Summary[]
Barney feeds the flames of a quarrel.
Plot[]
Barney and Andy are cleaning out old files, to be put in the firehouse basement. Barney insists upon keeping them organized, despite the fact they will likely never be seen again. He then comes across a 19-year-old assault case file, written by former Sherriff Poindexter; the document says only that Floyd Lawson and Charlie Foley were both arrested for assault, with no further details . Barney insists that they must officially close the case by getting statements from the parties involved, and a very reluctant Andy accompanies Barney to the barbershop.
Floyd has trouble remembering the incident, so Barney goes to interrogate Foley while Andy gets a haircut. Foley laughingly recalls that he fell asleep during a haircut, and woke up to find himself shaved. As he had not asked for a shave, he accused Floyd of trying to run up his bill, and Floyd struck him.
Barney orders Foley to get Goober Pyle, the only witness to the incident 19 years ago, and they all meet at the barbershop. Floyd begins to insist that Foley did ask for the shave and was trying to con his way into not paying for it. Soon, Foley and Floyd are arguing bitterly; Andy takes Barney aside to order him to stop, but while he and Barney debate, Floyd punches Foley in the nose. As no one, not even Goober, was watching, Foley has no witnesses and punches Goober in frustration.
Over the next 24 hours, Mayberry divides into two camps over the incident. Goober hits Gilly Walker, Otis (Foley's cousin) hits Floyd, Floyd's cousin Lamarr retaliates on Otis, and Opie gets into a rough and tumble with Foley's nephew Johnny Paul. Andy, in turn, becomes uncharacteristically enraged at Barney for starting the whole mess, and tells him in no uncertain terms to stop the investigation. He sends Barney to get Floyd and Foley for an official hearing.
Once in the courthouse, Barney refuses to let the hearing begin because there is no material witness. Andy tells Barney to go get Goober. After Barney departs, Andy talks gently with Floyd and Foley, reminding them of the hard times they've seen each other through. Floyd sheepishly admits that Sheriff Poindexter did the same thing 19 years ago, and he and Foley laugh over their foolishness and happily make up. Barney arrives with Goober after they leave, and Andy explains that they just talked things over. Barney, insisting this means the case is still "open", hurries to start everything all over again at the barbershop. He returns with a swollen nose, putting an end to the investigation for good.
Later, after getting a haircut at Floyds, Barney notices he was charged for hair tonic, which he did not ask for. Floyd explains he had assumed Barney wanted tonic because Barney has never failed to ask for tonic before. Barney thinks Floyd is trying to pull a fast one, but Andy forestalls a fresh fight by insisting Barney give Floyd the quarter and drop it.
Notes/Trivia[]
- It is shown in this episode that many of the people in Mayberry are related.
- The "punch in the nose" between Charlie (Old Man) Foley and Floyd Lawson took place on August 9, 1946, at 11:25 am inside Floyd’s Barber Shop.
- It is also revealed in this episode that Otis Campbell's first arrest was for public drunkenness. The arrest happened on September 23, 1941, at 2 pm at the Mayberry Garden Club Flower Show. The sentence was suspended because it was Otis' first offense.
- When Barney and Andy enter the barbershop, Floyd is reading an article in the paper about the engagement of Robert (Bobby) Gribble and Emma Lars. Floyd finds this funny and ironic, as some child (possibly Bobby himself) wrote "Bobby Gribble hates Emma Lars" in the cement outside the barbershop, when it was laid down and still wet 11 years ago.
- It is also relayed that Bobby used to go out with "Andrew Beasley's girl" before he started courting Emma - whether Andrew was the girl's new beau, or her father, is not explained.
- When Barney questions Old Man Foley at his business (grocery store), it is mentioned that Goober was in the barbershop when the alleged assault occurred. Goober was 5 years old at the time and the assault happened 19 years prior, which means Goober is 24 years old in this episode. (George Lindsey was actually 36.)
- Foley stated to Andy that 19 years ago when the incident occurred, Floyd had just started his barbering, making him around 36 years old (going by Howard McNear’s age) when he first opened his barber shop.
- Goober's attack on Gilly is the only fight in this episode which is not prefaced by an argument about Floyd and Foley; Goober punches Gilly before the two even exchange any words. However, in Goober Takes a Car Apart, Goober makes no secret of the fact that he and Gilly Walker are not on friendly terms (Gilly frequently insults Goober's competence, and refuses to admit the bad state of his car is the fault of his own reckless driving, blaming it all on Goober), explaining why Goober, still riled from Foley hitting him, punched Gilly without provocation when the latter showed up at just the wrong time.
Goofs[]
- When Barney brings Goober to the courthouse, sirens blaring, as the material witness, they pass the barbershop and someone in a barber's coat is standing outside. He turns his face to the camera and reveals he is clearly not Floyd but Floyd's stand-in. Stand-ins filled in for Floyd in background shots occasionally, because Howard McNear was partially immobile after suffering a stroke following the filming of Convicts-at-Large, and could not stand without hidden supports.
Music[]
- The song Andy and Barney sing at the opening of this episode is a hymn called "Praise for the Fountain Opened," also known as "There is a Fountain Filled With Blood," written by William Cowper though Andy refers to the song as "Sinners lose all their guilty stains.”
Quotes[]
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