7th Heaven: Season 1 - Episode 20: Say Goodbye

 

Ruthie (Mackenzie Rosman) is watching cartoons.

Ruthie is watching cartoons with her imaginary friend Hoowie. Annie gives Ruthie some cookies and tells her it's "Hoowie's favorite, oatmeal raisin." The phone rings, and Annie answers. It is her old school roommate, Rachel Grewe (Leeann Hunley). Rachel tells Annie she is now living in Glenoak, and Annie tells her she lives there too.

Simon comes in and turns the TV on Ruthie. And then he sits on Hoowie. Ruthie screams bloody murder. 

Annie: What happened?

Ruthie: Simon sat on Hoowie and squished him. He's gone forever. (This reminds me of an episode of "Sister Kate," in which Violet gets teased about her imaginary friend; only her imaginary friend was her way of coping with a real friend who died. It was a great show with only 18 episodes from 1989 to 1990. You should check it out. Sorry, I digress). 

The opening credits come up, and the theme song plays. 

Annie is dressed up, ready to go somewhere, and Simon tells her she doesn't look like a mom. (I guess that's better than the clichéd "you look beautiful"). Annie takes it as a compliment. (Good idea) Eric tells her she is beautiful and offers to go with her. She shows her wedding ring to him, and he replies, "oh yeah, that'll keep them away." Eric mentions Hoowie to Simon, who doesn't want to talk about it.

The doorbell rings and Matt answers it. It's Rachel, and she thinks Matt is Eric. Annie and Rachel hug. Eric introduces himself, and Annie introduces all the children. Rachael tells the kid, "especially Mary and Lucy," to keep their eyes out for a guy she can date. (This lady has major issues, why on earth would an adult ask a teenager to find her a date)? Ruthie asks Rachel if she's seen Hoowie, but Rachel hasn't seen Ruthie's imaginary friend. 

Rachel and Annie leave the house. 

Ruthie and Simon are in their room with Happy. Simon suggests Hoowie is at the airport. 

Ruthie: Hoowie doesn't like the airport anymore. He hurt his back. Of course, if you're his friend, you know that.

Simon gets up and tells Ruthie that Hoowie is back.

Ruthie: I thought you couldn't see him.

Simon: I, uh, now I can because he's wearing really bright clothes. I think that's why he left, to go buy really bright clothes so that people can see him and not sit on him.

Ruthie: Is he tall with curly hair and a mustache?

Simon: Yeah, yeah, he's tall with curly hair and a mustache.

Ruthie: Then it's not Hoowie. Cause he's short, and he has straight hair and a big clump on top of his head. (Nice try, Simon).

Rachel and Annie are having dinner at a restaurant. Rachel is telling her about her ex-husbands. Annie tells her about everything she went to school for before officially deciding on a major. Rachel asks her if she's happy staying home after all her education. (I don't like Rachel, besides the whole hitting on Matt thing, she made it sound like Annie choosing to stay home and take care of the house and kid isn't good enough). Annie tells her she uses everything she's learned in school at home. 

Suzanne (Rachel Crane) is at Lucy's house that night. She tells Lucy her dad is getting a job at the car dealership for her mother. Suzanne says her mom can quit working two jobs and go to school. Suzanne tells Lucy that she can still study with her mom but also with Lucy because, with Lucy, she can talk about boys. (Yes, I remember being thirteen and studying with my friend by discussing boys. Great way to study). 

Simon tells Eric he (Simon) can't take the guilt about Hoowie. (Poor Simon, I am sure Ruthie's not helping either. I mean, he didn't mean to sit on her friend). Eric tells him Ruthie is at the age where she's testing letting go of her imaginary friend. Ruthie comes into Eric's office and asks if they can give Ruthie a goodbye party for Hoowie. Eric says yes, but that they should wait a few days. He suggests that Hoowie is at the airport. Simon informs him that Hoowie hurt his back at the airport and no longer works there. 

Simon: Although, since he's not working nights, maybe he's uh, dating.

Ruthie: No, he's married.

Simon: Hoowie is married?

Ruthie: Duh. 

Eric: Where is his wife?

Ruthie: Traveling on a spaceship. She's an astrounatess. (Ruthie is too cute). 

Eric: A what?

Ruthie: A girl astraunant. 

Eric: That would still be an astronaut. 

Simon: What difference does it make? She is the wife of an imaginary guy. That makes her a nobody.

Ruthie: Nobody to you.

Ruthie tells her father Hoowie is gone, but to make her dad feel better, she can wait a couple days for the party.

Matt and Mary are outside shooting baskets and discussing finding Rachel a date. Matt tells Mary he will play her for it. If he makes the shot, Mary has to get a date for Rachel; if he misses, he'll do it. He makes the shot.

Lucy and Suzanne come into Eric's office so Suzanne can thank Eric for talking to her father. She tells the Reverend that her dad got her mom a job. Eric tells Suzanne that she and her mother must be moving. (oops) Suzanne asks him what he's talking about and decides to go home and talk to her mom. 

Annie and Rachel return and Annie introduces Rachel to Suzanne. Matt tells Annie he is taking Suzanne home, so Rachel asks if Matt can drop her off. (I don't see that being the best idea). Annie tells Rachel she will see her tomorrow, and Rachel, Suzanne, and Matt leave.

Eric asks Annie if she had a good time, and she tells him she did. She tells Eric that Rachel is borrowing the car tomorrow. (I am thinkin' it's time Rachel gets a life). Eric says he admires Rachel, but Annie knows he doesn't. 

Eric: Rachel strikes me as boy crazy.

Annie: Why do you think we were best friends? (She drugged you? Temporary insanity)?

Matt is with Rachel at her door, and she drops something. She and Matt go to pick it up, and Matt gets nervous. Rachel invites him in, but he tells her he has to leave. (At least Matt as restraint. While I can't stand the woman, she's good-looking, and he's a teenage male who's just been invited into her apartment). She asks him if he thinks she's attractive. He tells her he does, but she is his mother's friend. She asks if he would ask her out if that wasn't the case. He says he would, and she tells him they are going on a date tomorrow. 

Rachel is at the Camden's house the next morning for breakfast. She tells Annie and Eric that she's taking Matt to hear a band later that night. (Maybe you should ask his parents instead of telling them). Annie is concerned about him going to a bar, but she tells him it's a coffee house. (Maybe you should be worried about him going off with a cougar). Mary asks to go too, and Rachel says it's fine if she comes.

Lucy asks her mother if she can also pack a lunch for Suzanne. Annie tells her she can and asks if Suzanne is moving, and Lucy informs her mother that Suzanne can't move because that would ruin Lucy's life. (Way to think of yourself, Luce).

Upstairs, Simon suggests that maybe if they clap, Hoowie will return, like when Tinkerbell almost dies in "Peter Pan" and everyone claps to save her life. (I love that) Ruthie tells him to clap, and he does. But, no Hoowie. (Gotta give him E for effort). 

At school, Lucy's teacher (Jacqueline Hahn) is taking attendance. She asks Lucy if Suzanne is sick, but Lucy says she doesn't know. 

Matt sees Mary outside during the lunch break at the high school. (I never got to go outside for lunch, but I know others who did). He asks her to forget about setting Rachel up because he doesn't think it's the best time. Mary asks Matt what he's up to, he tells her nothing, and she is all like, "whatever." 

That night, Simon has a trap set up to catch Hoowie. 

Ruthie: Let it go, Simon. He's gone

Simon: He's not gone. I swear I heard him in the middle of the night snoring. Remember he snores? Maybe he'll come back tonight.

Ruthie: Tell yourself anything that makes you feel better, but sooner or later, you have to face the truth.

Lucy calls Suzanne and asks why she wasn't in school. Suzanne tells her they went to look at the car dealership and new apartment, which is two hours away. She tells Lucy that it seems like she and her mother are moving. 

At the coffee house, a man named Tim (Phil Buckman) comes over to the table to ask Rachel to sing. (Tim must have heard her sing before coming over to specifically ask her to sing). She tells him she is tone-deaf and then says Mary has a good voice. He asks Mary what she sings, saying, "blues or jazz." Mary sings, "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man" Rachel wants to dance; Matt says he doesn't dance. Rachel says she'll teach him, and they go to the dance floor. While they are dancing, Rachel rubs her hands on Matt's back. Matt is looking petrified. (Skank)

Mary and Matt come home and are arguing over whether or not Matt was on a date with Rachel. They go into the kitchen, where Eric is cutting some fruit. He asks to speak to Matt alone. Matt tells his father that Rachel hit on him, and his father believes him. (I am glad Eric believed his son). Matt wants to date Rachel. Eric tells his son he needs to speak to his mother, but Matt suggests they wait and let Rachel tell Annie herself. Eric agrees and tells Matt even if he's interested in Rachel, he's not interested in Rachel. 

The following day, Mary gets a phone call; they want her to sing with the band again because the lead singer is still sick. Annie tells her that 14 is too young to sing at a coffee house. (I agree) Annie tells her older two she wants to talk to their dad alone. After they leave, Annie tells Eric she's against it. Eric says he'd like to see Mary sing in public. When Annie realizes they would be with Mary, she okays it but says she will talk to Rachel. 

In Simon and Ruthie's room, Simon tells Ruthie he gives up on finding Hoowie. Their dad comes in to get them for school. Ruthie asks Eric if they could have the party for Hoowie later that night. He says yes, and she asks him to give the speech because Hoowie liked Eric the best. After all, Eric "knew he was real." 

Simon: What about me? I'm the one who's been building the traps, setting out his favorite food, and I don't think he's real?

Ruthie: If you think he's real, why did you sit on him? (In all fairness, Ruthie, you told him in an earlier episode that you don't see Hoowie, you only hear him because he snores). 

Annie is in the kitchen when Lucy comes down. She tells her daughter that she packed a lunch for Suzanne. Lucy tells her she's planning to ease off Suzanne because Suzanne is moving. Annie tells her that she and Suzanne can stay friends because they can talk on the phone and that they can visit "now and then." Annie tells her that all relationships take work.

Lucy: So basically, life is just hard work.

Annie: You're depressing me. Why don't you go to school?

After Lucy leaves, Simon, Ruthie, and Eric come downstairs. Eric tells Annie they are having a goodbye party for Hoowie later. Ruthie suggests they have ice cream.

Simon: Could we be having ice cream because you think Hoowie might show up?

Ruthie: He just can't let him go.

Lucy sees Suzanne at school and gives her the lunch Annie made. Suzanne tells Lucy she's moving over the weekend and just came to school to say goodbye and get her school records. (I have never heard of a child getting their school records, and I've moved around a lot. The school receives the documents from the previous school themselves).

Rachel comes over to do her laundry. She asks Annie if she has detergent and softener. (Could you really get any more obnoxious and scumbucket-ish)? Annie tells her she wants to discuss last night. Rachel tells Annie that Matt has a crush on her. (Oh, look, she can). Annie tells her that she wants to talk about Mary and the band. Rachel tells her that Matt made a pass at her. (Some snakes aren't this low). 

Annie is talking to Matt, and she is angry. She asks Matt how he could make a pass at Rachel, and he tells his mother that he doesn't know. He tells her he will talk to Rachel and straighten it out. Annie tells her son he's babysitting tonight and can talk to Rachel tomorrow. 

Ruthie is impatiently waiting for Hoowie. Simon tells Ruthie that once they have the party, Hoowie cannot return. (Sure he can. People leave and return all the time). 

Mary is trying to decide what to wear to the coffee house. She asks Lucy about different things.

Lucy: Sure. Whatever. You'll look great. 

Mary: Or I could shave my head.

Lucy: Sure. Whatever. You'll look great. (I think Lucy is distracted). 

Mary tries to cheer Lucy up by telling her that Lucy will be in high school with her next year. Lucy tells her that's not good because Mary is the basketball team star. Matt tells Mary that their parents are taking her to the coffee house. Mary tells Lucy that she needs to speak with Matt alone, and Lucy leaves.

Matt tells Mary that Rachel told their mother he made the pass. She asks what he said, and Matt tells his sister that he didn't say anything because Rachel is their mother's friend. He said people think guys have "uncontrollable urges," so he just let his mother think that. (Matt, rat her out). 

Eric comes in, and Mary tells him he and Annie can't come with her. He tells Mary he wants to speak with Matt alone. Eric wants Matt to tell the truth. Simon knocks on the door and tells them, "it's time."

Rachel comes back, and Annie apologizes for Matt. Rachel tells him not to worry. Then Suzanne also comes over while her father gets boxes.

Eric gives a farewell speech for Hoowie. While he is talking, Hoowie comes back. Ruthie explains that he got stuck on the space shuttle when visiting his wife. (Of course, where else would he be)?

After the others leave to get ice cream in the kitchen, Rachel tells Annie that Matt didn't hit on her. She says she made a pass at Matt. Annie is angry. (So am I) Rachel wants to make it all better. (Leave, and go far, far, far, far, far away). 

Annie: You can apologize to Matt. Then accept if you straightened out your life, the right man would come instead of waiting for the right man to straighten out your life.

Rachel: Hard as that is to hear, I know you're right.

Annie: That's what friends are for, to tell you the truth when no one else will. 

Suzanne tells Lucy that she (Suzanne) kissed Jimmy Moon. Lucy tells her that Jimmy tells her everything, so she knows. 

Suzanne: It was kindergarten. I did it on a dare.

Lucy: It was kindergarten? Please. Who cares?

After Suzanne leaves, Lucy says, "Jimmy Moon is a dead man."

Rachel is talking to Matt and apologizes, and he forgives her.

Mary is singing "Respect" at the coffee house. Some men sitting behind Annie and Eric talk about how hot Mary is. Eric tells them she is only fourteen. Then Annie tells the men that Eric is a minister. The men comment on a minister letting his daughter in a coffee house to sing. Mary finishes the song and bows as the closing credits come up.

(Bad ending, but a great episode).