Today's Special - Episode Guide

Sam is in the Computer Room, painting a model boat and singing to himself, before announcing, "Well, that just about does it! Finished at last! What do you think of her? Isn't she a beauty? I built her all by myself, you know!"

Muffy comes in bringing dinner, and compliments Sam on his hard work, while noting that he appears to have lost weight. Sam appreciates the gesture, as he is feeling hungry. He wonders what it is, hoping that it's a pizza or a liverwurst and onion sandwich. Pulling back the cloth, he discovers that his dinner is a plate of raw vegetables. "Suffering sea biscuits! What's this?"

"Even if you don't watch your diet, your friends do, so go ahead. Try it!" responds Muffy.

Sam tries a stalk of celery, and much to his surprise, he likes it, describing it as "downight delicious!"

Meanwhile, Muffy is admiring Sam's model boat. The model depicts the Tradewind Tramp, a boat that Sam sailed on in younger years with his old friends. Muffy suggests that they show the completed boat to Jodie and Jeff. Sam agrees, but he soon realizes that he's run out of time, and has to go off to do his rounds, and thus they will have to wait until he's done. Muffy volunteers to show them the boat, "I'll show them your boat! That would be fun. And you can join us when your work is all done." Sam agrees with that course of action, and admonishes Muffy to be careful, because he doesn't want anything to happen to the Tradewind Tramp after all his work.

Sam goes off to do his rounds, as Muffy explains the significance of the Tradewind Tramp: "Sam's boat is special, and I know why. He spent hours on it. My, oh, my. It reminds him of places where he's been. The friends he's made, the sights he's seen. All of us have heard him tell of his sailor days he loves so well. The stories don't seem to end, but why does he keep a cat for a friend?" Penelope jumps onto the top of the couch and briefly checks out Muffy, causing Muffy to back up to keep her distance from Penelope. She continues, "If there's one thing I know about Sam's cat, she's no friend of mine, I'm sure about that!" However, as Muffy continues to back away from Penelope, she backs into the Tradewind Tramp, sending it crashing to the floor. Muffy is horrified at what just happened, and quickly leaves the room.

Upstairs, Jeff and Jodie are carrying a long board into the Children's Department. Jeff first goes past the door, then backs up a little. He tries to get the board through, but only succeeds in hitting the sides of the door with the board, and walking into the board. Jodie then suggests that Jeff back up some more, and swing the end of the board through, and they make it through the door with the board, setting it down on a set of sawhorses. Jodie then remarks that it appears that Gus has already started working. When Jeff questions who Gus is, Jodie explains that she needed to have more shelves built, and that the manager gave her permission to hire someone to build them, and that Gus was the person that she hired. She says that Jeff would like him, as "he's quite a character." Jeff then asks if Gus is a friend of hers, like Sam, Muffy, and himself. Jodie explains that while Jeff is a very special friend, Gus is a friend, too. Gus lives on the same street as Jodie, and fixes things for people such as bicycles, broken furniture, and toasters. He's also built shelves for Jodie's living room. She wonders where Gus went, but noting that his toolbox and his sawhorses are nearby, she doesn't think that he's gotten very far.

Jeff then leans on the board that he and Jodie placed on the sawhorses, and loses his balance, catching himself on Jodie and the sawhorse. Jodie asks if he's okay, and Jeff remarks, "I don't think this sawhorse likes me. Sure isn't acting very friendly." Jodie laments the fact that they're not real horses, because then they could go horseback riding. Jodie then shows us what happened when she went horseback riding with a few friends.

Jodie, along with two friends, are each riding on the back of a horse. Sam, dressed in western wear, is standing nearby. When Jodie encourages Sam to get into the saddle himself, he says that he doesn't know, claiming that the horses look fierce. Jodie responds by saying, "Fierce? Oh, don't be silly, Sam. These horses aren't fierce. They're really sweet." Jodie then points his attention to their friends, who aren't scared of the horses.

"Scared?" asks Sam. "Who said anything about being scared? I, uh, ummm... I just wanted to have a talk with my good friend here!"

"Okay, Sam, suit yourself," responds Jodie, explaining that they would be back after their ride.

Sam tells them goodbye, and warns them to "Watch out for rustlers!"

Jodie, in voiceover, explains that she really wanted Sam to come along, and how he looked so great in his cowboy outfit, adding that the children were disappointed as well, especially after he told them about his days as a bronco buster in the old west. Jodie, imitating Sam, remarks, "Hard riding Sam, they used to call him!" Jodie then describes horseback riding as peaceful, and how the children loved their ponies as well, being gentle and careful - an admirable trait. Despite having an overcast day where it had rained all morning, Jodie says that she appreciated being outdoors on the farm. She imagined that the horses appreciated the exercise as well. However, she couldn't help but think about what Sam was doing. She explains that the children half expected to see Sam to come galloping up on a big black horse, but she started to wonder if Sam actually was afraid to ride. Jodie then explains that it takes a lot of time and patience to be a good horseback rider, and that the children were very relaxed and caught on quickly. Jodie then began to wonder about Sam again, and how they probably shouldn't have left him behind, and whether he was lonely. She then imagined that Sam wouldn't have left her behind, saying, "Come on, Jodie!"

They then begin to head back together. Jodie wonders if Sam really was unsure about the horses, explaining that sometimes, Sam has to get used to an idea, but he'll typically try anything. Jodie explains that they felt better by the time they got back.

When they got back, they saw Sam, who was having a great time, remarking, "Just call me 'Wild Sam Crenshaw!'" as he was "riding" a fence. "Giddyup, there, old fence! This is what you call 'posting'! Ride 'em cowboy!"

Back in the Children's Department, Jodie is finished marking the length for the shelves using a tape measure, getting help from Jeff to reel in the tape measure. Jeff remarks that it's fun doing things with friends, and how he's glad do have her, as well as Sam and Muffy, as friends. Jeff then begins singing, "I am your friend. You are mine. When I'm with you, I feel just fine. I'd like to stay with you all day, just because you are my friend."

Jodie responds in kind, "When I'm sad or when I'm blue, you make me laugh and the sun shines through. I hear your name and I smile again, just because you are my friend."

After the song ends, Sam walks in, saying hello to both Jeff and Jodie. Jodie remarks that they haven't seen Sam all night. As it turns out, Sam has been really busy, having just finished his rounds. He then asks them, "Well? Let's hear it! What do you think of her?"

"Think of who?" asks Jeff.

Sam explains that he's referring to the Tradewind Tramp. Jodie is puzzled. Jeff asks if the Tradewind Tramp is an old friend of Sam's. Sam laughs at that suggestion, while Jodie asks Sam what he is talking about. Sam asks, "You mean Muffy hasn't turned up yet?" Jodie asks if anything is wrong, and Sam replies, "I sure hope not. I wonder what's keeping her. It's not like Muffy to be late."

Muffy then slowly appears behind the counter, appearing to strain holding something out of view. Jeff comments, "Guess who!"

Sam is excited, telling Jeff and Jodie that they were in for "a real treat now. Just wait and see what Muffy's got." He then asks Muffy to show them.

Muffy responds saying, "Errrr, ummm, I think I hear a telephone bell. It might be a friend. You can never tell."

Sam notes that he can't hear a telephone bell, and that Muffy is certainly acting strangely. He asks Muffy where the Tradewind Tramp is.

Muffy says, "I was afraid you'd want to see. Jeff, would you mind helping me?"

Jodie volunteers to help Muffy, and helps Muffy lift up a triangle-shaped object, covered by a checkered cloth, from behind the counter. Jodie asks if she can open it, and then opens it, to reveal the Tradewind Tramp, broken into several pieces.

Sam is speechless. Jeff doesn't quite know what to say about it, either. Muffy apologizes, saying, "I'm very sorry. I feel so sad. It wasn't my fault! Please don't be mad!"

Sam angrily replies, "I thought I could trust you, Muffy Mouse! Look at what's happened! All that work for nothing! If you were really my friend, you would have been careful like I told you!"

"Don't blame me, blame your old cat," pleas Muffy. "It's the truth. You must know that!"

Sam is still angry, shouting, "I dont want to hear about it, Muffy! It's all your fault, and that's all there is to it!" as he storms out of the Children's Department..

Jodie tries to get Sam to come back, but to no avail. Muffy, meanwhile, is saddened because she thought that Sam was her friend. She leaves to go to her house, stating that she's not going to be his friend anymore. Jeff remarks that it's a shame, because they're such good friends. Jodie says that they will have to figure out a way to get them back together again.

Next, the Mime Lady wants to play a game with us. The game is called "What's Making That Noise". We hear a bell. The Mime opens a door, but there's no one there. Then she mimes sleeping, leading TXL to describe the bell sound as an alarm clock. However, the Mime indicates that the alarm clock isn't working. We tell the Mime that the sound is that of a telephone. The Mime answers the phone, and then we hear a dial tone. TXL remarks, "Hmmm, they hung up!"

Back in the Children's Department, Jeff wonders if Sam and Muffy will ever be friends again. Jodie hopes that they do, because they have been friends for such a long time. She remarks that Sam should have let Muffy explain, considering that she didn't break the boat on purpose. Jeff wonders if fixing the Tradewind Tramp would bring them back together, but Jodie thinks that the boat is beyond their capabilities, though she believes that Gus might be able to repair it. Jodie leaves to find Gus, imagining that he's downstairs having his dinner. Jeff initially goes with her, but Jodie wants Jeff to remain in the Children's Department in case Gus comes back. She says that if he does, he should walk up and introduce himself, saying, "How do you do, Gus, my name is Jeff. I'm pleased to meet you."

Jeff hopes that he can remember all of that, so he practices on a nearby mannequin. He gets most of it, but doesn't quite have it down. We show Jeff how to shake hands. Jeff tries, and we tell him that he's done much better. Jeff then asks us to help him make new friends together. But first, he makes sure that his hat's on tight, because he doesn't want to lose it. Then the music starts, and Jeff sings, "What do you do to make a new friend? You say, 'How do you do?' Shake hands with your new friend, and say, 'How do you do?' If you're walking down the street, and a friend you chance to meet, just shake hands all over again and say, 'How do you do?'" When he's finished singing, he takes a bow, removing his magic hat in the process, and becoming a mannequin.

Later, Gus comes into the Children's Department, looking for Jodie. Getting no response, Gus assumes that she's not here yet. Upon seeing Jeff, Gus remarks, "Well, I'll be a seahorse's uncle. Where'd that mannequin come from? Wasn't there when I was here before!" Gus then sets his lunchbox down on the counter, intending to return to work. Then he sees the broken Tradewind Tramp. He remarks, "Well, pick me up and blow me down! If it isn't a ship like the old Tradewind Tramp! Why, I'd know her anywhere. Spent some mighty good yeaas aboard her, sailing the seven seas. Looks like she's come through some storms. I'd better get her down to the workshop and put her in drydock for repairs. Couldn't leave an old friend like the Tradewind without some help." As he collects the pieces, and leaves the Children's Department, Gus wonders what happened to his old shipmates.

After a quiz, Jodie walks into the Children's Department looking for Gus and Jeff. Jodie asks us where Jeff is, and then remarks about what a night that it's been, with Sam and Muffy fighting, and her inbility to find Jeff and Gus. Then she glances over to the counter to see that the Tradewind Tramp is missing. Jodie sighs, and figures that she will have to build the shelves by herself if she wants to get them built. She comments that it's kind of quiet and lonely without any friends around.

Then Sam walks into the Children's Department, calling for Penelope. Noticing Jodie in the Children's Department, he greets her. Jodie remarks that it had been getting kind of lonely, and that he hasn't seen Jeff lately. Sam asks if she's seen Penelope. Jodie hasn't, and remarks that she hasn't seen Muffy, either. Sam tries to ignore the part about Muffy, to which Jodie says, "Sam, you know, you owe her an apology." Sam is still upset about what happened to the Tradewind Tramp. Jodie reminds him that Muffy didn't break the boat on purpose, and that she's still his friend.

Jodie then sings a shortened version of the same song about friendship that she sang earlier with Jeff. Sam has a change of heart, and realizes that he overreacted. However, he imagines that Muffy doesn't want to be friends with him again.

Muffy, standing behind Gus's toolbox, remarks, "This is no time to talk about that. We have to help Jeff. He's lost his hat!" Jodie goes to help Jeff, while Muffy explains that she would have done it herself, but then Penelope came along, requiring that she hide in the cart.

Jodie asks Muffy if she's ready with the magic words, and then practices them with us: "Hocus pocus alimagocus." Jodie then puts the hat back on Jeff's head, and, on the count of three, we all say the magic words to bring Jeff to life. Upon coming to life, Jeff knows what happened: he lost his hat. Jodie just gives Jeff a knowing look.

Later, everyone is working in the Children's Department, when they hear a voice coming near, singing. It's Gus, carrying a triangular-shaped object covered by a cloth. Muffy hides in the box, while Jodie says hello to Gus, and introduces Jodie to her friends, beginning with Sam.

Gus already knows who Sam is, shouting, "Sam! Sam Crenshaw!"

"Galloping guppies!" cries Sam. "It's you! It's Gus!"

"Of course it's me, you old sea dog!" Then, standing tall, he says, "Gus Seymour, reporting for duty!"

Jodie, upon seeing this, remarks, "I take it that the two of you have already met!" Gus explains that he and Sam are old friends, going back a long way. Sam explains that it has been about thirty years since they had seen each other. Gus was the engineer on the Tradewind Tramp, while Sam was the first mate.

Gus asks who everyone else is, and Jeff introduces himself, exactly as he was taught earlier. Gus responds, "You look like a mannequin that I once saw in here." Pointing at the place where Jeff was standing as a mannequin, he says, "It was standing right over..." and stops mid-sentence upon realizing that the mannequin is gone.

Jodie then introduces Gus to Muffy, who is still hiding inside the cart.

Sam then asks Gus what he brought with him. It's something that he found in the Children's Department, and he has a good feeling that it belongs to Sam. Removing the cloth, he reveals the object to be the Tradewind Tramp, fully repaired. Sam thanks Gus profusely for it, to which Gus responds, "That's what friends are for!"

Sam remarks that the Tradewind Tramp deserves a good home. Someone to look after and keep her safe and sound. Someone like Muffy. Muffy is shocked to hear that Sam is giving the boat to her. Gus is astonished to find that Muffy is a mouse. Sam remarks that Muffy is a very special mouse - his friend.

Sam then turns to Muffy and asks, "Do you still want to be friends, Muffy? You do, don't you?"

Muffy responds, "We'll always be friends. I hope you will, too. Because you know what? I really like you!" and gives Sam a hug.

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