The Douglas Farm
The next day, as Oliver headed off to the fields, Eb lingered behind and he and Lisa set their party plans into action. Since the party was to be a simple one, they decided that they could put it together that afternoon and hold it that evening when Oliver came home from the fields. "The sooner the better," Eb had said, to which Lisa agreed whole-heartedly.
So, later that morning, Eb told Oliver that his wife had asked him to pick up a few things from Drucker's store and instead drove all around Hooterville, visiting the Douglas's closest friends and explaining the plan. Fortunately, all agreed to attend to reminisce about the good times they had with Oliver (well, all except Mr. Trendall, who assured Eb that he would have nothing good to say about him anyway).
Meanwhile, Mr. Haney agreed to give Lisa a ride into Pixley, where she purchased refreshments and small party favors from the grocery store. Luckily, she returned just minutes before Oliver came in for lunch.
After lunch, Oliver returned to the fields and Lisa began tiding up around the house before the guests arrived. She then set out a table with the refreshments she had purchased.
At five thirty on the dot, her friends arrived, which included the Ziffel's, Mr. Drucker, Mr. Kimball, Mr. Kiley, Mr. Miller, Mr. Haney and even the Monroe Brothers. Lisa greeted her guests and handed out the party favors.
A half an hour later, Eb ran in through the front door and announced that Oliver was coming. He hit the lights and everyone found hiding places. Lisa, who was hiding just behind the door, drew in a deep, shaky breath. Now was the moment of truth; the moment that determined whether the party would be a success or a complete failure.
She jumped a little when she heard the doorknob being turned and the front door opening.
"What the…" she heard Oliver say as he stepped into the darkened room. He switched on the lights, which caused everyone to jump out of their hiding places and yell, "Surprise!"
"What in the world," Oliver exclaimed as he jumped a little from the shock of the surprise. "What is all this?"
"It's a party for you, dahling," Lisa explained as she revealed herself from her hiding place. Oliver whirled around and stared at her with bewilderment.
"A party for me! But why," Oliver inquired.
"We just thought you needed a break from all the stress of farming, dad," Eb said.
"Don't call me…" Oliver began, but Mr. Drucker interrupted him.
"We gathered here to just talk to you and spend a little quality time with you, Mr. Douglas," he explained.
"And we even made you a little gift," Mr. Kiley said as pulled out a package from behind the sofa.
"A gift for me," Oliver asked incredulously, as he walked over to the sofa.
"Especially for you," Mr. Haney replied. Oliver smiled and sat down to open the gift.
Lisa looked into Oliver's eyes to read his reactions, and to her surprise, she could see them softening a little (not by much, but it was still something). She put on a hopeful smile as she took a seat next to him on the sofa.
Oliver quickly tore off the wrapping paper on his gift to reveal a large book like thing.
"What's this," he asked.
"It's a scrapbook," Mrs. Ziffel replied.
"Yes, we threw it together this afternoon," Mr. Ziffel said which caused his wife to elbow him hard in the ribs. "I mean, we worked real hard on it," he amended himself.
Oliver opened it and flipped threw it page by page to reveal little odds and ends of events that had taken place during his time there. There was newspaper clipping of events such as him passing the state bar exam that allowed him to practice law again, the page from the Hooterville Directory that listed him as a lawyer, a tiny scrap of the plane that he had used to save the Hooterville crops from the bing bug, and other little odds and ends.
As he studied each item, everybody threw in a fond memory that pertained to that particular item. Some of the items sent Oliver, much to everyone's surprise, into fits of laughter, such as the letter that read that Ralph had been drafted. Lisa could feel her hopes rising as her husband flipped through the scrapbook. She was beginning to think this party was a good idea after all.
Unfortunately, her thoughts was a bit premature, for just as she was thinking this thought, Alf opened his mouth and said, "Gee Mr. Douglas, I'm glad to see this party worked to cure your attitude."
Oliver froze in mid-page flip and turned toward Alf. "What do you mean," he asked in somewhat of a tense tone.
"I just mean that it's good that all this reminiscing took your mind of the farm," Alf said quickly, trying to correct his previous statement, but it was to no avail.
"Do you mean to say that this party was just some sort of plot against me," Oliver asked as he glared at Lisa.
"Of course not dahling, ve just vanted to get together…" she tried to explain, but Oliver cut her off.
"Am I to understand that you all collectively grew tired of me and therefore concocted this plot to reform me? Is that it," he demanded to know. Lisa opened her mouth to deny it, but once again she was interrupted.
"Well, you have to admit, Mr. Douglas, you have been less than pleasant to live with these past couple of weeks," Mr. Haney said bitingly.
"Now see here, Mr. Haney…" Oliver began, but he too was cut off.
"Mr. Douglas, please be reasonable. We were only doing this for your sake," Mr. Drucker said.
"My sake! My sake! Are you trying to tell me that you all ganged up against me for my sake," Oliver exclaimed as he threw the scrapbook aside and jumped up from his seat.
"Now Olivah, dahling, please do not let you temper get the best of you," Lisa said as she stood up and gently touched his arm, but Oliver drew it away and turned to face her.
"How could you plot against me like this, Lisa," he demanded to know.
"Now don't you start on her, Mr. Douglas. It wasn't her idea, it was mine," Eb said, coming to Lisa's defense. Oliver turned around to face Eb.
"This was your idea," he asked.
"All of it," Eb replied.
"In that case, you're fired," Oliver shouted. A collective gasp sounded through the room. Eb swallowed hard.
"Fired," he asked incredulously.
"Yes, fired. I expect you to be off my property by tomorrow afternoon," he added matter-of-factly, as if he was firing just another staff worker.
"This party is over. Now if you all will kindly leave, I would like to go to bed," Oliver said. He then turned and began to walk to the bedroom, but Lisa grabbed his wrist from behind.
"Olivah, please think about vot you are saying. You're letting your anger get the best of you! You're overreacting," she said.
"Lisa, let go of my wrist," Oliver said as evenly as he could, but she kept a firm grip on it.
"Olivah, please, Eb vas just trying to help me. He is not to blame, I am. Please don't fire him," she pleaded.
"Lisa, let go," he said a little more tensely.
"Olivah, please," she said once more.
Finally losing his temper, Oliver exclaimed, "I said let go," and roughly yanked his wrist out of his wife's grasp, causing her to stumble forward a bit. Not noticing how hard he had indeed yanked his wrist away, Oliver instead looked around at the bewildered guests and wondered why they haven't left yet.
"I said, get out," he shouted, causing everyone to jump. He then stomped into the bedroom and slammed the door behind him. A shocked silence followed.
Finally, Lisa regained her composure. She turned to her guests and said in a tearful voice, "Thank you all very much for taking the time to come."
"Mrs. Douglas," Ralph began in a sympathetic tone, but Lisa interrupted her.
"I'm alright, I'm just…very tired all of a sudden. I vould like to go to bed now, if you all don't mind."
"We understand, Mrs. Douglas," Mr. Drucker said kindly. "Come on you guys, let's go."
Everyone slowly and silently followed Mr. Drucker out the front door, leaving only Eb and Lisa in the living room. As soon as the front door shut behind the last person, Lisa burst into tears. Eb quickly joined her by her side and put a sympathetic hand on her arm, not quite sure what to do next.
"Oh Eb," Lisa said between hiccups, "I'm so sorry it turned out like this."
"It's okay, mom. It's not your fault," he said sadly. "Well, I best be getting up to my room and packing."
"Oh Eb, please don't do that. I'm sure I can reason with him," she replied.
"No, no Mrs. Douglas. You don't have to do that. I have a feeling I overstayed my welcome anyway. Good night," Eb said sadly. He then walked out throw the front door, leaving Lisa to her misery.