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Lum needs Abner’s help in picking out an author.He bragged about being president of a literary club, and needs an author to present to make an impression on Mis Vancleaf. Will Abner help with artistic writing? He hasn’t heard of the ones Lum mentions, and is confused over Dickens and Longfellow. Opie doesn’t know any writers either. He only knows the Ritters. A musicl family.
Hitting the phone, Lum calls the Pomeroy’s to see if they can write. Opie plans to go to the Literary meeting to hear Abner read high class literature. Meanwhile, Abner heads to Cliff Arquette for advice on finding a writer. While there, an ad for nerve medicine is read by abner. It reveals a slice of our troubled world. The sad, sob story gets worse when the man in the story buys the big pill bottle. How’s he going to swallow all them pills and get better? Lum phones in to see if Cliff can get Helmingway… not the writer. the only Hemingway Cliff knows is the plumber at the county seat. Opie plays, The Muskrat Ramble.
The meeting is all set, and Abner has refreshments lined up. Reading material includes Gilbert the boy traveller, the almanac, and more. Miss Pitts is on hand for a home make demonstration. A pest control spray. Opie enters but hasn’t seen Miss VanCleaf. Cliff is on the way with Hemingway… the plumber.
As Lum admires his work, mix ups ensue as plumbing work is mistaken for writing. Will Miss VanCleaf be impressed? The gal isn’t local… she’s from London… Ohio. The literary club is called to order, and striving for a higher class of ignorance begins.
Lum asks for discussion on Chaucer. Silence. Opie thinks Chaucer is the gent who wrote the book where ned throws the ball to tom. Abner says its a thing to pour coffee into to cool it. When will the refreshments be served? Though Hemingway has been silenced all night, he speaks up to offer an intelligent speech on chaucer. Was Miss VanCleaf impressed? A final twist comes when Hemmingway reveals a truth about his literary knowledge.
Bonus Tracks:
- Keith compares the gags in today’s show to that of the Golden Era Club.
- The Retrobots have a mini drama about having nome. Why not respond to the contest to name a Retrobot?
- Two articles from the Jot Em Down Journal of February 1985 are shared. Part 2, and a Review of Lum and Abner’s first movie.
