"And now that I finally got a boyfriend, my father doesn't approve of him." "Just because your boyfriend's name is Tank?" "Yeah, and because Tank is a mechanic." "My father says no guy named Tank with dirty fingernails is gonna come into his house." "What did you say to that?" "I said, "Well, if you won't let him in the house... why don't you spend some time with him on your garbage truck?"" "But he wouldn't listen to me." "He never does." "Talking to him is like talking to your desk... except your desk has a better personality." "Well, maybe that's where we ought to start." " Okay." "Look, desk." "The thing of it is" " No." "No." "No, no." "I have something in here I think might be useful." "I've used it with other patients." "Oh." "I get it." "That's my father, and we're gonna stick pins in it." "No, no." "It's not a voodoo doll." "It's a puppet." "If you can't talk to your father, she can." "She can say the things that you'd like to say if you had the nerve." "Oh, he's gonna know that's not me." "Well, why don't you just pretend that I'm your father and go ahead." "Okay." "Hi, Daddy." "My name's Michelle." "I hate your guts." "You know, I don't think you wanna go that way." "I need a little practice." "I mean, my lips probably moved when I said "guts"" "Yeah." "Why don't you just take that home and work with it... until you're more comfortable with it." "Yeah." "And then if I get really good at it... maybe I'll be able to talk and drink water at the same time." "I hate your guts." "I hate your guts." "I hate your guts." "Ah." "Hi, Carol." "Ellen, how are you?" "Is Bob through for the day?" "We're going home together." "Yes, I think Senor Wences is finished." "You can go on in." "Thanks." "Oh, hey, how's everything with you and Howard?" "Oh, okay." "Tonight's the big night." " Gee, I wish I could say that." " No." "No." "I just mean I'm meeting Howard's son, and I'm very nervous about it." "Howard wants me to make a good impression, so he's been rehearsing me all week." " You'll do fine." " Yeah, I've got the curtsey down pat." "I just have to remember to say, "Your Highness."" " Carol." " Jer." " What time is it?" " I don't know." "Of course you don't." "And you know why?" "Because we don't have a clock." "I mean, how do you even know when it's time to go home?" "I know when it's time to go home." "Well, I'm gonna buy us a clock for right there." "That's a place that says, "Put a clock here." "I'm a good place for a clock."" "It's a... clock spot." "People can get off the elevator and know what the time is." "Bob can look up and know if a patient is late or just chickened out." "When I say to you, "Carol, what time is it?" you'll say, "Wait a second Jer!" "I'll look at our clock."" "Well, that's what I see, Carol, and, by geo" "I was just trying to figure out what time it was." "So, what time is it?" "I think it's about 5:15." "No, it's not that late." "That wall has always been a little fast." "Baseball teams." "Cubs." "Dodgers." " Dodgers!" " You're out, Dad." "Oh, Howie, let's not kick him out just because he missed 10 times in a row." "Yeah." "Don't kick me out." "Now come on." "I'm getting it now." "It's really very simple." "It's just a matter of coordination." "I got coordination." "Look at this." "Can you do that?" " Wait, What do you say-you think we ought to give the old man another chance?" "Okay." " We're gonna take it very easy." " I won't let you down now." "Just easy." "You ready?" "One, two, three." " Okay." " Food." "Grapes." "Potatoes." " Dodgers!" " Oh!" " You're out." " Oh!" " I think we've played long enough anyhow, Howard." " I guess I choked." "Well, Howie, I'm gonna get you some milk and cookies." "Oh, milk and cookies!" "I could have said either one of those things." "Oh, am I dumb." "Dad, I'll be right back." "I wanna get that surprise to show Aunt Emily." "Okay." "Howard, he is getting cuter every time I see him, and he is so smart." "Yeah." "Coordinated too." "He is just gonna love Ellen, and Ellen's gonna love him." "Well, I know he'll love Ellen." "I mean, I love her." "Why wouldn't he love her?" "I mean, she's lovable." "Besides, I'll tell him to love her." "Howard, how much does Howie know about you and Ellen?" "Nothing." "I wanted to wait for the right time, you know." "I... wanted to make sure that Ellen didn't drop me." "I didn't want to get his hopes up and then have them crushed- like when I told everyone Chicago was going to get the World's Fair..." " and then Spokane got it." " I see what you mean, Howard." " We're home, honey." " Oh, hi, dear." "Hi, Ellen." " Hi." "Where's Howie?" " He went across the hall to Howard's for a minute." "Yeah." "You'll have, plenty of time to change." "Well, why should I change?" "Well, you're not gonna wear that, are you?" "He hates brown." "Oh." "Have I got time to bleach my hair?" "No, no." "That's, That's okay." "What'd you get him?" "Honey, nothing." "Nothing?" "No toy, no candy?" "Nothing?" "Howard, Ellen can't buy Howie's love." "Works for me." "Howard, don't you think you're putting Ellen under a lot of pressure?" "I'm not putting anyone under pressure." "I mean, if Ellen doesn't like Howie and Howie doesn't like Ellen, I don't know what I would do." "Wow." "I mean, I don't know what I- it would wreck my whole life." "I... might wind up killing myself." " I wouldn't call that pressure." " Bob, can I have a drink?" "Oh, wait." "You're not gonna be holding a drink when Howie comes in, are you?" "I'm gonna be holding a drink." "Oh, well, you're just going to be his uncle." "Look, Howard." "Howard, will you stop picking at me?" "Look, Howard." "This is ridiculous." "Now Howie is a nice little boy, and Ellen is a nice adult." "Oh." "Hi, Howie." "Howie, I'd like you to meet a friend of mine- a... very good friend of mine." "Howie, this is Ellen." "Ellen, this is Howie." " Hi, Howie." "Gee, I've heard so much about you." " Hi." "I guess I should have said, "Your Highness."" "You guys are gonna love this place." "I eat here a lot when I feel like being alone." "Very intimate." "Bob, excuse me" "Look." "This is my treat tonight, so no arguments, okay?" " Fine." " Bob... can you lend me $20?" "Twenty dollars for ice cream?" "This is no dive." "I mean, they use real cream." "Ah!" "Well, Howie..." "Aunt Ellen is going to treat us all to ice cream." "Hi, folks." "Welcome to Uncle Yummy's." "I'm Dave." " Hi, Dave." " What's your name?" "At Uncle Yummy's we like to think of everyone as our close friends." "Well, just think of me as Bob... and, this is my wife, Emily." "This is Howard, Ellen, and this is Howie." " Hi, Howie." "How'd you like a hat just like mine?" " Sure." " Hey, that's a great hat." "I'd like one of those." " Sure, Howard." "Two hats: six dollars." "Well, look." "That might mess up my hair." "Just give Howie one, okay?" "Fine." "One hat: four dollars." " Bob, how about a hat?" " No." "No, thank you." "How much are the menus?" " No charge, Emily." " Oh." "Bob, Emily, Howie, Ellen and Howard." "The Uncle Yummy's special for this evening is the Glutton's Delight." "What's that?" "Seven flavors of ice cream, seven different toppings... seven variety of nuts, an almond macaroon served up in a Styrofoam kitchen sink." "How many?" " Okay, then." "Howie, what will you have?" " Number 82." "Right- one Jolly Jumper Jelly Jamboree." " Emily?" " Well, Dave, I think I'll go with the- the Hot 'n' Heavy Fudge Fandango." " Good choice, Emily." " Thanks, Dave." " And Ellen?" " Just coffee, please." "Coffee?" "Ooh, you let me down." "I had you pegged for a Happy Hazelnut Hoo-ha." "Well, it just shows how wrong you can be." " Howard, how about you?" " Oh, I'll have the, Banana Fanna Foo Fanna." "Banana Fanna Foo Fanna." "Fudge or fruit filling?" " Fruit." " Fine." "Well, Bob, bring it on home." "I'm kinda torn between the..." "Piggly Wiggly Giggly Glop and the..." "Great White Whale." "That's a tough decision, Bob, but, tell me." "Can you resist... vanilla ice cream swimming in a sea of marshmallow sauce and coconut?" "Well, I'm not made of stone." "Take the Whale." "Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, your attention, please." "The gentleman at this table is gonna try to conquer the Great White Whale." "♪ You can't do it, You can't do it ♪" "♪ You can't eat a whale ♪♪" "Well, Bob?" "I'll just have one scoop of the chocolate." "Okay, Bob." "Well, isn't this a fun place?" "How come she didn't order ice cream like the rest of us?" "Well, Howie, some people just don't like ice cream." "And some people break out." " You're losing him." " What?" "You're losing him." "Say something he would like." "Well, what would he like?" "Well, he'd like to be wanted." "Give the kid a break." "His parents are divorced." "Oh." "Um, gee, Howie, you sure are a big boy." " I'm the shortest kid in class." " Well... you must have a very tall class." " You're dying." " Howie, how old are you?" "How old are you?" "Howie, some grown-ups don't like to tell their ages." "Oh, that's okay." "I'm 33." "My mom's only 31." "Well, I think this would be a good time to make, a little announcement." "No." "No." "No, it wouldn't." "Yes, it would." "I mean, my friends are all here... and, my son is here- and we're all having a good time and" "Anyway, you know, Howie, I told you that I liked Ellen?" "Well, I like her a lot... and, with your permission, we're going to get, married in the near future." "Well, here ya are, folks." "Oh, no." "I just ordered coffee." "Someone must have made a mistake." "Yeah, I think my dad did." "♪ Single scooper, single scooper;" "♪ This man is a party pooper ♪♪" "Howie hates me." "That's all there is to it." "Should have ordered some ice cream." "Look, he doesn't hate you." "It's a normal reaction... when someone new is introduced into a child's life, to react the way Howie did tonight." "You shouldn't have worn that brown outfit." "Remember when we were kids, and one summer Mom took in tha foster child?" "Larry Foster?" "Yeah." "We" "We hated him." "Yeah, but that was because, Dad felt sorry for him and gave him all his attention." "I mean, he played baseball all day with him with my bat and my ball and my glove." "I mean, Dad even taught him how to hit curve balls." "And I was jealous." "You know, I still am." "What's the point, Bob?" "I don't know- just been thinking about it lately." "Well, that's not gonna help me with Howie." "You should've brought him a toy." "Look." "I think you're gonna have to give this more of a chance." "You're gonna have to spend some more time with Howie alone... without Howard breathing down your neck." "Just take him somewhere." "He won't go anywhere with me." "Take him to the aquarium." "He'll go there with anybody." " No, he won't." "I already asked him." " Take him somewhere else." "Well, okay." "I'll think of something." "Maybe if I keep him busy enough, he'll forget he hates me." "Well, I finally got Howie to bed." "Wasn't easy." "I had to bribe him." "He said he'd only go to sleep if I'd take him to the aquarium tomorrow." " The aquarium?" " Yeah." "He loves fish." " He hates me." " No, he doesn't." "Yes, he does." " Hi, Jer." " Oh, Carol, what, time is it?" "Oh, my gosh, I didn't realize I took so long for lunch." " It's 4:30." " No, it isn't." "It's 20 after 1:00." " Well, then your clock is upside down." " No, it isn't." "You just have to know how to read it." "This is an original Klaus Protzman." "Protzman is the guy who designed the combination bed-desk-stove." " Hi, Carol." "Hi, Jer." " Hey, Emily." "Howie." "How are you?" "Oh, Howie, no wonder we're so hungry." "It's 4:30." "Maybe it's upside down." " So what have you two been up to?" " We went to a lot of neat places." "Yeah." "We went to the aquarium, and then we went to watch them lube the car... and finally we went to the cleaners to watch them press Bob's slacks." "Very smart." "Save the best for last." "Michelle, I'm sorry the puppet wasn't able to talk to your father." "Yeah." "She made a fool of herself." "She just kept stammering." " You're sure you don't want to try it again." " Nah." "It won't work." "You have anything in a boxing glove?" " Well, you two must have had a good time at the aquarium." "It's 4:30." "That's Protzman time." "Bob, could I talk to you in your office for a minute?" "Yeah, sure." " Carol, would you watch Howie?" " Of course." "My goodness, Howie and I are old friends, aren't we, Howie?" "Yeah." "I saw a goldfish at the aquarium that looked like you." "Ah, and yet friends come and they go." "So what's on your mind?" "Well, it's Howie and Ellen." "I mean, he just won't tell me why he doesn't like her, Bob... and I really wish you'd talk to him." "Well, I'm not a child psychologist." "Well, then who might that be?" "I'll give it a try." "Bring him in." "Oh, thank you, dear." "Thanks." "Howie, would you come in here a minute?" "Would you stay with Uncle Bob, because I have to go somewhere?" "Yeah, but you promised to take me everywhere you went." "Everywhere but where I have to go at this very minute." " Well, how's your day been?" " It's good." " So how do you feel about that?" " Good." " It's, good to feel good, isn't it?" " It's okay." "Howie, I get the feeling that- that you don't like Aunt Ellen." " How come?" " Because" " Because why?" " Just because." "You know, Howie, I have an idea." " Let's play a game, okay?" " Sure." "Yeah, now this is, this is my puppet." "Hi." "Hi." "My name is Aunt Ellen." "You wanna talk to me?" "I saw your lips move." "Don't watch my lips." "Watch the dummy's lips." "Why don't you like me?" "Beause I don't want you to marry my dad." "Yeah, but, I'm a nice lady..." "and I love your dad." "I want him to marry someone else." "Who?" "Aunt Emily." "But, Aunt Emily's already married." "Come in." " What'd you say?" " I said, come in." "Listen." "I have to run downstairs for a few minutes." "Is that all right?" " It's all right." " S'awright." "You know, Howie, It's good that you like Aunt Emily... but, see, I met Aunt Emily before your dad did, and so I married her... and now your dad wants to marry Aunt Ellen, my sister... and then your dad will be, my brother-in-law... and, Aunt Emily and I will be your" "your aunt and- and your uncle." "Gee, that's confusing." "Yeah." "It is, isn't it?" "I don't wanna talk about it anymore." "Well, if you do wanna talk about it or, anything else... you know, I mean, that's why I'm here." "Well, I am having problems with my Little League manager." " Oh." " He never lets me play." "Well, go with that, Howie." "Well, it's really crummy." "I just sit on the bench... just because I can't hit a curve ball." "Boy, I can sure relate to that." "You know, I had the same problem... all because of a kid named Larry Foster." "You don't know him, but... my dad used to throw him curve balls all day, you know, and I'd just... shag flies." "You know, if I had ever learned to hit a curve ball, I mean... no telling how far I could've gone, you know?" "Well, you're missing a great meal, Emily." "Caesar salad, spaghetti, garlic bread- all your favorites." " Those are your favorites." " Oh, yeah." "Well, I knew somebody liked it." "Oh, Bob, I just don't feel like eating." "I feel so guilty about the way Howie feels about me." "I wish there was some way to solve it." "Well, there is a way, but, I'm not gonna give you up." "Oh, honey, be serious." "I mean, I just don't understand why Howie won't give Ellen a chance." " She has been so nice to him." " A lot nicer than she ever was to me... except when she, opened that antique shop six years ago... and, needed a thousand-dollar loan." " I thought she paid you that back." " She wasn't that nice." "Okay." "That's it." "I've had it." " What's the matter?" " Oh, everything." "Howie won't even eat the dinner I fixed for him." " Maybe he's not hungry." " Yeah, and that's my fault too." "Oh, Ellen, just relax." "None of this is your fault." "Well, you really did it this time." "Howard, what did I do?" "I gave him franks and beans and chocolate cake." "What kind of meal is that for a kid?" " That's what you said he liked." " I said he liked the way Emily made it." "Oh, Howard, you shouldn't have said that." "Oh, yes, he should." "He's been saying dumb stuff like that all week." "Do we have any Parmesan cheese?" "And you." "You're a lot of help-sitting there stuffing your face at a time like this." "Just because Howie won't eat, that doesn't mean I have to starve." " You're really something." " What are you getting mad at me for?" "Because you're acting like this isn't very important." "Well, I have some opinions, and I'll be glad to give them to you... as soon as you and Howard quit acting like a couple of kids." "Oh, bull-Oops." "You owe me a thousand dollars." " What?" " I lent it to you six years ago." "Bob, that was really, really a low blow, I mean, bringing that up at a time like this." " And you owe me 20." " Oh, yeah." "Don't let me forget that." "Hey, it's the stupidest argument I have ever heard." "That's easy for you to say." "You're the one who made Howie fall in love with you." "Hey, now wait." "Now don't get mad at me just because he didn't like your franks and beans." "That's right, Ellen." "You see this?" "I mean, this is what kids like." "Howard, don't throw that in my face." "Then again, maybe I would be more comfortable on the sofa." "Hey, can I have a- can I have a sip of that wine?" "It's red wine, Howard." "I'm not sure it goes with tantrums." "Howie, what are you doing here?" " I was hungry." " That makes two of us." " Oh, you want some spaghetti?" " Have any franks and beans?" "Howie, you have franks and beans over there." "Yeah, but they're all cold now." "Well, make him some more." "This is your chance." "No." "Sit down, Howie." "Now, I'll warm up the cold ones for you, and if you don't eat them, that's tough." "That's it." "That's it." "I mean, you blew it." "I mean, first it was the brown outfit, then the ice cream and now this." "Howard, let me give you that advice now." "Shut up." "Thanks, Bob." "Okay, Howie, now that's the deal." "Take it or leave it." " I'll take it." " Fine." "And then when you finish eating you're gonna brush your teeth and go to bed... because tomorrow you and I are going to the aquarium-just the two of us." " We are?" " Yes, we are." " Then can we go to the zoo?" " We'll see." "Come on." "Let's eat." " I bet you can hit a curve ball." " Well, anybody can." "All you gotta do is close up your stance and then hang in there a little bit." "Look." "I'm, sorry the way Ellen acted." "She gets irrational at times." "Well, I love the way you stood by her, Howard." "Yeah." "Oh, and I'm gonna pay you back that, $20 I owe you." " Yeah." "I'm counting on it." " Oh, and about that thousand dollars... that, Ellen owes you" " Oh, Howard, don't worry about it." " What about the thousand?" "Well, if she hasn't paid you back by the time we've married, um... that's your wedding present to us." " Hey, Jer." " Hey, Carol." "How does it look?" "Unbelievable." "What time is it?" "No, no." "It's a barometer." "So let's check it out, huh?" "Ask me what the weather's like." " What's the weather like, Jerry?" " The weather?" "Holy cow!" "Let's check our Klaus Protzman barometer and see." "Klaus Protzman-that little devil's back on the street inventing again?" "Okay." "It's, sunny and dry." "The pressure's holding at 30.02 and steady." "Looks like a good day for sailing, strolling and shopping." "Ah, the three "S's"."