03x32 - Dennis' Lovesick Friend

[bunniefuu]

[music playing]

-I borrowed a few stamps

from you, OK, Dad?

-Stamps?

Oh, sure, who are

you writing to?

-New York, you know what I'm

going to do with this letter?

I'm going to get in show biz.

-Show biz, huh?

-Yeah, you and Mom are sure

going to be proud of me, I bet.

Here, you can read all

about it in this ad.

I've got to go mail the letter.

-Big money in show biz.

Have your own flea circus.

Send $. in stamps for training

booklet and live fleas!

Dennis!

Dennis!

[MUSIC PLAYING

-You're a monster,

Dennis Mitchell.

How could you do this

to poor little Pamela?

-I didn't mean to hurt

your old doll, Margaret.

I saw her just sitting out

in your yard all by herself.

So I decided to make her famous.

-Make her famous?

-Sure, if my rocket

had worked, she

would have been the first

doll to reach the moon.

-You sent my darling

child up in a rocket?

-Just a little one that was left

over from the fourth of July.

I tied her to the

stick, and lit the fuse,

but it never got off the ground.

-I'll get you for this, Dennis.

I'll tell your mother.

That's what I'll do.

-Please don't blab, Margaret.

If you don't, I'll give you one

of my frogs, the prettiest one.

-I don't want your

disgusting old frog.

But there is something

you could do.

-Yeah?

What?

I'll do it.

-I have to go to my

dancing lesson now.

But I'll be back in an hour.

I won't tell your

mom if you promise

to come over and play house

with me for the rest of the day.

-Jeepers, I hate playing house.

-I'll be the mother.

And you'll be the father.

And you can help

me bathe and dress

all our precious children.

-Wash your dolls?

Do I have to?

-Unless you want me to tell.

-OK, I guess I have to.

-Now, wheel the children home.

You fathers need a lot practice.

-Boy, I wish somebody would

send me to the moon in a rocket.

-Come over here, dear.

I want you to see something.

Isn't that cute?

Our son's beginning to

take an interest in girls.

-Well, it's finally official.

Our son's growing up.

-It happens so

suddenly, doesn't it?

-Yep, one day they're throwing

rocks at little girls.

And the next day

they're throwing kisses.

-You never threw rocks at me.

-I was smarter than most kids.

-I'm glad his attitude

about girls is changing.

I'm not upset about that.

-Why should you be upset?

-Well, it just means we're

getting a little older.

-Well, I don't feel any older.

Do you?

-Now that you mention it, no.

-I appreciate the thought

behind it, Uncle Ned.

But you don't have to do it.

-But I want to do it, Martha.

Until George settles

that estate back east,

I'm the man of this house.

-Of course you are.

-Poor George was

so upset last year

when Mrs. Hawkins won and got

her picture in the Garden Club

journal.

-Mrs. Hawkins, I give up.

How does everything

as sweet as a flower

manage to grow around a

sour old woman like her?

Well, you just leave

everything to me.

[MUSIC PLAYING

-Good morning, Mr. Matthews!

-Oh, good morning Mrs. Hawkins.

-Are you planning to

do a little gardening?

-In my nephew's absence,

I am taking his place

in the early jonquil contest.

-Oh, well I'm

sorry to hear that?

-Afraid my competition will

be too much for you, eh?

-No, not at all.

But it does seem a bit unfair

that I should triumph over

two members of the same family.

-You seem very

confident, Mrs. Hawkins.

-Well, I have reason to be.

For one thing, my bulbs

are already planted.

-What?

-But this is the opening

day of the contest.

This is the morning

of the opening day.

-What you're forgetting is

that a day begins at midnight.

-Do you mean to say

that you were out

at midnight planting bulbs?

-Exactly, and I am

entirely within the rules.

-Well, let me tell

you something.

The contest isn't over yet.

And the prize goes to the one

who's jonquils bloom first.

Yes.

-As I remember, that's

the same boast dear

Mr. Wilson made a year ago.

Now you're putting your

foot in your mouth too.

-Is that so?

I'll put my foot in my

mouth anytime I want.

-Well, there's

obviously room for it.

Goodbye, Mr. Matthews.

-That old catawampus

I'll show her.

Oh, oh, my sacroiliac.

Martha!

Help!

-You can't do this to me.

It'll ruin my life.

I'll leave town.

I'll just be a wanderer of

faraway places, Africa, China,

Minnesota.

-That suits me just fine.

And you can take that

salty redhead with you.

-Helen, wait don't go.

Give me another chance.

-Oh, stop whining, Jerry.

I've had it!

-Hi, Jerry!

Want a lick?

-No.

-Boy, Helen, sure

took off in a hurry.

Did she sit on a bee?

-No, she didn't sit on a bee.

Stop asking dumb questions.

-OK, Jerry, I'll stop.

-I'm sorry, Dennis.

I shouldn't take it out on you

just because I'm a broken man.

-You don't look broken.

What's busted?

-What's inside, where

it doesn't show.

Helen's left me.

She says she never

wants to see me again.

-Boy, I guess that dumb old

Margaret would say that to me.

Why did Helen get mad at you?

-Oh, she got mad just because I

was talking to the girl that's

working down at the

ice cream parlor.

-The ice cream parlor?

Boy, that's the kind of

girl I'd like to have.

I was just over there.

And I could have got this

free if I'd a had a--

-Why don't you

run along, Dennis?

A fella likes to be alone

when he's suffering.

-Are you suffering much, Jerry?

-Life just isn't worth living.

All that's left for

me is to get on a ship

and sale to the

south sea islands.

-If you go to the south

seas, would you write to me?

-Would you really

like to hear from me?

-Yeah, I started I'm

starting a stamp collection.

And I sure could use

some from the south seas.

-So long, Dennis.

-So long, Jerry.

[MUSIC PLAYING

-How does it feel

now, Uncle Ned?

-As though I've been stabbed in

the side with a hot corkscrew.

-I'm terrible sorry.

-I'll never plant

those bulbs know.

That nasty Mrs. Hawkins

will b*at us again.

Her jonquils will bloom first.

-It is a shame.

-She'll have her picture

in the Club Magazine.

Standing there with

her silly smile,

holding up her early bloomers.

[laughter]

-Well, what's funny about that?

-Oh, nothing, I was just

thinking of something else.

Never mind Uncle Ned.

I'll try to find the time

to plant those bulbs myself.

-You'll do nothing of the kind.

I'm not going to have two of us

around here with sprained back.

-Hi, Mrs. Wilson, how's--

-Hi, dear.

-Boy, when you want

your back scratched,

you really get it scratched.

-Uncle Ned sprained

his back, dear.

Would you say with him?

I want to get a

hot water bottle.

-Does it hurt much, Uncle Ned?

-Dennis, I am

completely miserable.

-I bet you're not as completely

miserable as Jerry Simmons is.

He's completely,

completely miserable.

-I am not interested in

anybody's misery but my own.

-You know Jerry.

He's the one that was kicking

the football for me yesterday.

He got in a fight

with Helen Franklin.

And he feels awful.

-I tell you, I am not

inter-- kicking a football?

That Jerry fellow, is that

the one with all the muscles?

-Yes, sir, Jerry's real strong.

-I wonder.

Dennis, would you do me a favor?

-Sure, Uncle Ned.

-See if you can get Jerry

to come over here, will you?

I might be able to help him.

And he might be able to help me.

-OK, see you later, Uncle Ned.

[MUSIC PLAYING

-Oh, I was very much

concerned when Dennis told me

about the rift in your romance.

I know how painful a

thing like that can be.

-Yeah, like I'm all busted up.

-So I said to

myself, I must do all

I can to bind this

young man's wounds.

I must find a way to

help make him forget.

-That's awfully nice

of you, Mr. Matthews.

But it's not use.

There's nothing that

will make me forget.

-Oh, yes there is

Jerry, hard work.

-Hard work?

-Physical labor, you must

devote yourself to toil.

Keep your body so

active that your mind

won't be able to think.

Oh, I urge you to try it.

-Well, what kind of work?

-Well, I could

hardly-- uh, yes, I

have a strip of ground running

along the fence there, see.

I'd like to have that

all dug up into a flower

bed, some beautiful

bulbs planted into it.

But, no, I-- yes, yes, I'd

be willing to let you do it.

-Well, that's awfully

nice of you, but--

-And what's more, I'll

even pay you $ . an hour.

Oh, no, please, I insist.

It would be worth

it to know that I

helped mend a broken heart.

-OK, I'll try it.

-Jerry, you've made

a wise decision.

I'll show you where

I want you to start.

Yes, follow me.

Now, there's the spade, Jerry.

And this is the

section all along here.

So dig right in and you'll

soon find blessed relief.

And don't hold back, Jerry.

Remember, the faster

and the harder you work,

the sooner your mind

will be at rest.

-Hi, Jerry!

Want a cookie?

-No thanks, Dennis,

I'm too busy.

-Boy, Mrs. Wilson sure

does make good cookies.

I could eat a dozen of them.

-How many have

you eaten already?

-Oh, about a dozen.

Is Jerry going to plant

the bulbs for you?

-He is, Dennis, yes.

-How much are you paying him?

-$ . an hour.

-Isn't that kind of

cheap, Uncle Ned?

-Dennis, Jerry was very

grateful for the opportunity.

I pointed out that

the work would

make him forget all about Helen.

-You're a real,

kind man, Uncle Ned.

-Yes, thank you.

And I want to thank you

for bringing him over.

It was a big help.

-You're welcome, Uncle Ned.

MARGARET (OFFSCREEN): Dennis!

-Uh oh, now I'm

going to need help.

-Hi, Dennis.

-You better go on

home, Margaret.

You'll catch cold running

around in your underwear.

-This is what we wear at

dancing school, silly.

You're so hopeless

about the finer things.

Now come along.

I'll change my clothes.

And we'll start playing house.

-Gee, I can't play house

with you, Margaret.

Uncle Ned needs me here.

Don't you, Uncle Ned?

-What?

Well, I-- oh, yes, yes, yes,

I need him here, Margaret.

-Yeah, me, and

Jerry, and Uncle Ned

are planting a lot

of stuff in the yard.

-You promised to play

house with me, Dennis.

Won't you let him go, Uncle Ned?

-Oh, I'm sorry, Margaret.

I can't spare him today.

-Yeah, and I can't

go if Uncle Ned says

I can't, because he's a grownup.

-All right, Dennis,

but I'll be back.

-Thanks a lot, Uncle Ned.

-Glad to do it.

You help me, and I help you.

-Us men have to stick

together, don't we?

-You're so right.

-Jerry, you've just

got to work harder.

Concentrate on the flower bed.

Make your mind a perfect blank.

At your age, that

shouldn't be difficult.

-I'll try, Mr. Matthews.

But I just can't forget Helen.

-This is fun, Jerry.

I like to watch you work.

-Be my guest, Dennis.

-Sure is better

than playing house

with that dumb old Margaret.

All she wants to

do is fool around

with a bunch of old dolls.

-Jerry, you stopped again.

-I'm sorry, Mr. Matthews.

What Dennis said

reminded me of Helen.

She's a living doll.

-Well, really, if everything's

going to remind you of Helen,

you're never going

to forget her.

And I'll never get

the bulbs planted.

So concentrate.

-Yes, sir.

-And, Dennis, if you

must talk, please

don't say anything to

remind him of his lost love.

-OK, Uncle Ned.

I'll help you

forget, too, Jerry.

As soon as you finish

working for Uncle Ned,

we can go over in the

park and fly my kite.

I got a new one.

-Now what?

Did something

remind you of Helen?

-Yeah, the kite.

-Kite?

-Her last name is Franklin.

You know Ben Franklin?

He's the guy that--

-I know all about him.

I had no idea that he

was going to foul me up.

-I'm sorry, Mr. Matthews.

-All right, well,

I think we might

as well give this

whole thing up.

It's no use.

We're so far behind

now in the competition

that we'll never

win the contest.

And I certainly have tried.

-Mr. Matthews!

Here's the beast you sent

to destroy my jonquil bulbs.

-That's just Fremont!

What are you talking about?

-Don't you act innocent with me!

This animal dug up

every one of my bulbs

and scattered them

all over my yard.

You see the mud on his paws?

I caught him red-handed.

But I'll b*at you yet.

Here, take this, this

trained bulb snatcher.

-Man's best friend,

oh, wonderful.

Jerry, we're not trailing

in the competition at all.

We're going to start

even with Mrs. Hawkins.

We've got to get those bulbs

in the ground right away.

[whimper]

-My little boy.

-I'd sure like to help you, sir.

But it's just no use.

All I can think of is

that I've lost my girl.

How can I work?

-Could you work if you

had your girl back?

-Boy, could I. If I had

Helen right here beside me,

I'd work my brains out.

-Uncle Ned, maybe if you

and me go talk to Helen,

we could get her to

get up with Jerry and--

-Why that's a brilliant idea.

And I have great

powers of persuasion.

Yes, I see non reason at

all why I couldn't-- oh!

-So I'll eat this on the

way to Helen's house.

And I'll eat twice as

much for dinner, OK?

-Well, if it's that

important to you, all right.

-Oh, it is important.

We've got to get those bulbs

planted so Mr. Wilson can win.

-Do you think you

and Uncle Ned can

talk into seeing it your way?

-Sure, we'll get her to make

up with Jerry because she's

a real nice girl Girls

can be nice, you know?

-I'm glad you're

discovering that, good luck.

-Bye now.

-He's really made

that big discovery.

Girls can be nice, he says.

-That was obvious

this morning when

he was so attentive to Margaret.

He usually runs from her.

-Well, I'm glad to see it.

Poor little Margaret's

been chasing

him so hard for

so long she really

deserves a little kindness.

-I stand before you,

dear child asking,

nay, imploring, for you to give

this dear boy another chance.

-Gee, I don't know Mr. Matthews.

-Now, now, please.

Why not think of me as

kindly old Uncle Ned?

-Jerry feel awful, Helen.

He'll never get that flower

bed dug up if you don't--

-I'll do the talking, Dennis.

The flower bed,

it's not important.

-It isn't?

But I thought you said if

Jerry didn't plant those--

-Never mind.

I'm interested here

only in the happiness

of two very fine young people.

-Is he really

broken up about it?

I mean, really?

-Boy, you ought to see him.

He looks sick.

-He should look sick.

-Nothing brings greater

happiness than true love.

The tender passion that makes--

-He wants that Dizzy

Maybell, he can have her.

-Heck, he doesn't like her.

He can't stand her.

-He can't?

Are you sure?

-He told me so himself.

He just goes in there for

hot fudge, that's all.

He says life is just

nothing without you.

-Gee, poor guy, I guess

I was pretty mean to him.

-And give Jerry another chance.

-I'll go see him right now

and tell him I'm sorry.

-Good, oh, good, Helen.

I knew you'd see it my way.

-Your way?

-Yes, of course, I

was just suggesting--

-Oh, excuse me, Mr. Matthews.

I wasn't listening.

Come on, Dennis!

I'll race you over there!

-You watch the dirt

fly now, Uncle Ned.

-Oh, I tell you, Dennis.

We've done it again.

Look at that boy work.

-Yeah, he'll get your bulbs

planted real fast I bet.

-Yes, oh, Dennis, why don't

you run back to the garage

and get the bulbs?

They're in a large, square--

-Sure, I know where

Mrs. Wilson keeps them.

-Helen, look our for

that flying dirt!

Come sit here and

keep out of the way.

-Oh, don't worry.

I won't get any dirt on her.

You stay right here where

I can see you, honey.

-Fine, that's fine.

Now that we have that settled,

let's get the digging finished.

-Yes, sir.

-Good.

It's no use, Mr. Matthews.

I'm going to knock

it off for the day.

I'm so happy I

feel like dancing!

-How can you knock it off for

the day without it finished?

It's got to be

finished-- what is this?

Stop it.

Stop it.

Here, Helen, attention,

now, you two young folks

are planning to be married?

-Yes, sir.

-Right, right, so the soon this

young man starts earning money,

the sooner you can

afford to get married.

-He's right, honey.

I got to get real busy.

-As soon as you finish

this strip here,

you can start

putting in the bulbs.

-Here they are, Uncle Ned!

-Oh, thank you,

Dennis, thank you.

-You're right, Mr. Matthews,

about me needing money.

So as soon as I finish here, I

got to get myself a real job.

-What?

-Hey, I know where you

can find a job, Jerry.

They were putting up a sign

when I was there this morning.

$ . an hour, it says.

-$ . an hour!

That's wonderful, Jerry!

-Where is it, Dennis?

-At the ice cream parlor.

-Well, I better get down there

before somebody else does,

honey.

-The ice cream parlor!

You're not going to

start that again!

-Start what?

I just want to get the

job so we can get married.

-You don't want to work there.

You just want to be there so

you can be with that Maybell!

-I do not!

I just want to get the job.

-You don't fool

me, Jerry Simmons!

Go on.

Go ahead.

You can spend the rest of your

life with her for all I care,

because our marriage is off!

-Well, all right, that

suits me just fine.

Goodbye!

-If you're going to the south

seas, don't forget to write!

-Well, well, well, what

am I going to do now?

-Maybe I could plant those bulbs

for you if you show me how.

-Thank you Dennis.

That's very kind of you.

But I don't believe

you could do it.

This is a very particular job.

-I'll plant those bulbs

for you, Mr. Matthews.

I owe it to you.

It's partly my fault that

Jerry didn't get it done.

I sort of drove him away.

-Well, do you know how to do it?

-Oh, yes, sir.

I like planting things.

I plant our vegetable

garden every year.

-Really?

Well, Helen, I

accept your offer.

And remember this,

hard work will

make you forget all about him.

Now, you make the holes

about that deep, you see.

And about that far apart.

Put a bulb in each hole.

And cover them all with dirt.

-Yes, sir, that's easy.

-Here's the trowel.

And I-- oh, oh, my back I think

I'd better go in and lie down.

-I'll go with you, Uncle Ned.

I'll help Mrs. Wilson rub it.

[MUSIC PLAYING

-You know, Dennis, my back,

it feels so much better.

-Me and Mrs. Wilson are

good rubbers, all right.

Mr. Matthews, I'm all through!

-Oh, oh, Helen, that is fine.

That's just the

way it ought to be.

I certainly do appreciate that.

-Hey, look who's coming back!

[MUSIC PLAYING

-Helen, honey.

-Well, I couldn't live

with you mad at me.

And I'm not going to take the

job at the ice cream parlor.

I'll find something else.

-Oh, I'm glad!

-Come on, let's go for a walk.

-Oh, wait, I forgot

one, Mr. Matthews.

-Oh, well, now,

Helen, it's all right.

It's OK.

Don't worry about it at all.

-Might as well finish it right.

I can't wait to see these bloom.

-No, wait, what are you doing?

Helen, you're planting

it upside down.

-Upside down?

This is the root here isn't it?

I mean, this ends goes down?

-No, no, this is the

top of the bulb there.

The root there,

see, the root there.

See, you plant it that way.

-Why?

You didn't?

-Yes, sir.

I planted them all

that way, of them.

-Now, they'll never come up.

-Come to think of it, my onion

sets never came up either.

-Now Mrs. Hawkins will

win again this year.

Oh, of all the unfortunate--

-I'm sorry about the

flowers Uncle Ned.

But this day hasn't

been all bad.

-What do you mean?

-Turned out swell for me.

I didn't have to play house

with that dumb old Margaret.

Well, see you tomorrow!

[MUSIC PLAYING

- , Fremont!

Fremont!

Here boy!

Here boy!

Oh, that's my little Fremont.

That's my little boy.

Now, you listen to me.

Bulbs, jonquils, go get them,

the way you did this morning.

One block down the street, the

second house, big flower bed,

dig them up.

Dig them up.

[barking]

-Mom, I'm home!

-Well, we were just

going to look for you.

-I've been over

helping Uncle Ned.

-We have a little

surprise for you.

-Yes, since you've been

such a good boy all day,

Mom invited one of your best

friends over for dinner.

-And you can stay up until

o'clock and watch television.

-Oh, boy, swell!

Tommy, hey, Tommy!

Where are you?

-It's not Tommy.

It's me, Dennis.

And I brought are baby to

spend the evening with us.

-Margaret, oh, good gravy.

[MUSIC PLAYING