44-09-28 A Dun from Kleeburgers

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN, AND DAVID WHITEHOUSE

In an odd twist, Kleeburger's department store informs Vic that he's overpaid in the recent past and they owe him $2.00. Knowing this, he decides to persue the store owner via telephone (after hours) and tell him he wants his money. Vic provides a villainous laugh to boot.

Writer Paul Rhymer waited until the second-to-the-last episode to have Vic be triumphant in this very long-running gag.

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Incredible fun as we get to hear Vic act childish and go off the deep end. This will no doubt embarrass Sade (who frequents the store at least 3 times a week) - but this doesn't even seem to faze Vic. He is so far removed from rationale that he tracks down the store owner by phone at his Elder's meeting for his church!

This may remind you of Vic losing his reasoning as he did in 43-04-12 Dottie's New Dress.

Trivia:

+ Vic contends that he's always $2.00 in the hole at Kleeburger's because he is always buying a pair of socks or a tie at the end of the month. He also says the family always ends up spending $10 to $25 there every month.

Assume that Vic makes the hefty 1944 salary of $90 a month (it's likely it was far less than this.) Now, imagine him spending 15-30% of his monthly/yearly salary at Kleeburger's...

+ Sade gets another postal card from her sister, Bess. Sade never gets a chance to read it as Vic has gone off the deep end.

I have never kept track but this has to be in the range of the 12th to 15th correspondence from Bess during the series.

+ The owner of Kleeburger's department store (the "Old Man") is T.W. Kleeburger. His phone number is #6732-W. He is an elder at the Second Congregational Church. It's the first time that he or the church has been mentioned.

Vic has a villainous laugh! {{{HEAR}}}

VIC, THE CHILD

In this episode, perhaps superseding any before it, shows just how childish Vic is.  Not just the silly, villainous laugh but the fact that all these years, Vic has owed money to Kleeburger's and the one time he is ahead, he puts the needle to the record and advances into a campaign of terror.

There is a side of Vic we never see where I think he is a monster, albeit, a silly one. - Jimbo

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44-08-01 Rotten Old Overshoes

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND DAVID WHITEHOUSE

Russell is about to go meet up with friends and help redecorate his Sunday School. However, it's very wet outside and Russell has no overshoes since his others were thrown away because they had fallen apart.

Never fear, Vic's old overshoes are available. Once Russell spies them though, he realizes he'd be made the butt of "universal derision" and chooses instead to spend his money on a taxi cab and bum a ride home afterwards.

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A rather unusual story for Vic and Sade as few crazy things are happening or talked about. Yet who hasn't been in a similar situation?

Hand-me-downs can be embarrassing and Russell is at the age where "universal derision" can be scarring and harmful to one's pride.  (It must be noted however that in 1944, few people were getting new clothes.  This is why Vic shows no sympathy for Rush in an early episode when he complains about his mother picking out school clothes for him at various stores; very few children found themsleves lucky enough to have new anythings during the war.)

Trivia:

+ Vic looks at the breakfast table and notices there's no sugar and Sade gets it and puts it on the table.

While sugar was indeed rationed, you could still buy 5 pounds of sugar every 4 months with your rationing book in 1944. By this time, the Axis submarines in the Caribbean (the main cause of sugar having to be rationed) was easing quite a bit. Another reason to ration, of course, was so the United States could continue to provide a great deal of sugar to the Allies overseas.

+ The Gooks have a 'fruit room.' A fruit room is simply a room that is meant to hold fruits and vegetables, mostly preserves (canned fresh fruits and vegetables.)  We know all of their bedrooms are upstairs and that they have a cellar where the washing machine resides - meaning the main floor of the house consists of a kitchen, a living room and a fruit room. It's never been revealed that they ever ate in a dining room but many times we know they ate at the kitchen table.

+ The Gooks had oatmeal for breakfast this day.

1944 ad

+ Sade talks of Mis' McDrash from Dixon. She's a lady Sade knew who was always in a better humor when it rained. Sade's sister Bess Helfer said is was because "it eased her rheumatism." Bess read where a "big, pelting rain [did wonders for rheumatism.]" Yet we know (and they knew then) that wet weather generally has the opposite effect on people.

+ Russell says the taxi cab ride to his Sunday School will cost 25 cents. The initial starting taxicab fare in 2012 ranges anywhere from 8 to 13 times that amount.

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44-05-01 Lodge Holiday Visits

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND DAVID WHITEHOUSE

In a letter from lodge headquarters, Vic is alerted of a lodge idea that could save him money if he takes a trip somewhere; he and his family would be the guest of a lodge brother in another town.

But the hospitality is reciprocal and there's almost 50 people that Vic knows of that ar headed his way in the coming Summer. Sade tells Vic to squash any ideas of her entertaining unknown lodge brothers.

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Fun episode with some really strange people making the trips with the lodge members, such as a straw boss, a dentist, a secretary, a music teacher, an errand boy, a milkman, a barber and a janitor.

Trivia:

+ Sade got another postal card from the Lazy Hours Pool Parlor; coupon is good for a free saucer of cole slaw with every third game played.

+ Russell got another card from his Sunday School teacher. Seems that whenever Russell (or for that matter, Rush) would act conspicuous at Sunday School, Mis' Neagle would send them an "I missed you at Sunday School last week" postal card.

+ Sade says that beef punkles take four hours to cook.

+ Charlie Razorscum is clowning around inside of his house; Russell is most amused by him.

+ One of the lodge members mentioned in Vic's letter has the first name of "Rose."

+ The list of all the out of town lodge members is listed in the Sacred Stars of the Milky Way section of the blog.

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44-04-07 The Solo March

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND DAVID WHITEHOUSE

Homer U. McDancey once again suggests to Vic that he be the special Christmas Day guest speaker at the Missouri Home for the Tall in Sick River Junction, Missouri.

Vic is so flattered that he intends on going and giving not only a speech about marching but also a solo march.

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Average episode enhanced greatly by further usage of the Missouri Home for the Tall. The funniest line in the episode is when Russell comments that Uncle Fletcher has a croney that's an armed guard at the Missouri institution!

Trivia:

+ Mis' Neagle, who was not only Rush's freakishly strong Sunday School teacher but also Russell's, can chin herself 23 times.  She was complimented on her muscles, according to Russell.

+ The Missouri Home for the Tall has 700 inmates!  Uncle Fletcher has a cronie that works as an armed guard there.

+ Arthur K. Van Beebunk (not named in this episode but was in an earlier one) was a boyhood chum of Homer U. McDancey.

+ Homer U. McDancey has "lovely" penmanship, according to Sade.

+ Ed Fife was mentioned for the first time. He's a friend of Russell's; he plans on going with the gang down to the YMCA to watch the fat men play handball.

+ Sade refers to events that happened in 44-03-24 The Seven Minute March.  McDancey and Vic had an opportunity to briefly meet and march together.

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42-12-07 Miz' Neagle Tears Up Lee Street

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY,  BERNARDINE FLYNN AND BILL IDELSON

Rush asks to miss school so that he can go watch his Sunday School teacher, Mis' Neagel, tear up Lee Street.

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One of those episodes that's silly enough to make you laugh - yet could be true. This episode is run-of-the-mill but still remains a lot of fun!

Trivia:

+ Mis' Neagle lives on Lee Street. Lee Street is situated between Market and Monroe Street.

+ Mis' Grace is mentioned but nothing is said about her.

+ Rotten Davis is going to act as foreman, Hank Gutstop as flag man and Rishigan Fishigan as waterboy while Mis' Nagle tears up the street.

+ Fat Peterson once had the front of his sedan lifted off the ground by Mis' Nagle.

+ Harry Foster was once knocked over a picnic table with a friendly slap on the back by Mis' Nagle at Miller Park.

+ Mis' Nagle can chin herself 20 times.

+ According to Rush, Mis' Nagel is strictly all beef (edited): {{{HEAR}}}

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41-11-xx Strictly Business Christmas Loan

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND BILL IDELSON

Rush needs $25 to buy Christmas presents and visits Vic at his office, since he views this as strictly business. While in the office, Rush sees that Vic is a master at "conducting business."

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This is a most unusual episode as we find ourselves in Vic's office at Consolidate Kitchenware, other than the Gook household.

Trivia:

+ Mr. Hudson calls Vic in his office. This is the first time he's been mentioned.  He works for Consolidated Kitchenware.

+ Mr. Willis (Consolidated Kitchenware in Chicago) called Vic in his office.

+ Vic talks to Sade on the phone and finds out the Gooks are playing "500" with Fred and Ruthie Stembottom that evening.

+ Rush has his Christmas list divided up this way: Sade - $8, Vic - $5, Uncle Fletcher - $3, Bess (Helfer) - $2, Walter (Helfer) - $2, Euncie (Helfer) - $1, Mis' Neagle - 50 cents. The remaining money ($3.50) will be split up among his friends: Blue Tooth Johnson, Smelly Clark, Leland Richards, Rooster Davis, LeRoy Snow, Vernon Peggles, Willis Rohrback, Milton Welch and Heinie Call.

+ This is the first time Mis' Neagle's name has been mentioned as his Sunday School teacher.

+ Hank Gutstop called from the Lazy Hours Pool Hall and asked Vic if he could borrow a couple of bucks.  Vic surmises he was playing bottle pool.

+ Mr. Burroughs (J.K., Plant #14's president) was kept waiting outside of Vic's office while Rush was talking to Vic!

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