Opie, like many young children, has an overactive imagination. Andy and Barney think this is normal until Opie brings home a hatchet that was given to him by Mr. McBeevee. Andy decides it's best that Opie bring the axe back, convinced that Opie found it. But when Opie returns with a quarter and claims Mr. McBeeVee gave him that as well, Andy begins to get perturbed. Barney decides to have Opie give him a description of this man. It all begins well enough until Opie begins to tell them about the man's twelve hands and how he walks in the trees. The climax of the episode is when Andy decides to have a talk with Opie because he's convinced the boys imagination has gone too far and has become just lies. Andy demands that Opie admit Mr. McBeeVee is just make believe. With tear filled eyes Opie tells his pa that Mr. McBeeVee is real. Andy comes downstairs to a surprised Barney and Aunt Bee. He tells them he believes Opie. When Barney asks, "so you believe in Mr. McBeeVee?" Andy answers, "No, but I do believe in Opie." It's an extremely touching scene. Maybe one of the most heartwarming ones in the whole series. Eventually Andy will meet the mysterious Mr. McBeeVee who is a lineman for the electric company. His walking in the tree and twelve hands are just ways that a young boy described the details of what he saw the man doing.
This is definitely one of the best AGS episodes. A great lesson for all of us that sometimes things aren't always as they seem, but we shouldn't always be so quick to dismiss someone, especially children.
This is definitely one of the best AGS episodes. A great lesson for all of us that sometimes things aren't always as they seem, but we shouldn't always be so quick to dismiss someone, especially children.