Drucker's General Store
Right after Joseph's confession, the men began to draw up plans to rescue Lisa. They soon realized that they were going to need more men, so they called Floyd Smoot, Charlie Pratt, and Roy Trendall, three more male residents of Hooterville. As soon as these men arrived, the group became engrossed in their planning. After about an hour or so of discussing and debating, the men finally came up with a plan that they could agree on.
"Okay," Oliver said, speaking up so he could be heard of the din of the other men. "Let's go over the plan once again, and this time I'll have each of you recite your part. Ready?"
The other men nodded in agreement.
"Good. Now, what's the first thing that is to be done," Oliver asked.
"Mr. Haney and I drive all of us over to the warehouse in our cars…well, me in my jeep and Mr. Haney in his truck," Mr. Kimball answered.
"And then we all take our positions around the warehouse," Mr. Drucker threw in.
"And what positions would those be," Oliver asked to make sure they all knew their designated places.
"You, Eb, and me by the window on the right side of the warehouse to observe what is happening inside," Joseph responded.
"Me sitting in Mr. Kimball's car with the motor running," Mr. Smoot added.
"And the rest of us hiding behind the bushes just outside the warehouse," Mr. Drucker concluded.
"Good," Oliver said, relieved that they all remembered their positions. "Then what happens?"
"I go into the warehouse, get the guards away from the remaining doors, and distract Paul," Joseph responded.
"And you and I go into the warehouse to set mom free," Eb said.
"And as soon as you and Eb come out with Mrs. Douglas, I drive off and alert the police," Mr. Smoot threw in.
"While I continue to distract Paul until the police arrive," Joseph added.
"Then the police come, arrest the fugitives, your wife returns home safely, and everything goes back to normal," Mr. Drucker concluded happily.
At this, the men let out a small cheer, as if their plan had already been executed and went off without a hitch. Oliver, on the other hand, knew better. In his head, he was already thinking about the things that could go wrong…and the terrible danger he was putting his dearest friends into.
How can I be so selfish, Oliver asked himself. To ask my friends to risk their own lives just so I can get back someone who I was responsible for?
Feeling terribly guilty, Oliver walked over to the door of the general store and stared out the window. Mr. Drucker took note of this and decided to approach him. He walked over to Oliver and placed his hand upon his shoulder.
"What's wrong, Mr. Douglas," Mr. Drucker asked, his voice full of concern. Upon hearing this question, the other men ceased their excited chatter to listen to his response.
"I think we should come up with another plan," Oliver said quietly.
"Another plan," Mr. Drucker exclaimed. "But…but, why? I plan is perfectly good!"
"I know, but I think we should come up with another one…one that doesn't involve any of you," Oliver concluded.
Mr. Drucker stayed silent for a while, along with the rest of the men. "I don't understand," he finally managed to say.
"I just realized how many things could go wrong, things that could get you all hurt, maybe even killed! I can't stand the thought of any of you getting hurt because of me. Lisa is my responsibility and her kidnapping is my problem. I can't ask any of you to put your own lives in danger in order to solve my problem. I just can't." At this, Oliver bowed his head and stared at his shoes. A stunned silence followed.
"With all due respect, Mr. Douglas, we aren't doing this for you," Mr. Ziffel finally said.
"What," Oliver asked in shock. "But then, why are you doing this?"
"For your wife," Mr. Haney said simply.
"What," Oliver asked in disbelief.
"We're doing this because we want your wife to come home," Mr. Kiley added.
"Really," Oliver asked.
"Of course, Mr. Douglas," Mr. Drucker exclaimed. "She's our friend, after all."
"We've grown to care about her very much over the years," Mr. Haney said.
"It's hard not to love her," Joseph threw in. Oliver threw him a dirty look at that comment, which made Joseph turn away in shame.
Oliver turned his attention back to the rest of the men and felt tears spring to his eyes. "Gentlemen, I don't know what to say," he said, his voice shaking a little.
"That's a first," Mr. Ziffel said sarcastically. The other men chuckled, easing up the tender awkwardness that was building from the emotional moment. Oliver joined in the laughter.
"I just want to say that I greatly appreciate your kind words and your help, and I'm sure my wife would too," he said. At the mention of Lisa, something tightened in Oliver's chest and fear gripped his heart. He knew that time was running out and that if they ever wanted to see her return safely, they would have to put their plan into action very soon.
"Alright gentlemen, let's get moving," Oliver said. At that, the smiles on the men's faces disappeared and a look of determination replaced them. They quickly grabbed whatever they were going to need and headed for the two separate vehicles. Mr. Kimball, Mr. Smoot, Mr. Pratt, and Mr. Ziffel piled into Mr. Kimball's jeep and the rest of the men hopped into Mr. Haney's truck. As soon as every man was in a car and accounted for, they took off.
Some of the men tried to strike up a conversation to ease the intensity of the situation, but Oliver stayed silent. All he could do was stare at Joseph, who was sitting in the front seat with Mr. Haney, through the window that allowed Oliver to see the back of their heads. Every now and then Joseph would turn around to look in the back of the truck, but once seeing Oliver's look of hatred in his eyes, he would turn around quickly.
Oliver would feel a tiny pang of guilt every time Joseph looked into his eyes, for he could see a deep guilt and sadness hidden in them, but that guilt would quickly dissipate as soon as he recalled Joseph's words.
It's hard not to love her, Oliver thought with anger. How dare he say such a thing after the story he told!
Oliver's stomach churned when he thought back to the confession Joseph made. He was watching her, the thought sickeningly. He was following her and studying her and falling in love with her! Heck, he even went into her hospital room and gave her flowers! How could he betray us like that? I thought he was our friend.
Suddenly, a realization hit him. His inklings were right. His dreams were in fact trying to warn him that Joseph was up to no good. He had betrayed his trust and prevented him from rescuing his wife, just like he had so many times in his nightmares. How could he have been so blind? Oliver felt his anger rise. All of a sudden, he felt like crashing through that tiny window and strangling Joseph with his bare hands. Instead he took his anger out on the twig he had been toying with. The twig splintered into a million pieces and fell out of his hand.
Mr. Drucker noticed his anger and scooted over to his side to talk to him privately. He followed Oliver's cold stare to the back of Joseph's head and knew what he was thinking.
"Go easy on him, Mr. Douglas," Mr. Drucker said.
"Why should I," Oliver replied hotly.
"He's trying to make things right," Mr. Drucker replied.
"It doesn't excuse what he did."
"Maybe not, but he was right about one thing. It's hard not to love your wife, you of all people should know that, and he can't help feeling what he feels for her. And it's his love for her that is keeping her from being hurt right now, and his love for her that is also helping get her rescued." With that, Mr. Drucker scooted away to give Oliver his privacy and joined the other men in their conversation.
Oliver weighed Mr. Drucker's words for a while and realized, to his chagrin that he had a point. Maybe he should go easier on Joseph. After all, he was aiding in his wife's rescue. Maybe he should forgive him.
He was contemplating telling Joseph all this, but he had no time to think on it any longer. The truck came to a grinding halt and he turned around. The old, abandoned warehouse loomed in front of him. Oliver took a deep breathe and hopped off the bed of the truck. It was time.