Episode 50:
The Stolen Object
Rick and Tracy come in the back door, carrying bags of groceries, and put them on the table.
"Did you get everything on the list?", Kris inquires, as she comes in the room.
"Sure did.", Rick says, as he unloads the bags and names the groceries. "Milk, bread, eggs, Almond Joy candy bar. Tracy, what's this?", he asks confused.
"It's mine. I put it in 'da' cart."
"No, it's not yours. Pop didn't pay for it."
"But, I wanted it. Open it!", she says, in a demanding voice.
"In the first place", Rick tells her. "That is not the way to ask, and in the second place, we have to give the candy bar back. It's been stolen."
" 'Solen'?", Tracy asks, confused.
"Stolen, that's right. Stealing is a very naughty thing to do."
"I 'dust' take one bite, 'kay'.", Tracy says, as she takes the candy bar away from him.
"No, give it to Mommy.", Kris says, as she holds out her hand.
"No.", Tracy says in a whiny voice, as she holds it out of her reach.
"Do I need to punish you?", Kris asks firmly. Tracy gives back the candy bar. "That's what I thought.", Kris says, as she takes it.
"I'll take you back to the market and you can apologize to the clerk.", Rick tells her.
"OK.", Tracy says, with a sigh. With that, she walks away.
At the market, Rick is holding Tracy, standing behind a customer. As soon as the customer finishes, he goes up to the counter.
"Yes Sir, can I help you?", the clerk asks him.
"Hi.", Rick greets him. "My little girl took this candy bar.", he says, as he takes it out of his pants pocket. "I had no idea about it, until we got home. What do you say?", Rick asks Tracy, under his breath.
"Sorry.", Tracy tells him.
"That's OK.", the clerk replies with a smile. "Thank you for bringing the candy bar back."
That being said, Rick and Tracy leave.
The doorbell rings and Harriet answers it.
"Hi, Harriet.", Joe greets her. "Where's Oz?"
"Right here.", Ozzie says, as he comes out of the kitchen. "Would you like a peanutbutter and jelly sandwich?"
"Oh, you're making lunch today?"
"Yeah, isn't that something?", Harriet asks, enthusiastically. "He offered to do that while I write this letter to my Mother."
"So, how 'bout' it?", Ozzie asks Joe. "Do you want one or not?"
"If you have crunchy peanutbutter and grape jelly, the answer's definitely yes.", Joe says, enthusiastically.
"I have both. So that's three crunchy peanutbutter and grape jelly sandwiches, coming up."
"No. Remember I said I wanted creamy peanutbutter and strawberry jelly.", Harriet reminds him.
"My mistake, sorry. OK then, two crunchy peanutbutter and grape jelly sandwiches, coming up.", Ozzie corrects himself. He then proceeds to start on the sandwiches.
June comes out of the kitchen, where she finds Dave sitting in a chair, reading the paper. "I finished paying all the bills.", she announces. "Anything interesting in the paper today?"
"Not so far.", David tells her, as he skims through it. "Yeah, here's something.", he says enthusiastically, as an ad catches his eye. "Sign up for your favorite couples activity.", he reads. "Would that be something you'd be interested in?"
"Maybe. What choices do they have?", June inquires.
"OK. I'll read you the list and you tell me yes or no to the choices. Shuffle Board."
"That was one game I was never any good at, so no.", June says with emphasis.
Dave continues down the list, either checking it off or crossing it out, depending on what the answer is.
Rick comes into the malt shop, carrying Tracy. "Hi, Jack.", he greets him. "Tracy, can you tell Jack what you want?", Rick asks his daughter.
"I want'a cheese 'burder'.", Tracy says.
"With fries, right?", Rick asks her.
"No Pop, tots."
"Oh, tatertots. I'm sorry. What would you like to drink?"
" 'Appa' 'Duice'."
"So that's a cheese burger, tater tots, and an apple juice.", Jack says, with a smile.
"And, I'll have a B.L.T., onion rings, and a..."
"OK.", Jack says, quickly cutting him off.
"Don't you want'a know what I want to drink?", Rick asks confused.
"No, you're chocolate malt is coming up."
"Very funny.", Rick says, sarcastically. "It just so happens that I'd like a rootbeer float, today."
"Coming right up.", Jack replies.
As soon as the order's prepared, Rick puts Tracy down, and carries the tray to a booth, where Wally's sitting.
"Rick, what are the answer's in that English test we're taking tomorrow?"
"Tell Wally, if he didn't study, then it's his own fault.", Rick replies, talking to Tracy.
"Tell Pop, if he gives me one answer, I'll give him a bite of my Oreo sundae."
"Just a bite?", Rick asks confused. "What's the big deal about that? The whole sundae would be better than a bite, anyway."
"Oh, you're gonna have to give me more answers than one,if you want the whole thing.", Wally tells him.
"I don't wanta sit here and listen to this blackmail. Do you, Tracy?"
"Where 'da' mail, Pop? 'Dare' no letter. And, is all mail back?"
"No, all mail's not black. It's just a saying. A saying that you're too young to understand right now."
"But, what's it mean?", Tracy asks, in a whiny voice.
"Finish up and we're going home. That's what it means."
After finishing their food, Rick and Tracy leave.
"Pop? Hep me put 'dis' on.", Tracy says, once they get home. "I hear 'missick'.", she says, as she hands her Dad a record.
"Did you go in Pop's room and get one of my records without my permission?", he asks, firmly.
"Yes."
"That's not nice. You don't take things that don't belong to you."
"But we not at 'da' market.", Tracy insists.
"That doesn't matter.", Kris tells her, as she looks up from reading her book. "You still don't take things that don't belong to you. Especially at the market. Now, go put the record back where you found it." Once Tracy leaves, Kris asks Rick a question. "I guess you learned a lesson, didn't you?"
"What do you mean?", Rick asks, confused.
"Always put your records where she can't reach them."
"You're absolutely right.", Rick says. "I'll go do that right now." That being said, he leaves the room.
Dave and June are doing their activity, when they see Ozzie and Harriet's car driving up.
"Look, honey.", Dave says, enthusiastically. "It's Mom and Pop. What brings you guys here?", he wonders.
"Your Dad and I signed up for ping pong.", Harriet tells him. "What made you guys decide on pottery?"
"June wanted an activity that would put us to work.", David says, as he gets his wheel going.
"You liked that bowl of clay that Danny made you in Sunday School for Father's Day.", June reminds him.
"That's true, but all I did with that was put it on the mantel. I didn't have to work on anything."
"Come on, it's fun.", June insists. "I took it in 4th. grade and had so much fun in that class."
"Well, come on Ozzie. We've got a ping pong game to play.", Harriet tells him.
"I'll tell you what.", Ozzie says. When we're all finished here, I'll buy everyone something at the malt shop."
"Good idea, thanks Pop.", David says, enthusiastically.
With that, everyone proceeds to start, on their activity.
Ozzie, Harriet, Dave, and June come into the malt shop.
"Hi, Jack.", David greets him. "I want a black walnut malt, with whipped cream, nuts, a cherry..."
"Wow, wow, wow, hang on.", Jack says, as he puts up his hand. "What's with all the festive toppings? You usually just get a plain malt."
"Pop's picking up the check."
"I'll also be picking up more hours at my job, if I go broke." Ozzie replies. "Just kidding. Go ahead, Dave, and get what you want."
"OK. Well, in that case. Jack, can you add some chocolate syrup, as well?"
"Sure."
"I'll have a dish of Rocky Road ice cream, with all those festive toppings that David has on his malt.", June orders.
"Oh honey, I just remembered, we should get a malt for Danny, as well."
"How come?", June wonders.
"Because, the last time I came home with a malt for myself, he drank most of it, remember?"
"Oh yeah.", June says.
Ozzie orders a dish of Tutti Frutti ice cream and Harriet orders a plain, white chocolate malt. Once their order's prepared, they take it and go sit down at a booth.
After everyone finishes their malts and ice cream, Dave goes back up to the counter. "Here, Jack.", he says, as he takes money out of his pants pocket. "Give Danny what I have, but hold the nuts."
Once the malt is prepared, everyone leaves.
