Someone was in Ward's desk, and it was Beaver, and he left the top off the ink bottle, again. Beaver is grounded for Saturday.
Come Saturday Ward and June are off visiting friends, but Beaver is still grounded. Eddie Haskell come by to pick up Wally which leaves Beaver alone. June is already feeling sorry for Beaver for being punished. She shouldn't worry because things will get worse. Larry stops by and asks Beaver to go to the movies with him. Beaver says he can't go because he's being punished but Larry gets Beaver to go anyway. Wally comes home to find Beaver missing and the kitchen table a mess. Wally starts to clean up after Beaver which puzzles Eddie. Eddie can't figure out what Beaver has on Wally; Wally says he just likes his brother which puzzles Eddie all the more.
At the movie theater, they are giving away a bicycle and Beaver wins it. Beaver says he doesn't want the bike but he really doesn't have a choice. How will he explain a bicycle when he wasn't supposed to leave home? Back home Wally is calling around trying to find Beaver. Mrs. Mondello says she hasn't seen Beaver. Ward and June will be heading home and Ward is thinking of getting Beaver some ice cream. Larry offers to hold onto the bike for Beaver, and promises on the genuine leather seat that he won't tell what really happened. Wally find Beaver and Larry and the bike. Wally asks about the bike and is curious when Larry asks Beaver if he can ride Beavers' bike home. Things aren't going smooth for Larry; Mrs. Mondello wants to know where Larry got the bike. And she isn't buying any story about millionaires giving away bikes to kids.
During dinner, Wally figures out that Beaver won the bike at the movies. Since he obeyed his parents, Beaver wants to know if he can go to the movies tomorrow. He heard they are giving away bikes and he feels he might win one. After getting permission, Beaver heads upstairs; and that's when Mrs. Mondello calls and explains to Ward about the bike. Now June is upset and wants Beaver punished. Ward wants to see how Beaver will extract himself from this problem.
Unfortunately for Wally, he admits to seeing Beaver with the bike and now he's in trouble for not telling his parents of what he knew and when he knew it.
Sunday, Beaver arrives home without the bike. Beaver explains he went to the movies yesterday and won a bike. Ward says Beaver can't keep the bike since he won it when he had been disobedient. Beaver figured that out already and on the way home he left the bike at a church so they could give it to a deserving boy. Even Wally is surprised at the way Beaver thought things through.
On the way home from school, Beaver and Larry are mulling over what happened. Larry says if Beaver hadn't won the bike then no one would have known he disobeyed. Maybe that's why he won, that was God's way of having the truth come out. Maybe because if they had done what they were told to do then no one would be in trouble. Larry agrees but adds when you are a kid it's tough because of all the things you're told not to do.
A nice episode for would be philosophers to argue from a theological; perspective or by just by considering Karma. For two fourth graders, even if they go to public school, the ins and outs of punishment and the role of a divine being must be a bit overwhelming. Especially as Larry really feels devastated by the way things worked out. We might conclude both boys would be a lot more careful in the future but we know that's unlikely.
Come Saturday Ward and June are off visiting friends, but Beaver is still grounded. Eddie Haskell come by to pick up Wally which leaves Beaver alone. June is already feeling sorry for Beaver for being punished. She shouldn't worry because things will get worse. Larry stops by and asks Beaver to go to the movies with him. Beaver says he can't go because he's being punished but Larry gets Beaver to go anyway. Wally comes home to find Beaver missing and the kitchen table a mess. Wally starts to clean up after Beaver which puzzles Eddie. Eddie can't figure out what Beaver has on Wally; Wally says he just likes his brother which puzzles Eddie all the more.
At the movie theater, they are giving away a bicycle and Beaver wins it. Beaver says he doesn't want the bike but he really doesn't have a choice. How will he explain a bicycle when he wasn't supposed to leave home? Back home Wally is calling around trying to find Beaver. Mrs. Mondello says she hasn't seen Beaver. Ward and June will be heading home and Ward is thinking of getting Beaver some ice cream. Larry offers to hold onto the bike for Beaver, and promises on the genuine leather seat that he won't tell what really happened. Wally find Beaver and Larry and the bike. Wally asks about the bike and is curious when Larry asks Beaver if he can ride Beavers' bike home. Things aren't going smooth for Larry; Mrs. Mondello wants to know where Larry got the bike. And she isn't buying any story about millionaires giving away bikes to kids.
During dinner, Wally figures out that Beaver won the bike at the movies. Since he obeyed his parents, Beaver wants to know if he can go to the movies tomorrow. He heard they are giving away bikes and he feels he might win one. After getting permission, Beaver heads upstairs; and that's when Mrs. Mondello calls and explains to Ward about the bike. Now June is upset and wants Beaver punished. Ward wants to see how Beaver will extract himself from this problem.
Unfortunately for Wally, he admits to seeing Beaver with the bike and now he's in trouble for not telling his parents of what he knew and when he knew it.
Sunday, Beaver arrives home without the bike. Beaver explains he went to the movies yesterday and won a bike. Ward says Beaver can't keep the bike since he won it when he had been disobedient. Beaver figured that out already and on the way home he left the bike at a church so they could give it to a deserving boy. Even Wally is surprised at the way Beaver thought things through.
On the way home from school, Beaver and Larry are mulling over what happened. Larry says if Beaver hadn't won the bike then no one would have known he disobeyed. Maybe that's why he won, that was God's way of having the truth come out. Maybe because if they had done what they were told to do then no one would be in trouble. Larry agrees but adds when you are a kid it's tough because of all the things you're told not to do.
A nice episode for would be philosophers to argue from a theological; perspective or by just by considering Karma. For two fourth graders, even if they go to public school, the ins and outs of punishment and the role of a divine being must be a bit overwhelming. Especially as Larry really feels devastated by the way things worked out. We might conclude both boys would be a lot more careful in the future but we know that's unlikely.
