow!

-Well, that's very
generous of you.

-Say, can I get Tommy
to sleep out with me?

-Well, you can go
ask his mother.

-I'll envy you, Dennis, being
out there under the stars.

You know, Mitchell, that's
the only trouble being home.

I'll miss the sound of the wild
creatures calling in the night.

-Can I wear your Smokey
the Bear hat, Mr. Wilson?

-Why, of course you can, Dennis!

-Now I'm gonna go see
if Tommy can come!

-Ah, he's a wonderful kid.

You see this, Mitchell?

My nerve medicine.

I didn't use a drop
of it during our trip.

-And you've been home five
minutes, and you need some?

-No, not at all.

As a matter of fact, I never
expect to need it again.

-Gee, Mr. Wilson.

I hope you won't be
sorry you did that.

-Naw.

-Mr. Wilson's letting Dennis
use the whole business.

Sleeping bags, air mattresses.

The tent.

-I can't get over it.

Two weeks of camping have
changed that man completely.

[phone ringing]

-Hello?

Oh, hi, Ted.

-Uh, Henry, I was
wondering if you and Alice

would like to come over tonight?

We'll, um, play a little Bridge.

-You sure you want
to play Bridge,

or you got another one of
those crazy sound effect

records you want to show off?

-Well, we might play
a little Bridge.

Henry, wait 'til
you hear this one.

It's the greatest.

It's a train wreck from
the actual soundtrack

of a motion picture.

Boy, you've never heard
anything so realistic.

Well, how about it?

Can you come over?

-I don't think we'd
better tonight, Ted.

Dennis is sleeping
out in the backyard,

and we've got to
keep an eye on him.

-Well, look, you could watch him
just as easily from over here

as you can from there.

Look right over the fence.

-Well, I suppose we
could keep an eye

on him just as
easily over there.

Any objections, honey?

-No, I guess not.

-OK.

Fine, Ted.

About : ?

And Ted, I do want to
play some Bridge tonight.

OK.

Bye.

-So do I. Last
Saturday evening, we

did nothing but listen
to that crazy wild animal

record of his.
-Don't blame him, honey.

He's only had that
hi-fi a couple of weeks.

-I'm home!

-In here, Dennis.

-Tommy can camp out with me!

He'll be here in a few minutes.

-Good.

-Hey, you'd better
take that hat off so

you can see where
you're going, young man.

It's too big for you.

-No, it isn't.

It's perfect.

Tommy wishes he had one.

-Let me put a little
paper in it, and try it.

-I don't need it.

-Well, just try it, huh?

There.

Isn't that better?

-Yeah!

Hey Mom, how come you
haven't put up the reindeer?

-Well, that isn't
a reindeer, Dennis.

It's a moose.

And I have a wonderful
idea of where to put it.

-Where?

-Why don't we put it out
in the backyard, and then

you can pretend you're right
out in the wilderness tonight.

-Wow!

-And the tent can be your tepee.

-You mean like we're Indians?

-Like real Indian Braves.

-You know what she is, Dad?

She's the best squaw
in the whole world.

-She is on my totem pole, too.

-Well, here I am.

-What do you got blankets for?

We got sleeping bags.

-I know it, buy my mom's
afraid I'll catch cold.

I even gotta wear my
underwear under my pajamas.

-Boy, I'm glad my
mom isn't like that.

What are those for?
-For you.

I don't want you to catch cold.

-Aw, Mom!

-Hon, do you know where
the hot water bottle is?

-Holy bologna!

-Pure ambrosia.

-Hey, Mr. Wilson!

You did shave and a
haircut, six bits.

-I most certainly did, Dennis.

-Do it again, Mr. Wilson.
-All right.

-Dennis, that'll
be enough knocking.

-Oh, Mr. Wilson, how are you?

-I'm sorry, Mitchell.

Sheer animal spirit.

-That's quite all right.
Come in.

-Oh, no thanks.

I just dropped by to tell
Dennis the good news.

-Is it good news, Mr. Wilson?

-Dennis, what would be
the best possible news

you could hear in
the whole world?

-That I'm getting a two-wheeler.

Are you getting me one?

-Oh, dang!

Well, no, no, it's not that.

Maybe this wish is second best.

You see these two
circus tickets?

Well, we're going to the circus.

-Oh, boy!

-I think you boys will be
pretty comfortable out here.

-Sure we will.

-Oh!
-Honey!

-That moose head looks
so real it startled me.

-Thank you.

-Oh, you did a wonderful
job of hanging him out here

for the boys.

Come on, Dennis!

DENNIS (OFFSCREEN): I'm
filling the hot water bottle!

-Honey, do you really
think he needs it?

It's pretty warm out tonight.

-Oh, wants it.

-Are you sure?

-He said so.

-Well, here I am!

-Oh, hold on.

I want to see if
it's hot enough.

-It's hot enough.

-I don't now.

I'd have made it
hotter than that,

but, uh, I guess it's all right.

-Come on, Tommy!
-All right!

-Now, if you fellas want
anything, you just sing out.

We'll be right behind the
fence at the Meltons'.

-We won't want anything,
will we, Tommy?

-Naw.

-Well, good night, boys.

-Good night, mom.
-Good night.

-Good night, men.

-Night.

-They're gonna have
a wonderful time.

-Hey, Dennis, what are we
gonna do if we get thirsty?

-Hot root beer.

-Wow.

-The kids are fine.

They're talking up a storm.

-I hope they get
some sleep tonight.

-Oh, relax, honey.

It's only quarter to : .

-You know, Tommy, a kid's
gotta think for himself.

I just don't believe a
cow could jump over it.

-You know, Martha, those
old, sleepless nights

are gone forever.

Not even : .

I'm going to sleep
like at schoolboy.

-Now what are you going to do?

-I think I'll give
Dennis and Tommy a thrill

and do my owl imitation.

[imitating owl sounds]

-Oh, come to bed, George.

-Wait a minute, Martha.

You know, I bet they
think that's a real owl.

[imitating owl sounds]

-You know what that was, Tommy?

That was Mr. Wilson
doing his own imitation.

-He's pretty good at it.

-Yeah.

That's because he heard
owls and things all the time

he was out camping.

-Animals, too?
-Sure.

All kinds of them.

-I bet he was scared.

-Mr. Wilson?

Heck no.

he said they calmed his nerves.

Now that he's back,
he's gonna miss 'em.

[horn blowing]

-What was that?

-Hey!

It's Mr. Melton's hi-fi.

He was going to play a train
record for Mom and Dad.

[horn blowing]

-George?

-Yeah?

-Do you hear that train?

-Yes.

It's unusually loud tonight.

Or else they're using that old
spur track over in the park.

-They must be.

It sounds as if it
was right next door.

Must be some rare
atmospheric condition.

Martha, I know why
they're using the spur.

That must be the circus
train arriving in the park.

[horn blowing]

[crash]

-Good heavens!

-That sounded like
a head on collision!

-Boy, did you ever hear
anything more realistic?

-I should say not.

-It was wonderful.

Now can we play another rubber?

-Boy, that train wreck
sure sounded swell!

-Well, how did you hear it?

-You've got the speaker
in the patio turned on.

-For heaven's sakes, Ted!

I hope you didn't
wake anybody up.

-Oh, don't be silly.

Who'd be sleeping at this time?

It's barely : .

-How about playing
your wild animal

record so it'll be like we're
camping out in the jungle?

-All right, Dennis.

And I'll bet your
folks would enjoy

hearing that one again, too.

-Oh, we'd love it.

We can play bridge later.

-Come on, Tommy.

Let's get back to camp.

[wild animal sounds]

-Martha!

-That was a lion.

[growling]

-Good Scott, that was the circus
train, and the lions are loose!

[roaring]

-And the elephants
are loose, too!

-Dennis and Tommy
are out in the yard!

-I've got to get out there!

-You can't go out there!

-I've got to, Martha!

Those boys are in danger.

I'll do what I can
with my longsword.

You call the police.

-Oh, good heavens.

He forgot his glasses!

[wild animal sounds]

-Sure is swell being out
here in the wilderness.

-Yeah.

-Dennis?

-What are you doing, Mr. Wilson?

-Oh, I'm going to save
you from the lions!

Boys, get back in your tent!

-Mr. Wilson must be playing
he's out in the wilderness, too.

-And please hurry.

The lions and tigers are
loose in the backyard.

[wild animal sounds]

-Hey, Mr. Wilson, here
comes a fierce tiger!

-I hope Martha phoned for help.

-George!

I brought you your glasses.
-Steady, Martha.

-Are you all right?

-Yes, so far.

I haven't met any
of the lions yet,

but I've just cut
the head off a moose.

-Oh!

-You boys all right?

-We're pretty scared!

-Aha!

Well, you stay where you are.

There might be a lion
behind any bush, Martha,

so you stay right close to me
Here are your glasses, George.

-You come out to play
too, Mrs. Wilson?

-Dennis!

Go back inside.

Don't to understand the danger?

Didn't you hear animal roars?

-Sure, I heard 'em.

That's because Mr.
Melton had his speaker

in his patio turned on.

-What?

-Sure.

They were on a record he was
playing on his new hi-fi.

-Nonsense.

What about that
moose I decapitated?

He wasn't playing
that on his hi-fi.

-George, would you please
put on your glasses?

-Well, I-- oh, no.

Martha, not a word
of this to anybody.

[sirens]

-I feel so humiliated!

-Now, George, you were
only doing what you thought

was right.

-It was a very brave
thing to do, Mr. Wilson.

-Aw.

-Sure it was.

You thought there
were lions out there.

-Have the police left?

-Yes, dear.

-The reporters?

-Yes, dear.

-And that police psychiatrist?

-Yes, dear.

You know what I heard
him say, Mr. Wilson?

He said you're as
nutty as a fruitcake.

--Dennis!

-When did he say that?

-Right after I told him you
do swell owl imitations out

of your bedroom window.

-And to think I dumped
out all my nerve medicine.

Oh, Martha, take me home.

Put me to bed!

-Of course.

-Hey, Mr. Wilson.

What time are we going
to the circus tomorrow?

-Oh, that, that, that--
just take me home, Martha!