44-08-10 Sade Struggles with a Letter

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND DAVID WHITEHOUSE

Sade has a hard time finding the right words to inform Laurastine and Robert that the Gooks cannot attend a Thanksgiving dinner invitation to Washington D.C.

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The letter plot is mostly a backdrop for Russell to talk about Smelly Clark's new high-dollar lifestyle.

Trivia:

+ It's revealed that Sade begins her letters to her sister Bess Helfer the same way Bess writes to the Gooks: "Dear Sister and All."

+ Laurastine is a former teacher of English and Sade says, "She loves to criticize."

+ Robert got a government job and so that's why they moved to D.C.

+ Sade's first letter draft to Laurastine asks how she liked the Democrat and Republican conventions (Sade, hates anything to do with the government - wonder why she would even bother to ask...)  Harry Truman was the Democratic nominee and Thomas Dewey was the Republican.

+ Smelly Clark bought Russell a banana split. By August of 1944 (the month of this episode) ice cream production in the U.S. was cut to 75% of what would be normal production. Milk solids in ice cream would also be cut 65%, meaning the ice cream would be taking on more ice than cream.

+ Sade says: '''til who owned the cat.''

+ Smelly is still working at his uncle's barbershop in Towanda. He is 15 years old now. His sideburns are being groomed to "cut across his cheekbones." He's got a fancy vest made of silk and embroidered below the watch pocket and it is "hot stuff." He's wearing pointed shoes that are 3 sizes too large in order to look older. He's also purchased a derby hat but the kids in his neighborhood tease him about it. His own father threw the hat on the house roof.

+ Sade signed her letter to Laurastine with "Sadie."

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