There comes a time in childhood when brothers tend not so much split up but move in different circles usually due to differences caused by age. Beaver and Wally are facing such a seismic shift caused by age and differences in how girls are viewed: desirable or creatures with cooties.
There is a six-year difference between Beaver (2nd grade) and Wally (8th grade) and Wally and Beaver view dancing school very differently. Wally is excited to go and Beaver is excited to go; there is something wrong, but what is it? Wally has a plan to use Beaver to help him ditch dancing school, Beaver will pretend he sprained his ankle, and then the both will go fishing. A double ruse to fool mom and dad. An ingenious plan but for pheromones; Wally's pheromones.
Wally is dancing with a new girl in the class, Penny Jamison; and she is one smooth little eighth grader. Larry Mondello recognizes the symptoms; his older brother had the look Wally has now, and before he knew what happened, his brother was married and Larry was alone.
Wally has to take his brother fishing; Penny abhors fish, they're slimy. But Wally has eyes just like Tab Hunter's; the deal breaker has been sprung: no fishing for Wally, he swallowed the bait and he's hooked. Penny is just reeling him in.
Beaver is home from dance school and he looks despondent. Wally is home too but he is moonstruck. Upstairs, Wally is grooming his hair for Penny; and Beaver better watch what he says about her, she is the prettiest girl in dancing class. When a Miss Penny Jamison calls for a Mr. Wally Cleaver, the mystery of dancing school is solved. It wasn't Ward's lectures that made Wally appreciate the responsibility of dancing class after all.
There is a phone call. Can Wally do Penny a favor and stop by the library and get her a copy of Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm; then can he drop it at her house? Goodbyeeeee. Yes, Goodbyeeeee. Is Wally sick? Where is he going? And didn't he promise to take Beaver fishing? June sees the devil and it's a girl who has come between Wally and his brother.
Wally wants Beaver to go home. Beaver can't hang around Wally anymore. He has big kid things to do like listen to Penny read aloud Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm instead of cutting the lawn. Ward has said no lawn cut, no fishing this weekend. Beaver steps up and pushes that reel mower all by himself; June helps with the trimming along the edges of the walk. At dinner, Beaver is falling asleep, dirty hands and all, while Wally gets kudos for a lawn well cut. June and Beaver just share a look, a look that somehow disturbs Ward. It's the phone; it's Penny. She wants Wally to come over and listen to records, and Wally shouldn't be playing nursemaid to a grubby little infant like Beaver. Isn't that the same grubby little infant who just saved his big brother from a possibly upset father?
Wally is out fishing but his heart isn't in it. Wally had a fight with Penny. Beaver wants to make it right between Wally and Penny. What would Ward do if he had a fight with mom? Ward would give June something important to him. Beaver has a box gift wrapped for Penny. Beaver is giving her his most important possession: Herbie the frog.
Beaver gives Penny the gift with the reaction we expected. Penny is really upset with Wally and won't ever speak to him again. That's fine with Wally; she has the face of a flounder anyway. Wally understands the gesture Beaver made and he isn't upset with him. Too bad Beaver can't go and get Herbie back. Beaver feels he can always find another toad; Wally figures he can always find another girl. Brothers together again.
There is a six-year difference between Beaver (2nd grade) and Wally (8th grade) and Wally and Beaver view dancing school very differently. Wally is excited to go and Beaver is excited to go; there is something wrong, but what is it? Wally has a plan to use Beaver to help him ditch dancing school, Beaver will pretend he sprained his ankle, and then the both will go fishing. A double ruse to fool mom and dad. An ingenious plan but for pheromones; Wally's pheromones.
Wally is dancing with a new girl in the class, Penny Jamison; and she is one smooth little eighth grader. Larry Mondello recognizes the symptoms; his older brother had the look Wally has now, and before he knew what happened, his brother was married and Larry was alone.
Wally has to take his brother fishing; Penny abhors fish, they're slimy. But Wally has eyes just like Tab Hunter's; the deal breaker has been sprung: no fishing for Wally, he swallowed the bait and he's hooked. Penny is just reeling him in.
Beaver is home from dance school and he looks despondent. Wally is home too but he is moonstruck. Upstairs, Wally is grooming his hair for Penny; and Beaver better watch what he says about her, she is the prettiest girl in dancing class. When a Miss Penny Jamison calls for a Mr. Wally Cleaver, the mystery of dancing school is solved. It wasn't Ward's lectures that made Wally appreciate the responsibility of dancing class after all.
There is a phone call. Can Wally do Penny a favor and stop by the library and get her a copy of Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm; then can he drop it at her house? Goodbyeeeee. Yes, Goodbyeeeee. Is Wally sick? Where is he going? And didn't he promise to take Beaver fishing? June sees the devil and it's a girl who has come between Wally and his brother.
Wally wants Beaver to go home. Beaver can't hang around Wally anymore. He has big kid things to do like listen to Penny read aloud Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm instead of cutting the lawn. Ward has said no lawn cut, no fishing this weekend. Beaver steps up and pushes that reel mower all by himself; June helps with the trimming along the edges of the walk. At dinner, Beaver is falling asleep, dirty hands and all, while Wally gets kudos for a lawn well cut. June and Beaver just share a look, a look that somehow disturbs Ward. It's the phone; it's Penny. She wants Wally to come over and listen to records, and Wally shouldn't be playing nursemaid to a grubby little infant like Beaver. Isn't that the same grubby little infant who just saved his big brother from a possibly upset father?
Wally is out fishing but his heart isn't in it. Wally had a fight with Penny. Beaver wants to make it right between Wally and Penny. What would Ward do if he had a fight with mom? Ward would give June something important to him. Beaver has a box gift wrapped for Penny. Beaver is giving her his most important possession: Herbie the frog.
Beaver gives Penny the gift with the reaction we expected. Penny is really upset with Wally and won't ever speak to him again. That's fine with Wally; she has the face of a flounder anyway. Wally understands the gesture Beaver made and he isn't upset with him. Too bad Beaver can't go and get Herbie back. Beaver feels he can always find another toad; Wally figures he can always find another girl. Brothers together again.
