Rascal (1969)

[bunniefuu]

It was a long time ago...

here in the Wisconsin

of my boyhood...

that a new friend

came into my life...

and stole my heart away.

I often think of him now,

a half a century later...

and I relive in memory

the good times we had together.

He was a member

of our family almost...

for a while anyway...

and I shall never forget him.

I wonder if I can

make it as real for you...

as it is for me still.

I wonder if you

can remember the excitement...

of that last day of school...

when everybody could

hardly wait to get out...

and enjoy

the long, lazy summer ahead.

And also this summer...

my mother's going to teach me

how to use the sewing machine...

and to make upside-down cake.

That sounds like a very

interesting summer, Sarah.

Now, let me see...

whom have I overlooked?

Of course, Lucy.

For my vacation,

we're going to New York City.

Well...

And my Aunt Elizabeth is

going to take us to the top...

of the Wool worth Building,

sixty stories high!

And then we're going to

Central Park and Grant's Tomb...

and the Metropolitan Museum!

That's very exciting, Lucy.

Now--

And then we're going

to Boston and Bunker Hill...

and Paul Revere's house.

Lucy, if you tell us

everything now...

there won't be anything left

to tell us next fall.

Yes, Miss Whalen.

And how about you, Sterling?

Hey...come to the party.

Sorry, Miss Whalen.

And what kind of excitement...

are you going to stir up

this summer, Sterling?

Well, mostly I'm going

to be working on my canoe.

Canoe? Is that what this is?

Yes, ma'am.

It's a design my Pa worked out.

From the kind the Indians used.

I'm very impressed.

Well, we have only

a few moments more...

so I'd like to wish you all

a very pleasant summer.

Be sure that you don't

have any books with you...

that should be left behind.

Bye! I'll send you a postcard!

Sterling, what else will you

be doing this summer...

besides working on your canoe?

Will you be going with your

father on one of his trips?

Well, he goes by himself.

You see, he sells real estate

all over the place.

Well, you don't want

a kid hanging around...

when you're doing that.

I see.

Well, you won't be alone.

Your sister Theo has been

taking care of things...

since your mother

passed away, hasn't she?

Yes, ma'am.

But she has to go back

to Chicago tomorrow.

Bye, Miss Whalen.

Have a nice summer.

Sterling, I'll be working

at the library this summer...

and you can stop by.

Wowser, how are you, boy?

Huh? Ha ha!

Come on, get in there.

Pa! Hi, Pa!

Sterling!

How are you, boy? Ha ha ha!

Fine. Theo was afraid

you wouldn't get home in time.

Well, now, she ought

to know better than that.

I always get home, don't it?

- Come on, jump in!

- How about my bike?

We'll pick it up later.

I've got something to show you.

- Hmm?

- Out at Lake Koshkonong.

Well, what do you think it is?

A bobcat?

You're getting warm.

You got a rough idea,

haven't you, boy?

A panther?

A lynx.

They live in Canada.

This one lives right here.

At the moment, anyway.

Hasn't been four hours since

he put those tracks there...

and a good size cat it is

from the looks of them.

There he is.

Well, you want

to remember that, son.

He's probably the first lynx

in these woods in forty years.

What's he doing

so far from home?

Oh, he's a rambler, I guess.

Like me.

Wowser!

Mmm.

Who made it?

Farmer's wife in Minnesota.

I told her I had a boy

who liked apple pie.

Good, isn't it?

Mmm.

Nighthawks.

Mmm. They're awful busy.

Whippoorwill?

Yes. Special kind of bird.

To me, anyway.

Your mother and I used to

sit here and listen...

to the whippoorwills

a long time ago.

I thought we had all the time

in the world then.

If I'd only known

how short it would be...

I might have listened

to her more.

She always wished

I'd settle down...

and stop chasing

after farm auctions...

all over the country and...

rent that little office

over Pringle's store...

come home for supper

every night...

instead of every other week.

I always figured I would...

someday.

You know, Sterling...

it's awfully hard for

the female of the species...

to understand how some men are.

I'll bet that lynx has a wife...

up in the Canadian woods

somewhere...

with supper

on the table right now...

wondering why he can't come

home every night at 6:00...

like the other lynxes.

Pa?

Yeah?

Don't you ever get lonesome?

No. I got a million things

on my mind.

Miles of country to look at,

people to talk to.

A little fishing on

Sunday afternoon now and then.

The only man

who gets lonesome...

is a man who can't live

with himself.

It's a big, wonderful world,

Sterling.

You only walk through it once.

Wouldn't it be

a terrible mistake...

to come to the end

of the line...

and realize you haven't stopped

along the way...

to smell the flowers?

The lynx!

What's he after?

A woodchuck or something.

Wowser!

Wowser!

Wowser, get off him!

Wowser!

Now, I said quit

and I mean quit!

Now you know

what she was fighting for.

Serves you right, you big bully.

I don't know why he's got

such a thing about raccoons.

He gets along

with a skunk even...

but there's something

about a raccoon.

Well, it's time

we got on home anyway.

Come on, Wowser.

Wowser, it's all over.

There's nothing we can do.

Wowser, what's eating you?

Well...

look what got left behind.

Ha ha ha!

Ah! Ha ha!

Why did the mother leave him?

She probably

doesn't know she has.

She won't find out till she

gets a chance to stop and count.

Well, then this one's sort of lost.

Yeah. Looks like it.

Almost

without needing to say it...

Pa and I agreed we couldn't

leave the little fellow...

to fend for himself,

not at his age...

and not with the lynx

in the neighborhood.

Besides, we kind of

felt responsible for him.

After all, it was my dog that

had chased his mother away.

I guess Wowser

didn't realize it...

but from then on he was going

to have to share my affections.

So, that's how it happened...

on that special day in June...

a helpless little orphan

came into my life.

I didn't know then how much

he'd come to mean to me...

or the troubles he'd bring.

As it turned out,

I had met a character...

a personality,

and a ring-tailed wonder.

I called him...

Rascal.

That day

we came home with Rascal...

I remember Walt Dabbett

went sailing by...

in his Stanley Steamer.

Pa said he was

a bit of a blowhard...

but not a bad fellow at heart.

Cy Jenkins was

our neighbor on the back...

and I swear he spent

more time in his corn patch...

than in his drugstore downtown.

Anybody home?

This was my sister

Theo as she looked then.

She'd come home on her vacation

to take care of us...

and for some reason,

she seemed to feel...

one of her duties

was worrying about me--

more than I thought necessary.

Our other neighbor,

Garth Shadwick...

was a horse lover.

I guess it went with his owning

the town's harness shop.

Afternoon, Garth.

Afternoon!

Settle down, blast you!

Come on, boy! Come on!

He had a trotting

horse named Donnybrook--

a nervous, fractious animal.

Pa al ways said

it might someday win a race...

if it'd ever put all four feet

on the ground at once.

How was the trip, Will?

Oh, never better.

Got a new member of the family.

Sterling,

bring him around here...

and introduce him

to Mr. Jenkins.

- He's a raccoon.

- So I see.

Garth! You best come here!

Go! Ah, you show-off!

Bah.

Is something wrong, Mr. Jenkins?

Raccoons are varmints, son,

and varmints are trouble.

I'm gonna educate him.

Train the varmint out of him.

Ooh-hoo.

Good to see you back again,

Willard.

What's all the hollerin' about?

Look.

That's a raccoon!

Yes, sir. His name's Rascal.

Well, what about my chickens?

And my corn patch?

I'm gonna train the varmint

out of him.

- Oh h*.

- Just what I said.

And there's another problem.

Hambone's a co*n hound.

I suppose you know that,

Sterling.

Yes, sir, but, well,

I think he'll be reasonable...

as long as Wowser's around.

Uh, excuse me.

We don't want

to be unreasonable, Sterling...

but facts are facts, now.

And the facts are this

just isn't going to work out!

Varmints are varmints,

Sterling.

You can't train it out of them.

Not in a thousand years!

Hey! Grab him, Sterling!

That horse spooks

at a butterfly.

I'm a son of a g*n.

Well, he was supposed

to be a co*n hound.

Heh heh.

Hi. I had a wonderful trip

this time out.

Springtime up north

is really something.

That smells good.

All right.

You may fire

when ready, Gridley.

Papa...

my leave is up.

I'm due back at work on Monday.

That means the morning train

to Chicago.

Is that a problem?

Papa, what are we going to do

about Sterling?

Do about him?

Do about him!

What's to happen to him...

with me gone

and you off who knows where?

Oh, Sterling

can take care of himself.

Papa, he's only a boy.

You can't leave him alone

to fend for himself.

Why not? I did.

You'd think after all these

years I'd be used to you.

I've written it all down.

The laundry boy'll

pick up on Wednesday...

Mr. Pringle will deliver

groceries twice a week...

newspaper's paid

through the first--

You should have been

born a top sergeant.

Which brings us

to the housekeeper.

Housekeeper? What for?

To keep house. I ran an ad.

And I got these replies.

I wanted to interview

them myself...

but there just isn't time now,

so I've got to leave it to you.

That's my first choice.

Spoke to her on the telephone.

Mrs. Satterfield.

"Purest gold."

She's a widow,

she lives in Brailsford...

knows all the merchants.

She raised a big family

in the Dakotas somewhere.

Well, I've got a better idea.

Why don't you give up

that job in Chicago...

and come home to stay?

This is where you belong.

Oh, Papa...

you know I can't do that.

You really stuck

on that guy Norman up there?

Yes, Papa, I am.

Serious?

About as serious as you can get.

He wants me to go up to

Appleton and meet his family.

A nervy kind of a fella,

swiping my favorite daughter...

without so much

as a by-your-leave.

How are we gonna get along

without you?

Papa, I'm trying,

in my own clumsy way...

to take care of that.

Now, I want you to talk to these

applicants and make a decision.

Right. Don't you think

it's about time...

we got a look at him?

Maybe. First thing Monday?

- First thing Monday.

- OK.

I tell you what...

why don't you bring him home

for Thanksgiving?

I've got the biggest turkey

you ever saw in your life...

all staked out down in Illinois.

Guy owes me some money

down there.

Fella named McQuade.

Gave me the pick of the flock.

Just said, "Go out and pick

your Thanksgiving bird...

"and I'll put your name on it."

How about it?

I don't know.

Don't know what?

Norman comes

from a...different world.

He might have

a little trouble...

understanding

about Mr. McQuade...

and taking out

real estate commissions...

in turkeys and apple pies...

and about your other

comings and goings.

Now, don't you worry

about that, Theodora North.

You just bring that boy

home for Thanksgiving.

You sure you'll be here?

You can bet your hat on it.

I haven't missed

a Thanksgiving at home since--

Since last year.

I didn't miss it.

I was just a little late is all.

I know.

So we sat down without you,

and we had our dinner...

and it was the last ever with

Mama, and you weren't there.

I won't miss this one.

How about it?

I'll see.

Now, remember, this one.

Miss Satterly.

Satterfield, and it's "Mrs."

Don't forget now.

OK, Sarge.

You must understand,

Mr. North...

your daughter made

no mention of a menagerie...

no mention whatsoever.

Well, Mrs. Satterfield...

I'm sure she wasn't

trying to conceal--

Naturally, naturally...

but we must be honest

with each other, Mr. North.

Utterly and completely honest.

Of course.

Right from the beginning.

I couldn't agree

with you more, but--

We must face facts.

Some people have a feeling

for animals, others do not.

I do not.

Well, that's too bad.

I have managed to live

my life without them...

and they without me.

I'm afraid it's too late

to change.

Houses are for people...

and the woods are for animals.

But you're an animal,

Mrs. Satterfield.

Beg pardon? What?

People are animals.

It's a zoological fact.

Animals are not people.

You have me there.

I'm not even sure

they want to be.

I'll be happy

to report immediately...

but the raccoon--out.

Any other livestock,

fur, fins, or feathers--out.

- Out.

- Out?!

Out!

But, Pa--

Sterling, why don't you

take Rascal and Wowser...

into the kitchen

and give them their supper?

Yes, sir, but--

Go ahead, son.

Yes, sir.

Good night, Mrs. Satterfield.

Come on, Wowser.

Oh, I'll be happy to take over

if those conditions are met.

Thank you, Miss Satterly.

Satterfield, and it's "Mrs."

Ah, yes, "Mrs."

A pleasure, Mr. North.

A genuine pleasure.

- Good night.

- Good night.

Well, Sarah,

I've got a decision to make.

Who will it be?

Mrs. Satterfield?

She'd break your son's heart.

How about Mrs. Delaney?

The sad one?

Or Miss Endicott?

Abigail. Good influence.

Or Mrs. Mc-what's-her-name?

Trouble is, you've left

footsteps that nobody can fill--

light and quick and tiny--

but nobody can fill them.

So we decided

to keep house for ourselves.

Not the way Theo

would have wanted, maybe...

but the arrangement suited us.

And, for the moment,

we agreed that, uh...

what she didn't know

wouldn't hurt her.

There's a pot of stew...

cooking on the back of

the stove for tonight's supper.

Cy said for you to come over and

have Sunday dinner with them.

Yes, sir, I know.

Oh, you're off to a good start

on that canoe, son.

I still haven't figured out

a way to bend the ribs.

Well, best way would be

to soak 'em, I guess.

I've got to get started.

I've got one hundred miles

to make before dark.

Garth!

- Pa?

- Huh?

What's it like

up where you're going?

Lake Superior?

Oh, big as an ocean.

Deep blue color...

dark green pines

along the shore...

gulls hollering overhead...

the Apostle Islands

off in the distance.

A pretty wonderful place.

When you grow up,

it's a place for you to see.

Yes, sir. When I grow up.

Set the spark, will you, son?

Garth!

You leavin' already, Willard?

Yeah. I got a long way to go.

Remember, Sterling,

if anything comes up...

you hustle right over to Garth.

Yes, sir.

Be gone a week,

ten days at the most.

- So long, partner.

- So long, Pa.

You want to stay over

at my place tonight, Sterling?

I'll be OK.

You know, Sterling,

one of these days...

he's gonna take you

along with him.

Yes, sir.

At suppertime that evening...

I thought about Pa

and his Apostle Islands...

and Lake Superior,

big as an ocean...

and I wished I was there

riding along with him.

Remembering

it all now, I realize...

it was the first time

I'd ever been left alone.

And I must say,

that big, rambling house...

felt kind of empty.

"Sterling, dear...

"I'll bet you're having

the time of your life now...

"with summer vacation

in full swing...

"and all the things

that Brailsford offers...

"a boy your age.

"Papa wrote you've solved

the housekeeper problem...

"but he didn't say how.

"I'm assuming

it's Mrs. Satterfield.

"I do feel she's right for you.

"Busy as you are, you still

need someone around...

"to sit down to meals with...

"someone to talk

to and confide in.

"Papa's probably somewhere

over the horizon by now...

"and since I don't know

where to reach him...

"I'll ask you.

"How's Mrs. Satterfield

working out?"

"Dear Theo.

Nice to get your letter.

"Pa's off on one

of his trips again...

"and Rascal 's

growing like a weed.

"Did you know a raccoon

could ride a bicycle?

"Well, not really.

"I do the steering

and the pumping...

"and all the hard work...

"and Rascal sits up front

and gives orders.

"You should see him.

He's a real speed demon.

"Keeps telling me

to go faster and faster."

"Dear Theo.

I suppose you knew...

"that raccoons can swim.

It comes kind of natural.

"I had Rascal

down to the creek today...

"and first time in

he took to the water...

"as though he had webbed feet.

"I think he could swim rings

around even Wowser...

"if he wanted to.

"Wowser sends his regards,

so does Rascal...

"and so do I.

"Your loving brother,

Sterling North."

"Sterling, dear,

do you read my letters?

"If you do, you must realize...

"that you still haven't

answered the question...

"I've asked several times now.

"How is Mrs. Satterfield

getting along?"

"Dear Theo.

"You should see how clever

Rascal is with his hands.

"You wouldn't believe it.

"Sometimes he seems

almost human.

"Last Sunday

at the fireman's picnic...

"I won

the pie-eating contest--

"at least I thought I had

until they disqualified me...

"because Rascal was helping.

"It was his idea, not mine.

What a gyp!

"You'd think they'd give us

a--a special prize...

"for best raccoon pie eater."

"Hooray for Rascal

and the fireman's picnic...

"and your canoe

and everything else.

"But what I'm really

interested in is...

"how is Mrs. Satterfield?"

"Dear Theo.

"Raccoons are

natural-born fishermen...

"and Rascal 's one of the best.

"He sometimes catches

four or five crayfish...

"while I'm standing there

still waiting for a bite.

"It's a real kick to watch him.

"Whenever I go into town

I take him with me...

"riding up front as al ways.

"I sometimes think he could

handle my bike alone."

"Sterling North,

how is Mrs. Satterfield?!"

Aah!

How are you, Mrs. Satterfield?

Fine. Just fine.

"Mrs. Satterfield's fine.

"Everybody's fine.

Pa's fine, too.

"Very finely yours, Sterling."

For some reason...

I couldn't seem

to make Theo understand...

that everything

was fine at home...

that she needn't worry about us.

Rascal and I

had so many adventures...

I hardly had time to miss Pa.

We were al ways together,

partners and pals...

exploring the back roads,

wandering the woods...

and learning new things

every day.

I'll bet we knew every

bird nest and fox's den...

and rabbit burrow

for miles around.

Looking back now, I realize

that people worried about us.

But we didn't worry.

We were too busy.

The fact of the matter was...

it was turning into the most

wonderful summer of my life.

♪ Summer sweet was green,

green grass there ♪

♪ Fields were wet

with morning dew ♪

♪ I'll meet you

on the road across there ♪

♪ Don't you be late,

you rascal, you ♪

♪ Every man's a boy

at heart there ♪

♪ Every boy, a little man ♪

♪ Skip a rock

across the pond for me ♪

♪ Barefoot boy

with cheek of tan ♪

♪ I'll trade my new suit

for your blue jeans ♪

♪ I'll take

your country road ♪

♪ And you can have

my city street ♪

♪ Just let me taste my youth ♪

♪ In sunshine once again ♪

♪ And take me back

to summer sweet ♪

♪ Summer sweet was green,

green grass there ♪

♪ Fields were wet

with morning dew ♪

♪ I'll meet you

on the road across there ♪

♪ Don't you be late,

you rascal, you ♪

Lots of things

happened that summer.

I remember one morning

Garth gave Rascal and me...

a ride in his sulky.

You should have seen

Donnybrook go.

Garth said he was showing off

for his little friend.

Suddenly

Walt Dabbett came along...

in that noisy contraption

of his...

and it threw Donnybrook

all off stride.

Whoa! Whoa, boy! Whoa!

Whoa, Donnybrook!

Easy, easy, easy!

Dang fool!

And so that summer sped by...

Rascal getting fatter

and lazier...

I getting on with my canoe.

I had finally come up with

a great idea for the ribs--

the hoops from Mr. Pringle's

cheese boxes.

That summer, I might add...

I cornered the market

on empty cheese boxes...

and the canoe

was coming along nicely.

Meanwhile, it seemed...

Rascal had some schemes

of his own.

I don't know when

it came to his attention...

but somewhere along the line...

he had made a little note

for future reference--

there was corn

growing next door.

Hey!

My cornfield! Go on!

Get out of there!

Get him, get him, get him, Ham!

Get out of here!

Get out of my cornfield!

You miserable varmint!

Get him, Ham!

Go on, get him!

Get him! Get him!

If I get my hands on you--

gotcha now!

I gotcha, you miserable varmint!

Sorry, Mr. Jenkins.

I don't know what got into him.

My corn!

That's what got into him!

- Ohh!

- Yes, sir.

Anybody else, they'd sh**t him!

And that's just

what's gonna happen...

if you don't

do something about it!

sh**t him?

Mine ain't the only

corn patch in this town.

Now, you better just

straighten out that varmint.

Or get rid of him!

I didn't

realize it just then...

but my troubles

were only beginning.

Making Cy Jenkins mad at me

was bad enough...

but that afternoon a new

problem arrived in my life.

It was my teacher and the new

minister coming to call.

This is the house,

is it not, Miss Whalen?

Uh, yes. Yes, it is.

I hope I made myself clear,

Miss Whalen.

Of course.

There's a difference between

unwarranted interference...

and Christian concern.

Yes, but--the thing is...

the boy's doing fine work

in school.

He's healthy and--

- And happy?

- Well, I've always thought so.

Oh, come now, Miss Whalen.

You aren't suggesting

this is a suitable existence?

A boy his age living alone

without parental guidance?

Well, it does seem unusual,

but--

Indeed it does, Miss Whalen.

Indeed it does.

- Miss Whalen.

- Good afternoon, Sterling.

Sterling,

I'd like you to meet...

our new minister,

Reverend Thurman.

How do you do?

Hello, Sterling.

This is Rascal, my raccoon.

Yes.

Uh...we were just passing by,

and we thought we would drop in.

Oh, well, I'm glad you did.

Come on in.

There's something

I'd like to show you.

Well, thank you, Sterling.

We won't stay

more than a minute.

Uh-oh.

I've gotta clean these.

I've been kind of busy.

Come on in the kitchen.

Is that a canoe?

His project for the summer.

Yes.

I'll just be a second.

Now, you see,

I've got a problem.

Rascal's been getting in

a little bit of trouble lately.

So I've got to, uh,

de-raccoonify him.

I beg your pardon?

Well, I've got to get Rascal...

to stop thinking

like a raccoon...

and start thinking

like a person.

I've been working on him.

Watch.

Rascal...stay.

Rascal, come.

No!

Ah! That's better.

Ah! No!

The flesh is weak,

but the spirit's willing.

That's it.

Ah! That's it.

Ah!

That's it!

Good boy. See?

- How very interesting.

- A giant step.

When I get through with him...

he's gonna be

the world's greatest raccoon.

Aren't you, Rascal?

Here, let's get a marshmallow.

Have a marshmallow. There.

- Sterling...

- Hmm?

Don't get too fond of him.

What do you mean?

Well, he won't always be young.

There'll come a day

when old Mother Nature...

will reach across your shoulder

and tap his ear.

And he'll tell you

that it's time to go.

Ah, no.

Yes.

That's the way things are,

Sterling.

Rascal wouldn't leave me.

He--he's part of the family.

Yes, which brings us to why--

It's Pa!

Hi, Pa!

Hello there, son.

How'd things go?

Fine. Oh, we got company.

Great. Well, we had

a big harvest up north.

Not much money, but the crops

were comin' out their ears.

- Who's the company?

- Uh, the Reverend.

Oh, great. Reverend who?

Thurman. Gabriel Thurman.

Oh, heh heh. Willard North.

- How do you do, Reverend?

- Real pleasure, Mr. Nor--

Real pleasure, Mr. North.

I'm taking over

at the Methodist church...

and I thought

I'd look in on Sterling.

Well, you couldn't have come

at a better time.

And Miss Whalen!

Well, this is a double pleasure.

Yes, sir, you couldn't

have come at a better time.

You'll both stay to dinner.

- No, really--

- No, no, we couldn't.

Oh, you have to, Reverend.

We've got so much food here...

it'd be against

the Scriptures to waste.

You leave me without a defense.

Now, you can see

that I'm sort of...

on the barter system these days.

The only way to operate

in the farm country.

There's a farmer up north

owes me commission.

He had no money, so I'm taking

it out in geese and apple pie.

Miss Whalen, would you just

put a pot on to boil?

Get us a mess of turnips

and potatoes, will you?

How are you

at plucking a goose, Reverend?

Well, I don't know.

Well, there's only one way

to find out.

There's a clothes basket

there on the back porch.

I beg your pardon?

For the feathers.

Sterling, get it, will you?

Sure, Pa.

Rascal, I better get you

out of the way.

We were just a little concerned

over Sterling being alone...

for prolonged periods

while you're off--

The little old lady

who makes that cider...

has an apple orchard

up out of Duluth.

McGreevy Marvels.

While you're off

on your business trips--

Nothing else,

just McGreevy Marvels.

I always make it a practice...

to sort of stop by

and help her out.

It occurred to me...

that the church might be

of some assistance to--

McWho?

McGreevy. McGreevy Marvels.

100%.

Well, the point that

I'm trying to make is--

Thank you--the point

I'm trying to make--

I'll take

your bag upstairs, Pa.

Thank you, Sterling.

The point is

we have this committee--

You don't run into cider

like that every day.

Whose duty it is is to act--

Look at that color.

You put the right kind of

squeeze on a McGreevy Marvel...

bottle it with loving care,

set it in a stone cellar...

for just

the right number of weeks...

there you are.

You sure this isn't...

Sneaky?

Oh, Parson, if you only knew

the dear old soul who makes it.

To the dear old soul.

Hear, hear.

Mmm.

The finest canoe water

in the whole world out there.

Unbelievable.

A man can travel a hundred

miles without a portage.

Sterling, how you coming

with that pie?

OK, Pa.

Rascal, that's not for you.

How about some more cider?

- I couldn't.

- Oh, please.

A little bit.

Whoo.

Ha ha ha!

Remarkable. Remarkable.

Isn't it? Ahh.

Garvey Meevals. Oh!

What would there be about this

particular breed of apple...

that makes its juice so...

- Crisp?

- Very good. Crisp it is.

Very crisp. Very, very crisp.

You know, it was a seedling.

It came up in the orchard

of a man named McGreevy.

The tree's still there,

still bearing fruit...

seventy, eighty years later.

Eighty years.

And still going strong.

To the very

first McGreevy Marvel.

Hear, hear.

Very crisp.

Now, I want you to pay

particular attention...

to this pie.

Sterling, there's a wedge of

sharp cheddar in the icebox.

Get it, will you, son?

Wisconsin cheddar

makes apple pie something else.

There we are, Miss Whalen.

This is

very special apple pie...

Very special, indeed.

Farmer's wife in

northern Minnesota makes it.

It's like nothing

you ever tasted before.

There we are, Sterling.

Bite yourself off a piece

of that cheese, Reverend.

You're 100% right

about that pie, Mr. North.

Make it Willard, Pars.

Willard. Perfectly marvelous!

You missed quite

a demonstration tonight.

- Oh?

- Sterling and his raccoon.

Oh, you should see him, Pa!

I've got him so he won't

even look at an ear of corn.

Well, I certainly hope so, son.

It's true.

He's 100% de-raccoonified.

De-raccoonified?

I must say, there's a word

I'm not familiar with either.

Perhaps it should be

un-varmint-ized.

Well, it's all new to me.

They don't use the term

down in Indianapolis.

Well, it opens up a fruitful

field of speculation.

You are right.

Who among us are to be marked

for un-varmint-ization?

Raccoons are varmints

to people...

but people are varmints

to raccoons.

If raccoons were running things,

would they go running around...

hollering people out

of their corn patches?

And wear people-skin caps?

You're right.

Where, in short,

does justice lie?

Wowser, cut it out!

- What's going on?

- I don't know!

Things seemed

to be going from bad to worse.

First corn, now eggs.

Where would

Rascal 's appetite stop?

The young minister

had meant well, I'm sure.

I suppose he had hoped

he could reform Pa...

and maybe me, too...

but I don't think he knew

what kind of a sinner...

he was up against in Rascal.

Night after night...

that sneak went out

on his expeditions...

picking locks, outguessing us

every step of the way.

There was a night Mrs. Folger

caught a burglar...

in her jam cupboard--

a burglar

in a little black mask.

Next day I made sure that exit

was permanently closed.

He wouldn't go out that way

again--and he didn't.

He went out the attic--

the super second-story worker.

His next job

was the molasses caper...

in Mrs. Krause's kitchen.

The only clue

she had were fingerprints--

raccoon fingerprints

leading away...

from the scene of the crime.

It was like locking the barn

after the horse was gone.

Rascal simply found

another escape hatch.

And another...

and still another...

and yet another.

There was no holding him.

And so it really

came as no surprise...

when the long arm of the law

reached for me.

Sterling.

Hi, Mr. Stacey.

I've been lookin' for you.

I'm afraid you and I are gonna

have to have a little talk.

Yes, sir?

Now, I've had complaints.

I don't know

if you're aware of it...

but what we're facing here

is a misdemeanor.

A misde-what?

Meanor. A misdemeanor.

That's a violation, Sterling.

A violation of the law.

Has that animal got a license?

No, sir, but I've got him tied.

He's on a leash.

I don't write the laws, son.

I just enforce them.

- But, Mr. Stacey--

- As they are set down.

Now, here.

Municipal code,

section fourteen.

"Public nuisance."

Paragraph five--

"Keeping of animals."

"Keeping of animals

other than farm stock...

"and household pets

shall be forbidden...

"unless strictly confined."

That means kept in a cage.

"Violation shall be

punishable by--"

Hey! Look out!

Walt Dabbett,

you're a four-alarm lunatic!

- Take it easy, Cy.

- What do you mean, take it easy?

Why take it easy?

I nearly got k*lled!

What seems to be

the trouble here?

Seems to be?

Well, you seen it!

Practically run me down

with that steam kettle!

Minor navigational error.

Law-abiding citizen

ain't safe in this town...

with nuts like you!

What's going on?

My hitchin' posts!

Look at my hitchin' posts!

Hand-carved, both of 'em!

If they hadn't

been standing there...

I wouldn't have

knocked them over.

They don't even belong there.

They belong in

some old-fogey museum.

What do you mean museum?

Are you afraid of the truth?

Why don't you face it?

The age of the horse is over.

- Over?!

- Finished.

- Is that so?

- That is most certainly so.

Listen, I got a horse

that can outrun...

that puffin' billy

of yours sorefoot...

and pulling a flatbed wagon

with square wheels.

Are you trying to tell me

you got a horse...

can stand up to a steam car?

You're not that crazy.

I'll stand up to you any day

in the week, Barney Oldfield!

Now, hold back.

A race might be violatin'

the municipal code.

A race? Garth!

Put up or shut up,

unless you ain't got the spunk!

I got the spunk all right...

and I got the money

to back it up with.

Name it! Ten? Twenty?

Five...hundred.

Five hundred?

And I'll even give you two to

one to spark your convictions.

- We'll take it!

- Garth!

Tomorrow, 2:00,

Miller's picnic grove.

Afternoon, Mr. Pringle.

Afternoon, Mrs. Beck.

Be with you in a minute.

- No hurry.

- Anything else, Mrs. Folger?

No.

That's everything on the list.

Afternoon, Mrs. Beck.

Lovely day.

You're sure that's all,

Mrs. Folger?

- Oh, yes.

- That'll be $ 1. 65.

Oh, we're having a special

on kitchen tinware, Mrs. Beck.

No, thank you.

I've got plenty.

Well, I wouldn't

want to sell you anything...

you don't really want,

but I think you ought...

to take advantage of this sale.

Prices are going up,

sure as shootin'.

Thank you,

Mrs. Folger. Now, Mrs. Beck?

Did the yard goods

I ordered come in, Mr. Pringle?

Indeed it did,

and so did the patterns.

Good.

Mrs. Folger,

I think you ought to look...

at that kitchenware.

Every item's on sale.

Here we are, Mrs. Beck.

- Bye-bye.

- Bye.

That'll be $ 1.46.

Mrs. Folger, I think you ought

to look at that kitchenware.

Mr. Pringle,

are those cabbages fresh?

Came in this morning,

Mrs. Folger.

And the

cauliflower, Mr. Pringle...

is that fresh, too?

Came in with

the cabbages, Mrs. Folger.

And the yams?

Fresh, Mrs. Folger.

Everything's fresh.

That's al ways been our policy,

you know.

Aah! Aah! Aah! Mr. Pringle!

Aah!

Aah! Aah!

Oh! Oh!

Rascal!

Rascal, come back!

Mr. Pringle!

Catch that thing!

Well, that's not bad

for a hurry-up job, huh?

Tomorrow we'll move in

a few of the comforts of home.

Well, I think we ought to be

moving along to bed, Sterling.

Son?

Yes, sir.

He'll be just fine, son.

Come along to bed.

- You ready to go, Pa?

- Yep.

Aren't you gonna

take him over...

to say good-bye to Cy

and Garth and Donnybrook?

They already left for the race.

Oh, that's right, the race.

Say, why don't

we stop by Miller's Grove...

and turn him loose afterward?

No, Pa.

Son, are you sure

you want to do this?

He's not really full-grown.

There's an awful lot

about taking care of himself...

in the woods

that he doesn't know yet.

He'll learn.

Tell you what...

since we're going

right by Miller's Grove...

why don't we just stop by

for a minute?

All right!

Step right up, gentlemen!

Who else?

Who else has got the courage

to back poor Garth Shadwick...

and his one-horse shay

with some hard cash?

Two to one.

How about you, Mr. Pringle?

Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!

Whoa, whoa.

What's ailing him?

Don't he know he has half

the loose money in town...

bet on his nose?

It's that darn varmint.

Whoa! Whoa!

Calm down! Where's Willard

and that boy anyway?

All right, gentlemen,

it's time to start the race.

Official starting time--2:00.

Last chance to bet.

Any more sucker money?

Both of you know the course.

You go down to the crossroads,

swing past Miller's farm...

turn right, across the creek,

past Otto Wagner's feed pens...

and come back down

the county road...

across the covered bridge...

and back to the starting line!

OK, let's go.

Steamer, four laps.

Donnybrook, two laps.

Yeah, yeah. Let's go.

Donnybrook, if you ever ran,

you'd better do it today.

Stand back.

Don't want nobody getting hurt.

Ready, gents?

Ready...

get set...go!

I said "Go," didn't I? Well, go!

Come on, Donnybrook! Go! Go!

Donnybrook, go, boy!

Ha ha ha!

Easy, boy. Easy.

Stop blowing that whistle!

Ha ha ha!

Now, easy, boy, easy!

Careful!

Down, Donnybrook!

Down, boy, down!

Any more Donnybrook money

at two to one?

Three to one? Five to one?

The race ain't over yet,

Walt Dabbett!

Aw, the heck it ain't! Ha ha!

Hey, look!

Hey, what's going on?

Never mind what's going on!

Where you been? Come on!

What are we gonna do?

Try to make a race out of

it, that's what we're gonna do!

Garth! Garth, stop! Stop!

Stop! Garth--

I'm pulling him

out of the race.

But, Garth, he showed up!

Oh--Sterling,

bring him here!

There we go! All right!

Let's go!

- What's going on?

- Looks like you're in trouble.

Yeah.

Donnybrook's on his last lap.

Donnybrook, let's go!

Come on, Donnybrook,

you can do it!

- Congratulations, Garth!

- Rascal, you did it!

You're my fuzzy darling!

You can have anything

your darn heart desires!

Corn till it

comes out your ears!

Eggs anytime, day or night!

The lid'll never be

on the marshmallow jar.

And as for municipal code,

section fourteen...

And so Rascal

was the hero of the hour...

and back in everybody's

good graces.

Everyone's

but Walt Dabbett's maybe.

That most wonderful summer

of my life...

was about to come to a close.

And before we knew it,

it was Thanksgiving...

and time for Theo's homecoming.

Um, Norman, about Papa...

I want you to be forewarned.

Honey, don't be nervous.

You've explained all about him.

I couldn't have.

Nobody can explain my father,

you've got to meet him.

Well, I'm looking forward to it.

Thing is,

I--I want you to like him.

All right, I'll do that.

I'm glad you told me.

I mean, I want him to like you.

Ah, now that may be harder.

Norman, you are hopeless.

Just remember, I warned you.

OK, I'm warned. Now relax.

Oh, I've got to drop those

figures off back to my office.

Do you suppose

there's a place in town...

I could send a telegram?

- Be right back.

- OK.

Mrs. Satterfield!

Hello.

I'm Theo North.

We talked last spring.

Oh, to be sure.

You caught me

at a disadvantage.

How are things going?

I'm been meaning

to write to you...

but Sterling's

been filling me in, so...

Very satisfactorily,

I would say.

A touch of arthritis.

Oh, well, I meant

with Sterling and Papa.

Seems to be fine.

Of course, they march

to a different drum...

as the saying goes.

Well, I really must be going.

A lot to do today.

Thanksgiving and all, you know.

Wait a minute,

we can take you home.

It's only a two-seater, but

I'm sure we can manage somehow.

Here, let me help.

I wouldn't want to take you

so far out of your way.

Nonsense--out of our way?

I'm clear over

on the other side of town...

on Menomene Avenue.

Mrs. Satterfield...

who is minding the store?

Store?

Yes. Who's keeping house

for my father and Sterling?

So far as I know, nobody.

As I said, they march

to a different drum.

A tom-tom, if you want

to be honest about it.

Well, happy Thanksgiving.

Well, Theo!

Nice to have you home.

Where's your young man?

Later, Mr. Jenkins.

Theo!

Theo, where are you going?

Theo!

Ahh, you must be

Theo's young man.

Well, I thought I was.

Holy cow.

Holy cow. She wasn't

supposed to be here until--

Papa!

Sterl--

Oh, hi, Theo. You're early.

You remember Rascal, don't you?

Bet you're surprised

to see how much he's grown.

Sterling North,

how could you do it?

Do what?

Oh, you mean my canoe.

Well, it's all finished now...

and me and Pa were going

to haul it out to the garage.

I'm not talking

about your canoe!

How could you hoodwink me like

this about Mrs. Satterfield?

It wasn't a lie, exactly.

Not a black one anyway.

Gray. Dark gray, Pa says.

Where is he?

At the butcher's getting

the turkey for tomorrow.

Oh, Theo, you've got to see it.

Thirty pounds! The biggest

turkey in the whole--

Sterling, stop trying

to change the subject.

A fellow

owed Pa some money, see?

Sterling North, answer me!

...McQuade.

It was my fault.

I should have told you.

We just couldn't do it.

Why not?

What is so difficult

about hiring a housekeeper?

Sterling, I'm talking to you.

What's so awful

about Mrs. Satterfield?

She's a perfectly nice,

clean, respectable lady.

What is so wrong with

having your meals on time?

And your socks darned.

Maybe the furniture

polished once in awhile.

- Tell me!

- OK. OK, I'll tell you.

Because she wouldn't

be anything like Mom.

Or you, even.

That's what's wrong.

Well, Sterling, Mama's gone,

and I've got a job.

OK, so you've got a job.

It's easy for you

to sit in Chicago...

and write your letters.

But what about Pa and me?

Pa's gone half the time.

Mrs.--Mrs. Satter--

Mrs. Satterfield--

Do you know the first thing

that she wanted to do?

She wanted to kick out

Wowser and Rascal, too.

That's right.

Just--just--she hates animals.

She wanted to kick them out

like they were nothing.

Like--

like they didn't even matter.

I see.

Soon as she came in here,

she was walking in...

putting her finger

all over mother's furniture...

saying, "Kick 'em out.

Animals aren't people."

Well, maybe they're not...

but they're not just animals

to me, Theo.

They're--they're--

Yeah.

I'm not gonna let anyone

kick them out.

Not anyone.

Hey, Sterling...

I'm sorry.

Gotta finish cleaning up.

Wait a minute.

Theo?

♪ Over the river

and through the wood ♪

Theo?

Hello, Papa.

Look, I know

just what you're going to say.

Mea culpa.

That's Latin for

"I know the house is a mess...

"daughter, but you got here

three hours early."

Papa--

I know. Just give Sterling

and me some working room...

and we'll have

the whole thing shipshape...

before you can say

Jack Robinson.

- What do you think of that?

- Just fine.

I pulled off a real transaction.

You know, there's a fella

down in Illinois--

Named McQuade. He owes you

real estate commission.

Gave you

the pick of the flock...

and that just happens

to be the biggest turkey...

in the state of Illinois.

Right?

I forgot I told you that.

So where's your young fella?

Down at the telegraph office.

Why don't you be a love,

go down and pick him up...

take him out to Koshkonong...

and watch the ice boats

or something?

Ice boats? The water won't

freeze over for a month.

Fine.

Take him out there and wait.

Now, what was that?

Nothing.

Why don't you just

come right out and say it?

Do your heart good.

I have said it all, Papa.

I'm out of words.

Just go down and fetch Norman,

tell him I'm sorry...

and that I wasn't

thinking too clearly.

Look, don't you think

you're making...

an awful lot out of nothing?

Nothing?!

We're just living the way

we want to live.

Is that so bad?

Papa, you've always lived

the way you wanted to live.

Well, what's wrong with that?

What is wrong with it, Papa...

is that somebody else

has to pay the price.

Now, see here, young lady.

You just hold on.

What is most particularly wrong

at this moment, Willard North...

is that I've just made up

my mind I can't marry Norman.

Theo!

Because I haven't the heart...

to let Sterling

grow up in a vacuum...

while you're off

chasing rainbows.

Because you are

too eternally selfish...

to act like an adult

responsible human being...

and give that boy

the father he deserves.

Now, you just wait a minute--

Papa, I won't wait!

This has got

to get said for once.

Look, Papa,

for every fun-loving...

happy-go-lucky free spirit...

for every charming,

rollicking pixie...

somebody has got

to pay the price.

Somebody is seeing

that the bills are paid...

and the checkbook balances...

and the kids are dressed

and homework's done...

and that there's soup

on the back of the stove.

Somebody, Papa,

has got to do the worrying.

And it's a father's job mostly.

And if a father

wants to chase dreams--

Theo, there's no point

in going into all that.

Papa, I'm afraid there is.

Because I'm going

to have to do your job.

Because I know

what'll happen to Sterling.

What is happening

to him right now.

I can feel

the loneliness in him.

Why, he never said a word.

No, Papa, he wouldn't.

He's too proud to tell you...

that he needs

something in his life...

besides a yellow dog

and a pet raccoon.

Papa...face up to it.

Be honest with yourself.

Don't go running off

to Wentworth Woods...

or out to Minnesota.

Don't go chasing after

the biggest turkey...

in the state of Illinois.

Just stop and ask yourself if

you're being fair to that boy.

Theo?

Oh.

Well, Norman.

I saw the lights.

Thought it might have been Theo.

You couldn't sleep either, huh?

Well, join the club.

Cup of coffee?

Thank you.

Mr. North, could you tell me

what's going on?

I mean, first Theo drops me off

in the middle of town...

and now she's hardly

even speaking to me.

Am I engaged or aren't I?

And if so, why?

Norman, sit down.

Norman, the longer I live,

the more I'm convinced...

no, the less I'm convinced...

that I know the answer

to anything.

Norman! Norman!

Papa! Sterling!

- Theo!

- Norman, oh!

Honey, what's wrong?

That is what's wrong!

I reached out in my sleep,

and it--

What happened?

Where's Rascal?

- Downstairs.

- Rascal!

What's going on?

Rascal's trying

to get out again.

Rascal! Now, how many times

do I have to tell you--

He bit me.

I'll get the iodine.

Sterling,

don't get too fond of him.

He won't al ways be young.

There'll come a day

when old Mother Nature...

will reach across your shoulder

and tap his ear...

and he'll tell you

that it's time to go.

Come here, son.

Take care of these bites.

He didn't mean it, Pa.

He just wants to ramble.

Hurt?

It just stings a little.

Hmm.

Pa?

Hmm?

I'm gonna have to let him go.

Well, that's the way it is,

Sterling.

Things change.

We can't always keep them

the way we'd like them to be.

We all have to grow up sometime.

Raccoons and boys, too.

Even fathers, I guess.

He'll ramble for a while.

That's just

some people's nature.

But he'll get over it.

He'll get over it.

He'll get smart, settle down.

Might even rent that little

office over Pringle's store.

Just as Miss Whalen

had said it would...

the time had come.

Old Mother Nature had whispered

her mysterious message.

Rascal had heard and heeded...

and now I knew

I had to take him back...

to the world

where he really belonged.

As we came near the shore...

I heard a little call...

a trilling sound,

almost bird-like.

It was another raccoon,

a little female...

chittering at us.

Not so much at me as at Rascal.

I wondered if he'd heard her,

half hoping he hadn't.

But it was soon clear

that he had.

He could hardly wait to land.

Though I was sorry

to see him go...

it helped to know he wouldn't

be alone in the world.

Just once he looked back

to see if I was still there...

I think he was sort of

saying good-bye.

Well, now I knew

my little raccoon...

could take care of himself,

no doubt about that.

And so I left him.

Our wonderful summer was over.

In his way,

he seemed to know it, too...

for he came back to give me

one final farewell.

A character, a personality...

and a ring-tailed wonder.

It was all

a long, long time ago...

a different time,

a mellow time...

and as I think of it now,

the happiest of times.