Original subtitles

Well, honey, the Littlefields will be here any minute.

Well, how do I look?

Oh, you look wonderful, dear.

Oh, fine.

How can I look wonderful? I have on an old house dress and haven't even done my

hair. Well, why not?

Well, I thought maybe if I didn't look too good, it would help things along

you asked Mr. Littlefield for that raise tonight.

Now, Lucy?

Maybe I ought to suck in my cheeks so he'll think we don't get enough to eat.

Now, you listen to me, honey.

Look, I don't want you to try any of your crazy stunts tonight.

Honey, you promised me you were going to ask him for a raise. I will, I will.

I just don't want you to go pushing me into it.

Ricky, if you're afraid to ask for a raise, you're never going to get it.

I'm not afraid. I'll do it.

Well, what are you going to say? Let's rehearse.

Rehearse? Sure, you can't leave a thing like this to chance. Now, look, I'll

pretend I'm Mr. Littlefield and you pretend you're you. Now, we finished

Mr. Littlefield is full of food.

He's leaning back, weak, bloated, and vulnerable.

Ricardo, my boy, your wife sure is a good cook.

Go ahead, Ricky. Here's where you speak up.

Uh... Uh... Mr. Littlefield?

Oh, yes, my boy. What's on your mind?

Uh... I was wondering... Yes?

You couldn't give me any more money next year, could you?

Well, that ought to sweep him off his feet. Well, honey, if he wants to give

a raise, that'll do it.

Honey, nobody ever wants to give anybody a raise. You have to demand it. Now,

look, you be Mr. Littlefield and I'll be you. Go ahead, sit down.

You're Mr. Littlefield.

All right.

My boy!

That was a good meal.

Well, Mr. Littlefield, I want to talk to you about my new contract.

How much of a raise am I getting?

How much?

Yes, how much?

You know, Mr. Littlefield, I have to decide whether to stay with you or

one of my many other offers.

I don't have any other offers. Oh, well, honey, I know that, but Mr. Littlefield

doesn't know it.

Now, put yourself in his place. Think. How would you react, honestly?

Well, Mr. Littlefield?

Are you going to top those other offers or do I quit?

What do you say?

Don't quit, my boy. I'll give you the race.

See? Hey, I got the race.

How do you know?

How about that?

Yeah. I just hope that little Phil sees things that logically. Don't worry.

He'll see things that logically.

Come on. Let's go into the parlor and wait for the fly.

Wonderful dinner.

Your wife certainly knows how to cook, Ricky.

Oh, thank you.

Phoebe, I want you to get Mrs.

Ricardo's recipe for that cheesecake. It was delicious.

Yes, Alvin. I'd love it, Lucy, if you'll give it to me. Oh, I'd be glad to. I'll

write it out before you leave.

Did you say something?

No. No, but Ricky has something to ask you, don't you, dear?

Uh... Oh, no, not really. It can wait.

No, go ahead, dear.

Oh, yes, Ricky, what is it?

Well, uh... Mr. Littlefield?

Yes?

Mr. Littlefield?

You and I are going to have to have a talk very soon about my new contract.

And there's one thing I have to know.

And I have to know it right away.

What's that?

You couldn't give me any more money next year.

Well, as a matter of fact, Ricky, I've been thinking over the idea of giving

a raise.

Yes? And my boy, it's out of the question.

Well, the nightclub business isn't what it used to be.

Taxes have come up, things are more expensive.

So you can see that I'm in no position to give you any more money. Oh, yes,

absolutely. It's out of the question. You want any more coffee, Mrs. Lester?

Ricky, I guess you're just going to have to accept one of those other offers,

then.

Other offers?

Yes, Ricky wasn't going to say anything. He's so loyal, you know. But other

clubs have been clamoring for him.

Really?

say that they're... Just the other day, a club owner called, I won't mention any

names, and offered Ricky twice as much money as you're paying him. It wasn't

twice as much. Oh, no, no, that's right. It was three times as much.

But Ricky said, no, no, no, if it's at all possible, I want to stay with good

old Mr.

Littlefield. Didn't you, Ricky?

Oh, yes, yeah, yeah.

My sack worse.

His sack worse.

Well, that's very flattering.

Well, you understand, Mr. Littlefield, I don't want to leave. I want to stay

right where I am. I don't want to go anyplace, you know. I'm happy there.

But the people, they're offering me so much money. I mean, I don't know what

else to do, you know. I see. I see your problem.

How many such offers have you had?

Four. Twelve.

I got eight more this morning.

Oh, this is a very difficult decision.

Very

difficult.

Very difficult.

You've been wonderful for the Tropicana.

We have a fine personal relationship.

Yes? I can't stand in your way, my boy. Take one of those other out.

and upward and you'll get to the top of the heap.

But, Mr.

Littlefield, you don't understand.

If you don't give Ricky that raise, you'll lose him. He'll quit.

I understand perfectly.

Oh, you do?

We'll give him one more chance, dear.

Uh, Mr. Littlefield, are you sure you don't want to change your mind and...

I quit. K -W -I -T.

All right.

All right. All right. All right.

I don't think you're going to get my recipe for cheesecake either.

Lucy. What? What's the meaning of this?

What? This ad in the paper says that Xavier Valdez and his orchestra are

at the Tropicana Club Thursday night.

Isn't Ricky there anymore?

No. thanks to a certain big -mouthed redhead.

What are you talking about?

Well, the other night, Ricky told Mr. Littlefield that he had to have a razor.

He'd quit, and I egged him onto it.

And? That was some of the rottenest egging I ever did.

Oh, Lucy. How's Ricky taking it? Just terrible. He's done nothing but mope

around the house for two days. Won't even get out of his pajamas.

Hi, Ethel.

Hi. Hi, Ricky.

I'll get your breakfast. No, no, thank you. Thank you. I want to get downtown.

Oh. Oh, that's the spirit, Ricky. Don't let this get you down. Get out and

fight. You'll be bringing home a check again any day now.

That's right.

I'm on my way to the unemployment office right now.

Well, how does it feel to be married to an also -being?

An also -being?

He means a has -ran.

Gee, it's pitiful, Ethel.

I've got to do something about getting this job back.

Well, maybe this Xavier Valdez won't work out, and Mr. Littlefield will be

forced to ask Ricky to come back again.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if nobody showed up for Xavier's opening?

Eh, it would take a miracle, though.

Yeah.

Wait a minute.

What? I feel a miracle coming on.

What do you mean? Listen, there are 75 tables at the Tropicana.

different people and made 75 reservations and then at the last minute

headaches and couldn't make it.

Hey, that might work out. Sure, the place would be empty. I'm going to call

Tropicana right now.

Tropicana Club?

Mrs. Bradford. You are our first reservation.

Oh, how charming.

Charming, yes. I'd like a table for eight, please.

Yes.

Yes, you're welcome.

It worked!

Who will I be now?

Say, listen, Ethel, why don't you go down and make reservations on your

That way we'll tie up the line and nobody else will be able to get a table.

That's a good idea.

Okay. I think I'll be a celebrity this time. I'll check with you later. Okay,

honey.

Yeah, they're like one of those darling little tables underneath those darling

little palm trees, darling.

Goodbye, Mrs. Thompson.

Hello,

Tropicana.

Yes, we have a nice table for two. De la Choppa. Thank you.

Hello,

Tropicana.

Yes, Mrs. Thompson.

Just one minute, please.

Hello,

Mrs. Bennett.

Yes. Would you hold her for a second, please?

Yes, Mrs. Thompson.

All right, Mrs. Bennet. All right, all right.

Now, that's right. That's four at eight.

Eight at ten.

Ten at... Oh, no, I'm sorry. I'm very sorry.

I'm very sorry.

No, I didn't mean you. I... Mrs.

Mrs.

Mrs.

Oh, mon dieu, que la vente. Que la vente.

Thank you. Thank you very much.

We'll be delighted to see you.

Goodbye.

Well, how's everything going, Maurice?

It's amazing, Mr. Littlefield. We opened the book for reservation two hours ago,

and we are completely, completely sold out.

Splendid. Splendid. You know, I cannot understand it.

This is the first time this has happened in the history of the club. It's quite

clear to me. I finally hired someone with talent.

Oh, no.

Hello? Tropicana Club?

No. I'm very, very sorry. We are all booked out. We are completely sold out.

Yes, yes.

But it's impossible, madame. That's impossible.

Oh, well, are you sure?

but it'll certainly make the other guy look bad.

Hey, that's right, Ethel.

We have to make Mr.

Littlefield realize that those people aren't showing up because Ricky Ricardo

isn't there.

Oh, yeah.

How?

Gee, I don't know. I guess we'll just have to go in and sit down at the table

and then everybody get up and walk out and we find out Ricky isn't playing

there. Oh, no. We'd be recognized.

Well, not necessarily.

Depends on how we're fixed up.

We'd all be disguised. Yeah.

But, Lucy, one table of people walking out isn't going to mean anything.

Well, maybe we could go out and come back again a couple of times or

How?

Well... Wait a minute. What?

I got a pal that's a quick change artist.

Hal King?

Yeah, and I'll bet he let us borrow all his trick wardrobe.

They're beginning to arrive.

Good

evening.

Good evening.

You have a reservation?

Mrs. Worthington Proudford and Party.

Yes, yes, table 29.

29, yes, yes.

This way, please.

Charming place.

They've changed the decor here.

Chap Ricky Ricardo. Very remarkable chap, Ricky Ricardo.

Oh, I'm sorry, madame.

What about?

Ricky... Yes, Ricky Ricardo is not here anymore.

Oh, but we have that world -famous entertainer, Xavier Valdez. No, Ricky

Ricardo.

But we only came here to hear Ricky Ricardo.

Certain what?

Well, if the Ricardo chap isn't here, we...

You'll enjoy Xavier Valdez. He's a lot more clever than Ricky Ricardo.

Please!

No one is more clever than Ricky Ricardo, peasant.

Yes, yes, I know, I know.

Good

evening.

Mrs. Miriam Chumley and party.

Oh, certainly.

Table 27.

This way, please.

Miss McGillicuddy's table, number 11.

Oh, yes. The rest of the party will be here shortly.

This web business... Hi, Laurie.

Hi, Becky.

How are you?

Hi.

This is your table. I guess I'm a little early.

You know, this is my favorite club. You always put on a good show here. I always

say that. I always tell everybody that. You should hear me. I always say, you

never get let down if you go and see Ricky Ricardo. That's what I always say.

Oh, but Ricky Ricardo is not here anymore.

no more.

Well, I'm getting out of this crummy dump. Oh, but if you please... Please,

your breath.

I beg your pardon.

Did I hear you say that Ricky Ricardo isn't here anymore?

Yeah, how do you like that?

Well, I don't like it at all. Please, please, please, I assure you if you

you won't be disappointed.

Ha!

My good man, is Ricky Ricardo appearing here tonight or not?

Well... No.

That's all. Let me use your telephone.

Please, Mrs. Chumley, no. If you just... Sidebuster.

Who's the stoop that let Ricky Ricardo slip through his fingers?

You?

Well, yes.

Oh, brother.

Hello, Mary.

This is Miriam. I just called to tell you not to bother to come to the

Club tonight.

Ricky Ricardo isn't appearing here anymore.

Yes, I knew you'd want to know.

Oh, no, no, please, please. Cancel Mrs.

Ackerman's reservation.

But Mrs.

Ackerman has a reservation for 30 people. I know.

That a girl, Crumley.

Here we go, up and at them. Oh, but ladies, ladies.

Jolly well is stupid, you know.

Mr. Littlefield. After all, they looked rather strange.

Maybe they did look strange, but they were paying customers.

Hello.

Ah.

Oh.

Oh, it's you.

What's the matter, Al?

Well, where is everybody?

They're all out. out washing their hands.

Isn't this opening night? Aren't you sold out? What happened? Oh, please,

stop asking so many questions, Phoebe. Here, here, sit down.

Pretend you're enjoying yourself.

Well, at least smile.

Don't we have a reservation? Oh, dear.

Hazel, look.

Oh, Countess Bublitsky. Ricky Ricardo isn't playing here tonight.

Ricky Ricardo is not here anymore.

Well, Mr.

Ricardo finished his engagement here. Well, where is he playing? We'll go

Yes. Well, that does it.

Maurice, get Ricky Ricardo on the phone.

If I don't get him back, I'll go bankrupt.

That's a very smart move, my man.

When you get Ricky Ricardo back here, we'll be back again.

Didn't his note say he phoned?

No, it just says... It says Mr. Littlefield called and wanted to talk to

think he wants to hire me back.

Here he is. Hi, honey.

How's everybody?

We got your note. What happened?

Oh, Lucy, you should have seen what happened. No kidding.

Listen, I went down to the Tropicana. Yeah? And there wasn't one single

soul in the place.

Oh, no.

And not only that, but Maurice told me.

that the few people that came in, as soon as they found out that I wasn't

out they went.

Fantastic.

My goodness.

Boy.

Well, I guess I didn't realize how popular I am.

Well, what did Mr. Littlefield say? Does he want you back?

Does he want me back?

I'll say he does.

He offered me twice as much money as I was getting before.

Really? When do you start?

I don't.

You don't?

What do you mean?

Well, why should I work for him?

If I'm that popular, I can write my...

was played by Gail Gordon, Mrs. Littlefield by Edith Miser, and William

played by Maurice Marsack.

I Love Lucy is a Desilu production.