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Heading to the barber shop, we meet Floyd the barber for the first time. Gildy shares about his conflict with the current, corrupt Water Commissioner, Clannahan. Floyd lends a sympathetic ear as Peavey and Judge Hooker stop in the shop. The judge tells that Callahan is stepping down due to the petition that Gildy circulated, and the great man is high on the list for the town council to appoint as the replacement. Gildy is thrilled, and rushes out to share the news. What he doesn’t know is it was just a joke the judge tried to play on him.
At home, the family is equally excited at Gildy’s new job. Marjorie takes him out to shop for new clothes to fit the dignified position. A humble acceptance letter is composed for the newspaper to run, and photos are professionally made to accompany it. The judge breaks the news, just a little too late, and the devastated Gildersleeve tries in vain to stop his letter from reaching the newspaper editor.
Feeling his uncle’s pain, Leroy goes with him as Gildy tries to enlist in the military, and go overseas immediately. Too bad he’s 5F… is that a real rating? Meanwhile, Marjorie strikes out to either retrieve that letter, or make an appeal to the editor to get it back. Her teen age, womanly charms strikes a chord, but instead of getting the letter back, she and the newsman do better by the great man.
