|
"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! |
(The first episode of this five-part series begins in the city. Jon drives and tows a trailer through the city with his pets in the front seat beside him. Odie is wearing a collar, one of the rare times that he does, and a dog tag on said collar)
Jon: Deep sigh! What a lovely day! Don’t you just love a trip to one of our great national parks?
Garfield: “National park”, yeah. (Odie turns to him) A place with bad TV reception and little insects that bite ya and no pizza delivery. (Well, he's not wrong. He folds his arms frustratedly. Odie seems to be equally enthusiastic about the trip, which is to say, negatively enthusiastic)
Odie: Angry mutters (Nermal pops up from the backseat)
Nermal: Laughs
Garfield: And worst of all, four days with Nermal! (He points at the kitten with his thumb)
Odie: Moan…
Garfield: There’s gotta be an ejector seat button somewhere. (He opens the glove compartment and searches, but to no avail. Nermal whips out a perfume bottle)
Nermal: I just need a little cologne so I smell like myself. (Odie glares at him as he sprays it on himself)
Odie: Ew!
Garfield: Right, “O de Pew”. (He turns to his puppy pal) I know it’s hard to imagine, Odie, but things could still get a lot worse.
Odie: Gasp! Really?
Garfield: Yeah, Jon could’ve decided to bring along the… (He is interrupted by a familiar voice)
Twins: Where’s the kitty cat? Where’s the cute doggy? (Jon stops next to the sidewalk where Aunt Ivy and the twins wait. The girls hop excitedly) Whee! Yay! (Garfield looks out the window and finishes his sentence)
Garfield: Twins.
Twins: Whee! (Aunt Ivy walks up to the passenger-side window. Garfield trembles in fear)
Aunt Ivy: Where is that moronic nephew of mine?! (She opens the door. Garfield looks at his owner. Jon waves and the pets look nervously at her. The twins pile into the back seat)
Twins: Hi, Uncle Jon! (They wave hello)
Jon: Hi girls! Nervous chuckle (He looks at his pets, who are glaring at him with narrowed eyes)
Garfield and Odie: Grrrrrr!
Jon: Uh, I did mention that the twins would be joining us. (He points at the twins) Didn’t I guys?
Garfield and Odie: GRRRR! (They shake their heads no)
Minerva: We brought ADORABLE outfits (The pets face the twins) for you to try on!
Drucilla: We’re gonna have so much fun!
Odie: Moan… (Garfield sticks his paw out the open window and pleads for help)
Garfield: Help! Someone! Call the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and Dressing Them Up Funny! (His cries fall on deaf ears as Jon drives away) HEEEELP! Stop! No! Nothing! Please! HEEEEELP!
(Some time later, they all reach the majestic national park. Birds fly overhead, one of them lands on a branch with a squirrel on it. The squirrel clambers down the trunk, and Jon exits the car and walks outside and stretches his arms)
Jon: Deep sigh! We’re here. (He turns around) C’mon out, guys! Take a deep breath and enjoy the smell of a clean beautiful national park! (One by one, the cats and dog exit the car. All three of them wear matching ranger outfits, complete with a hat, an army green shirt, a tie, belted pants, socks, and hiking boots)
Nermal: I feel TERRIBLE dressed like this. Of course, I don't look as bad as you two do. (He points at them smartly)
Odie: Moan… (The twins bound out of the trailer and run up to the animals. They are dressed in their scout uniforms: hat, uniform, skirt, and backpacks for each of them)
Garfield: No, he’s probably right. (Nermal, Garfield, and Odie line up, the latter two still looking furious
Drucilla: They look so cute!
Minerva: They should get some kind of merit badge for being adorable!
Nermal: I already have six. (He holds his finger up)
Jon: Alright, guys, (He walks toward them) we’re here at this beautiful national park! There’s hiking, there’s swimming, there’s fishing, there’s exploring the forest, (Minera holds a tablet) what would you like to do? (Seeing an opportunity, the animals retreat into their car. Jon is not amused. He storms over to them and puts his hands in the open window) No, we are not going home now!
Garfield: (to Odie, who turns to him) If we hurry, I can catch a nap before my afternoon nap.
Jon: Out! Out! Out! (He points vaguely to his right and opens the door) I didn't drive all this way (The reluctant pets comply, Odie first, then Garfield and Nermal)
Odie: Moan...
Jon: (continuing) so that you three could sit in the car! This is the great outdoors!
Garfield: Well, if it was all that great, they’d move it indoors. (And add air conditioning. That is a must because heat)
(Elsewhere, the twins watch something on Minerva’s tablet)
Drucilla: What are you watching, Drucilla?
Minerva: I’m Minerva, you’re Drucilla.
Drucilla: Oh, I'm always getting us confused. (That’s called a running gag) Is that Celest? (She points at the tablet)
Minerva: It’s a new show that tells all about what she’s up to. (Drucilla nods) Shhh! (The show plays. A reporter interviews the singer, Celest)
Reporter: The biggest news is the upcoming concert by Celest St. Clair!
Twins: Oh, upcoming concert! (She gives a sneak preview with a song on stage)
Celest: I've been looking for you all the mornings of my days,
I've been looking for you but you're so far away,
I've been looking for you all the mornings of my days,
I've been looking for you (She winks) to come to me and stay, (She sits next to the ocean, gazing out into it)
My spirit's running low (She hangs over a gondola in Venice) without you, (She reads a book in her bedroom)
The time is going so slow (She sees a couple while reading a book and leaning against a tree in the park) without you,
I cannot feel alive, (A boy offers her a rose)
I may not long survive, (She gently declines, and then appears walking down the sidewalk)
Just thoughts of long ago (She stands at a bus stop) without you. (She sees someone on the bus)
I've been looking for you all the evenings of my life, (One of the guys notices her, but the bus takes off before anything else can happen)
I've been looking for you but you're a distant life,
I've been looking for you all the evenings of my life, (The bus stops in front of her again, and the guy she saw earlier leans out the door and offers her his hand)
I've been looking for you to come and make things right. (They both get on the bus and drive away. The video and song end with her on stage bowing and the audience cheering)
Drucilla: See? (She points at the tablet) Experience counts! (Her sister nods)
(In the forest nearby. Garfield and Odie go for a walk. Not even a nearby squirrel on a rock can get Odie back to his energetic self)
Garfield: Jon wants us to enjoy ourselves here. (A bush passes by them on their flank) How can we enjoy ourselves? (Garfield pauses. The bush runs across their path)
Odie: Gasp! Annoyed mutters (Garfield starts walking faster. Odie has to run to catch up)
Garfield: There’s no TV, there’s no microwave… (As the Flabby Tabby complains, the bushes sneak up behind him and Odie)
(After leaving the forest, they walk up to Nermal standing near the edge of a cliff)
Nermal: Hey guys! (He waves to get their attention) I found something cool! This is Echo Point! (A reference to the running gag in the comic strip. The bush continues to follow, but the pup hears the rustling of leaves behind him, and it causes him to freeze in place)
Odie: Doh! Huh? (He looks around suspiciously. When his back is turned, the bush leaves, but the puppy notices) Oh! (He follows it)
Garfield: What’s so cool about an echo? (His and Nermal’s tails wag behind them)
Nermal: What’s cool is that you can do this. Check it. (He walks to the cliff’s edge and shouts) Nermal Cat is the cutest creature in the entire world! (His voice echoes several times. The Tubby Tabby stares and blinks in disbelief) Laughs (Determined to one-up him, Garfield walks up to it and takes his turn)
Garfield: Garfield Cat is much, MUCH cuter than Nermal! (He puts his paw to his ear and listens, only he doesn’t hear what he expected)
Garfield’s Echo: That’s not true! (He opens his eyes, confused and shocked) Nobody thinks that! (Nermal smirks) It’s a dirty lie! (Garfield turns and growls at the kitten, his fists trembling in anger) Nermal is much cuter!
Nermal: Hey, don’t blame me. It’s your echo.
Garfield: OK, where’d the pooch go? (He turns around to look for him. Nermal follows)
(Elsewhere, Odie is on the trail of the mysterious bush he spotted earlier)
Odie: Sniffs (He spots rustling leaves in a bush, and he leaps in surprise) Yelp! (His eyes narrow and he goes on the offensive) Grr! (He turns around as the cats walk up) Mutters
Garfield: In there? (He points at the bushes) There’s no one (He shakes his head) in there. (The bush starts talking to him)
Farley: He’s right. There’s no one in here. (Another voice pipes up)
Gnarly: Psst! Farley, gotta be quiet! Gotta be quiet!
Nermal: (pointing) There’s someone in that bush.
Garfield: A couple of someones!
Odie: Uh-huh!
Farley: OK, they know we’re here. (With their cover blown, they decide to make a grand entrance) Preee-senting…three raccoons!
Garfield: Three raccoons? (He is visibly surprised. The raccoons all hop out of the bushes and stand before the cats and dog. On the pets’ left is a tall, fat racoon, in the middle in a tall, skinnier raccoon, and on the right is a shorter raccoon)
Raccoons: Ta-daaaa!
Garfield and Nermal: Gasp! (The tall thin one introduces himself while he and the tall fat one wave)
Farley: Hi, guys! How’s it going? I’m Farley. (The fat one interrupts and stands in front of Farley)
Charley: Ooh! Ooh! He’s right. He’s Farley, I’m Charley, (He holds his paw to his stomach) and that’s (He points at the short one) Gnarly. (Gnarly nods, smiles, and steps toward the city slickers)
Gnarly: You’re city folks, aren’t ya? Aren’t ya? Well, welcome to the forest primeval or as we call it, home!
Odie: Whimpers (He hides behind Garfield)
Garfield: I’m Garfield, the scared dog (He points behind him with his thumb) is Odie and the annoying cat (He points at the kitten) is Nermal. Yeah, we’re from the city. (Gnarly turns around and walks back toward the other raccoons)
Gnarly: The city! See I told you, Farley and Charley, didn’t I? I told you they were city folks, didn’t I? Didn’t I?
Charley: Oh, you were right, Gnarly. (He pumps his fists next to himself) Oh, so right!
Farley: Welcome to our forest! You can have anything you want! (He reaches behind his back and pulls out a couple of strawberries) Wild strawberries? (He walks up to offer them to their guests, but Gnarly wants the pleasure of doing so)
Gnarly: Strawberries! (He zips between Farley and the pets) I’ll watch them for ya! Watch this! It’s my favorite hobby! (He takes the berries and offers them to Garfield. He wiggles his fingers and sticks his tongue out hungrily, but Nermal slaps some sense into him by whacking his paw)
Nermal: Are you crazy? Raccoons are full of germs! (I’m pretty sure most things are full of germs, but OK) Uh, thanks, we’re good. (He waves his paw, rejecting the generous offer)
Farley: (while pointing at the pets) What’s it like, life in the city? (Gnarly drops the berries on the grass)
Gnarley: Oh, yeah, ‘cause we’ve never been to one, but then again, why would we? We have everything we need right here!
Garfield: Everything you need? Puh-lease! You don’t even have cable TV. (Music starts up and a song plays. The raccoons dance in place and Gnarly hops away)
Gnarly: The beauty of natures around you… (He climbs a pine tree and points at the rising sun)
Garfield: (folding his arms) I'm way too cold and way too wet! (He taps his foot impatiently while Nermal struggles with reception on his tablet)
Farley: The things out here will astound you… (He reveals a couple of bluebirds from his paws)
Nermal: I can't get on the internet! (He grabs Gnarly’s arms, as if he was pleading with him. Charley then gives him a fish skeleton and leaves) Huh? (Garfield taps on his smartphone)
Garfield: We require food to go, (He and Nermal relax in hammocks. Vito appears between them with pizzas in his hands)
Nermal: I can't miss my favorite show! (That was just a fantasy and the cats drop like rocks)
Garfield & Nermal Everything is oh-so wrong, so get us back where we belong! (They run back and forth, trying to escape, but the raccoons grab them and bring them back)
The Raccoons: You can be free of all the stress, (Charley and Farley, the two bigger raccoons, toss Garfield through the air)
That we don't have in the wilderness, (The Flabby Tabby slides off a pine tree…)
Escape that dark, depressing strife, (And lands in a pond. Fish look at him and them he swims up)
And try the sunny side of the life, (Farley and Gnarly curl Garfield’s lips into a smile)
You can be free of all the cares, (Charley dives into a bush)
Except of course for the snakes and bears, (Charley tosses two handfuls of strawberries into his mouth. Garfield craves them)
Escape the dark, depressing strife,
And try the sunny side of the life… (Garfield dives over the bush and eats the berries, only to have Nermal stand over him, glaring, tapping his foot and with his arms folded. Seriously, Nermal, who put you in charge of what Garfield can eat?)
Enjoy the sunny side of life! (The song ends as clouds quickly form over them and it starts raining. The pets are visibly annoyed as Jon calls for them)
Jon: Garfield! Odie! Nermal?
Garfield: Exasperated sigh. (He holds a finger up) If you’ll excuse us, (He points vaguely to his left) we must really return to our fully furnished, five-star luxury trailer. (He leaves)
Odie: Bark! (He waves good-bye and follows his feline friend)
Nermal: Au revoir! (He also waves them farewell) Have fun in the rain, guys. (With the pets gone, Gnarly starts thinking)
Farley: Gee, they seem like nice guys! (Charley pumps his fists again)
Charley: Oh, you’re right! (Farley nods) You’re so right! (Gnarly, however, thinks otherwise)
Gnarly: I don’t know, they don’t seem like nice guys to me.
Charley: Uh, and you’re right, too! (He points at the shortest raccoon. Charley is clearly the overly agreeable type)
Gnarly: C’mon! We need to get out of this rain! (He points up and makes circles with his finger) Let’s take a peek at this trailer of theirs!
Farley: Yeah, good idea. (He and Gnarly take off)
Charley: (holding his finger up) Oh! Oh, now you’re BOTH right! (He joins his raccoon brethren)
(Inside the trailer, Jon is making some snacks for everyone)
Jon: Who wants popcorn?
Garfield: I want popcorn, (He points up) and a pizza, (He wiggles his fingers) and a corned beef on rye, oh and a taco. (The twins spot something on TV)
Twins: Look! It’s Celest! (They watch as she sings her new song. The raccoon trio appears behind them in the window and peek inside. They see Jon, the twins, and the pets with all their modern conveniences. The Tubby Tabby grabs a handful of popcorn and shovels it into his mouth. Charley knocks on the window, hoping to get a bite for him and his friends. Odie notices them)
Odie: Oh no… (Gnarly licks the window and Farley stares with big eyes and small pupils) Grrrr!
Garfield: I’m not sharing my popcorn! (He grabs the bucket and holds it next to him) We’ll just not see them. (He grabs a remote and presses a button. The blinds lower, effectively rejecting the raccoons. They stand outside, their tails wagging, hearing the TV blare. Gnarly is visibly angry, and Charley is frozen in shock)
Farley: That wasn’t very nice, was it?
Gnarly: See? (The other two turn to look at him) I told you they weren’t nice!
Charley: Oh, you were right! (Gnarly turns around to face his raccoon friends)
Gnarley: We need to teach them a lesson! Yeah, yeah! Here’s what we’re gonna do: tonight, after they’re asleep, (He points at the trailer with his thumb) we’re gonna push their trailer of theirs (He hops excitedly) over into the poison ivy bed. (They all agree to go along with Gnarly)
Raccoons: Chuckle That’s a good idea, Gnarly.
(Later that night, after the rain stopped and under the light reflected by the full moon, the raccoons race to Jon’s car. Gnarly opens the door, and he and his fellow raccoons jump in. They are somehow able to start the car and drive it and the trailer into the bed of ivy while everyone inside is sound asleep)
(The next day comes and Jon opens the trailer door to inhale some fresh air and stretch)
Jon: Hums Hmm? (One would think that the door opening to a different area would raise some red flags, but Jon simply scratches his head and shrugs it off. He steps into the bed, not knowing it’s actually poison ivy) Hums (The twins are also awake and they walk to the doorway)
Twins: Yawn! Morning Uncle Jon. (Minerva waves and Drucilla holds a tablet in her hand. Jon picks one of the plants and holds it up to him)
Jon: (turning around) Good morning, Drucilla and Minerva. Wanna lend me a hand? (He points up) I’m making Liz a nice bouquet with a little of this redwood vine. Chuckle Not to be confused with poison ivy, which makes people scratch and itch.
Twins: Ah. (They look at each other, and then at the tablet)
Drucilla: Actually, (She points) that IS poison ivy, Uncle Jon!
Jon: No, no, no, no. I know the difference between redwood vine and (He starts stammering) p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p- (He scratches himself) POISON IVY! YAAA-HA-HA-HA-HA! (He dives into the pond, scratching himself frantically) Whimpers (Jon’s crazy shrieking wakes up the pets. One by one they look out the window at Jon)
Odie: Huh? (Nermal and Garfield appear next to him) Wow!
Nermal: Yeah, is that some sort of weird bird? (With everyone distracted, the raccoons slip under the window…)
Garfield: Yeah, it’s the rare red-rashed shrieking Arbuckle. (and into the trailer. They sneak up behind the pets and one by one Garfield, Nermal, and Odie disappear from the window. The masked bandits leave, each carrying a sack over their shoulders, having successfully kidnapped the pets)
Jon: Whimpers
(Later, Jon exits the trailer with dry clothes and carrying a suitcase, but still covered in red rashes from the ivy. The twins wait outside for him)
Twins: Do we really have to go? We just got here! (Yeah, poison ivy is no joke. Jon places the suitcase in the trunk of his car)
Jon: I’m sorry girls, but–Yelp–I have to go somewhere to stop this itching! Whimpers (He scratches himself frantically) Did you tell Garfield, Odie, and Nermal that we’re about (grunt) to leave?
Minerva: Yes. (She nods and points to a bush) Here they come now! (The pets’ ranger hats poke out from behind the shrub)
Jon: Ah! Good! Make sure they get in, (He points at the girls) while I–AAHHH–finish packing.
Drucilla: Hurry up and get in! (She claps her hands and heads for the car)
Minerva: Uncle Jon says we’re about to leave. (She follows her sister into the car and they close the door behind them. The trailer door closes and the shade opens, only for the raccoons and not the pets to appear in the window. The bandits had stolen their ranger outfits, donned them, and had effectively swapped places with them. Gnarly and Farley stare sinisterly out the window with narrowed eyes, pleased that their plan had worked so flawlessly, while Charley stands next to them)
Raccoons: Snicker
(As for what they did to the pets, the raccoons had tied them up by wrapping rope around their arms and stomach and left them somewhere in the forest. They all struggle to loosen their binds)
Garfield, Odie, and Nermal: Grunt! Strain
Nermal: Why did they do this to us?
Garfield: Never…never trust guys who wear masks all the time! (He kicks his feet, trying to free himself, but the ropes are too strong) Grunt! Odie, how ya doing? (Next to him, Odie is standing and gnawing the rope, trying to free himself)
Odie: Grunts
Nermal: Chuckles (He and Garfield both smile. Odie soon works himself free)
Odie: Ta-da! (He holds his arms out)
Garfield: Good work, boy! (He hops to Odie, pointing his back at the pup) Now untie us! (Odie quickly obeys and starts working on Garfield’s ropes)
(Meanwhile, Jon and the twins are all in the car, packed and ready to leave)
Jon: Alright, are we all set to–NYUH–go?
Drucilla: All set! (Minerva looks out the back window to double-check if the pets are in the trailer)
Minerva: Garfield, Odie, and Nermal are back in the trailer.
Jon: Sigh. Then let’s go home. EE! (He circles around and drives away. Garfield, Odie, and Nermal dash out of the forest and run after him)
Odie: Bark! Bark! Bark! (He and the cats stop)
Nermal: Where’s Jon going without us?
Garfield: It doesn’t matter where he’s going. (He holds his finger up) What matters is the “without us” part. Gasp! (Seeing Jon leave spurs the pets to run after him)
Odie: Whimpers
Nermal: Yowl! (As they chase after the trailer, Part 1 reaches its conclusion)
TO BE CONTINUED…