|
"We've been working for months on this skyscraper!"
This article requires all sections to be fully complete! By adding information, you can help out and finish the page! |
(This episode begins one Christmas season in Jon’s neighborhood. The whole area is decked out with lights and decorations. Jon’s house has a winterized Christmas tree and a statue of Santa in the front yard, and lights on the house itself. Inside, Jon is clumsily balancing on a stepladder, putting the tree up)
Jon: Whoa! (He nearly falls off, but regains his balance) Gee, I can’t believe it’s that time of the year, again! It seems like it was only yesterday I took down the Christmas decorations. (The star on the tree tilts. Jon reaches over to straighten it) Grunt! (Garfield and Odie are watching TV. The fat cat is on his chair, and his canine companion stands with his nose one inch away from the screen)
Garfield: No, actually, it was the day BEFORE yesterday. (He winces as Jon struggles to keep his footing on the rickety ladder)
Jon: Whimpers (He has one foot on the tree and the other on the ladder, gripping the top of the tree to prevent himself from falling. This is not maintainable, and Jon falls flat on his face) Oof!
Garfield: Usually he gets them down in time for Halloween. (His stomach grumbles, and he looks down at it, wincing. Odie turns around with what is initially an angry face)
Odie: Mutters
Garfield: No, that’s not Santa being early, (He holds his finger up) that’s my tummy (He pats and rubs his belly) rumbling from lack of food. Sigh (He glances at Jon, who is walking in from the hallway with another box of decorations)
Jon: I heard, I heard, Garfield. The turkey won’t be ready for another couple of hours. (He leaves)
Odie: Awwww… (He is transfixed on the TV, holding his paws together as if he was praying)
Garfield: “Another couple of hours…” (He reaches for the ceiling in desperation) I’ll starve! I’ll perish! (He looks at the audience for a second) No, I'll starve and THEN I'll perish.
Odie: Shh! (Their show–a black-and-white Christmas movie–has returned from the commercial break. Odie is clearly invested in it) Mutters (He points at the TV and resumes watching) Hums
Garfield: Moan! (He facepalms, wiggling his toes as he does, as the kids in the movie walk up to a lady’s house)
Kids on TV: Singing “Jingle Bells” (Well, not singing, more like “La”-ing. There is a cat nearby who dances to their music. The woman sways back and forth as she and the parrot on her shoulder listen. Odie joins them)
Odie: Barks “Jingle Bells” (The kids dance with each other, and Odie hops and bounces away, dancing along with them. With each passing second, Garfield gets more and more irritated. He watches the playful pup, his fist trembling)
Garfield: Growls Heh. (As Odie dances on his toes to the back of the chair, Garfield chooses to ignore him and his doggy singing. Once the pup and the kids are done, Odie appears on top of the chair’s headrest, his tongue hanging out of his mouth) Hey, have that thing sanitized for my protection. (He grabs Odie’s tongue, yanks it, and lets it go, causing it to whip back in Odie’s face, knocking him over)
Lady on TV: Oh, what beautiful voices you have. Here, (She offers the kids a cookie from a plate) have a delicious cookie.
Garfield: Huh? (Obviously the hearing the word “cookie” and seeing them on the TV gets Garfield’s wheels turning)
Lady on TV: I bake them myself. (Odie pops up on Garfield’s left, on the arm of the chair)
Odie: Barking “Jingle Bells”
Garfield: Oh my… (He slaps Odie off so he can focus on the TV)
Girl on TV: Oh, we get such wonderful goodies
Odie: Barking “Jingle Bells” (He clearly loves the song)
Girl on TV: (continuing) when we go door-to-door singing Christmas carols. (Garfield stuffs a pillow in the big-hearted beagle’s mouth)
Garfield: Shh!
Girl on TV: The people at the house last gave us figgy pudding. (She holds up some figgy pudding in her gloves hand)
Garfield: Figgy pudding! (He wiggles his fingers excitedly) I don’t even know what it is, but I want it! Odie!
Odie: Hm? (He looks at Garfield)
Garfield: It’s a Christmas miracle! You can get food for singing! I can sing! (He puts his paw under his chin)
Odie: Uh-uh. (He drops the pillow. Garfield stands up to test his vocals)
Garfield: Operatic singing I eat! (He grins)
Odie: Bark! Bark! Can I go?
Garfield: (pointing) No, you can’t come along! (He wags his finger at the pup) I don’t wanna share the goodies! Hey! Woo-hoo! (He hops off the chair to get some warm clothes for caroling)
Odie: Sad moan (He is clearly stung by his feline friend and walks away from the TV with his head hanging low. He then starts singing) Barking “Jingle Bells” (The further along he goes, the more his spirits rise. He lifts his head, rocks it back and forth and starts dancing. He turns around to face the viewers and hops on one foot. Adorable)
(A little while later, Garfield is outside in front of a neighbor’s house. He wears a Santa hat, a red-and-black striped scarf around his neck, and matching gloves over his paws. He rings the doorbell and waits)
Tall Old Man: I’m coming! I’m coming! (Garfield lifts his cap from over his eyes) It never fails, (The man answers the door and leans outside, holding a mop and a bucket of water) someone always shows up just when I’m trying to wash the floor!
Garfield: Laughs Humming “Jingle Bells” (He uses “La” as each syllable just like the kids from the movie, and dances in front of the man, who just stares. He throws in a few meows in there for good measure. Once he is finished, he bows. The man frowns at him) Alright, (He points) you’ve been Christmas caroled! (He extends his paws, hoping for some food) Let me have what I deserve! (The man takes his bucket and dumps the water on Garfield. Considering how Garfield scorned Odie earlier, that is definitely what the fat cat deserved)
Tall Old Man: Grunt! (The camera pans from Garfield’s crossed toes to his face. He is completely soaked)
Garfield: Maybe I should’ve specified (The man sticks his mop on top of Garfield’s head) food. (The man closes the door behind him and Garfield walks away, defeated, but not deterred) Sigh… (He approaches Odie, who is sitting at the fence watching. The pup–who is wearing a red scarf with a snowflake pattern around his neck, earmuffs on his head and mittens that match the scarf on his ears–enjoys a good chuckle at Garfield’s misfortune)
Odie: Laughs (He points at his tabby tormentor)
Garfield: Oh you think that’s funny, huh? (He taps his toes impatiently)
Odie: Uh-huh! Laughs (He points again. Garfield takes the mop off his head and throws it behind him)
Garfield: Oh, you’re right. It IS funny, (He points at Odie) but watch what happens at the next house! (Now perfectly dry, he goes to the next house and rings the doorbell. A woman answers the door and steps outside. Garfield starts singing off-key) Sings “Jingle Bells” (The woman rolls her eyes and shakes her head as he performs) Laughs (He gives some jazz paws to finish and steps forward, expecting a treat. The woman returns inside) Sigh. (He gives a thumbs up and smiles at the viewers) Huh? (The next thing he sees is a bucket flying toward him) Rowl! (It lands on his head, blinding him. He stumbles around drunkenly on the porch) Ooh. (He slams into the wall) Whimpers (He makes his way down the stairs and into the yard, where Odie is sitting and giggling at him)
Odie: Laughs (He slaps the grass. Garfield cannot help but hear his friend’s chuckles)
Garfield: Ahem. Alright, (He points at the pooch) you come with me to the next house (He gestures to his left with his thumb) and you’ll see, it’ll be different. (He heads off for the next house. Odie gets up and follows)
Odie: Bark! (He runs up to Garfield on all fours as the cat waits in front of the door) Bark! Bark! (He sits down next to Garfield. Harvey answers the door)
Garfield: (off-key) Sings “Jingle bells” (He spins and dances, twisting his legs in the process. He throws in a few meows in there and finishes with jazz paws)
Harvey: (pointing) Is that about it? (He heads back inside)
Garfield: Chuckle (He hugs himself)
Odie: Mutter Pants (Harvey then returns and whips out a spray bottle. He sprays it directly in Garfield’s face)
Garfield: Yowl!
Odie: Uncontrollable laughter (Garfield glares at him)
Garfield: See, I TOLD you (He points at Odie) it’d be different! This one didn’t use a bucket. (He hears a familiar, albeit unwelcome, laugh to his right. He turns to see who is mocking him now)
Nermal: Laughs (Garfield puts his hands on his hips and glares when he sees it’s Nermal. The kitten walks up to him wearing a Santa hat with Christmas trees on the bottom, a red-and-dark-green scarf, dark green mittens with a snowflake on the back of the paws, and small leg warmers on his ankles, leaving his toes uncovered) Oh, Gar-FIELD, that’s the WORST noise I’ve ever heard in my LIFE!
Garfield: (mockingly) Oh, hello, NeR-mAl.
Nermal: You sound like an accordion going through a trash masher!
Garfield: I suppose you could do better, Nermal?
Nermal: With one tonsil tied behind my back! Watch this! Hey Odie, (He leans around Garfield to get a better view of the pooch) wanna sing backup for me?
Odie: Yeah! (He stands on his hind legs and bounces excitedly in place) Pants (Nermal runs up and rings the doorbell. He has to leap to reach it, and then bounds down the stairs, standing at the foot of the steps. He gestures for Odie to join him, and he quickly does. Harvey answers the door and stands outside)
Harvey: Another caroling cat? (He points) I hope you’re better than the last one.
Nermal: Ahem. (Odie stands upright. Nermal blows a note on his pitch pipe–though it sounds more like a kazoo–and he and Odie start singing. Garfield glares at them from behind)
Nermal and Odie: Sing “Jingle Bells” (Harvey instantly falls for them. Little hearts pop up around him. Garfield stands in shock. Upon finishing, Odie gives a bark and Nermal purrs)
Garfield: Moan. (He stares at the audience, disbelieving that it will work)
Harvey: (applauding) That’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen!
Nermal: Naturally. (Odie nods his head once. Harvey serves them their reward)
Harvey: Here, here’s some prime rib, medium-rare, with gold mashed potatoes, (Odie claps) yams, glazed carrots, (Garfield can only stare in disbelief. He smacks his lips) dinner rolls and honey butter. (Nermal bounces and Odie claps and wags his tail) Oh, and for dessert, (He offers them a plate of…) figgy pudding! (They both look at the treats before them)
Garfield: Figgy pudding? (He leans forward in stunned silence) Oh! (He points, blinks, and then falls over backwards, still holding his finger up. Odie and Nermal walk by. The pup pops some pudding into his mouth)
Nermal: Purr. It’s like this, Garfield, (He eats some pudding as well) you either got it, or you don’t.
Garfield: Oh, they got it alright. Sigh. And I wanna eat it! (He gets up and starts robot-walking after them, but this doesn’t last long and he slumps) Hums Heh. (He looks at a gold ornament on someone’s outdoor living Christmas tree. He stares at it, bats it, and then hides behind it when he sees Odie and Nermal coming up the sidewalk toward him. Nermal still has the plate of pudding, and the pup has a popsicle)
Nermal: Laughs (Garfield blocks their path as soon as they get close)
Garfield: In keeping with the holiday spirit, could I interest you fellas in sharing some of that food with, uh, me? (He blinks twice)
Nermal: Huh? (He and Odie look at each other)
Nermal and Odie: (while shaking their heads) No.
Garfield: (shocked) No?
Nermal: Garfield, (Odie looks at the kitten while still chewing something) when have you ever shared your food with US? (Odie nods and glares at Garfield angrily. After all, Garfield was the one to selfishly deny Odie the chance to carol with him earlier that day because the cat wanted all the food to himself)
Garfield: (to the audience) He’s got a point. (As the kitten and pup leave, Garfield rushes to come up with an idea) Wait! I can help you guys with your singing.
Nermal and Odie: Huh? (They stop and turn around. They look at each other, and immediately burst out laughing) Uncontrollable laughter (They fall over, kicking their feet wildly)
Garfield: Go ahead, laugh all you want, (He waves his paw in front of him) it doesn’t bother me, I don’t care.
Nermal and Odie: Continued laughter
Garfield: Grunt! Stop laughing! (He says he doesn’t care, but his face says otherwise. To his credit, Nermal calms down. Odie is still giggling on the ground)
Nermal: Oh, sorry, Garf. It’s just that, well, YOU teaching someone about…singing? (He blows a raspberry and covers his mouth, giggling again) Laughs
Garfield: Hey, I have a superb singing voice. Just listen. (He clears his throat and gives the other animals a demonstration) Vocalizes (Hearing him sing make Nermal and Odie wince and fall backwards)
Odie: HOWWWWWWWWWWWL!
Garfield: Continues vocalizing (After hitting his last high note, the ornaments on the tree commit suicide and break) Stop that! My singing is not that bad! (He hears a nearby rustling) Gasp! (He is shocked to see all the needles on the Christmas tree have fallen, leaving just the ornament remains still hanging on the branches and a dangerous mess around the tree) OK, maybe I could use a few lessons.
Nermal: I tell ya what, Garfield, we’ll (He gestures to Odie, and they look at each other) let you be our vocal coach (Odie nods. The camera zooms in on Nermal) if you can hit a high C. (He looks confident that Garfield will not be able to accomplish this)
Garfield: Ha! I scoff. A high C (He holds his finger up) for a singer of MY talent? That’ll be easy. Just give me a sec to warm up here. (He reaches behind him and clears his throat. The puppy and kitten look at each other as Garfield holds a pair of tweezers in his gloved paw. He addresses the audience) Here's the secret: to hit high C, you just yank (He points the tweezers at his nose) a hair out of your nose. They do this all the time at the Metropolitan Opera. (He sticks the tweezers in his nose and quickly pulls out a nostril hair. The ensuing pain causes him to scream in a very high-pitched voice) AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! (He hops across the street, and then back in front of Nermal and Odie, collapsing on his belly in front of them)
Nermal: Chuckle Not bad.
Odie: Mutters (He nods in agreement. Garfield walks up to them)
Garfield: I’ll be your vocal coach for a share of all the food you collect. (He gestures toward them) I think 10% is fair.
Nermal: 10%?!
Garfield: I won’t let you take any less. C’mooooooooooooon. (He heads out between them, bouncing in place as he walks) I’ll be your conductor at the next house. (The caroling duet follow)
Odie: Pants
Nermal: Giggles Sigh
(At the next house, Garfield knocks on the door with his conductor’s baton)
Garfield: Let your conductor handle this. (He stands on the stairs. The duet stands on the sidewalk behind him)
Nermal: Sigh. (He shakes his head. Garfield taps the door again and an elderly woman answers)
Odie: Hm?
Garfield: Ahem. (He lifts his baton to lead them, but Nermal and Odie call an audible and start themselves)
Nermal and Odie: Sing “Jingle bells” (The fat cat cuts them off)
Garfield: (shaking his head and waving his paws) No, no, no, no, no! (Odie and Nermal can only stare) More like this: Meows “Jingle bells” (The kitten and pup wince at Garfield’s singing. It’s so bad it causes the woman’s glasses to crack)
Old Woman: Oh! (She scowls. Odie and Nermal wince again as a loud splashing and thump is heard from offscreen. Garfield has another bucket on his head, and the woman slams the door)
Nermal: Nice singing there, coach.
Odie: Uh-huh. (He nods)
Nermal: It’s like this, Garfield, you’ve either got it, or you don’t. C’mon, Odie. On to the next house!
Odie: Mutters (The duet heads out, leaving their conductor in the dust)
Nermal: Face it, Garfield. we’re adorable, and you’re not. (Garfield, unable to see due to the bucket on his head, feels in front of him with his foot)
Garfield: Row! (He loses his balance and falls down the stairs) I gotta find a way (He gets up, loosening the bucket from his head) to make myself more adorable. (He goes to do just that)
(Later, Garfield peeks through the window. He sees a man watching the Christmas movie he and Odie had been watching earlier)
Kids on TV: Singing “Jingle Bells”
Garfield: High voices are cute! (He taps his chin, thinking) I just need to sing higher! (He zips away)
(In front of a different house, Garfield practices hitting the high notes)
Garfield: Vocalizes No, no, gotta be a little higher. (He clears his throat and tries again, and manages to get slightly higher) Vocalizes I’m getting there. (He tries it a third time, and is really off-key) Vocalizes Perfect! (He makes the OK symbol with his paw for the audience to see and then knocks on the door. A large man opens it) Wha?
Man: (confused) Mm. (Garfield begins singing)
Garfield: (high-pitched and off-key) Sings “Jingle bells” (He dances for the man and hugs himself after finishing. When Garfield’s done, the man steps forward, causing the cat to jump back in surprise)
Man: (in a high-pitched voice) Making fun of the way I talk, are ya, cat?! (Garfield nervously backs away)
Garfield: (high-pitched) Maybe what I need is… (He clears his throat and talks in his normal voice) maybe what I need is to, uh, get some backup singers. Hey! (He flees. The man closes the door)
(Garfield returns to his yard practices conducting in the shed with his new backup singers, Squeak, Humphrey, and another fat mouse. They have pretty good voices)
Mice: Sing “Jingle Bells” (Garfield sits on a trash can, waving his baton in front of the mice. Squeak plays guitar between Humphrey and the fat one)
Garfield: (pointing his baton) Hey that’s great, Squeak! We’re sure to get plenty of handouts!
Squeak: (pointing up) Remember our deal: we get first claim on any cheese.
(Garfield rings the doorbell of another house and races behind the mice. A woman answers the door and the quartet begin)
Garfield and Mice: Sing “Jingle bells” (The woman watches. Suspense builds as the cat and mice finish)
Woman: AAAAAHHHHHH! (They all scatter as she attempts to hit them with a broom) Mice! (The mice and Garfield hide behind a fence. She grabs her chest as if her heart nearly gave out) Pants
Squeak: (terrified) Get yourself another choir, Garfield!
Garfield: Heh.
(Meanwhile, Nermal and Odie have been collecting the goods. They have gotten so much they need a wagon to carry it all. Right now, they perform in front of the old man from earlier)
Nermal and Odie: Sing “Jingle Bells” (The man applauds)
Tall Old Man: Laughs Excellent! (He pulls out a plate of ham from behind his back) Let me get you a little snack, (Garfield walks up just in time to see the hams in the man’s hand) maybe a couple of hams.
Garfield: Hams! (He freezes in place) Oh this couldn’t be worse!
Tall Old Man: Oh, and to go with them, here’s some figgy pudding! (He pulls out another plate from behind his back)
Garfield: (furiously) OHHHHH! (His fists tremble angrily and he storms away, seemingly throwing in the towel) It’s no use, I’m a FLOP as a caroler! (He kicks a can in front of him into a wheelbarrow. The can rings like a bell when it lands, causing Garfield to stop and put his paw to his head, listening) Oh, what a great sound. (He hangs his head) Too bad I can’t hit notes like that. Wait a second, (He looks at the audience and points up, an idea brewing in his head) maybe I can! (He zips to a nearby trash can, tosses the lid aside, and looks into it) Snickers (He spots some more cans at the bottom of it. Leaning almost completely into it, he tosses everything he needs out) Meow, meow, meow! Meoooow. (He dives fully in and emerges twirling a stick in his fingers and holding a can in the other paw) Laughs
(Meanwhile, Nermal and Odie–who is pulling the wagon–walk up the sidewalk to their next destination, when they hear loud banging nearby)
Nermal: Wha? (They turn in the direction of the sound, which is coming from Jon’s front yard behind the Christmas tree. What they hear is “Jingle Bells” being played on what sounds like metal cans. They run over to investigate) Huh? (They peek out from either side of the tree and there is Garfield playing the cans like drums in the wheelbarrow. They approach him) Laughs (They look at each other. A snowflake floats into the camera, transitioning them to in front of another house, with Garfield playing backup to accompany the duet’s singing)
Nermal and Odie: Sing “Jingle Bells” (A woman from earlier opens the door and, hearing Odie’s and Nermal’s singing, falls instantly for it. Little heart pop up around her and she offers them a plate of food, which Nermal takes and adds to their pile. They take off, with Odie hopping behind, and Garfield is in hot pursuit)
Garfield: Laughs (He runs into the camera as it starts to snow. They reappear in front of Harvey’s house)
Nermal and Odie: Continue singing “Jingle Bells” (Harvey offers them more food, and so does the high-pitched man when they play for him)
Garfield: Aah! (He imagines cookies and pudding swirling around him) Ooh! Ahh!
(The screen transitions to later that night. Jon sets the turkey on the table, with the rest of the silverware, plates, sides, and a candelabra. As Odie and Nermal finish, Jon calls his pets for Christmas dinner)
Jarfield: Garfield! Odie! Christmas dinner is ready! (Odie struggles to pull a bloated, sleeping Garfield in the wagon)
Odie: Mutters (He gets to the living room and then sits down. Nermal is behind them, looking more stuffed than a teddy bear, leaning against the wall)
Nermal: Moan
Garfield: Sorry, we’re stuffed! (He wags his finger in the air)
Nermal: I couldn’t eat another bite! Oh… (He gags, perhaps a little overinflated from his and Odie’s well-earned treats)
Jon: Garfield doesn’t want to eat? (He turns around and heads for the kitchen) Must be one of those Christmas miracles you hear so much about. Laughs (Garfield looks over the table’s edge at the turkey, which is still hot from the oven)
Garfield: Well, chuckle, maybe a few more bites. (He winks at the viewers, and the episode comes to a close)
Merry Christmas to all! THE END