Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:12 — 12.9MB)
The rationing program has been going on for close to a year, and particularly heavily in the past few months. The shortages have Fibber’s mouth watering for a big, juicy steak. While shooting pool with the guys, he learns how he might buck the system, and bring home the steaks. Back home, he plans a dinner, but when visitors arrive, he wants to keep it private. Abigail Uppington complains about not being able to get meat. Fibber tries to hook her up with his buddies, but though he is oblivious, Abigail knows a black market deal when she hears one. Billy Mills plays, People Will Say We’re in Love.
Isn’t the prohibitions on meat like the bans on liquor in the previous decades? Something that is kept secret, but everybody does it? Molly tries to set Fibber straight. The Old Timer enters to tell what he does for his meals. Phoning the grocery, Fibber ends up talking with Mirt, and learning about her relative down at the defense plant. Harlowe Wilcox manages to turn Fibber’s enthusiasm over his windfall of black market beef into a sponsor message, and reasons the meat is not only illegal, but also unsanitary and unregulated.
The seriousness of his deeds are beginning to sink in, and the McGee’s get themselves confused over words before Teeny arrives. What does she know? How are things in general? Fibber isn’t aware of the confusion that will ensue from those simple questions. As she exits, and has a near brush with the hall closet, the Kingsmen sing, Clementine.
Wallace Wimple puts in a word about the latest article in Parade magazine. Will Fibber clue the soft spoken man into the windfall down the alley next to the pool hall? Wallace has his own reasons for needing an extra meat ration. Doc Gamble enters to tell about the epidemic of food poisoning that’s sweeping the town. He puts in his own plug for not participating in the black market meat ring.
