35-02-21 Rush and the Tableau

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND BILL IDELSON

• Rush and Vic are walking along the alley.  Rush explains he didn't know what Mis' Barnes meant when she asked if he'd like to be in a tableau at the First Methodist Church tomorrow.  He thought it might be a candy pull or ice cream dive, so he said okay.  His role involves whipping up the aisle with an arm-load of roses.
• Vic suggests pleading illness or pulling a Tom Sawyer to get someone else to do it.  Rush thinks Rooster Davis might fall for it.  He likes to do anything where he gets to show off.
• Vic feels slight guilty at having suggested low cunning and chicanery since the event honors George Washington on his birthday.  Rush says the trick would be on Mis' Barnes and Rooster, not George.  They debate how much Rush should charge Rooster for the privilege.  Vic suggests keeping the price very low.
• As they arrive at home, Sade tells Rush Mis' Barnes phoned to say rehearsal is this afternoon at four-fifteen.  Rush goes off to phone Rooster.  Rooster falls for the scheme like a ton of bricks – he'll pay a nickel for the privilege.  Sade thinks he ought to have met his obligation to Mis' Barnes.  Rush explains it's sort of a sissy thing.
• Mildred Tisdel phones.  She's in the tableau, too, and now Rush is sorry he backed out.  Rush decides to phone Rooster and buy the part back for as high as fifteen cents.  Rooster has already sold the privilege to Russell Henry for a dime.  Rush phones Russell (Rusty) Henry.  Russell has sold it to Vernon Alberts for fifteen cents.  Rush haggles with Vernon, and he agrees to buy the privilege back for thirty-five cents.
• Mildred phones again to let Rush know since he wouldn't be There she sold her role to Aileen Clark for a fancy comb and a fake wrist-watch.   - compiled by Barbara Schwarz, edited by Jimbo Mason 
  

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Sunday School  was a big part of Rush (and Russell's) lives.  Many episodes mention Sunday School.

As I have stated before, Paul Rhymer's writing might remind one of Mark Twain, so the Tom Sawyer reference certainly isn't out of place.

A tableau was probably some sort of production the kids put on, without having to learn any lines.  A tableau vivant, for instance, is a "living picture."