44-03-22 Grand Re-Opening of the Tea Shoppy

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND  DAVID WHITEHOUSE

• The Little Tiny Petite Pheasant Feather Tea Shoppy is now under management of Pom Pom Cordova.  Sade's Thimble Club is backing the venture. Thimble Club Vice-President, Mis' Fenwick, is the new owner.  Pom Pom, as manager and hostess, will put up a glamorous front for drumming up business.  One of the big, free attractions: Pom Pom and Lolita di Rienzi duets on Caribbean Dream Flute and Tropical Guitar.
• The shop re-opens at noon tomorrow: free funny hats for the gentlemen, free noise-makers for the ladies, cigars and roses for the old folks.  Russell and his pals will be handing out these items.
• Sade will attend the grand re-opening with Ruthie Stembottom, Mis' Trogle, and Mis' Hendricks.
• Sade: "everybody happy as my undershirt, huh?"
• Vic fears Sade will pounce on him in regard to Pom Pom. 
• Rishigan Fishigan is passing out handbills on people's porches.
• Russell: "they're really doing it up brown." - compiled by Barbara Schwarz, edited by Jimbo Mason

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So it comes out that the rumor Mis' Appelrot was passing around was somewhat true.  Vic doesn't seem to have any part in the backing - although, oddly enough - the Thimble Club seems to have way, way more to do with the Little Tiny Petite Pheasant Feather Tea Shoppy changing hands than Vic.

Pom Pom and Lolita make their musical dreams come true.  I'm sure their music was very pretty; it's a shame there are no  muted silver moonbeam chimes to go along with them.

44-03-10 Mis' Appelrot Spreads A Rumor About Vic

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND  DAVID WHITEHOUSE

• While in Chicago, Mis' Appelrot met a man who told her Pom Pom Cordova is going to manage the Little Tiny Petite Pheasant Feather Tea Shoppy, and Sade thinks Vic has been holding this intelligence to himself.
• Mis' Appelrot has led Sade to believe Vic's one of the backers and is on the Board of Governors of the restaurant.
• Lolita di Rienzi had told Vic about Pom Pom's plans and joked that Vic should be on the Board of Governors.  Mis' Appelrot also suggested Vic had agreed to play duets with Pom Pom on the Caribbean Dream Flute and Tropical Guitar.  Meanwhile, Russell squirms while waiting for Sade to concentrate on what items he's to buy at the grocery.
• Vic (kittenish): "Kiddo-widdow never even told Vicky-Sticky ‘hello' "
• Sade gets a cramp in her elbow – suggests it's a sign that your mother-in-law broke her darning needle.  - compiled by Barbara Schwarz, edited by Jimbo Mason
  

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It's not implied in the notes but it's evident that Sade is mad in this episode. She gets mad (or at least, pretends to be) whenever the subjects of Pom Pom and Lolita are brought up, especially in connection with Vic's name.  She may be jealous - she may just use it as an excuse to blow off steam against Vicky-Sticky.

In this episode, we have a rumor of information that may involve Vic and money.  And he's not said a word about it to Sade.  You can imagine that she's a bit curious to find out if the rumors are true.

We don't find out in this episode but will in the near future.

Dr. Keevy's name is brought up in this episode - and seems to be in each episode that Pom Pom and Lolita are in.

43-12-09 Winter Picnic Plans

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND DAVID WHITEHOUSE

• B. B. Baugh calls, suggesting a winter picnic.  Vic (at end of call): "Bee bee, bye bye – I mean Bye, bye, B. B."
• Vic tells Sade and Russell they're not invited.
• The picnic's only for the Sweet Esther, Wisconsin crowd.
  B. B. Baugh and Pom Pom Cordova were born there.
• Russell: "I heard of a fella that went to Colorado with the idea of staying an hour and a quarter and ended up staying forty-seven years."  Sade: "Um."  Russell: "That case is on record, and the public is welcome to go to Washington, D. C. and read all the details in the Congressional Record."   Sade: "I guess I'll do that."  Russell (approvingly):  Uh-huh, and you could visit Grant's tomb at the same time."  Vic: "Grant's tomb is in New York."  Russell: "I disagree."  Vic: "O. K."  
• The invited crowd: Sade suggests: Dr. Keevey, Lolita DiRienzi.
• Russell suggests: "Our grocery boy, Irvin, Miss Hammersweet and the girl at the cigar counter."
• Vic says two more who share Sweet Esther as their birthplace have been uncovered: Mis' Harris' roomer, Mr. Breep, and Fern Mudstudy, the girl that plays the piano at the Ten Cent store (born 11-21-1910.)
• Russell lists all eight invitees: "grocery boy Irvin, Fern Mudstudy, Vic, Pom Pom, B. B. Baugh, Morgan Perron, the girl at the cigar counter in the Unity Building, Mis' Harris' roomer, Mr. Breep, and Mis' Olive Hammersweet (Vic's secretary.)
• Sade notes there'll be two musicians there: Pom Pom and Fern.  Vic doubts they'll take a piano out in the woods.
• Russell: "The Chicago & Alton shop employees had an outing at Howton's Lake, and they hauled a piano there on a truck."
• Sade bristles when Vic says "four boys and four girls". Russell says it's 1 boy, 3 men, 3 girls, and a woman.
• Mr. Breep telephone Vic, who suddenly realizes he wasn't born in Sweet Esther, Wisconsin.  He was born in Union Grove, Illinois. - compiled by Barbara Schwarz, edited by Jimbo Mason

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Strange doings.  Take a long look at the list of folks on the picnic... look up some particulars at the Character site. There is a definite theme with the picnic - the people's names, their occupations and where they come from are all important. 

Trivia:

+ Fern Mudstudy will later be mentioned in an episode and her description will be nearly identical.

43-12-03 One Soggy Garbage Wagon Pass

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

• Sade mentions having seen Pom Pom Cordova on North Mason Street.
• Sade: I'm envious as a horse.
• Sade: Mis' Keller's niece in Saint Louis: Adelle Garroway, maiden name is Dwyer.
• Fletcher: "I'll – tell – you – why – I – stopped – by.  I wouldn't give a copper for a fella that couldn't squeeze out a snicker now and again."  
• Uncle Fletcher can't remember why he stopped by.
• Vic: "Perhaps you stopped by to unscramble some eggs but stubbed your toe and you commenced to cry and the piano teacher that lives under the porch borrowed a nickel and…"
• Fletcher: "A cousin of Roy Dejectedly's claimed he could unscramble eggs.  I'm not sayin' it's a fact this cousin of Roy Dejectedly's could unscramble eggs. I'm sayin' he claimed he could unscramble eggs."  
• Uncle Fletcher remembers why he stopped by – in reference to the garbage wagon pass given to him by "Mary" (Mayor) Greetcham.  He never told Gumpox about the pass, thinking it might not sit right with him. That afternoon while Fletcher was riding Gumpox, it started raining.  So he crawled in the back of the wagon with the garbage and pulled a tarpaulin over himself, which Gumpox frowns on.  Vic wonders if it was hot back there, and Fletcher admits that it was.  Gumpox thinks if he has to get wet, Fletcher should, too.  So Fletcher flashed his official pass at Gumpox.  Gumpox looked at it for maybe ten minutes and it turned into a soggy, gooey mess.  Fletcher wants to know from Vic if "Mary" Greetcham would replace the pass, and Vic assures him it won't be a problem. - compiled by Barbara Schwarz, edited by Jimbo Mason

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Riding on the wagon with Gumpox and being near Howard are very important to Fletcher.  It's a big part of his social life, not to mention that he has a love for horses.  The garbage pass is one of the most important things in Uncle Fletcher's life.   But it's apparent from this and another episode that writer Paul Rhymer tries to make it clear to us, is that Fletcher doesn't like to get wet.  He doesn't mind a potato peel getting on him, the obvious smell of the refuse or getting dirty in general.  But by golly, if the rains come, he's going to jump in the back with the trash and hide under the tarp.  Hiding under the tarp can create steam, which Fletcher doesn't like.  He and water must not get along.

Unscramble an egg?   Nicer Scott once claimed he could unfry an egg.

44-09-06 Muted Silver Moonbeam Chimes

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY AND BERNARDINE FLYNN

ping tinkle tinkle ping tinkle

Vic is once again busted by Sade for his extracurricular activities with Lolita di Rienzi and Pom Pom Cordova. While Vic is certainly not fooling around with either woman, he does seem to be around the women often and without Sade's knowledge.

As in the past, it's once again music that brings the three in contact. And just as in the past episodes, Vic is subjected to embarrassment and slight ridicule by his wife.

Is Sade jealous?  Does she pretend to be jealous?  These are things we can only guess at for there is no way for us to know.

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This one unfolds pretty much like the others where Vic teams up with "the kids" at work - and there are no surprises here - the odd musical instrument (muted silver moonbeam chimes) being the one exception.

There's quite a bit of new information about the town in this episode and I always enjoy expanding my encyclopedia of characters, buildings, map, etc.

I can't imagine for the life of me that Sade is really jealous of the two young ladies.  Vic is just too goofy to be taken seriously by any female, it would seem to me.  Sure, he has charm at times and from everything we have heard, he's good looking and has pretty eyes and wrists, etc.  But come on, who would fall for Vic (aside from Sade?) 

Trivia:

+ We find out that the town Vic and Sade live in has a bus system. We never knew this before this episode. Sade and Mis' Trogle are taking the bus to Oakland Avenue to visit Mis' Schill. This is the first time she's been mentioned. Since she lives on Oakland Avenue, we can assume her husband makes a lot of money, since the street is referred to in previous episodes as being one of the more expensive neighborhoods.

+ Shoe laces are mentioned again. Specifically, brown shoe laces. This is at least the second time Sade mentioned brown shoe laces at Emson's shoe store. Careful listening to the series will provide enough mention of shoe laces to literally choke Billy Patterson.

+ Herder's music store was mentioned for the first time. It's owned by Mr. Herder and it's the first time he's been mentioned in the surviving series.

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43-11-19 Caribbean Dream Flute

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY AND BERNARDINE FLYNN

Sade reads in the paper again about Pom Pom Cordova; this time she's playing the tropical guitar at the luxurious Purple Room of the Butler House Hotel.

After bringing up the subject with Vic, she then learns that he's been meeting up with Pom Pom and Lolita di Rienzi at Dr. Keevy's office on several occasions and even on consecutive days.

While Sade doesn't seem to suspect Vic is up to no-good, she still wields the situation over his head hoping he will say the wrong thing to dig himself deeper in a hole.
But Vic is innocent and his only crime is found to be wanting to learn how to play the Caribbean Dream flute, which Mis' Cordova tells him would sound well in duets with her tropical guitar.

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Like all men, even when Vic is innocent, he sounds guilty.

Vic hit the nail on the head when he says that Sade is making a big deal out of the situation because she wants drama in her life. That's not to say that Sade is a bad person but she enjoys picking on Vic, especially when there really is something there to mess with him about.

Is he carrying on some naughty tryst with Pom Pom and Lolita? Most assuredly not. Still, he did act secretly and that makes for an episode where we get to hear him try and wiggle out of something he didn't do.

Trivia:

+ Russell's absence in this episode is explained by him being at the YMCA, watching the fat men play handball. This is the first time we've heard him enjoying this activity.

+ We find out that Lolita lives in the Monte Carlo Apartments. That's the first time they've been mentioned.

+ Dr. Keevy is a candidate to become a member of the Sacred Stars of the Milky Way.

+ There seems to be a missing episode that has Dr. Keevy wanting to take Vic, Pom Pom and Lolita arund the country to various dentist offices so he can show them "wonderful teeth."

+ Pom Pom said she could tell by looking at Vic that he was musical.

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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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43-10-26 Honorary Lodge Member

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY AND BERNARDINE FLYNN

Vic's friend, B.B. Baugh, finds himself smitten with Honorary Lodge Member Pom Pom Cordova. Vic implores Sade to help him plan a party so the two people can meet.

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While on the surface this doesn't seem so ridiculous, upon listening to the tale you'll find it's all preposterous.

Trivia:

+ For the first time in the surviving series, we hear Russell read from a Third Lieutenant Stanley book. This one is about counterfeiting snake charmers.

+ E. W. Smith lives in Emporia, Kansas. He's a member of the Sacred Stars of the Milky Way. In the past, he has had a bad habit of stealing horses. (Pom Pom Cordova though, was made an honorary lodge member because she helped him break the horse-thieving habit.) (((HEAR))) (((HEAR)))

+ Pom Pom Cordova (also originally from Emporia, Kansas) now lives in Belmont Beach in the Bahama Islands. She is one of the very, very few women to ever become an honorary lodge member. She's in town and staying as the houseguest of Lolita di Rienzi. This is the first time she is mentioned in the surviving series.

+ The Gooks pronounce Bahama as: [buh-hay-muh.]

+ Dr. Keevy's dentist office was once again used as a meeting place, this time for Vic and his friends.  I added Doctor Keevy's office to the map.

+ Two women were mentioned for the first time but nothing else but a mention: Lena Murphy and Opal McSlunk.

THE ALLURE OF POM POM AND LOLITA

Though the world of Vic and Sade is filled with people of unique talents and interests, they themselves do tend to be as familiar as a housedress. But, among these commonplace eccentrics, Lolita Di Rienzi and Pom Pom Cordova stand out as genuinely exotic women. While most women come from nearby towns, Pom Pom is from the Bahamas. When other women consider a watch fob a suitable gift for a boss, Lolita suggests "A pannier de pommes de terre." Where most women pride themselves on their housekeeping, these glamorous ladies play the Carribean Dream Flute and the Tropical Guitar. They embody the adventure and romance that may lie beyond the horizon of everyday experience -- beyond Vic's, certainly. He loves his wife, and he loves his home, but, when he is with them, he catches a whiff of sea spray and orchids. Just a hint, though, that reminds him of the safety of his comfortable family. Sade knows this, and smiles indulgently at his encounters.

On the housedress of washrag sales, Thimble Club meetings, and cornet solos, Lolita and Pom Pom are the sequins.  - Sarah Cole

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