1983
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String
Sam practically dances into the Children's
Department one evening, humming to himself and looking so happy
that Jodie comments on his good mood. Jeff wonders if something
special happened that day. Sam tells him cheerfully that nothing
in particular happened, but it was a beautiful day, he walked to
the park, fed some pigeons, went home and had two of his favorite
sandwiches for supper.
Muffy groans. "Whenever I say it, I quiver first, a sandwich of
onions and liverwurst!"
"That's right," Sam says, "and there's only one thing I like
better than a liverwurst and onion sandwich, and that's two!" He
emphasizes this by holding two fingers up and teasing Muffy and
saying, "Two! Two!"
Jeff notices something. "Sam, why do you have that string tied
around your finger?"
Sam says it is to remind him. Jeff is confused. Jodie explains
that many people do it. But Jeff still doesn't get it.
So Jodie sings, "Now if there's something important that you're
afraid you might forget,"
"Like what?" asks Jeff.
"Well, like a birthday or a meeting,''
Sam adds, "Or an appointment with the vet."
"Well, there's a simple solution in a little piece of string..."
Muffy chimes in: "Tie it round your finger, like a funny-looking
ring."
Sam, Muffy, and Jodie sing together, "Tie a string around your
finger, and the memory will linger. 'Cause every time you look at
that knot, you'll remember what you nearly forgot. Tie a string
around your finger, make a neat little bow."
Sam sings, "If it's really important use two." He displays two of
his string rings, while Jeff asks incredulously, "You need two?"
Jodie laughingly sings, "Tie a string around your finger, and
wherever you go, you'll remember what you had to do!"
"I think I've got it!" says Jeff, and joins the rest as they sing
once more, "Tie a string around your finger, and the memory will
linger, 'cause every time you look at that knot, you'll remember
what you nearly forgot!"
Afterwards everyone looks at Sam. "What are you lookin' at me
for?" Sam asks.
Muffy says, "Well you haven't said yet what you couldn't forget!"
But Sam, incredibly, has forgotten! Everyone is quite amused and
surprised. Jodie says he'll remember it later. "In the meantime,
Sam, could you tell me what you did with those display racks that
I asked you to pick up for me?"
Sam starts to answer and then puts his head in his hands. "Oh my,
my, my, oh, dear, dear, dear, dear, dear, dear, dear."
"Oh, Sam, no!" Jodie cries.
"I just remembered," Sam says. "Yeah, that's what I forgot."
"No, you didn't forget to pick them up!"
"I'm sorry Jodie," says Sam. "I guess I was just having such a
good time today that I plumb forgot."
"Oh, Sam, come on! I've already planned tomorrow's display and I
can't do it without those racks! Oh, Sam!" Jodie snaps in
disgust and walks away, throwing the piece of string that was
around her finger onto the counter.
Sam is distraught. "Oh, bubbling birdbaths, I've really blown it
this time, haven't I?"
Jeff tries to calm him down. "Don't worry, Sam, we'll think of
something for Jodie to use in her display."
Sam calms down and agrees to go to the Computer Room to see if he
can find something to help. Jeff will stay and check the
Children's Department, while Muffy pledges to help "search the
store from ceiling to floor. And by break of day we'll have a
display!"
In the Computer Room, TXL tries to comfort Sam by telling him that
everybody forgets things, even though as a TXL Series 4 computer,
she never forgets. "Unless you program me to forget," she says.
"Oh, calculatin' contraptions, TX, we don't have time for chit
chat. Now you're gonna have to help me find a replacement for
Jodie's display!"
TXL suggests he look around. "In all this junk, there must be
something you could use."
"Junk?!" roars Sam. He insists that it's all valuable. He shows
her his toy airplane, his baseball card collection, his yo-yo, and
something else which catches TXL's attention.
"What have you got there, Mr. Crenshaw?"'
Sam holds up a marionette.
"Ah yes, also called a string puppet, I believe."
"Yeah, I love puppets," Sam says. "Like them as much as real
people, I do."
The marionette is flopping around as Sam tries to pick it up.
"That one seems to have a problem," TXL says.
Indeed, the puppet has a broken string. Sam remembers that he has
a string collection he can use to repair it, and goes rooting
around under his desk. Then he stops. "What am I doin'? Lookin'
for my string collection when I'm supposed to be helpin' Jodie."
"Excuse me, Mr. Crenshaw, but perhaps your string collection is
just the answer to your problem. [...] May I suggest that you
hang Jodie's display with string?"
"Jumpin' jellybeans!" shouts Sam. "You're a genius, TX!"
So Sam begins to pull string out from under his desk. He is going
to keep pulling until he gets it all out, and since he has been
collecting it for 56 years, this will take some time. TXL
suggests that she tell him a story to pass the time. She tells
him the story of a little boy who, like Sam, likes to collect
string. The other kids laughed at his love of string, and his
large and growing string collection was about the size of a
bowling ball. He never went anywhere without it. "Why do you
need all that string?" The kids taunted. The boy would
confidently answer, "Some day, my string collection will come in
very handy."
Sure enough, one day he comes across a young girl about his age
who is very sad. She has dropped her favorite pen into a grate in
the sidewalk. The boy takes some of his string, ties a slip knot,
loops it around her pen, and with a quick jerk, he grabs the pen. Then he pulls it up through the grate. He now has a new friend,
and the two are soon hand-in-hand, looking for more string to add
to the collection.
In the Children's Department, Muffy and Jeff are talking in low
voices. When Sam comes in, Jeff calls out to him. Sam hisses at
him to keep his voice down. So Jeff whispers that they haven't
been able to think of anything for Jodie's display.
"Well, I'm sure we'll get somethin'," Sam says, and he lifts his
string collection, a round ball of string about the size of a
basketball, onto the counter.
Naturally, Jeff wonders what it is.
"Oh, oh, this," says Sam, as if he walked around with balls of
string every day. "Yeah, I'm going to use it to hang Jodie's
display."
"Oh, what a clever plot!" whispers Muffy. "I wish we'd had that
thought."
"That's a great idea, Sam," Jeff says. "Sam, can I ask one more
question?"
"Oh, sure, Jeff," says Sam.
"Why are we whispering?"
"Because I wanna surprise Jodie, see."
"Do you think she could hear us all the way down in the basement?"
"Is she in the basement?"
"That's where she said she was going."
"Oh," says Sam. "Then why are we whispering?"
Jeff and Muffy exchange looks.
Now in a normal voice, Sam says, "Okay, look, here's the plan. We're all going to search for things that have string in them,
see, and then we'll put 'em together in a big hanging display, and
surprise Jodie!" Then he adds, "I just hope it'll be good enough
is all."
Muffy is excited. "Oh, a hanging display, how nice it will be. This is a sight I can't wait to see!"
"Well, we better get movin'," says Sam. "And remember, don't tell
Jodie!"
"Shhhh!" says Jeff, his finger to his lips.
"It won't be revealed, from this moment on, my two lips are
sealed!" Muffy proclaims.
Next, we are treated to some beautiful harp music by harpist
Charlotte Moon, in a room full of stuffed toys. As the final
notes play, the camera focuses on the toys, the last of which
actually winks at us.
Back in the Children's Department, Jodie is drinking some tea when
Jeff comes in with a kite. On spotting Jodie, Jeff tries to hide
it behind him. He can tell that she is upset.
"What's the matter, Jodie?" he asks.
"Oh, everything! I don't know what I'm gonna do about this
display, and I really shouldn't have snapped at Sam like that. He
must feel awful."
"I wouldn't worry about it too much," Jeff tells her.
"Why not?" asks Jodie.
Jeff whispers, "I can't tell you."
"Jeff, why are you whispering?"
He whispers again, "I can't tell you."
"Hey, what's that you've got behind your back?"
"What's what?" Jeff says, trying to turn his body in a way that
will block her gaze. It doesn't work.
"That kite!" exclaims Jodie. "Hey, where did you get that?"
Jeff, smiling apologetically, whispers again, "I can't tell you."
After noting that Jeff is full of secrets today, Jodie says, "I
remember that kite. Sam and I flew it in the park one day last
year."
"Yeah? Was it fun?" Jeff asks.
Jodie smiles sadly. "Yeah, we had a great time."
In a flashback, we see Jodie and Sam at a beautiful park looking
at a waterfall. Sam is teaching Jodie how to fly the same kite we
saw in the store.
"Okay, Sam, what do you want me to do first?" She is a little
taken aback when he says she should lick her finger all around and
stick it in the air. But she laughingly obeys.
Sam says, "That cool side will tell you which way the wind is
comin' from."
Jodie realizes to her surprise that it works. Then Sam tells her
to unravel the kite string a little to let the kite catch the
wind, and then run into the wind. So Jodie starts running, and
sure enough, the wind catches her kite and it begins to take off. As she runs, she exclaims, "Oh! Hey, I did it, Sam, look! I'm
flying a kite!" She runs around and the kite begins to take off.
Once the kite is safely airborne, Jodie asks Sam if he'd like to
fly the kite for awhile. He takes the string reel from her and
says he's sure it's up there to stay. "I haven't had this much
fun in years!"
Then the kite begins to come down. But Sam says, "Don't worry. No problem for an old pro like me. I'll just run for a bit and
get her flying again!"
Unfortunately he is unable to do so. The kite comes down, and the
string hangs limp around his neck.
"Oh, Sam, are you all right?" Jodie asks.
"Aw, sure I'm all right, Jodie. I was just tryin' to show you
another law of science!"
"Oh, what's that, Sam?"
"What goes up must come down."
"Oh!" says Jodie, chuckling.
Sam laughs a full and joyous laugh and Jodie joins in.
Back in the Children's Department, Jodie has finished her story
and she looks down at her tea cup.
"Jodie, what's the matter?" Jeff says gently.
"Oh, I gotta clear this thing up with Sam, Jeff. I can't have him
going around thinking I'm mad at him any longer."
"Oh, no, but, Jodie, I think you should..." Jeff calls out, but
Jodie is gone. "Oh no," he says. "I hope Jodie doesn't get to
Sam before he finishes her surprise!"
Meanwhile, at Muffy's Place, she is looking for something to use
in Jodie's display. It's not that she doesn't have anything that
hangs from string. There are numerous items, from a hammock to a
potted plant. But, she says, "Everything I have is so very small,
nothing in my home would help them at all. If I could have any
wish under the sun, I'd wish I was taller than most anyone!"
In the Computer Room, Sam is looking for things with strings for
Jodie's display. He has the string puppet, which he has used his
string collection to repair, and a macrame wall hanging that his
sister made for him. TXL suggests he use his prize yo-yo, but
neither of them can find it. Suddenly the yo-yo drops down from
above and quickly back up again. They are startled and perplexed
until they hear a familiar giggle. It's Muffy.
"A chance like that just couldn't be missed. Despite my sad mood,
I couldn't resist!" Muffy says.
Sam wonders why she's sad. "I'm the one who let Jodie down by
forgettin' the display stands."
"I wanted to help you in so many ways, but my things just aren't
big enough for displays."
"Actually, Muffy, you can help me! You're just the right size for
what I need. You can look under my desk. See, it's too low for
me to get under."
"Oh, I don't know why, but I'll give it a try," Muffy says.
After only a few seconds Muffy emerges, "I think I found the
perfect thing! A fishing net that's made from string." The net
is draped over her head in a way that Muffy looks like she's
wearing a veil.
Sam is excited. "Hey! This is it Muffy! See, we can hang the
display off of this fishin' net! It sure is a good thing you came
along when you did. I never would have found this net by myself."
"On second thought, being small is not so bad after all," Muffy
concludes. Then she and Sam hurry off to set up the display
before Jodie gets there.
In the Children's Department, Jeff, Sam, and Muffy are putting the
finishing touches on Jodie's display. They have hung the fishing
net over the front counter and are hanging things off of it. Jeff
is up on a step ladder. "I'll bet this is the most unusual
display Jodie's ever seen."
"I wonder what our friend will say when she sees this great
display," Muffy says.
Just then, Jodie is heard calling out, "Sam, Muffy, Jeff, are you
up here?"
"We're in here, Jodie, in the Children's Department!" Sam calls
out.
She comes in. "I've been looking all over the place for you,
Sam." Then she looks up and sees the display. "Sam, what's all
this?"
"It's your display, Jodie," says Jeff. "It was Sam's idea. We
all looked for things and we all helped put it together."
"Oh, I can't believe it. It's wonderful!" she exclaims. "Gee,
you guys are really terrific."
Sam finally gets a chance to apologize to Jodie for not picking up
her display stands, but Jodie says she feels that she was the one
who should apologize for snapping at him.
"Aw, that was nothin'," Sam says. "I was afraid that you wouldn't
even wanna be my friend anymore."
"Oh, Sam, we'd never let something like this get in the way of a
friendship like ours!"
"No, I guess we wouldn't."
Jodie sings, "You may forget things you shouldn't forget, but
because you're my friend, it's okay, don't you see. I can't get
angry, I can't get upset, because you're my friend and that's
what's important to me."
Sam says he feels the same way, then sings, "Sometimes you say
things you don't mean to say, but because you're my friend, that's
okay, don't you see. I can't angry, I can't walk away, because
you're my friend and that's what's important to me. Well, because
you're my friend, I like everything you are..."
Jodie finishes the thought, "The good things and even the bad
things, too. And that is why this friendship is bound to go
far." Sam joins her, "Yes, you are my friend just because you're
you!"
Jodie continues, "So, don't ever feel that you have to explain. Because you're my friend, it's okay, don't you see?"
Now Sam again, "I'm always on your side, in sunshine or rain,"
then together with Jodie, "because you're my friend and that's
what's important to me."
Jodie has been holding Sam's hand during the whole song, and now
she rubs it gently. "Oh, Sam, am I ever glad we got that cleared
up. Now things are back to normal and I've got a terrific
display... thanks to my friends."
Muffy says, "Well, I think you should thank just one more thing.
We couldn't have done it without Sam's string!"
"That's right!" Jeff adds, "We used up almost half of Sam's string
collection."
Then Jeff notices that Jodie has a string around her finger. "Does that mean you're trying to remember something?"
Jodie smiles. "It sure does, Jeff. I just wanted to remember to
give my friends a hug because you've been so wonderful. And I
think now is the perfect time to do it."
Sam says, "Well, it's all right with me! As long as I can be
first... and last!"
Everyone laughs.
"Okay," says Jodie. She gives him a big squeeze and he pats her
arm, saying, "You're my good friend."
Quizzes:
- The Mime Lady is looking at two pieces of string. One is long
and straight, and the other is tied in a bow. Which string is
longer? The Mime Lady can't tell until she unties the bow and
straightens out the string. To her surprise, they are both the
same length. "Did you get that?" TXL asks. The mime lady
shakes her head no. "That was tricky!" TXL acknowledges.
- The Mime Lady is in a room full of musical instruments. TXL
asks her if she knows which have strings and which doesn't. There is a banjo, a violin, a trumpet and a piano. The tricky
one is the piano, a stringed instrument with its strings on the
inside.
- The Mime Lady appears to be tangled in string, but she's just
making a picture out of her string. We are invited to use our
imagination to find out what it is. A circle with two long
ovals above it looks vaguely like a rabbit. A carrot drops down
from above on a string, startling the Mime Lady. "Maybe you
should feed it a carrot!" TXL suggests.
- The Mime Lady is back this time with a very large dog and a
table with two pieces of string. She picks up one piece to use
as a leash, but it's too short, so TXL suggests she tie the
other piece of string to the first one to make it longer. She
does that, and it's the perfect size for a dog leash. Unfortunately, the large dog refuses to move no matter how hard
the mime lady pulls on the string.
Nursery Rhyme:
Little Jack Dandiprat
Notes:
No notes are available for this episode. |
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