Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 21:22 — 9.8MB)
Companies all across the country check their tax statements, and head off to exotic lands to celebrate their successes. With the success of his fix it shop, where will Mel be going? Bankrupcy? Foreclosure? Will the fact that it’s Mel’s birthday make things brighter?
Mr Colbyenters to gloat over Mel’s predicament, and sweep Betty away. Is therre anything Mel can do to save his shop from the auction block? What plan does he have cooked up with Zookie? Maybe faking a suicide? Will Mel get any respect, or sympathy?
Mel scans the radio dial for the tragic news of his demise. Instead he puts on a Scotsman’s act when Mr Colby enters the forclosed shop. What secrets will he learn about how Colby, and the rest of the town really feel about him? Switching up the dialects Mel becomes a Frenchman to see how Betty feels about him. He pretends to be a rustic member of a distant branch of the Zebra lodge to spy on Mr Cushing. The Mightty Potentate instead gripes about his wife’s eating habits.
Feeling neglected, Mel feels that he might do worse, he could be vice president of the United States. Later, in the fix it shop Mel watches his stuff be auctioned off. Not able to resist any longer, Mel acts like a tipsy man who rants on behalf of himself. In the end, Mel gets a surprise and learns who his true friends are.
In epilog, Mel puts in a public service plug for the birthday of the Boy Scouts of America.
