Original subtitles

This is an omelet.

Gooey on one end, dry on the other,

and a little bit of both in the middle.

So don't give me any of that

"That ain't the way I like it" jazz.

It looks great, Bub.

Say, where'd Chip go?

Oh, Chip?

Here I am.

Just tying my shoe.

Ooh. You got any ketchup?

That'll give you an idea of what he thinks

of my cooking... Ketchup on omelets.

Oh, a lot of people eat ketchup on omelets, Bub.

Not on my omelets, they don't.

He even eats ketchup on my oatmeal cookies.

Only when they're stale.

Hoping you heard that.

Oh, Dad. STEVE: Mm-hmm?

Can I get tattooed?

Uh, where, Rob?

No. No, of course you can't get tattooed.

Dad, can you loan me $90?

No.

Boy, this is a bad morning for asking for stuff.

Look, nobody ever calls Bub or me around here.

Now, will one of you fellows please answer the phone?

I'll get it.

Mike, what do you need $90 for?

Well, I want to get a scuba outfit.

Oh, no, you don't.

I knew a guy in vaudeville that got a rubber lip

from playing one of those things.

No, Bub. Uh, a scuba outfit

is one of those underwater deals, you know, that, uh...

I don't care if he plays it

underwater or up a tree.

I don't want any part of it.

It's for you, Dad. Well, what do you know?

Who is it, Chip? Guy.

Well, I'm glad I asked.

Well, how about it, Dad?

Don Shaw's gonna sell his outfit,

and I-I'll bet I can get it for $80.

Now that's a good price.

I'm sorry, Mike.

Maybe you can find some way to earn the money yourself.

Hello.

Well, I-I thought you wanted to...

Why, no, no, there's no Mr. Wolf here.

No, this isn't the city zoo, you... Wally.

Wally Osborne, you old son of a gun.

I should have known.

How are you?

Come away from that door, Chip.

Who's Wally Osborne?

Well, he was an old college friend of your dad's.

He's a regular jazz-bo.

What's a jazz-bo?

One of those guys that calls you up

on the phone and asks if this is the city zoo.

Then he asks if Mr. Fox lives there.

Oh, no.

Dad's sure all excited, just talking to him.

Yeah? Well, they haven't seen each other for years.

And that reminds me.

We better dig out the old college annuals

in case they get to sitting around, asking each other about,

"I wonder whatever happened to old Charlie Rutabaga?"

Oh, is he coming here?

Uh, not Charlie. The other guy?

Well, if I know your dad, right now,

he's inviting him over here to dinner tomorrow night.

Well, why don't we make it 7:00, huh?

Yeah. Is that all right?

Good, Wally. It'll be good to see you, you...

you old horse thief.

Ah, Steve. Wally, it's good to see you!

Good to see you.

Give me your hat. Come on in.

Right. There you are.

After all these years. Yes, sir.

You haven't changed a bit.

No, sir, and you haven't...

Oh, well, what are you gonna do?

Oh, Wally.

Here are the boys, Wally.

Hey, all of these belong to you?

This is Mike. Hi, Mike.

How do you do? Robbie.

Robbie. Hi.

This is my youngest, Chip. Hi.

Wally, how are you?

Am I glad to see you.

Good to see you. You look great.

Good to see you too, Bub.

Thank you. You look fine.

Tell me, have you taken a bath lately?

Why, is there one missing?

Now, dinner is nearly ready,

and you'd better be hungry, all of you.

Right. I'm hungry. Come on in, Wally. Sit down.

All right. Thanks, Steve. We've got a lot to talk about.

Boy, I'll say so.

And when the waiter found out

we didn't have enough to pay the tab...

the owner dragged you and me back to the kitchen

to wash the dishes.

Yeah, that's right.

Wally tried to sneak out through the supply room.

And when you tried to sneak out,

you ended up in the walk-in freezer.

That's right.

Listen, by the time they found your dad,

they could have carted him out of there on a meat hook.

Yeah.

You know, I don't think I completely thawed out

until around last Thursday?

Yeah, last Thursday.

I think I'll do my homework.

Yeah, me, too. During Easter vacation?

Yeah.

Stick around, fellows.

I got some things to tell you about your dad

that'll fracture you.

Listen, do you remember the time that we organized a band?

Yeah. What did we call it?

Uh, the-the Castle Troubadours.

Where'd we ever dig up a name like that?

There wasn't a castle within 100 miles.

Yeah, there wasn't a troubadour within 200 miles.

And remember when you tried to raise the money for the sax?

Yeah.

Things were a little rough out in those days.

Yeah.

And I remember that you tried to bum 18 bucks

from your Dad, but he wouldn't spring for it.

Oh, yeah, that's right.

But that didn't stop you.

We took right off for the next town and got a job.

Yeah.

I can remember the night we left as if it were yesterday.

Didn't say a word.

Just left a note for your mother.

Yeah.

Next day, we were pushing those castings around in the foundry.

Dad? Hmm?

Weren't your folks worried? Yeah.

Oh, sure they were worried,

but, uh, we were well-equipped

to take care of ourselves.

That's right, son.

Listen, the kids in our day were a far cry

from the brand that they're putting out today.

We did things.

Well, we had to, Wally.

There was the depression on.

Ah, we weren't spoon-fed the way they are now.

Well, of course, this is a different era, Wally, uh...

Oh, not really, Steve.

Listen, I say it's in the kids' attitude.

They won't give it the old try. Know what I mean?

They want to get a hold of some dough,

they ask their dad, and he gives it to them.

Yeah, I suppose that's right, but, uh...

And I tell you.

I get a little shook about this younger generation.

With everything handed to them on a platter,

how are they gonna make it

when they get kicked out of the nest, right?

Well, I suppose, in a way, uh... Right.

Oh, well.

How are things going with you, Steve?

Oh, uh, fine, Wally.

Uh... what are you doing these days?

Mm. Same thing, hardware.

Oh.

You're, uh, still working for your dad, huh?

Yup.

Well, what about it?

Wait a minute.

Chip's asleep.

You mean, just go away and leave him a note?

Why not?

Dad did it to his mother.

After all, mothers worry a lot more than fathers do.

Well, how do we know we can get a job in Glenville?

We don't, but, uh, as we were reminded,

we can't have everything handed to us on a platter

when we get kicked out of the nest.

Boy, I don't know.

Well, I know I want a scuba outfit.

With two weeks vacation coming up, I'm gonna earn it,

instead of bumming the money off of Dad.

Now, uh, you say you want to get tattooed.

Who wants to get tattooed?

Well, you said you did yesterday.

Oh, I was just starting out with that.

I was gonna settle for just six and a half dollars cash,

but you and your $80 and the ketchup got in the way.

Well, what do you want the six and a half for?

Well, Hank knows a guy

who's got a brand-new second-hand intake manifold

I can have for that.

Well, let's go to Glenville and earn it.

Boy, I don't know.

Well, you think it over.

I'm leaving tomorrow.

Good night.

Good night.

Hey, Tramp, we're going to Glenville.

I'm still worried that they'll worry about us.

Dad didn't tell his parents, did he?

Oh, that's right, he didn't.

Well, besides, I'll write him a postcard tomorrow

and tell him we're safe.

Mike, why don't we just ask Dad

if we can go to Glenville for those two weeks?

Because Bub would say no.

Ow!

All right, Chip.

Oh.

Come on, get out of there.

You, too, Tramp.

But I want to go with you guys.

No, you don't.

Come on.

Now, you and Tramp get back in the house.

But golly, I don't want you guys to go away.

We're only gonna be gone for two weeks, Chip.

Yeah, but that's a long time.

Chip, while I'm gone, you can use my harmonica.

The one with the bass notes. Yeah?

And, uh, just think... If, uh, if we're not here,

you could watch any TV program you want.

Yeah? MIKE: Yeah.

And you can have seconds on dessert.

And put your rocks in your bed and sleep in my bed.

Yeah?

We'll be back before you know it.

Yeah? Well, take your time.

So long.

So long.

Hiya, Bub. Hi.

Hey, you dropped your laundry list or something.

Yeah. Which reminds me...

When are we gonna start sending the laundry out?

I'm beginning to get washing-machine hands.

They look just as soft and lovely to me as ever, Bub.

Yeah?

"Dear Dad,

"Robbie and I took off to find work in some other town.

"We'll be back when vacation is over.

Don't worry."

Signed, Mike.

To find work in another town?

What's the meaning of this, Bub?

What's the meaning of what?

Well, couldn't you stop them from going?

If you couldn't stop them, you could've

called me at the office. I...

The minute you get through popping off,

I'd like to say something. Well, go ahead, say it.

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

Oh.

Yes, oh.

Well, can you imagine them doing a thing like this,

just taking off and without even saying anything,

just leaving a note?

Pretty thoughtless, wasn't it? You're darn right.

You know where they got this idea, don't you? From Wally.

You remember last night, when he was telling about

how when we were kids, we left a note and ran off from home?

You two did everything

but hand them an engraved invitation to blow town.

Of course, I don't know why

we're getting so excited about the whole thing.

Huh? Well, you know those two kids as well as I do.

When it gets to be around 6:00,

they'll both get a gnawing feeling in this area right here,

and, uh, they'll both come running back home.

Especially when they find out

that I've prepared their favorite meal...

Homemade meat loaf.

That's right.

Just set the table as usual, Bub, for five.

Right.

"Robbie and I took off to find work."

That'll be the day.

Mike, I'm a little shaky about this tire.

It's just about as bad as the one we just blew.

Well, I think it'll make it to Glenville, don't you?

Yeah, I think so, but we better get a secondhand tire

as soon as we get there.

Boy, I'm sure hungry.

You know, a peanut bar isn't much of a dinner.

Well, afraid it's gonna have to do

until we find out how much this tire's gonna cost us.

Yeah.

Boy, it sure is creepy out here.

Well, I guess that's because

we're not used to the crickets and frogs and stuff.

You know, Mike, I was just thinking.

Uh, if you want to go back home,

well, don't be ashamed to say so on my account.

We're going to Glenville.

Well, we're gonna have to wait here a second.

I think I just flooded it. Oh, boy.

Oh, Bub, what are we so worried about?

What are we so worried about?

Well, it's way after midnight,

and Mike and Robbie are not home yet.

That's what we're so worried about.

Yeah, I guess that's why we're so worried.

But, Bub, let's be realistic about this.

Mike's practically a man now, and...

Robbie's certainly getting old enough to take care of himself.

And both boys have got good, level heads on their shoulders.

And they're very self-reliant.

And they're real dependable kids.

That's right.

You know, I wonder when-when was the last time

they had an Indian raid around here.

Oh, let's not be stupid, Rob.

Hey, what was that?

It was just something moving out in the brush, that's all.

Come on, Mike, hurry up.

Get it started, will you?

Oh, knock it off, will you, Rob?

The closest Indian in ten miles owns a trucking company.

There it is again.

That's an animal.

You can't tell me there's no such a thing

as a-a runaway tiger.

Brother, I've been around.

I know that there is.

Runaway tiger.

Come on, move, move!

Of course, this is the first time

they've ever gone off on their own like this.

And there are times

when neither one of them has got a brain in his head.

That's right.

They haven't got any money.

I just hope they're not going hungry or anything.

Gee, I hope we haven't put you out too much,

showing up in the middle of the night like this.

No, not at all.

And I'm glad that Joe at the service station sent you.

Well, I've never seen so much food in all my life.

There's always plenty of food in my boarding house,

and I'm glad I had the room.

Oh, yeah, about that room, Mrs. Hansen.

I hate to ask you this,

but do you think you could trust us?

I mean, we haven't got a job, and tomorrow...

Oh, now, you let me worry about things like that.

And you save some room for some peach cobbler.

Peach cobbler?

Morning, Bub.

Mornin'.

Say, Bub, uh, when the boys phone,

just find out where they are, and, uh, call me at the office,

and I'll wire 'em some money.

What if they don't call up?

Oh, I know Mike and Robbie.

Yeah, I thought you knew 'em last night at dinner.

Yeah.

What are we having for breakfast?

Pancake and sausages.

Mike and Robbie's favorite meal.

Yeah, every meal is Mike and Robbie's favorite.

Gentlemen, we got a couple of new boarders.

Robbie and Mike Douglas.

This is Otto, Jose, Mr. Gifford, and Jacque.

Hi, pleased to meet you.

Oh, you don't have to stand up.

We don't have to stand up.

We don't have to stand.

Jose, shove me the potatoes.

Don't pay any attention to them.

Sit down, boys. Thank you.

Uh, which one's the foreman at the cannery?

Mr. Gifford.

But you let me do the talking. Okay.

Seconds on the coffee, Martha.

Coming right up.

Don't be bashful, boys. Dive in.

Okay, thanks.

Thank you.

Oh.

Uh, sir?

Yeah, kid.

You forgot the spoon.

Oh.

Oh, here, Mike. Thanks.

What's the matter with you, niños?

You're not hungry?

Well, yeah, I'm pretty hungry, but...

Well, don't sit there with the empty plates.

Eat.

Pass me the huevos.

The what?

The huevos, señor, the huevos.

Huevos de gallina. You know...?

Oh, the eggs.

He's talking about... Oh.

What's the matter with these muchachos?

They-they don't speak the English?

Wait a minute.

Let's...

Boys, you aren't eating.

Now, this isn't right.

Oh, I know it's nothing fancy, Well, Mrs. Hansen...

but it's good, wholesome food.

Now, there, you take that.

And don't give me any arguments.

Mr. Gifford?

Yeah, Martha?

Did you say that you needed more help over at the cannery?

Sure.

I always need help.

Every time I hire a man, he lasts a day or so,

and then he wants out.

Tossing around a bunch of smelly fish

is no picnic, you know.

Well, I was wondering.

Uh, these young men have two weeks off from school,

and they're looking for work.

These two?

Yes, sir, that's right.

Nah, they wouldn't last an hour.

Half hour.

Five minutes.

Even the coffee break is hard work.

There must be something they could do.

Sure, there's something they can do.

But it's all hard work.

You boys ever done any work?

Oh, sure, yeah.

Oh, of course. I worked last summer, I mowed lawns,

and-and washed cars. and I worked odd jobs around the neighborhood.

Well, stay with it.

You never had it so good.

I've been thinking

that I ought to raise the price of room and board around here.

All right, Martha.

All right.

Report to me at the loading dock at 8:00 sharp.

Yes, sir.

Well, how do we get there?

You just go two blocks, turn to the left,

and the fish will tell you.

Hurry up.

We gotta go.

Already? Now?

♪ ♪

Hey, what smells?

Us.

Ooh.

I guess it was hard to notice down at the cannery.

My aching back.

I don't know whether I can make it up these stairs.

You think you're bad.

Take a look at those blisters.

How can you get blisters wearing gloves?

Even my gloves had blisters.

Hey, Mike, didn't you get the feeling

that we were being watched while we were working?

We were.

By four tons of dead fish.

Oh, hello, boys.

Hi. Hello.

Well, how did it go on the first day of the new job?

Fine. Great.

Well, good.

And Mr. Gifford thought the work would be too hard on you.

Yeah.

You boys get upstairs and get cleaned up.

We're going to have a real nice dinner.

Baked halibut.

Morning, Bub. Mornin'.

Do you know you're two hours late for work?

Yeah, I know.

I don't think I slept all night.

Well, that's two of us.

Bub, I'm sorry, but I've had it.

Where's the phone book?

The number of the police station is 116.

You mean you've called them already?

I was figuring on it, but then I thought

I maybe better not go over your head.

You know, for a while,

I thought this was a childish prank,

Well... but now, I don't know.

Hey, you got a letter from Mike and Robbie. Hmm?

Letter or a postcard?

Thanks, Chip.

"Dear Dad, Bub, Chip and Tramp.

"We're staying here in Glenville

at Mrs. Hansen's boarding house."

They're in Glenville.

"Both of us are working and doing fine.

"Don't worry.

Love, Mike and Robbie."

Don't worry?

How do you like those two,

taking all this time to let us know where they are.

And when they do, what do they say?

"We're working and doing fine. Don't worry."

Steve.

Hmm?

How did you word the letter

when you wrote your mother?

Well, I said...

"I'm working and doing fine. Don't worry."

♪ ♪

There, he ought to find that.

Oh, what are you doing back so soon?

You only left an hour ago.

Yeah, well, I, uh, I just came back to get some papers and...

Oh? What are you doing all dressed up?

Well, I'm just going over to the library to get a book.

Oh.

You usually take your lunch to the library?

Well, you...

Oh, well, you know. Brownies, huh?

Yeah. Mike and Robbie's favorites.

Yeah.

Let's see.

"Steve, I'm taking the bus over to Glenville.

"Will be back for dinner.

Chip will be at Sudsy's."

Well, now, Bub... Well, you know, Steve,

I thought maybe that postcard in your pocket

might be a great big bluff.

Oh, I don't think so.

The boys probably have jobs.

Well, even if they don't have,

they're both so full of pride that they'd stick it out,

even though they were starving to death.

I just think you're worrying too much

about this whole thing, Bub.

Why don't you take off your hat and relax, huh?

Well, I better get back to the office,

and don't expect me for dinner.

I, uh, might have to work a little late.

Oh, Steve. Hmm?

Mrs. Hansen, you've got to stop feeding

this Mike and Robbie so good.

Yeah, we have a tough time

keeping up with those lugs down at the cannery.

Oh, cut it out, Otto.

It is true.

Señor Mike and Robbie,

they throw the big flounders around like little niños.

All that and manners, too.

That's right.

Somebody did a nice job of bringing up you boys.

Please pass the salt, Otto. Yeah.

That'd be Dad. Yeah.

Well, we've got a real neat father.

And Bub'd sure like all of you

to come over for dinner sometime.

If anything makes him happy,

it's for someone to eat all his food.

We'd not only make him happy,

we make him delirious.

Hey, how old is Chip?

He's nine.

I was telling Jose about him today.

The biggest thing in Chip's life is his rock collection.

And Robbie'll tell you this is true.

Sometimes he takes his rock collection to bed with him.

Boy, you ought to see him.

A whole bed full of rocks and Tramp. Yeah.

You boys had better stop this.

You're liable to get homesick.

I've already been, a couple of times.

Well, I guess I have, too, but...

well, we're not gonna quit now.

My father always says,

"When you start something, you should finish it."

He sounds like a man I'd like to meet.

Oh, well, you will.

Well, Rob and I want you to come over

and have a cookout at our house some weekend.

♪ ♪

Well, I-I kinda hate to admit it,

but I'm glad to see you guys home.

Even if you do smell a little fishy. Yeah.

Well, it's good to be home. Yeah.

It was sort of fun, Dad,

but we don't plan to leave again until you throw us out.

Well, then you're liable to be around here

for a long time.

I'll get it.

Oh, hi, Wally. Hi, Steve.

Hi, Bub. Hi, Wal, old boy, hi.

Hi, fellows. Mr. Osborne. Hi, Mr. Osborne.

Well, I just come by to say good-bye.

I'm checking out of the territory tonight.

Oh, I'm sorry to hear that, Wally.

Well, I had a nice visit.

Listen, on the way over here,

I was thinking about the time

we used to roam down by the waterfront.

Uh, Wally, I-I'm sorry, I... What waterfront?

Oh, the waterfront where we met that sea captain.

Now, he... I'm sorry,

I-I don't remember the sea captain.

What are you, flipped or something?

Don't you remember the sea captain?

He wanted us... Look, Wally, uh,

Mike and Robbie just got back from a trip.

Yeah, right after your last visit,

they left a note on the table and then took off.

That's right, they just left a note and took off.

Oh, sure.

You know, now that I think of it,

we were afraid to go down to that waterfront, weren't we?

That's... yeah, yeah, 'cause our folks told us not to.

Yeah, that's right. Listen.

I used to have to get a note from my mother

to go to the corner store to buy Indian nuts.

Is that so? Oh, yeah, yeah. Sure I did.

Oh, come on, Dad.

Like Robbie said,

we're not gonna leave this house again until you kick us out.

And you don't have to worry about me, Dad,

'cause I'm too chicken to run away.

Well... well, Wally, why don't you come in

and have a farewell cup of coffee with us? Good.

All right. Got some coffee, Bub?

Yes, the coffee's all ready, Good.

And I got a new gag for you.

Well, after we get our coffee, huh?

Then you're gonna miss a dandy.

Remember that waterfront, Wally,

when the sea captain wanted us to...