43-11-08 Essay on Birds

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND DAVID WHITEHOUSE

Russell is stuck at home having to write an essay on birds but he seems to have not done any research and therefore is bereft of words to fill out his paper. His friend Arthur Grump saves him by calling on the telephone and inviting him to the Bijou. He cons Vic and Sade into putting off his homework until the next morning.

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Another run-of-the-mill episode. The episode provides a deeper look into Russell's life and his friends.

Trivia:

+ Two new friends of Russell are introduced in this episode: Bertha Fabre is a girl in his English class. Arthur Grump goes to school with Russell and invites him to go with him to the Bijou.

+ Sade says Homer Heck (his debut), who lives on Kinsey Street, knows a lot about Oklahoma. She also says Mis' Razorscum knows a lot about birds.

+ We learn that Fred and Ruthie Stembottom have a green bungalow birdhouse in their backyard.

+ Vic says B.B. Baugh claims he was elected "Nightengale of Dismal Seepage (Ohio.)" Also, he had a girlfriend named Dorothy who would forget to put pepper in fudge.

+ We find out that Mis' Sutton is the English teacher at Russell's school.

+ Perhaps the best moment of this episode is after the phone conversation that Russell has with his friend, Arthur. This is when he tells Vic and Sade the name of the film (presumably, Gloria Golden and Four-Fisted Frank Fuddleman:) {{{HEAR}}}

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43-10-01 A Letter from Bess - Sewing Buttons

STARRING: BERNARDINE FLYNN AND DAVID WHITEHOUSE

Russell runs home to get his football helmet but makes the mistake of checking the mail and bringing in a letter Sade received from her sister, Bess Helfer.

Sade's in a hurry (she is going shopping downtown and "there's a monster of a washrag sale going on at Yamilton's") and has buttons to sew on her jacket, so she has Russell read the letter to her. But he makes it plain that he'd rather be outside playing football and squawks about it the whole way through.

To make matters worse, this is the longest letter from Bess we have heard!

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For the first time, we get to hear Russell at his very best and he's enjoyable to listen to.

The episode ends oddly because it fades out with Russell and Sade talking at the same time about two entirely different subjects.

Trivia:

+ Mis' Hollway was mentioned for the first time. She was born and raised in Carberry.

+ Sade plans to meet Ruthie Stembottom and Mis' Holloway at Dr. Keevy's office. He's the dentist who took the photo of Vic for the magazine article.

+ Sade says that button cost almost a nickel.

+ Mis' Sutton was mentioned for the first time. She is Russell's English teacher. He was let of school early this day because she had to give a speech about the poet Tennyson for the Senior Mother's Club.

+ Sade calls Russell, "Mr. Man" and "Mr. Hoosh."

+ It appears that somewhere in the missing episodes, Beulah Feeple and Sade have become friends - or at least gossiping buddies.  However, in this episode, Sade calls her, "Beulah Erickson" - did she get a divorce from Noah Feeple?

+ Euncie Helfer has another new piano teacher; previously there was Agnes Peterson (she only had one leg) and then there was Mis' Snell. Now she's under the tutelage of Mis' Hendrix.

Euncie is also wanting fancy didos on her nightgown.

+ Mr. Crowell in Carberry passed away. He is survived by a daughter named Agnes who is close to 70 years old. Mr. Crowell lived near Edith Brauns.

In other Carberry news, Grace McCutley will marry Mr. Hunkers who manages the new Ten Cent store.

Sade acts silly on the telephone with Ruthie: {{{HEAR}}}

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