Beaver gets home late after stopping off at the drugstore with Larry, and he has a mouse he got at the drugstore where the mouse was caught. June is not having a pet mouse in her house. Ward agrees the mouse has to go and breaks the news to Beaver. Ward unfortunately makes the mistake of saying that neither he nor June would have a serious objection to a regular pet. Terrific news as Whitey's cat just had kittens. Ward dances away from the cat saying Beaver has to find a sensible pet. I guess cats don't qualify.
Next day Beaver and Larry are back at the drugstore reading the notices on the public bulletin board. Then Beaver sees a notice for a free full-grown money with cage as the owner is leaving town. Larry would like the monkey but says his dad would blow his top; he isn't happy when Larry just has a friend over. Beaver is positive he can bring the monkey home, Ward said he could have any pet he wanted as long as it was sensible.
When Ward walks in the phone rings, it's the owner of the monkey saying Beaver is coming home with a monkey. June refuses to allow a monkey in the house which is fine with Ward, but June has to look her son in his eyes and tell him that he can't have a monkey.
Wally is surprised that Beaver has Stanley the monkey because he is pretty sure mom doesn't like him. June isn't sure about Stanley but is stoic for now; well stoic as long as the monkey stays in his cage.
The next morning, Beaver is off for school and Stanley seems intent on exploring. As soon as he is left alone, he opens his cage and pops out. Wouldn't you know that June is having some friends—seven women—over that day to play cards in the living room and then enjoy a luncheon. As June opens the doors to the dining room, there is Stanley sitting atop the finger sandwiches stuffing himself. Then Stanley starts swinging on the chandelier before popping outside.
When Ward gets home he calls the animal shelter and they promise to keep an eye out but that's all they can do. That night there is a heavy rain and somewhere out there is Stanley, and inside is a worried Beaver. In the middle of the night Wally wakes his parents. Stanley is back but he is shivering; and next day a vet arrives to announce Stanley has pneumonia. Beaver is worried that Stanley might die. The vet tells everyone that this is the wrong climate for a monkey like Stanley. All the Cleavers are trying very hard to help Stanley get well. Even Larry brings flowers to Stanley, even though it might be silly to bring flowers to a monkey.
Beaver has decided that if Stanley gets well, he is going to save his money and send Stanley to South America or somewhere where the climate is right for him. Beaver would miss Stanley, but he would miss him more if he died.
After a few days, Wally again wakes his parents in the middle of the night; this time Stanley looks better. Stanley has recovered; he even spent the next day watching TV. But Ward agrees with June, they can't keep Stanley. Ward is going to tell that to Beaver but finds Beaver on the phone. Beaver is trying to arrange for Stanly to fly home to South America but it costs eighty whole dollars. Ward has an idea: the zoo in Mayfield has a steam heated monkey house, and they would probably like a smart fellow like Stanley.
The zoo does take Stanley and Beaver tells Wally that he is going to visit Stanley every day. Wally says that won't happen because Beaver is going to grow older and have other activities to be involved in, and he will forget Stanley. Beaver knows Wally is right, but it's nice to think he and Stanly will be friends forever.
No doubt the most improbable episode of the series. When I was a kid it was almost impossible to get a dog as a pet; and there wasn't any family I knew who would have been so understanding about a monkey. In my childhood neighborhood of about 170 houses, there were about five dogs total. I'm sure there were no monkeys. If you were fortunate to have a dog, I was, he or she slept outside in a doghouse and was brought inside during inclement weather only. That's the way it was until I went off to college and my mom got an English Springer Spaniel to replace me. That dog was a total indoor dog that my mother loved. And Candy was the only indoor dog I knew until I got to be middle-aged and bought my own dogs; but no monkey, ever.
Next day Beaver and Larry are back at the drugstore reading the notices on the public bulletin board. Then Beaver sees a notice for a free full-grown money with cage as the owner is leaving town. Larry would like the monkey but says his dad would blow his top; he isn't happy when Larry just has a friend over. Beaver is positive he can bring the monkey home, Ward said he could have any pet he wanted as long as it was sensible.
When Ward walks in the phone rings, it's the owner of the monkey saying Beaver is coming home with a monkey. June refuses to allow a monkey in the house which is fine with Ward, but June has to look her son in his eyes and tell him that he can't have a monkey.
Wally is surprised that Beaver has Stanley the monkey because he is pretty sure mom doesn't like him. June isn't sure about Stanley but is stoic for now; well stoic as long as the monkey stays in his cage.
The next morning, Beaver is off for school and Stanley seems intent on exploring. As soon as he is left alone, he opens his cage and pops out. Wouldn't you know that June is having some friends—seven women—over that day to play cards in the living room and then enjoy a luncheon. As June opens the doors to the dining room, there is Stanley sitting atop the finger sandwiches stuffing himself. Then Stanley starts swinging on the chandelier before popping outside.
When Ward gets home he calls the animal shelter and they promise to keep an eye out but that's all they can do. That night there is a heavy rain and somewhere out there is Stanley, and inside is a worried Beaver. In the middle of the night Wally wakes his parents. Stanley is back but he is shivering; and next day a vet arrives to announce Stanley has pneumonia. Beaver is worried that Stanley might die. The vet tells everyone that this is the wrong climate for a monkey like Stanley. All the Cleavers are trying very hard to help Stanley get well. Even Larry brings flowers to Stanley, even though it might be silly to bring flowers to a monkey.
Beaver has decided that if Stanley gets well, he is going to save his money and send Stanley to South America or somewhere where the climate is right for him. Beaver would miss Stanley, but he would miss him more if he died.
After a few days, Wally again wakes his parents in the middle of the night; this time Stanley looks better. Stanley has recovered; he even spent the next day watching TV. But Ward agrees with June, they can't keep Stanley. Ward is going to tell that to Beaver but finds Beaver on the phone. Beaver is trying to arrange for Stanly to fly home to South America but it costs eighty whole dollars. Ward has an idea: the zoo in Mayfield has a steam heated monkey house, and they would probably like a smart fellow like Stanley.
The zoo does take Stanley and Beaver tells Wally that he is going to visit Stanley every day. Wally says that won't happen because Beaver is going to grow older and have other activities to be involved in, and he will forget Stanley. Beaver knows Wally is right, but it's nice to think he and Stanly will be friends forever.
No doubt the most improbable episode of the series. When I was a kid it was almost impossible to get a dog as a pet; and there wasn't any family I knew who would have been so understanding about a monkey. In my childhood neighborhood of about 170 houses, there were about five dogs total. I'm sure there were no monkeys. If you were fortunate to have a dog, I was, he or she slept outside in a doghouse and was brought inside during inclement weather only. That's the way it was until I went off to college and my mom got an English Springer Spaniel to replace me. That dog was a total indoor dog that my mother loved. And Candy was the only indoor dog I knew until I got to be middle-aged and bought my own dogs; but no monkey, ever.
