44-06-07 Elkskin Shoe Laces

STARRING: BERNARDINE FLYNN AND CLARENCE HARTZELL

Sade "plays hooky", sits in the sunshine on the back porch and talks nonsense with Uncle Fletcher. Meanwhile, Mr. Donahue is asleep next door with his window open - don't talk so loud...

Uncle Fletcher touts he must have his shoe laces changed (with elkskin laces) but must go to the shoe repair place to do it..

GARRY MOTTER WRITES:

To me this is one of Uncle Fletcher's finest tirades, and that is saying something.  The episode is masterfully crafted, as the great comedy of it lays in its pacing.  Rhymer has constructed it like the slow movement of a concerto.  It starts out literally in whispers, then gradually progresses to lazy talk about nothing much.  It takes a tense turn when we think we are going to hear about Ernie Sweeler's sad demise, but we are spared that, and it calms down  again.  But this is a feint on Rhymer's part.  Suddenly he throws in the brass and tympani, as Uncle Fletcher takes offense.  He gives us the "A" theme of elk skin shoelaces, and after developing that, introduces the "B" theme of the lacing methodology.  The two themes duke it out a while, then intertwine at Chalfer's shop, where they combine climactically.  Those themes spent, the introductory notes of  Mr. Donahue are recapitulated and all ends calmly, with a little hint of a minor-key ending ("I hope so, too.  I hope so, too").

SEE THE SCRIPT (transcribed by Garry Motter) 

________________________

Very slow and easy Vic and Sade episode; it lacks excitement yet is fun all the same.

Uncle Fletcher seems to have a considerable interest in shoes and especially shoe laces in the series.
 
Trivia:

+ Sade describes the weather as "warm yet it's cool."

+ Ernie Sweeler (from Belividere) was mentioned. He died at age 65.  He used to say, "If someone's got something nice, mention it."

+ Bert Chalfer owns and runs Chalfer's Shoe Repair on West Washington Street; he and his store are mentioned for the first time; the map has been changed to reflect this. 

+ Elkskin shoe laces are replaceable only with strength and years of practice and take two solid hours of work to replace.

+ Morgan Perrin of Downer's Grove was mentioned. He came up with a fancy knot (the Cincinnati overhand triple lock) and was uncle to Homer Heck (probably the Oklahoma Homer Heck.)

+ The word "delicious" is used 4 times in this episode, none of those times was food being described.

Download the complete commercial-free, sound-improved episode!