John (William Windom) and his daughter Lydia (Lisa Gerritsen) are walking into town for ice cream. They run into Zeph Leggin (Arthur Hunnicutt) who is sitting in front of the drug store with other older male citizens. He entertains them all with his country witticisms, irritating John who is later psychoanalyzed by fellow writer Philip Jensen (humorist Henry Morgan). He tells John to confront him to settle once and for all who is number one. This plot follows up from "A Friend of the Earth" two episodes earlier, which seemed incomplete. Philip teaches the cartoonist a different style of humor apart from his deliberate one-liners. Zeph memorizes jokes at home and is shocked to find John can now steal his thunder by beating him to the punchline. When John learns that Zeph feels shamed enough to leave town, he goes to visit him. John learns the importance of a person's sense of place.
There's good performances in this engaging episode with touches of comedy.
There's good performances in this engaging episode with touches of comedy.