40-03-29 No, Vic, No Trip to Chicago

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND BILL IDELSON 

Vic wants to "slam up to Chicago" for some lodge fun/business rather than go to Ruthie Stembottom's party. Though he tries hard, Vic is unable to break the chain that binds him to Sade and the party. So the lodge and Chicago will have to wait.

MIS' CROWE SAYS:

Vic acts hurt and defensive in this episode, but all Sade wants to know is that Vic has a good reason for missing the social event at the Stembottoms’, and Vic just won’t fess up. He is awfully cagey about his reasons for going to Chicago, giving hypothetical example after hypothetical example instead of coming right out and saying why he wants to go. My guess is that Hank Gutstop is directly involved in this trip. We know it has something to do with the Lodge. We know Hank phoned Vic earlier that day at work, and this desire to go to Chicago seems to have come on quite suddenly. We also know that Vic tends to hem and haw and dance around the subject of Hank Gutstop every time he needs to broach it with Sade. If the trip has something to do with Hank, it would explain why Vic is so reluctant to tell Sade his reasons for going. 

I have to contradict Rush’s assertion here:

SADE: Gov talk to you any about him goin’ to Chicago?
RUSH: No.
SADE: Never mentioned what he wanted to go to Chicago for, did he?
RUSH: Uh-uh.
SADE: Wonder why he wanted to go to Chicago.
RUSH: Got no idea.
SADE: Hmm.
RUSH: Heh. You never give him a chance to explain.

In fact, Sade directly asks Vic, and Vic refuses to spill the beans:

SADE: Well, let’s finish this. Ruthie’s got our promise we’ll be there tomorrow night. She’s bankin’ on it. All right. Now tell me what’s more important than that that’ll drag you to Chicago.
VIC: I think perhaps I’d be the best judge of anything that drug me to Chicago.

I gotta take Sade’s side here. Plainly he’s up to no good.

SEE THE SCRIPT (transcribed by Lydia Crowe)

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Whatever awaits Vic in Chicago is never said (and Vic is never given a chance to explain - instead his pleas are simply answered with a "no." Add in the fact that Vic never does tell the truth and starts several sentences with: "Suppose ...") Therefore, Vic's own deceit kind of ruined the trip for him.

Intermingled with Vic trying to weasle his way to Chicago is Rush reading from Interesting Facts about Darkest Africa (edited): {{{HEAR}}}

Trivia:

+ Foster's (presumably a grocery market) is mentioned for the first time. The grocer there is Mr. Cratcher Not to be confused with Kroucher's market.)

+ Groceries that Sade wants from the store: potatoes, package of salt (the little size-size), half dozen bananas (if they're nice,) one box of matches, prunes (the kind in the package,) a dozen fresh eggs, 6 cans of corn (if they still have that sale on.)

+ People that are going to attend Ruthie's party: Mis' Brighton, Williard (first time mentioned for him), Mr.and Mrs. L.W. Royce (first time they are mentioned.)

+ Mis' Weakens calls Sade and invites the Gooks to a Glee Club recital. This is the first mention of her or her daughter, Trix Weakens.

+ Consolidated Kitchenware Plant #14 is in the plant's Corn Belt Region.

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