The Donna Reed Show (1958–1966): Season 2, Episode 4 - A Friend Indeed - full transcript

I hate to bother
you like this, Donna.

It's cutting the pattern
that makes me nervous.

I'm so afraid of
making a mistake.

Oh, I'm glad to do it. It
only takes a few minutes.

It would take me hours.

If there's such a thing as
luck, you certainly have it.

Me? Lucky? Huh.

I've never won a door
prize or a raffle in my life.

Oh, I don't mean
that kind of luck.

I mean,

well, you're one of
those gifted people



whom the Gods has smiled
upon, who can do everything well,

and I don't mind
confessing that I envy you.

Ah, flattery will get
you nowhere, dear.

You are going to finish
this dress yourself.

Well, I'm serious, Donna.

You have a magic touch,

dressmaking,
baking, child-raising.

Ah, you do pretty well in
that department yourself.

Mary is such a
lovely young lady,

but I've seen
quite a lot of Jeff

since he and Doug
became such good friends

and I think Jeff Stone
is the sweetest, quietest,

gentlest, best-mannered
boy I know.

There must be
another Jeff Stone.



If only some of his good
manners would rub off on Doug.

Well, are, are you
talking about Jeff, my Jeff?

You're just being modest.

Why, I consider Jeff the best
brought up boy I've ever met.

Oh.

Fran, that description fits
your Doug better than my Jeff.

Jeff is such a
perfect gentleman.

Well, I guess that does it.

Thanks a million, Donna.

You have no idea what
a wonderful help this is.

Oh, I was glad to do it anytime.

Thanks again. Goodbye.

Bye, Fran.

"Quiet, gentle, well-mannered."

Well, you might say, "Hello."

Oh, I'm sorry, Mom,

but I couldn't
spare the strength

until I had some nourishment.

Hey, Pewee!

Don't forget! Bring a ball!

I'll see you in five minutes.

There must be
another Jeff Stone.

Jeff?

No, it's me, Mother.

- Hello.
- Hi, dear.

Did you see Jeff on the
way home from school?

- Mary?
- No, isn't he home yet?

No, and he left his room in
a mess again this morning.

Oh, he's probably out playing

with some of the other
neighborhood monsters.

Yes, but he usually
stops by home first,

for nourishment.

Jeff?

If that's Jeff, he's
much too quiet.

Hi, dear.

Hi.

- And little dear.
- Hello, Daddy.

Jeff isn't home from
school yet. Please, dear.

Oh, he's probably
stopped to play.

Any calls?

Yeah. Fran Shaw
called. Her little girl is sick.

Oh, she called
me at the hospital.

I stopped to see
her on the way home.

Bye-bye. I'll see you all later.

Bye, honey.

Hi, Mom! Hi, Dad!

- Hello, Jeff.
- Hi, Jeff.

Well, he isn't dainty,
you'll have to admit that.

Cruel, but direct.

Why are you late?

I had to stay after school.

What for?

I had to write, "I must
learn to respect Science,"

100 times.

Oh, Jeff, I'm surprised at you.

I thought you did
respect Science.

I do.

Well, where did your teacher
get the impression that you didn't?

Well, they were
showing the Science film

and one experiment
was with a white mouse.

Oh, you don't have
to tell me the rest.

Apparently, nothing has
changed since my day.

There's always one
boy who screams "Eeek!"

the first time the mouse
appears, am I right?

Well, now, Jeff,
wasn't that pretty silly?

- Well, then, why may I ask if you
feel that way about— - Please, Alex.

Can I be excused, please?

He's already been punished.

Jeff?

I'm out here.

Jeff, Doug is here.

- Hi.
- Hi.

Tell your mother I have a
new dress pattern for her, hmm?

All right.

Here, you can put
the decals on these.

Thanks.

Doug, would you
like something to eat?

No, thanks, Mrs.
Stone, I'm not hungry.

Why don't you ask me?

Oh, I wouldn't dare.

Stabilizer.

- Horizontal or vertical?
- Vertical.

Flash reflector.

Helium pump, right-half.

First stage or second?

Second stage.

Nose cone.

It's not here.

The nose cone is missing.

Isn't that it, under the table?

That was it. You stepped on it.

It was an accident.

Now, we can't finish today.

I said it was an accident.

Can't you write to the company
and get a new whatever it is?

Well, I can, but it
takes about 10 days,

and it's a nose cone.

Hey, I've got the
same model at home.

You can have my nose cone.

Oh, gee, thanks,

but what will you do
about your model?

Oh, I haven't even
started mine yet.

Anyway, I can wait.

Well, you mean it?

Sure, we can get it
today and still finish.

Is it OK, Mom?

OK.

Well, gee, thanks.
Come on, Doug.

Bye, Mom!

See you, Mrs. Stone!

Yes, Ms. Ferguson?

Well, I can be there
in a few minutes.

Oh, I understand, I
appreciate your concern.

Thank you for calling. Goodbye.

This isn't at all like, Jeff.

What's the matter?
Trouble at school?

Ms. Ferguson wants to see
me. She seems quite upset.

When are you going to see her?

Right now.

Oh, how's Fran's little girl?

- Well, she's coming along,
but slowly.
- Oh.

Oh, if you're hungry, dear,

there's some fresh
coffee cake in the kitchen.

Help yourself.

Thank you, darling.

Well, I'm shocked.

I know you must hear this
from mothers all the time,

but I, I just can't
believe that Jeff did this.

Are there any other boys in
the class with the same initials?

Please don't think I'm
angry about this, Mrs. Stone.

It's just that I agree with you.

That isn't Jeff's
brand of mischief.

When he behaves, it's
simple, normal things.

Yes, of course.

When a boy suddenly
starts to misbehave

in an uncharacteristic way,

it's usually because
something is troubling him.

I thought maybe
we could talk about it

and find out what it is.

Something at home, maybe?

Well, there, there are
clashes with his sister,

but that's been
going on so long,

I'd really worry if it stopped.

Perhaps he feels
ignored at home?

Oh, no, I, I don't think so.

It would, it would be something
like ignoring a tornado.

That often happens
in a busy household,

without your being aware of it.

Oh, I know there are many
demands on Dr. Stone's time

and yours, too.

A child as self-assured as Jeff
may not seem to need attention,

but may resent the lack of it,

and his resentment
could be expressed in, uh,

acts of rebellion, like this.

Jeff?

Jeff?

Mommy!

Mommy, could you wash
my hair for me now, please?

Oh, honey, we'll do
it some other time.

I want to talk to Jeff.

Well, it'll only take a minute
and it's really gruesome,

please?

Wash her face, too, Mom, I
needs more help than her hair.

You try it this time, I'm
sure you'll do a fine job.

Run along.

OK.

Jeff, uh, I want to talk
to you for a minute.

- Right now?
- Yeah, right now.

Well, can I finish the
chapter first, please?

How many more pages do you have?

One, two, three...

Yeah, you finish
it some other time.

Come on. Right now, we talk.

OK, Mom. Shoot.

Jeff, has anything been
bothering you lately?

Well, outside of being interrupted
in the best part of my book,

I can't think of anything.

I talked to Ms. Ferguson today.

She thinks you're
unhappy at home.

Well, are you?

Well, I suppose I could
be a lot happier if I had a,

a motor scooter.

That's not what I mean, dear.

Look, honey, in busy
households like this,

sometimes we forget to say
how much we love each other.

You understand, don't you,

that even though we
don't say it very often,

we all love you very much.

Well, sure, Mom, you bet.

Your mother is
trying to make a point.

We had better get
to it more directly.

Ms. Ferguson
showed me the ruler.

It was very upsetting, Jeff.

We're upset because we
don't think a person's handicap

is something to joke about.

It wasn't only Ms.
Ferguson's feelings,

it was very inconsiderate
of all the children in the class

who wear glasses.

You know, a sense of
humor is a wonderful thing,

but it's not very
funny to do something

that gives pain to someone.

You understand, don't you, Jeff?

A lot of the kids didn't
think it was funny.

Oh, good for them.

What about you, Jeff,
do you think it was funny?

No, I think it was rotten.

Well, I'm glad we agree.

When, uh, when did
it first dawn on you

that that kind of joke
wasn't very funny?

I never thought it was.

Well, then, why did you do it?

Let's ask another
question first.

Did you do it?

No, I didn't.

Well, who did?

Do you know who did it?

Do I have to tell you?

Not, if you don't want to.

I'd rather not.

Well, it's about time for you
to get ready for bed, isn't it?

Yes.

- Good night, Mom!
- Good night, sweetheart.

- Good night, Daddy!
- Good night, Jeff.

I should have known Jeff
would never do a thing like that.

Yeah.

But someone did it.

It wasn't an accident.

Obviously, someone in
his class took Jeff's ruler

with Jeff's initials on it

and deliberately trying
to get him into trouble.

Come on, lift your
head up a little, Virginia.

That's it.

Now, come on, open up.

Open wide, yeah,

so that I can have a
look down at your throat.

There we are.

That wasn't so
bad at all, was it?

- Oh.
- Of course not.

It's looking a little
better now, Fran.

But what about her cough?

She wants to go out and play.

Oh, she'd better stay inside
for a couple of more days.

I'll look in on her tomorrow.

That could only be Doug.

Really, Doug, must you
make so much noise?

Oh, hello, Jeff, I
didn't notice you.

Good afternoon, Mrs. Shaw.

I think you know this gentleman.

Oh, yeah, hi, Dad.

Hi, Jeff.

Doug?

You might have offered
Jeff something to eat.

What can I get you, dear?

Oh, nothing, thank
you, Mrs. Shaw.

Please don't bother.
I'm not hungry at all.

Douglas Shaw, you've been in
this room less than one minute

and it looks as though
a cyclone struck it.

Stand up and face me
when I speak to you.

Why can't you be like Jeff?

He seems to have lots of fun

and still manages to
be a little gentleman.

Oh, how I envy you and Donna.

You don't know
how lucky you are.

Doug, can you show
me your XXLO-1 now?

Sure. Come on up.

Well, take your things
with you, please?

Yes, I, I, I certainly will.

Well, I, I just don't
understand it, Ms. Ferguson.

All right. Thank
you for calling.

Goodbye.

That sounded ominous.

A stuffed owl disappeared
from the Wild Life Exhibit,

but whoever took it got
cold feet and returned it.

Don't tell me Jeff had
anything to do with it.

Two feathers were
found in his desk.

Well, did Ms. Ferguson
say anything to Jeff about it?

Yes, but he said he doesn't
know anything about it.

Honey, I hate to say this,
but do you suppose we're too

unwilling to believe that Jeff
could really be responsible?

Of course not.

Even though I'm his mother,
I'm being absolutely objective.

Alex, do, do, do you
really think he did it?

No, but the evidence
is certainly mounting up.

Oh, Mommy and Daddy,
I'm surprised at you.

What are you talking about?

Well, you're both supposed
to be intelligent people.

I'd like to take that
as a compliment, dear,

except I know you
don't mean it as one.

Well, really, Mother,

how could you
doubt your own son?

I should think you'd have
more confidence in Jeff.

Honey, it's not that we're
saying that Jeff is guilty,

we're just considering
the possibility.

We're examining the facts.

Well, that's what I mean,
you don't have any faith in Jeff.

I should think you'd be the first
to admit that Jeff isn't perfect.

You two are
scrapping all the time.

Well, of course,
Daddy, he's a monster.

Now, wait a minute,
you're outraged

that we think he might
be guilty of some mischief,

but then, you call
him a monster.

Well, that's exactly
it, Mother, he is.

He always borrows money from me,

but he never pays me back,

he always forgets to give
me the phone messages and,

and he's an absolute pest when
any of my friends come here.

I'm glad to hear you're
defending him, dear.

But there's one thing
Jeff won't do, Daddy.

He won't lie.

Mary's right. Jeff never lies.

Now, let me
understand this, Mary.

Jeff is a monster, a
nuisance and a pest,

but an ethical one?

Thank you, dear.

I don't think Jeff would
approve of the words you used,

but he'd be very happy to
hear that you defended him.

Oh, Mother, don't
you dare tell him

I said anything nice about him.

We'll quote you exactly.

Oh, Daddy, please don't,
he's conceited enough as he is.

We promise, we won't say a word.

OK.

She's absolutely right.

If Jeff told Ms.
Ferguson he didn't do it,

that settles it as far
as I'm concerned.

Well, I sure like to
know who is responsible.

So would I.

- Alex?
- Yes, dear?

I think I have a suspect.

How could anyone imagine
him doing anything stealthily?

Hi, Mom! Hi, Dad!

- Hi, Jeff.
- Hello, dear.

Did you see Doug's new model?

Yes, it's a neat one.

I'm going to save
up for one just like it.

Meanwhile, Doug is letting
me help him work on his.

Do you know what
seems peculiar to me?

What?

That Doug never admitted
he was the one that yelled

in the Science film.

Yeah, sometimes he
does the strangest...

Hey, who told you it was Doug?

Nobody told.

Your mother just happens
to be a good guesser.

Elementary, my dear doctor.

Well, Doug wouldn't
get me into trouble,

he's my friend.

Was it Doug who
marked your ruler

and put it on the
teacher's desk?

Yes, but he didn't
mean for her to see it?

It was an accident.

Well, when my nose cone
broke, Doug lent me his.

There's the test
of a real friend,

when he gives you his nose cone.

Jeff, did Doug
take that stuffed doll

and put the feathers
on your desk?

No, he wouldn't try
to get me into trouble.

But he did.

Well, not on purpose, I mean.

Do you know who did it?

Well, no, but I'm
sure it wasn't Doug.

Well, Jeff, we're, uh, we
admire your loyalty to Doug.

Now, why don't
you remove this stuff

to the privacy of your own room?

OK, Dad.

Here.

But I'm sure it wasn't Doug.

He's one of my best friends.

I knew it. It was Doug Shaw.

Yeah, but the really
guilty one is his mother.

Oh, Alex, be serious.

I'm perfectly serious.

You mean, Fran
stole the stuffed owl

and put the feathers
in Jeff's desk?

No, no, Doug did it,

but I think Fran is
really responsible.

You know, I ran into Jeff
at that Shaws this afternoon.

Oh?

You wouldn't have
recognized our son.

You mean, he was
the sweetest, gentlest,

best-mannered boy
in the whole world?

Just about. He
wasn't even hungry.

And Doug was, well, Doug
behaved the way Jeff does.

You know, when you
come to think about it,

most boys that
age tend to be shy

and on their good behavior
at other people's houses

and then, make up for
it when they get home.

Yeah, well, that's exactly what
Fran doesn't seem to realize,

she's apparently fooled
by this double standard,

and it's not the worst of it.

Hmm? Go on. I'm
prepared for anything.

- Well, I'll get it, darling.
- Thank you, dear.

You see, Fran holds Jeff
up to Doug as a model

of what a boy should be.

Well, with her harping on Jeff's
perfection and her son's faults,

Doug develops a
resentment against Jeff.

And that's why Doug
tries to get Jeff into trouble

from time to time.

It's a childish, but
perfectly normal reaction.

Of course.

And when Doug is here,
he, he's a perfect angel.

Oh, you should have seen him
this afternoon at his own home.

I wonder if I ought to
talk to Fran about this.

Darling, that's a
pretty delicate subject.

You'll have to
use a lot of tact.

On second thought, I think
I'll let you talk to her about it.

Mom, I'm going over to Pewee's.

I promised to show
him how to bunt.

And can I have a piece of cake?

I thought that sentence
would never end.

Well, can I, please?

No, you may not, it's
too close to dinnertime.

But, Mom, I'm starved.
Just one little piece of cake.

It is my considered
medical opinion

that you'll survive
until dinner.

OK.

Back in 10 minutes, please.

Exactly.

Donna, I thought it was
wonderful the way it was.

I don't know why
you want to change it.

Well, I guess I'm
just a perfectionist.

Anyway, I enjoy it.

I, I'm sorry it's
taking so long,

but I just can't seem
to get it pinned right.

Let me in, somebody!

Excuse me.

Let me in! Come on!

What's the idea
of locking me out?

I'm starved.

Help yourself to some cookies.

Jeff's home.

Hey, where is the cookie jar?

It's on the top shelf.

Are you all right, dear?

Hey, somebody left the cookie
jar in the edge of the top shelf.

Oh, look, honey,
would you go upstairs

and get my pinking shears?

I think I left them
in Mary's dresser.

OK. Did any mail come?

No, dear.

Oh, my nose cone
should have come.

- Hello, gruesome.
- Hello.

- Hi, Mrs. Shaw.
- Hello, Mary.

- Hi, Mommy.
- Hi, dear.

Did Libby call?

Uh, no.

Well, if she does, tell her
to meet at Sharon's house

in half an hour, OK?

All right. I'll try to remember.

OK.

OK! How long have
you been hiding it?

Hiding what?

My nose cone!

I don't know what
you're talking about!

Why would I want
your silly old nose cone?

The nose cone of
a rocket is not silly!

It's scientific!

Those pictures you
keep on your dresser,

they're silly!

In the future, please
stay out of my room!

I still want to know
what my nose cone

was doing at the top
drawer of your dresser!

And what were you doing in
the top drawer of my dresser?

Mother sent me up to
look for her pinking shears,

and don't change the subject!

I told you, I don't know anything
about your old nose cone

and I don't want you
snooping in my room!

I was not snooping!

Anyway, it's a good thing I did,

or I never would have
found my nose cone!

I didn't take your nose cone!

Of course you didn't, dear.

I did.

You?

Yes, I, I'm sorry, Jeff.

When you asked me if
there was any mail for you,

I forgot.

Well, what was it
doing in her dresser?

Well, I, I guess it got
mixed up with the laundry

and I, I dropped it in
Mary's drawer by accident.

I accept your apology.

Where is Doug?

He'll be here in a minute.

He stopped by his house first.

All right.

- Well, let me know
when he gets here, hmm?
- OK.

Let's see now.

You're remarkable, Donna.

Why, you look
absolutely unperturbed.

Oh, should I be perturbed?

Well, when children
quarrel, I, I find it upsetting.

Oh, you call that a quarrel?

It's just a normal
misunderstanding.

Really?

Hi, Doug, come on in.

Hi.

I got the nose cone.

Good.

And I just finished
the launching pad.

Hi, Mom, we're going
to work on the model.

Oh, hi, Mom.

Hello, Douglas.

Hi, Mrs. Stone.

Hello, Doug.

Would you like something to eat?

No, thanks, I'm not hungry.

Oh, we've got lots of cookies.

No, I'm not hungry at all.

Mom, what did you
want? We got things to do.

Oh, uh, well, my
goodness, I forgot,

isn't it silly?

It sure is. Come on, Doug.

See you, Mrs. Stone!
Goodbye, Mom!

Goodbye, dear.

Is it tight?

Is it too tight this way?

Too tight?

Yeah, the dress.
Is it comfortable?

Oh, yes, very comfortable.

Very...

Oh, I was over at
the Shaws yesterday

and Fran did not hold Jeff up

as a shining example
of American boyhood.

Your scheme seems
to have cured her.

Elementary, my dear
doctor, elementary.

Doug seems to be
a happier boy for it.

And Jeff hasn't been
in trouble for a week.

Where is he now, that shining
example of American boyhood?

Jeff is 30 minutes late.

- Hello!
- Hi!

Hi, Jeff, aren't
you a little late?

Why are you a half-hour late?

I was kept after school
for putting chewing gum

in Suzy Harris's hair.

Who really did it?

Me.

I kept telling her not to lean
her hair back on my desk.