7th Heaven: Season 2 - Episode 8: Do Something

 

Reverend Camden (Stephen Collins) says goodbye to people leaving the church.

Church is over, and people are stopping to talk to Rev. Camden as they exit the building. Simon tries to sell greeting cards to earn a prize, and Eric tells him not to sell them on church property. (I am pretty sure Simoon totally tuned his father out). David Friel (Ron Fassier) approaches Annie about selling her muffins. Annie tells him he has a job raining her children. Mary and Lucy come over.

Friel: Oh, hey girls. I was just telling your mom she could make a lot of money selling these muffins.

Mary: Really?

Annie: Yeah, really. But I told him I was too busy.

Lucy: Doing what? (Taking care of you and your siblings, and your dad, and the house...you ungrateful git)!

Eric talks to Emory (Garrett M. Brown) about his son Steve, who is terminally ill. He asks Eric if he knows of someone who can sit with him because they decided to keep Steve in the hospital as it was less of a risk. Emory asks if Eric knows of anyone who could sit with Steve and tells them they are playing well. Matt overhears and wants to do the job, but Eric tells him no. Eric then tells Emory he will try to find someone. After Emory leaves, Matt tries again, and Eric tells him no. 

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

Lucy and Mary are on the couch reading newspapers. Lucy is cracking up as she reads the "Andy Capp" comic. (Personally, I like "Peanuts" and "Family Circle" the best, but whatever floats Lucy's boat). 

Eric comes in, and the girls suggest they try to get their mother out of the house more. They think Annie has a promise with her confidence. (These girls are trippin.' Annie has more confidence than anyone in the house, except maybe Ruthie). Eric can't imagine why since Annie has degrees in multiple things and can do just about anything. (This is what I'm saying). 

Matt asks to speak to his father. They go into his office. Matt tells him he's angry with him. Matt tells him he went to see Emory and got the job sitting with Steve. Eric is now mad because he told Matt he couldn't do the job. 

Eric: Steve is tough to be around. Even for me. I'm a minister. I've counseled the dying, and I've been with the sick people a lot. Being with a kid who's dying is different. It's harder. It's the hardest thing in the world. 

Matt: I'm just gonna read to him.

Eric says he's going with Matt tonight, and if Matt thinks he can handle it, he can do it, but Matt needs to be absolutely sure he can do it. 

Outside, Ruthie is talking to Annie about the muffins. She doesn't understand why Mr. Friel would buy Annie's muffins when he could just come to visit and get them for free. Annie explains that she can bake them but isn't very good at selling. Ruthie explains that Simon isn't good either because he still hasn't sold his cards. Annie offers to loan Ruthie the money to buy the cards from Simon and then sell them at a profit. Ruthie leaves to tell Simon, sees her father on the way, and sells a box to him. (She's good). 

Eric mentions the muffins, and Annie gets angry because she thinks no one in the family thinks she can do anything. She decides to go into business with Mr. Friel to prove to them all she can do it. (Awe, Annie, you don't have to prove anything to anyone except yourself). 

Ruthie tells Simon she wants to buy the cards. He tells her no because he needs the points for an action figure. Ruthie explains he can still get his points, and she will sell the cards to make a profit. Simon tells her he's the only one in the family who is good with money, so Ruthie should find what she's good at "and stay out of the business world." Ruthie tells him that he's good at "savings and loanings," but she is the one who can sell. Simon says he needs the money upfront so he can get that prize. They agree it's a deal. 

Eric is trying to talk to Annie in the kitchen, but she ignores him. He offers to help around the house, but she informs him she can do it all. As she leaves and Eric chases after her, Mary and Lucy are in the hall. Mary tells him, "you blew it, huh? (Mary and Lucy are little brats in this episode). 

Later that evening, Eric tells Annie that he and Matt are going to the hospital. He tells her he doesn't know what he did and is just trying to be supportive. She tells him all the things he is saying are condescending. The girls come into the kitchen as Eric leaves. They tell her she should go into business. 

Mary: Just because you did the Mom thing first doesn't mean you can't have a career.

Annie: I'm still doing the mom thing.

Mary: But don't you think you'd be setting a good example for Ruthie?

Annie: In what way?

Lucy: We don't want her to think the only thing a woman can do is cook and clean.

Annie: Where did I go wrong? (You didn't; they're just boneheads in this episode, don't blame your kids, you can blame the writers). 

Mary: Well, maybe it was when you didn't go back to work when Matt was born.

Emory and Nell (Ann Gillespie) introduce Matt to Steve (Vincent Barry) at the hospital. Steve asks Matt if he knows about the Tick. There is a pause before Matt replies, "As in Arthur's boss." (I wonder if he knew that or just heard Simon say something and happened to remember). Tension is released, and Eric decides his son can do it. 

Ruthie comes back into her and Simon's room and hands Simon a forty-dollar check. He tells Ruthie it will be 4-6 weeks to get the prize. She tells him that's a long time, and he says it could take her that long to sell the cards. Ruthie says, "I don't think so." before leaving. 

Matt comes into their room to ask Simon if he can borrow some comic books. He tells Simon that Steve likes The Tick and Superman. Simon tells him about the "New Superman." When Matt asks what that is, Simon tells him, "you're getting old, bro." He teases his older brother about being out of touch, and Matt chases him into the hall and tackles him. Eric sees it, and Matt explains they are just playing around. He tells Simon to get his stuff for school and then explains he isn't going to tackle Steve. (Don't worry, Dad, we will play baseball, not tackle football). 

Annie is talking to Mr. Friel about the muffins. He offers to buy Annie's recipe for a $1000 flat fee, with a promise to not let the recipe out since it's a family recipe. Eric comes in to say goodbye to his wife. As he leaves, Mary and Lucy are outside, and he tells them they shouldn't be eavesdropping. The girls tell him that he can't hover, and Eric tells him he's not taking their advice anymore. (Hey, he learned his lesson). 

Ruthie comes down to the kitchen and offers to sell Mr. Friel some cards. She is selling the cards for $5 a box or 3 for $20. 

Mr. Friel: Wouldn't it be three boxes for fifteen dollars.

Ruthie: It would be, but I'm trying to make a profit, so I'm selling them for more than they're worth. 

Mr. Friel is impressed with Ruthie's business sense and offers to buy three boxes. (I think I would have done the same thing, I loved this)! After Ruthie leaves, Mr. Friel tells Annie he will drop off the supplies for her to bake. She is surprised she will be the one who bakes all the muffins. After he leaves, Annie looks at the clock. Then everything she does around the house goes in fast motion as she rushes to get it all done. 

The children come home from school, and the fast motions stops. Matt tells his mother that he's going to the hospital and won't be home for dinner because he told Emory and Nell to take their time since they haven't been out in months. (I admire Matt in this episode). 

A delivery man (Joe Costanza) brings the supplies for Annie to make 30 dozen muffins. 

At the hospital, Matt tells Steve that his (Matt's) father, Rev Camden, will pop in soon to make sure everything is okay with some flimsy excuse. Steve asks Matt what he thinks it's like to die. 

Matt: I think it's kind of like when you're little, and you're sick, and your parents take you, and they put you in their bed, and you wake up, and you know you're not in your bed. But then it takes just a second, But then you realize where you are, and you're okay. I think it's like that. 

Steve tells Matt he likes the answer, and Matt wants to change the subject. Steve tells Matt that his parents won't let him out of the hospital because something might happen. 

Steve: But something is going to happen to me. I'm going to die.  

Matt tells Steve he can't take him out. Eric pops in and tells them he was "just visiting a friend and thought I'd stop by." Steve and Matt laugh, and Eric leaves. Matt asks Steve if he understands why he can't take him out of the hospital and asks him if he will fire him. Steve says, "no, I don' have to. I'm pretty sure, eventually, you'll break." (I am pretty sure too). 

Back at the house, Annie is baking away at 5 am when Ruthie comes downstairs. She doesn't want to go back to bed because the delivery man always wakes her up. She tells Ruthie that the delivery man won't ring the bell anymore, but then he rings the bell. (Well, so much for that). He tells her he is early because the customers come early just to get the muffins. 

Eric comes downstairs and offers to cook the kids breakfast so Annie can get some sleep. She is adamant that she can handle it. Ruthie has fallen asleep on the floor. (She looked adorable lying on the floor). Eric brings her upstairs. 

Upstairs, Matt runs into his dad as he heads out. He tells his father that he's going to see Steve before school. Eric tells him not to let Steve interfere with his homework. Matt tells him Steve is proofreading an essay because he's "a spelling genius." Eric says he might have been wrong about the job, but he's not surprised. 

Simon is awake, looking in Ruthie's bank. He is upset she made a $60 profit on the cards she bought from him. Eric tells his younger son that Ruthie didn't do anything wrong. 

Eric (whispering since Ruthie is sleeping): Once Ruthie bought them, she was free to charge whatever she wants.

Ruthie (wakes up): What's known as a loophold. Mom told me.

Simon: It's loophole. Why are you whispering?

Ruthie: Because everyone else is.

Simon leaves to take Happy out. 

Eric: So what are you going to do with all that money?

Ruthie: I'll tell you, but you can't tell nobody.

Eric: Anybody.

Ruthie: Them either. (Haha, I totally was laughing at this line). 

Matt arrives at the hospital and stops a doctor (Robert Gossett) to find out how sick Steve is. The doctor tells him that Steve has tried to get everyone in the hospital to take him out, but they can't cause of the risk, and his parents won't because they are scared. He informs Matt that Steve would be okay for a day out as long nothing too risky is done. (This is great, the doctor is encouraging Matt to break the kid out).

Matt enters Steve's room, and Steve tells him he's upset because he doesn't feel sick. He just wants to go outside, run, and hit a baseball. Matt tells him he'll take him out.

Eric returns with the other children after school. Annie tells her husband they still haven't found Steve.

Annie informs Mary and Lucy they are not going anywhere or doing anything except help with the muffins. She further tells them they are staying up until 5 am when the delivery man comes again. 

Ruthie is up in her room sorting out the boxes of cards that she sold. Simon is in the room sulking. 

Emory and Nell are in the hospital looking for their son. The doctor tells him he is not worried. Eric arrives at the hospital and tells them he's been looking at Matt's hangout spots, but what Eric should have done is look where Steve would want to go. Emory tells him if Steve could do anything, he'd be playing baseball. They head over to the field. 

Annie is delegating to her older daughters what to do in the kitchen. She informs Mary and Lucy that she enjoys being a mother, and it is a full-time job. She goes on about how she couldn't believe the girls talked her into baking "a bazillion muffins a day." The doorbell rings, and she tells the girls to keep working and leaves to answer the door. 

Lucy: Poor Mom, she doesn't even know what career means.

Mary: She just wasn't ready for this. (Oh, please, girls,  your mom could run circles around you). 

Annie is still laughing when she answers the door. It's David Friel with a check. Annie tells him she's out of the muffin baking business. 

Ruthie comes downstairs and asks her mother a favor. She whispers it in her ear, and Annie laughs then hugs her daughter.

Mary and Lucy are discussing their future. Mary says she will never get married, and Lucy says she will but will have enough money to hire someone to take care of the house. 

Mary: Yeah, like who?

Lucy: Well, you heard her. Mom loves keeping house. Maybe I'll hire her if she's not too old by then. (Not. A. Clue.) 

Annie: You missed the point. I love doing all this crummy stuff because I love you. 

Annie takes her apron off. She tells the girls she's going with Ruthie to run an errand, and they need to bake the muffins, take out the laundry, fold and put it away, and plan something for dinner. She wants the girls to learn some respect "for me and all the other mothers in the world who work at home."

Matt and Steve are at the baseball field. Steve is batting, and Matt is pitching. Steve hits the ball, and it's "a grounder up the middle." Steve gets in the wheelchair and runs him around the bases. As they were going, Steve's parents and Eric arrived. Steve tells him he had the best day of his life. His dad concedes that his son should not be stuck in the hospital. His mother is still afraid, however.

Steve: You don't have to be, Mom. Please don't be. Everything is going to be fine no matter what happens. If you want me to go back, that's okay. I've had my day off. But I'd rather be home. (At this point, I was crying). 

His mother hugs him.

Matt goes over to his father. He starts to tell him what the doctor said, but Eric stops him and tells him he already knows. Eric tells Matt that he (Eric) wishes he had the guts to take the risk that Matt just took with Steve. He asks Matt what he would have done if something did happen, and Matt says get him to the hospital.

Matt: And if it was too late for that, I guess I would have held him, been with him. If something happened, Dad, at least the kid, would have had a day off. He's dying, and there's nothing anybody can do about it but try to let him live a little. (Hands down, the best line in this episode). 

Steve and his parents come over to Eric and Matt and tell them he is going home with his parents. 

Simon comes into the kitchen looking for more food. Mary and Lucy made hotdogs for dinner, with potato chips as the vegetable. (Not easy running a house, is it, girls)? Ruthie tells Simon she has a surprise for him. He says all he wants is The Tick. Ruthie lifts up a box with The Tick, which is much bigger than what he was trying to get by selling the greeting cards. Ruthie tells him she bought it with the money she earned and still had the ten bucks she wanted. (She is so sweet). 

Simon: I'm sure there's a lesson in here for me somewhere, huh, Mom?

Ruthie: I know the lesson. It's do what you love to do. That means you should stick to savings and loanings.

Simon: That's for sure. Thanks, Ruthie. 

The two hug.

Matt and Eric return home, and Eric suggests Matt could work for the Starlight Foundation or the Make-A-Wish organization. Matt says he'd love to do that, but he also needs to make money.

Eric: Welcome to adulthood, son.

The closing credits come up. 

(I loved this episode. I think Steve experienced what a lot of dying people experience. He wanted to live while he was alive, so many dying people are treated like they've already died before they are gone. The subplot with Ruthie and Simon was also excellent. Ruthie was fantastic in this episode. Simon was a little bratty about the money thing, but he's a kid, so I understand. Mary and Lucy, I wanted to smack. Sadly, many children are like this (they have no idea what their parents do for them out of love). 

I am sharing the links to the two agencies Eric mentioned should anyone want to check them out and learn more.

Starlight Foundation

Make-A-Wish