Friday, January 12, 2024

Tales of Radio and Fantasy

I slept in so late, Match Game Syndicated was on before I got rolling. I don't know if it was a good idea to put Bart Braverman and Debralee Scott next to each other, considering how much they'd pick on each other later in the series. Anita Gillette, on the show for the first time since 1973, keeps an eye on them while Charles tries to talk over his tight collar and Bart and Jim Staal show off the latest in Hawaiian shirts. In the second episode, Gene admires Jim's velvet coat while Charles points out that Brett doesn't really live in Beverly Hills.

Headed out after the second episode ended. I probably shouldn't have cut through Newton Lake Park on my way to the Westmont Acme this time. I stepped into a huge mud puddle when I got off the stone steps leading from Cold Spring Avenue, and it wasn't the only one around. The lake must have really flooded. I doubt there's much drainage in the park. Evey path leading over the hill was one big mud puddle. I certainly wouldn't be able to take them going home.

Everyone must have heard the forecasts for heavy rain and snow this weekend and Tuesday. It was busy at the Acme when I got there. The eggs and butter that were on good sales had evaporated. I had more luck getting mozzarella to snack on and Kind bars. Had a really good online coupon for two Crest gum repair toothpastes and a free coupon for the Roar organic hydration drink. Stocked up on apples, blood oranges, yogurt, Coke Zero, and wipes.

Walked home on the other path through the park that goes past the playground and stone pavilion.  That was an even worse idea. Some of the puddles there were ankle-deep. I hiked up to the dirt path on top of the hill to get around them. I wasn't the only one, either. Collingswood's track team were jogging down the path and had to go up the hill to avoid soaking their running shoes on that minor lake, too.

At least it was a nice day for all of this. At this point, it was still sunny, breezy, and relatively warm, in the lower 50's. There were clouds on the horizon, and they started to hide the sun as I made my way down East Clinton to home.

Once I got in, I put everything away while briefly watching Vicki Lawrence and Dick Martin and then Dorothy Lyman and Tom Poston on Super Password. Switched to WKRP once I settled down to do job research. Skipped the clip show "Mama's Review" in favor of "A Date With Jennifer." Herb is very jealous when Les manages to land Jennifer as a date for an important banquet. His attempts to get Arthur to ban employee dating end with Les finally standing up for himself.

Andy and Venus create "The Contest No One Could Win" when Johnny accidentally says they're giving out $5,000 instead of $50. When someone actually does win it, they have to come up with the money, and then figure out what to do when a con man shows up and claims it's his. (For some reason, this episode is said to have two different endings. This one ends with Johnny paying for all the trouble; apparently, there's one where they do catch the con-man in the act.)

Arthur's leading important Japanese delegates through the studio when a major "Tornado" hits Cincinnati. After Andy is knocked out when a window bursts open, Arthur insists Les reads his instruction manual for dealing with disaster on the air. Of course, Les' idea of "disaster" is "communist invasion." Arthur proves he's more reliable than originally suspected by calmly relaying real information on what to do during a tornado. 

The cast says "Goodbye Johnny" when he manages to get his old job in LA back. Venus and Bailey try to keep him in Cincinnati with a big dinner. Thankfully, they finally admit that it was wrong to manipulate him and come clean.

Worked on writing for a while next. Joyce, Rover, and their three new friends have to cross a rough river. Charles and Richard make a raft to get them across. All goes well, until Charles gets stuck on a pole while pulling them across...

Also got my schedule around this point. In good news, more hours, nothing later than 5:15, Thursday and Friday off. However, I don't have another day off until Thursday. There's also my working Tuesday. If we get any snow like we're supposed to, I might not be able to get to work that day. Plus, it's supposed to be literally freezing this week, and I do have outside work. 

Broke for dinner and Match Game '79 at 7 PM. Avery Schreiber, Elaine Joyce, and Gary Burghoff join in to hear Gene say Fannie's writing her first book Coming Attractions (which would later be known as Daisy Fae and the Miracle Man). Everyone does their best to help with "Away __" in the Audience Match.

Watched the last two episodes on the WKRP disc after a shower. "Johnny Comes Back" when he loses his big job on the west coast. Trouble is, Andy already hired a new DJ, Doug (Phillip Charles Mackenzie). Bailey and Venus don't trust him. He seems nice enough...until Johnny and Andy discover he's hiding more than one nasty little secret.

Herb's not saying "Never Leave Me, Lucille" when his wife (Edie McClurg) breaks up with him. Jennifer doesn't like him hitting on her freely and tries to push Lucille back into his arms. Johnny's not too thrilled with him crashing in his apartment, either, and does everything on his end to encourage Herb going back to his wife.

Finished the night with two particularly macabre fairy tales from Jim Henson's The Storyteller. "Fearnot" is a variation on "The Boy Who Left Home to Learn About the Shivers." Here, he's joined by a strange companion who tries to help him figure out what fear is...and it's ultimately his sweetheart at home who teaches him.

"The Soldier and Death" is taken from a Russian folk tale. It starts off pretty typical, with the soldier gathering the devils who plague a Czar's palace in a bag and makes all of them but one promise to never return. He gets money and a home, marrying well and enjoying life...until his son becomes sick. The Devil gives him a glass that lets him see Death. He wants to trap Death too, and keep him from his son and the Czar, but that means no one can die. He learns a harsh lesson in why death is a natural part of the process of life when he does release Death, but he won't take his life, no matter what. 

(Oh, and we did get at least one storm tonight. It started raining around 9:30 and has poured off and on since then.) 

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