It's Your Move/Don't Leave Home Without It

Don't Leave Home Without It
Season 1, Episode 10
Airdate	December 12, 1984
Written by	Katherine Green
Directed by	John Pasquin
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It's Your Move — Season One

Don't Leave Home Without It is the tenth episode of the first season of It's Your Move, and the tenth episode overall.

Guest Stars: Stan Yale (Mitch), Carment Filpi (Garth)

Plot Overview

Norman and Eileen are enjoying a quiet night alone in Norman's apartment, until they are repeatedly disturbed by the bickering of Eileen's kids Matt and Julie across the hall. Norman, ever frustrated by the interruptions, offers to take Eileen away to a hotel in Carmel for the weekend, using the credit card that he has recently acquired from Golden West Bank. In order to not arouse suspicion, Eileen tells the kids that she is going away for a business trip and that Norman is taking is own vacation by himself.

Matt is angry at Norman for not using the credit card to take his Mom out, so he calls and reports Norman's card stolen. Matt is also upset that his Mom has chosen the building manager Mr. Donatelli to watch after Matt and Julie while she is gone...and even signs a medical release for him. Donatelli sees this as a chance to get even with Matt after all the abuse he has taken from him. He will not let Matt leave the apartment (although Julie is free to come and go as she pleases), threatening to send him to the hosptial for rabies shots, a kidney transplant, or a spinal tap if he doesn't cooperate. Matt is forced to do whatever Donatelli says, even cooking for him.

Meanwhile, Norman and Eileen have boarded a cargo train to get back home, after Norman's credit card has been taken and cut up at a restaurant...and they have run out of gas. Two hobos named Garth and Mitch also board the train with them and rob Norman of his shoes and are getting ready to take Eileen's watch. Norman hatches a scheme where he pretends to mistake the hobos for their secret contacts, and gives them 'info' as to how they can receive their 'fortune in diamonds'. The ruse works and the hobos leave Norman and Eileen with their belongings and exit the train. Eileen is still furious about the entire trip and throws a sack of grain at Norman.

Back at the apartment, Matt cooks Mr. Donatelli mashed potatoes filled with scotch. Soon Donatelli get drunk and passes out, falling head first into his dinner. On the train, Norman admits that the weekend hasn't worked out, and apologizes for the disaster. Just when he thinks Eileen is about to dump him, she has a change of heart and the two finally have the time alone that they had wanted from the beginning...albeit on a cold cargo train.

After a great night together, Eileen and Norman make their way back home to their apartment building, but Eileen tells Norman that he cannot come home at the same time as her or it would arouse the kids' suspicions. She forces Norman to go sleep at the bus station. When she enters her apartment, she finds Mr. Donatelli asleep on the couch with a sex doll and poker.

Arc Advancement

Characters

• Norman and Eileen presumably consummate their relationship.

Trivia

The Show

• This show was filmed prior to the episode Dad and Me, as Norman still has the old furniture in his apartment.
• While drunk, Mr. Donatelli confesses that he has eleven toes.

Norman's Articles mentioned

• Chess: A Game of Inches

Allusions and References

• Matthew annoys Julie by 'questioning the sexuality of the Solid Gold dancers.
• Eileen is shocked to hear the Norman did not enjoy the film Fanny and Alexander when they went to see it.
• While Mr. Donatelli is drunk, he misquotes the Frank Sinatra track That's Life as: I've been a puppet, a pauper, a pirate, a penguin, a poet, and a king
• Eileen refers to Norman's stunt on the train as a "James Bond act"

Quotes

• Matt: Mr. Donatelli...nice to see you up on your hind legs.

• Mr. Donatelli: You know the smartest move I ever made?
  Matt: Not having children?

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