Gortimer Gibbon's Life on Normal Street (2014) s01e09 Episode Script

I've lived my whole life
on Normal Street.
There's a lake at one end,
and a forest of shady trees
at the other.
But what lies in between
is anything but normal.
[whirring]
Ranger grew up in
his family bakery,
which made him immune
to most temptations.
But when it came to
Grandpa's specialty,
the rare and wondrous
Chocolate Singularity Cake,
a cake so dark and dense
with chocolate,
that it actually
absorbs light.
Everyone has a breaking point.
I may have topped myself.
You want a taste?
Really? Can I?
Oh, never mind.
[sighs] Well,
gotta get to
Gortimer's.
Well, you have a good time
at the camp out.
But be careful.
They're sayin' there's a
10 percent chance of rain.
I'm feelin' lucky.
[sighs]
[crashing]
Dad, I've told you
a million times
that rack can't take
any weight.
I was planning on
replacing it next week.
Well, planning
won't replace
pot racks.
Whoa.
Is everyone okay?
Yeah, the rack came loose.
It was my fault.
She's been tellin' me
to replace it.
Dad, you've got two hours
to make a three hour
replacement cake,
and two cakes and
a pie after that.
Honey,
call Tanya and Jose,
tell them that their orders
are gonna be late and--
I guess we've gotta give 'em
the cake for free.
Okay, where's Ranger?
We're gonna need his help.
Look, this is my fault.
He doesn't need to be
dragged into this.
Are you sure?
All right.
[fly buzzing]
[gasping]
[coughing]
[coughing]
Why are you guys
setting up so early?
Uh, it needs to
air out.
[sighs]
I swallowed a bug.
Gross. You okay?
Yeah, I guess so.
Can help us out
with the tent?
Oh, uh
give me a second.
I gotta go wash my hands.
Sure.
Hey.
That fly
really likes you.
[sighs] Yeah.
How did it go
at the bakery?
Why?
What have you heard?
Nothing.
Why would we have
heard anything?
[scoffs]
No reason.
I thought you said
your Grandpa was gonna
make his famous cake.
Um hey!
You guys forgot to
put the groundcover
under the tent.
- We don't need it.
- Of course, you do.
There's a 10 percent
chance of rain.
This tent is sticky.
Mel:
What are you doing?
Stop messing around.
I told you, I'm stuck.
Anchor him, Gortimer.
Wait, what? Guys,
I don't think this
is a good idea.
[grunting]
I thought you just
washed your hands.
I did.
I told you I did.
Why would I lie?
So what do you guys
want to do now?
And they were
never seen again.
Good one, Gortimer.
Thanks.
Oh.
I've got a story
that actually happened
a long time ago
on Normal Street.
It's called
"The Rat Who Squeaked."
Once there lived a little boy
who loved a toy rat,
and it squeaked.
The boy took the rat
everywhere,
and everywhere he went,
kids made fun of him.
One day,
the meanest kid in school
grabbed the rat and threw it
down the storm drain.
That night, the mean kid
was trying to fall asleep,
and he heard something.
Squeak, squeak, squeak.
It grew louder.
Squeak, squeak, squeak!
The next day, he heard
the squeak everywhere,
at school, in the library,
at the park.
Finally,
as the sun was setting,
the mean kid knew
what he had to do.
He reached in
as far as he could,
and was certain it was only
inches away,
but he slipped and
fell into the drain,
and was never seen again.
And to this day,
if you walk past
the storm drain
just as the sun is setting,
you can hear sound echoing
from deep inside.
Squeak. Squeak. Squeak.
I need some air.
It wasn't that scary,
was it?
No, it was fine.
I just--
You've been acting
kind of strange.
Oh.
What is it?
Oh.
That's a lot of bugs.
What do they want?
[thunder cracking]
[thunder rumbling]
Must be the rain.
They're taking shelter.
After following us
all the way from my house?
You know,
it must be nice to be
part of a swarm.
You don't have to be
responsible for anything.
You can just buzz along,
doing your bug thing.
No wonder they're so happy.
Look at 'em?
They look happy?
How can you tell?
Because they're bugs.
Weren't you listening
to anything I said?
What are you saying,
that bugs have it better?
You'd hate being a bug.
You're the least
bug-like person I know.
Insects are cold
and unfeeling.
- Feelings are overrated.
- Mel: You don't believe that.
No, you're more like
a puppy. Fun, loyal,
a little impulsive.
Do me, Mel.
I was thinking I was a--
- Prairie dog.
- Bald eagle.
Prairie dog?
Sure. Resourceful, strong,
not afraid of getting into
dark underground places.
Team player.
Yeah. Prairie dog.
What would Mel be?
Lion.
For obvious reasons.
[knocking]
Hey, campers.
Those look great, Mom.
Well, I did my best,
I just hope
Ranger likes it.
Grew up with his
Grandpa's cookin'.
Does he, um--
Does he still
make that cake?
What was it called,
it was, uh-- hang on.
It was a chocolate--
chocolate something?
Who wants to
play a game?
Mel:
Truth or dare?
Truth.
Do you think it's possible for
a human to turn into a bug?
Hey! It's my turn
to ask, Ranger.
Easiest question ever.
No.
But, you know, before
when I swallowed that bug,
what about that?
You'll just digest it
like everything else.
So, Gortimer,
my question was,
if your house was on fire and
you could only save one thing,
what would it be?
My comic books.
Gortimer!
What about your mom?
What about Gardner?
You said one thing.
I would save my mom,
who would, uh--
happen to be carrying Gardner
at the same time.
Nice.
All right, Ranger,
truth or dare?
- Dare.
- You always pick dare.
You always pick truth,
and we already know everything
about each other.
Okay, then I dare you to
answer one question truthfully.
Now you're just abusing
the rules.
I second that dare.
What's the worst thing
you've ever done?
Wow. What a question.
I know.
The duct tape
experiment.
Not the water park?
That was pretty bad.
I hear they're
re-opening in Spring.
Did they ever give his
swimsuit back?
- I think they burned it.
- [buzzing]
Probably for the best.
I can still see a
little green in your hair.
Yours, too.
- Took forever to grow back.
- [buzzing louder]
Wait.
Did you guys hear that?
Quit stalling. Truth.
Um what Gortimer said,
about the water park.
Ha! I knew it.
All right.
My turn.
[thunder rumbling]
[loud thunder clap]
Wah wah wah wah.
Wah wah wah wah!
[insects buzzing]
[insects buzzing]
[insects buzzing]
[insects buzzing]
I'm hungry.
Should we, uh, wake him up?
Yes. It's going on
nine and a half hours.
[zipper unzipping]
Morning, bug boy.
Your little friends
are still at the
window.
What?
It's weird. Stop.
I don't know what
you're talking about.
Okay. We get it.
I don't understand.
Your eyes.
You're a bug. We get it.
Oh. Cool.
You mean you're not,
like, trying to do that?
No.
Close your eyes.
Now open them.
I guess that's just
how they are now.
Well, maybe
let's eat breakfast.
I'll get cereal for us.
Honey Crunch, please.
You guys want to
hang out today?
We are hanging out.
Not you.
The bugs.
Oh. Great.
He's talkin' to bugs now.
[loud crunching]
I'm sorry,
but can you please
put on sunglasses?
That eye thing is just
so disturbing.
[whispering]
What is going on?
[whispering]
How would I know?
[whispering]
You know everything.
You know I can
hear you guys, right?
That's impossible.
What's going on?
How would I know.
You know everything.
[loud crunching]
Ahh. Nothing beats honey.
[buzzing]
[knocking]
Come in.
Hey, guys. Uh, Ranger,
it's your grandpa.
Thank you, Ms. Fuller.
Mm-hm.
Hello?
- Hey, bud.
How are ya?
- Fine.
Uh, look,
I hate to call you
when you're camped out
with your friends,
but, uh, we need you to
go to the bakery and
help out your mom and dad.
I thought you were
working today.
Uh, that's the thing, bud.
So yesterday, I made a
really big dumb mistake,
and, uh, might have
cost us some business.
So I thought it might be
a good idea
to take a break from
the bakery for a while,
'cause I seem to be doing
more harm than good.
Okay.
Okay. Again, uh,
sorry to take you away
from your friends.
Okay. Goodbye.
[phone beeps]
Is everything okay?
Yes. Well, gotta go to
the bakery now.
He's gonna return
the cereal, isn't he?
I don't know, Mom.
The bugs are gone.
Interesting.
Mel:
That's strange.
The bakery's the other way.
He did keep saying he was
turning into a bug.
That's not possible.
- Great.
- Actually.
- Maybe.
- Uh-oh.
There is some evidence
that concerns me.
One, his hands remained
highly sticky
immediately after
he washed them.
Two, a swarm of bugs
keeps following him around.
Three, he woke up
with larger eyes.
And four,
he can't stop eating
honey flavored cereal.
And five, he said he was
turning into a bug.
Somehow,
I trust that the least.
Should we follow him?
Absolutely.
Just to be safe,
let's grab some
bug repellent.
Ranger: See, humans,
they just don't get it.
Us bugs, we can eat
whatever we want,
whenever we want,
and nobody cares.
You want to know what else
they're obsessed with?
Responsibility.
Funny, right?
I think there's
something else going on.
Every time we ask Ranger
if he's hiding something,
he starts acting--
Like an insect.
Wait.
Look.
Honey Crunch.
He left a trail.
So, do you think
it's possible
Ranger's undergoing
some sort of
metamorphosis?
Well, if he is,
this should help.
He really spilled
a lot of cereal.
Ranger!
[insects buzzing]
Ranger: Like, last night,
I couldn't sleep.
I was so worried.
But today, it's a
whole new ball of wax.
Or maybe
should I say beeswax.
Get it? Beeswax.
Oh, man.
Ranger.
It's us.
Oh, hey.
Gortimer: We want to
talk to you.
I'm busy.
We're coming up.
I wouldn't do that
if I were you.
Or what?
Or, uh--
I don't know.
I just want to be alone
with my new friends.
Who? Bugs?
Don't say it like that.
[insects buzzing]
Whoa.
Ranger,
what's going on?
You've been acting
really weird.
Maybe humans are
the weird ones.
Ever think about that?
Maybe it's bugs,
like me and my friends,
who are the, uh--
non-weird ones.
This has gone too far.
Just come back down
with us.
I'm not going anywhere.
Don't you get it?
I told you guys.
I'm a bug now.
Why? Because you
accidentally swallowed a bug?
Last time I ate chicken,
I didn't turn into a chicken
the next day.
My real friends
understand.
We're your real friends.
Believe what you
want to believe.
All right,
you asked for it.
Repel.
Stop! Wh--
What are you doing?
Okay.
It's just us now.
Please tell us
what's going on.
Ever since we
saw you yesterday,
you've been
saying and doing
a lot of really
bizarre things.
No, I'm not.
Maybe.
And this morning,
when your eyes were so big,
you weren't acting
like yourself at all.
And now, well,
you're talking to bugs,
and saying
you're a bug,
so you can see why we're
a little concerned.
Did something happen
yesterday?
No.
When-- when I asked you
how it went with, uh--
Grandpa and the
Singularity Cake,
you said,
"What have you heard?"
What did that mean?
Just tell us.
It can't be that bad.
But it might be.
Take off your
sunglasses.
So
It's okay.
Yesterday, Grandpa made the
Chocolate Singularity Cake,
and after he left,
I ate a piece.
Oh.
But that's not all.
Right after I ate some,
I accidentally destroyed
the whole cake.
I mean,
that-- that's--
that's bad.
Really bad, but not--
not insanely bad.
I don't see why it
made you so crazy.
That's just it.
Grandpa got blamed for it.
But it was my fault.
And now Grandpa can't work
at the bakery anymore.
Oh.
Grandpa's always been
really nice to me, you know?
He's the best.
But when I saw that he was
gonna get in trouble,
and not me,
I was
relieved.
Ranger, it's okay.
You were panicking.
You're only human.
Yeah.
Not a bug.
What was that about?
[sighs] I guess the guilt
made me, you know, buggy.
I'm scared about
what they'll think of me
after I tell them.
They'll be angry,
and they should be.
But that doesn't mean
they don't love you.
When you do something wrong,
really, really wrong,
you feel guilty.
And if you try to
run from it,
guilt can eat away at you.
It can even change you.
Ranger, where were you?
We were swamped.
Honey, what's wrong?
Can we have a
family meeting?
It wasn't easy for Ranger
to admit what he did
to the people who
loved him most.
But it wasn't as bad as he
thought it would be, either.
We all make mistakes,
and Ranger is no exception.
He's only human.
[sighs]
And we like him that way.
♪