Original subtitles

♪ People let me tell you about my best friend ♪♪

[birds tweeting]

[Eddie] I think it might rain tomorrow.

[Tom] Really? What makes you think so?

[Eddie] Well, the weatherman said "Clear"

and he's wrong a lot.

Why do we have holidays?

[Tom] Well, to remember special days.

See, there's national holidays

local holidays and personal holidays.

[Eddie] Well, last Sunday when you took me horseback-riding...

- Yeah. - We ate peanuts.

And you told me jokes and we kept laughing.

[Tom] Yeah, you had a good time, huh?

[Eddie] I had the best time.

[Tom] Oh, well

then that's a holiday.

[Eddie] Dad, do you think I'll ever grow up?

[Tom] Oh, sure, sport.

Everybody spends

some of their life being a child

and some being an adult.

[Eddie] I don't know, so far I've spent

all my life just being a child.

[theme song]

♪ People let me tell you 'bout my best friend ♪

♪ He's a warm hearted person who'll love me till the end ♪

♪ People let me tell you about my best friend ♪

♪ He's a one boy cuddly toy ♪

♪ My up my down my pride and joy ♪

♪ People let me tell you about him he's so much fun ♪

♪ Whether we're talkin' man to man ♪

♪ Or whether we're talkin' son to son ♪

♪ 'Cause he's my best friend ♪

♪ Yeah he's my best friend ♪

♪ La la pa ra ra pa ra ♪

♪ Pa ra ra pa ra ♪

♪ Pa ra ra pa ra ♪♪

[scatting]

If you had an apple and gave away

three-eighths of the apple

what fraction of the apple

would you have left?

It's no use, Mrs. Livingston

I'll never understand fractions.

Sometimes it is impossible to see the forest for the trees.

Yeah, but this is about apples, not trees.

Eddie, come here.

Watch.

See? I cut the apple into eight pieces.

Sure am glad this isn't about elephants.

Now, we have apple with eight pieces.

You give me three...

- Those three. - So, how many are left?

Hey, five! Now I get it.

- Five-eights. - Correct.

Do you think it'd work with chocolate cake?

Yes, but not this close to dinner time.

♪♪

Good evening, Mr. Eddie's father.

Hello, Mrs. Livingston.

- Hi, dad. - Hi, sport.

How have you been all day?

Pretty good. How have you been?

Pretty good, too.

This is part of my homework.

Eights of an apple.

"Eights of apple," hmm.

I only see sevens of apple.

That's 'cause I'm almost finished with the eighth.

I would eat some more if I were you because

seven's some murder to work with.

He'll all finished with his homework.

So early?

Hey, you've been doing that a lot lately.

Yeah, I've been tryin' to.

Eddie, I don't want you to think that I only notice

when you do something bad.

I want you to know, I also notice

when you do something good.

What do you mean?

Well, for example

it's been a long while since I've had to move your bicycle

in order to get my car in the garage.

Yeah, it has been quite a while.

And I appreciate it.

I asked you to care of it and you did

take care of it, and I'm very pleased.

That's okay.

It's going to be more than okay.

To show you how much I appreciate

your accepting responsibility

I'm gonna get you that bike that you've been wanting.

That new bike, dad? That's great!

Yeah, well, we're a team, you know.

You do right by me, I do right by you.

And, I am very proud of you.

Mm...

- I wouldn't be too proud. - Why?

'Cause somebody must have stolen my bike.

♪♪

♪♪

[door knob rattling]

Well, it's, uh, it's gone, that's for sure.

- Yup, it sure is. - Umm.

We looked all over the whole neighborhood.

Whoever stole it sure did get a clean getaway.

It is said that the criminal always

return to the scene of the crime.

Well, he better return fast

'cause that front tire was almost flat.

I can ask some of the neighbors about it tomorrow.

Dad, I don't know why you're going through all this trouble

when you're gonna buy me a new bike anyways.

Yes, well, I-I'm not so sure about that now, sport.

- But you said you would. - That's right.

That was before you were careless enough

to leave it in the driveway and just when I thought

you're taking care of your things.

Dad, it's no fun taking care of an old bike.

And you get me a new bike and I'll show you

some real taking care of.

Sport, I'm not sure you're ready for one.

But, dad, I couldn't get any more ready than I am now!

Alright, let me put it this way...

Do you deserve it?

I am sure he's sorry and would not do it again.

Uh, but, Mrs. Livingston, he has to learn

to take care of his things.

But, dad, it's not fair.

I'm gettin' punished twice.

Who said anything about punishment?

Well, I don't get to ride my old bike

and I don't get to ride a new one either.

Because you left yours

in the driveway where it was stolen.

Okay.

I shouldn't have left it there.

But someone else stole it

and you're punishing me for it.

Eddie, I do not think your father is punishing you.

Well, it sure does feel like it.

Eddie, look...

It's only a lesson in learning

to take care of your things

but it is definitely not punishment.

Well, I think the person who's suffering

should decide on whether it's punishment or not.

♪♪

Well, you, um...

You think about it a little more.

Eddie, what is the matter

isn't that your favorite cereal?

Yeah, but I'm not hungry.

Oh, because of your bicycle?

Yeah, you know, if the old one was still here

I could get a new one and I could give away the old one.

But, now, that the old one is gone

I can't get the new one.

Well, you know why that is?

Because you were careless.

Well, okay, he was careless.

But I'm sure he learned his lesson.

Why don't you give in, Mr. Corbett?

I can't give in, Tina.

Look, I took a stand.

Now, I told him he cannot have the new bike

because he was careless with his old bike.

- Umm? - Alright.

He's got me on the hook now, you see

he keeps reminding me of what I said

and I'm in a ridiculous position.

- Back down. - Oh, Tina.

Look, that's the point. Now, I don't wanna punish him

but by the same token, I don't wanna reward him either.

And-and giving him a new bike is gonna seem like a reward.

So, you can't buy him a new bike?

Nope! Not until we find the old one.

And then you give the old one away?

Yeah.

Have you ever considered working for

the State Department?

♪♪

Dad, do you think the police will send out

an all-points-bulletin?

Oh, sure, at the very least.

Will they take my fingerprints?

Why would they do a thing like that?

'Cause when they get my old bike back if they do.

They can compare my fingerprints

with the ones on the old bike

and prove it really belongs to me.

Ha, you know, I never would've thought of that myself.

[indistinct chatter]

It looks like a busy place.

Yeah, well, they have a lot of important things to do.

♪♪

Uh, you want to sit over here?

I sure do hope they watch all the latest police shows on TV

so they know all the new things.

Oh, I'm sure they do, I'm sure they do.

Maybe we should have gone to the FBI.

Well, sport, that's only for inter-state crime.

You see, in order for them to get involved

the thief would had to have take your bike

and cross the state lines.

- Dad. - What?

My bike can't even make it

across the county line.

Good point.

Hey, dad. Look at that lady.

♪♪

Hmm-hm, hm-hmm.

Do you think she's here to report a stolen bike, too?

- I don't think so. - Next.

- I guess that's us. - Yup.

- Yes? - Ha, well, we, uh...

We have a little problem

and, uh, I wanted my son to know that he can come

to police for help during times like this.

Umm-hmm...

- What's the trouble? - Someone stole my bike.

Well...

Name?

Street Lightning.

No nicknames.

No, that's the name.

And you are Mr. Lightning?

Oh, no, that's the name of the bike.

The name of the owner is Eddie Corbett.

Complainant, Corbett.

Eddie reports disappearance

of two wheeled, foot-propelled

single passenger vehicle.

That's my bike?

Well, that's the official way of writing it.

- Oh... - Forcibly removed?

Oh, no.

No, my son left it in the driveway.

But, he now understands that

that was the wrong thing to do.

Yeah.

License?

There isn't any.

- No license? - Oh, well, no...

I never really got around to getting one.

But it doesn't make any difference here, does it?

[intercom buzzing]

Gifford, yeah.

When?

Right, gimme a rundown. I wanna be positive.

Another case?

Well, I guess they have a lot of things

to look after.

- Yeah. - Okay, right.

Four ham on white, three tunas, seven heroes.

Okay, now, where were we?

No license.

Uh, uh, sorry.

Would you recognize it?

Yeah, sure I could.

You see, it's sort of blue

and the front fender's bent

and the left-hand grip slips off

and the left pedal's really...

...kinda messed up.

And the chain falls off and the horn doesn't work.

"Horn doesn't work

and the chain falls off."

Anything else?

Leaky front tire.

♪♪

Well, I can certainly understand

why you're so anxious to get it back.

You know, dad, police never do care

as much as they do on TV.

Well, Eddie, give 'em another chance.

You know they're pretty busy.

Well, what happens if they never do find my bike?

Does that mean I'll have to walk for the rest of my life?

Well, no, Eddie, it doesn't mean that

you're necessarily not ever gonna get another bike.

But you said I wouldn't and you never go back on your word.

[sighing] Well, Eddie, I don't like to think of myself

as being inflexible.

What does that mean?

It means not ever going back on your word.

That's you, dad.

Once you say somethin', it's like a promise.

[car revving]

Well, not all the time.

Oh, Eddie, look. If...

We'll talk about it when we get home.

- Okay? - No, I know. That's it.

I'm never gonna have another bicycle

as long as I live.

♪♪

- You know, dad. - Hmm?

I sure did think that the police

would find my bike by now.

Yeah, well, they do their best, sport.

But, you know, they don't always catch the thief.

They're pretty busy.

You know, maybe I should go out and find out who stole it.

You know, I do have more time than they do.

Oh... How would you do that?

Dad, you know, like in the mystery pictures.

First, you get rid of all the possible suspects.

Hey. You really have been

thinking about this, haven't you?

Yup and the first possible suspects I get rid off

are you and Mrs. Livingston.

- Well, thank you. - That's okay.

And Billy Gerber and Miles and Neil Guttmacher.

Hm, why them?

Well, dad, you know, they are my best friends

and your best friend never steals anything from you.

Okay, well, I suppose you continue trying

your detective work tomorrow because it is time to go to bed.

- Okay, dad. - Okay.

But, you know, if the police don't find my bike

I guess it's up to me to find it.

'Cause I know I'll never have another bike

as long as I ever live unless I find my old bike.

Ah...

[switch clicks]

♪♪

"Lost, beat-up bike, sentimental value only.

"Call Eddie Corbett, phone, 4767306

[chuckles]

Reward, if you insist."

- I helped with the wording. - Umm...

How many of these did you run off?

Three hundred. Eddie wants to put them

on all the telephone poles.

[sighing] He's really working at it, isn't he?

Yup. Poor little guy.

All that work for a beat-up old wreck of a bike

that isn't even worth riding.

Thank you, Tina.

Come on, Tina. I wanna get started.

- Okay, let's go. - Yeah.

[door shutting]

♪♪

- Mrs. Livingston. - Yes?

When you're teaching responsibility to a child...

...it's not hard to go overboard, is it?

Yes, it is not.

And another thing, too.

When you've taken a position...

...that you really wish you hadn't...

...what do you do about it?

That is the question.

[clearing throat]

Tell me, do, uh, parents in Japan

have this much trouble?

Well...

...Japan is a very different country.

- That's true. - Hi, dad.

- Hi, Mrs. Livingston. - Hi, Eddie.

Ah! Where have you been?

Putting up posters trying to find my bike...

Oh. Any luck?

Well, not so far.

Well, there's

a lot of legwork in being a head detective.

That's true.

Especially when you don't have

a bike to do all the legwork on.

Ah-ha, so, you've been just putting up posters

right and asking around, huh?

- Yeah. - And nobody knows anything?

No, see...

I nailed up all the posters

and talked to about a million people.

No luck.

Ah, that's too bad.

But I did find three other kids

who said they left their bikes out.

I told them they better put 'em away before it got stolen.

Well, that's good.

That's, that's very good, Eddie.

That, that's, uh...

That's helping other people.

Mostly, they told me to mind my own business.

Oh, yeah. Well, but-but still...

I mean, you, you must feel better.

The idea that you've helped somebody else.

Not as good as finding my old bike.

But, uh, still, sport

I, uh, I'm very proud of the way you, you've handled

this search and-and the way you've accepted responsibility.

Well, you did say I was responsible.

Yeah, for losing your bike.

But, Eddie, there are so many kinds

of responsibility.

Now, yes, you are responsible

for making a mistake.

But now you're showing responsibility

by taking care of that mistake.

And I'm very proud of you.

I'm glad...

Because if all that running around

is being responsible

I lost my windbreaker.

♪♪

You cannot afford not to get him a bike.

Oh, Tina, what do you mean?

Well, have you stopped to add it up?

Hmm?

Eddie duplicated 300

posters at five cents a piece

that's $15 and then there's a reward

in case anybody claims that.

The only way they can claim the reward

is by returning the bike.

That's true, but don't forget the windbreaker.

- How much? - I don't know, Tina.

Fifteen, $16 dollars.

Okay, that comes to about $30.

- Alright, Tina-- - So far?

- Yeah, but-but-- - And the day isn't over yet.

Alright, Tina.

So, it's costing me money

but there is a principal involved.

Shew... How much principle

can you attach to an old wreck of a bike

that should've been condemned a long time ago?

The point is, Tina, you just do not understand

the complexities of parenthood.

[chuckling]

[knocking on wood]

Get that, will you?

Ah...

Alright. Back to work.

♪♪

Officer, uh, Gifford.

Yeah, what can I do for you?

I'm Tom Corbett.

The unlicensed two-wheeled vehicle?

Yes, with the dent in the front fender, the loose left pedal

and the non-functional horn.

I remember. What can I do for you?

Well, I was wondering if you had

any news on my son's bicycle.

- You're kidding? - Why would I be kidding?

Do you have any idea what goes in and out

of this station every single day?

Yes, I think so.

You can't even imagine.

Well, look, I-I assume what you're trying to tell me is

you have no information on my son's bike.

Well, that's not the only thing we've got to look for.

Yes, I understand that.

But, Mr. Corbett, you're talking about a bike

that isn't even fit to ride.

Yes, we're also talking about

building a good citizen's faith

in law enforcement.

You wanna impress your son with the law

you ought to have licensed the bike.

Now, would that have helped to get it back?

At least we'd know exactly which bike was missing.

Mr. Corbett, we know our business.

We're lookin' for the bike.

Now, unless there's anything else important.

Yes, I would like to report

a, uh, a missing windbreaker.

No, no, wait, on second thought.

That wasn't licensed either.

♪♪

[Tom] Now, I don't wanna punish him, but by the same token

I don't wanna reward him.

[Tina] All that work for a beat-up old wreck of bike

that's hardly worth riding.

[Eddie] But somebody stole it and you're punishing me for it.

[Tom] When you've taken a position, you really wish you hadn't...

...what do you do?

[Gifford] You're talking about a bike

that isn't even fit to ride.

♪♪

I know it is difficult to accept but

not having a bicycle is not the most

terrible thing in the world.

No, it's not.

[Livingston] I am sure many famous people

never had bicycles.

- Who? - Abraham Lincoln.

What do you mean?

Well, I read the story

where he walked five miles to return ten cents.

So, he must not have had bicycle.

That must be why he looks so unhappy all the time.

Good evening, Mr. Eddie's father.

Hello, Mrs. Livingston. Hiya, sport.

- Hi, how are ya? - Okay.

"Okay." What do you mean okay?

That okay doesn't sounding like okay.

That okay sounds like the end of the world.

- I'll be okay. - Well, I'm glad to hear that.

- You know what I did today? - No.

I discussed your case with Officer Gifford

and with Tina, and I want you to know

I've given a lot of thought.

Hm.

Well, you know, it's gonna be pretty hard

finding that old bike of yours.

Yeah, and I do appreciate you're looking for it.

That's alright.

Because after talking to Officer Gifford

and to Tina I have reached some conclusions.

Yes.

I feel that any two wheeled, self-propelled

singular passenger vehicle with a dent in the fender

and a chain that falls off and a handle bar grip that slips

and a horn that doesn't work.

And a leaky front tire.

And a leaky front tire.

As far as I'm concerned, that kind

of vehicle is unsafe to be in the streets.

As a matter of fact, I'm not even sure in my heart of hearts

I would even call it a bicycle.

Dad, I wish you'd just get right down to the point.

Oh, yes, that's a very good idea.

Hey, you, follow me.

Ha-ha, you too.

Mrs. Livingston, do you know what's going on?

Yes.

Oh...

- Aww... - Hmm.

Aw...

[Livingston] Don't you like it, Eddie?

- Oh... - I guess he doesn't like it.

Maybe it's the wrong color, hm?

Dad, it's the most beautiful thing

I ever saw in my whole life.

I'm glad and that's a long time, your whole life.

I sure have learned my lesson.

I sure will take care of this bike.

And I want you to know I have learned my lesson too.

This bike is licensed.

Dad, can I take this bike out?

Uh, yeah, but before you go, sport

there's just one thing I'd like you to know.

Now, I know I told you you couldn't have a new bike

until you found the old one.

In effect

I made a mistake.

And I just wanted you to know that, uh...

Would you like to take the bike out?

You bet I would.

- Drive carefully. - I will.

♪♪

Do you think he heard a word I said?

Yes, he was not listening but I think he heard.

♪♪

I'll get it, sport!

Hello, Mr. Gifford. Wow!

Hello, Mr. Corbett. Recognize this?

Yes, I do.

It was quite a challenge for the guys in the patrol car.

Wha-what do you mean?

Well, you know, they were kinda fascinated

with the description.

They didn't think a thing that could

sound like that still runs.

Yeah, well, I didn't think

a thing could look like this and be stolen.

Yeah, well, I'll tell ya

we don't let anybody down.

Yes, I know that. I'm sorry if I was

a little uptight the other day.

It was just a, uh

father and son thing, a matter of principle.

One more thing, will you ask the kid

to take the posters down?

The property owners are startin' to complain.

Yes, of course, of course.

- Thank you. - Privilege.

- Oh, Mr. Corbett. - Oh, yes, thank you.

Oh, ah, Eddie!

I have something for you to leave in the driveway.

[Eddie] Why do they say, "Free as a bird?"

[Tom] Oh, well, because birds are like children.

I mean, they don't have a job or responsibilities.

They can just do whatever they wanna do.

[Eddie] Birds have it better than children.

[Tom] Why is that?

[Eddie] They don't have to wash their hands before dinner.

[chuckles]

Where do birds go when it rains?

[Tom] Well, they hide in trees, under bushes.

[Eddie] And I have to come inside

or else I get a cold.

[Tom] Yeah.

[Eddie] Do you know the saying, "Life is just a bowl of cherries?"

[Tom] O-o-h-h, yes. I know it very well.

[Eddie] Well, suppose you don't like cherries?

[chuckles]

♪ People let me tell you about my best friend ♪

♪ La la pa ra ra pa ra ♪♪

♪ People let me tell you about my best friend ♪

♪ He's a warm-hearted person ♪

♪ Who'll love me 'til the end ♪

♪ People let me tell you about my best friend ♪

♪ He's a one boy cuddly toy ♪

♪ My up my down my pride and joy ♪

♪ People let me tell you about him he's so much fun ♪

♪ Whether we're talkin' man to man ♪

♪ Or whether we're talkin' son to son ♪

♪ 'Cause he's my best friend ♪

♪ La la pa ra ra pa ra ♪♪