7th Heaven: Season 3 - Episode 6: And the Home of the Brave

 

Eric (Stephen Collins) is in the kitchen with his children making sure they did everything they are supposed to do. 

Eric makes sure all the kids did their chores. Simon says he has to "check out a prospective girlfriend candidate." (Such a romantic). Lucy is spending the entire day and evening with Jordan to watch Ruthie and Simon. Annie comes into the kitchen in her robe, and her hair is messy. She says she will cook something for the reception, and Eric states the wedding is in five hours. She is convinced her father will call off the wedding. 

Grandpa (Graham Jarvis) and Ginger (Beverly Garland) have separate rooms to get ready for the wedding, and the receptionist (Elizabeth Jee) tells them the honeymoon suite is ready for them when they return after they are married. Grandpa kisses Ginger.

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

Annie is walking around with some cookbooks in her bedroom. She throws them on the bed and lays down. Eric comes into their room and asks her how it's going.

Annie: Oh, it's going great. I decided to buy a frozen pound cake, throw some frosting on it, and top it off with a Barbie and Ken. That should do it. (Haha). 

Eric: That sounds very special. 

Annie informs him that the children will never call Ginger "grandma." Eric tells her they won't. He then offers to go to the market with her, and she refuses. 

Annie goes into the kitchen and sees Jordan (Wade Carpenter) cooking hot dogs. He tells her that he could cook up some more for the reception. He can understand how Annie feels because his father remarried a few years ago after divorcing Jordan's mother. And to top it off, Jordan wasn't invited to the wedding. (That's whacked). However, he tells her he doesn't know if he would have gone anyway.

Ruthie tells Lucy that Hoowie came back for the wedding. Jordan is unphased by her imaginary friend and asks him what he wants on his hot dog. When Ruthie tells him, Jordan says he can hear Hoowie. Ruthie tells Lucy Jordan is better than Jimmy and Rod. 

Lucy: It's rude to talk about your old boyfriend in front of your new boyfriend.

Jordan: Boyfriend?

Ruthie: You didn't know?

Jordan: Well, kinda depends on what 'boyfriend' means.

Eric comes into the room and tells them he has to get Mrs. Hinkle's prescription for her. Ruthie tells her father that Jordan didn't know he was Ruthie's boyfriend. Eric takes Ruthie with him. 

When they get outside, Simon introduces them to Deena (Nicole Cherié Saletta). 

Ruthie: I like her.

Simon: Don't get attached.

Deena: They seem great.

Simon: Don't get attached.  

Ruthie tells her father she and Hoowie want to eat their hotdogs over where Simon and Deena are. Eric agrees and leaves her in the yard and leaves.

Deena tells Ruthie that they were discussing if one should get married before or after graduating from college. (What else would kids in middle school discuss)? Deena likes the idea of going to college as a married couple and says she'd like to have "Wannabe" by the Spice Girls instead of the traditional "Wedding March" by Felix Mendelssohn. Simon tells her she doesn't like the idea but is flexible and likes others who are flexible as well. He asks her about having Ruthie as the maid of honor. Ruthie says she doesn't want to be a maid, but she will be the maiden of honor. 

Matt and Mary meet Grandpa and Ginger at a restaurant. Mary offers to take Ginger shopping if she needs to get any last-minute stuff because Matt said Mary could take his Camaro if she goes with a licensed driver. Matt decides he doesn't like that idea and suggests they all go. Grandpa suggests they drop Mary and Ginger off and then hang out together, just the two of them. Ginger asks Grandpa where he and Matt are going and then asks if he plans to go to the cemetery to see his late wife. Ginger is upset as they agreed to not think about their spouses on their wedding day. (I really don't get why Ginger is so upset. It's not like he divorced his last wife. She died, so he still would love her too). Ginger suggests they should call off the wedding. Grandpa tells his grandchildren to leave but not to go home. He doesn't want Annie to know they had a fight until they can work everything out. 

Annie is at the market, where a security guard (Van Epperson) yells at a homeless man (Ray Walston) sitting outside against the store's wall to leave. Annie yells at the security guard, who claims the manager doesn't want "these people" begging around the store. The man tells them that he is a veteran and it's Veteran's Day. Annie tells the guard to help the homeless vet up because she's pregnant and can't do it herself. The man introduces himself to Annie as "Sargeant Millard Holmes, US Army European Theatre 1942, 1944." Annie introduces herself. He explains he usually doesn't mind living on the street, but it rained and was cold last night, and he just wanted to find something to eat. 

Mary and Matt are deciding where to go. Mary suggests a place called Turtle Mound." Matt is hesitant at first since they don't know where it is but then agrees since they have the time. (Not that much time). 

Jordan is looking for Lucy and finds her sitting in her closet. (Seriously? Who invites someone over and then hides in the closet)? She is embarrassed because she thought Jordan thought it was her boyfriend. Jordan tells her she's an enigma and figured she saw other guys. Lucy says he is "a special guy." She says she doesn't want to call him her boyfriend again because she doesn't want him to be uncomfortable. He admits he was uncomfortable, and she says she doesn't care what she calls him. She jumps on his back, and they head out of the room when Lucy's dad comes into the room. He asks Jordan to put Lucy down in the living room. Annie yells from downstairs, "Eric? Are you home?"

Simon introduces Deena to Lucy and Jordan. Deena asks Jordan if she is Lucy's boyfriend. 

Simon: I think the question of boyfriend is still under discussion.

Eric comes into the kitchen and asks Annie if she needs help with the groceries. She explains that she didn't get the groceries and then tells him what happened with the homeless vet.

Matt and Mary are on their road trip. Mary wants Matt to car dance, but he can't because he is driving. They get a flat tire, and neither of them no how to fix it. Matt looks in the trunk, and there is no spare. He remembers that he left the tire in the garage, planning to get the car fixed. Mary suggests that they walk to the service station, which they passed an hour ago in the car. He gets angry when she then suggests hitchhiking because they are "in the middle of nowhere." She then suggests they drive on it, but Matt says you can't drive on a flat tire. She asks why and he doesn't know; he just knows not to do it. Mary looks at the map and asks how far away they are from Turtle Mound.

Matt: Oh, about 3000 miles. That's a map of Florida, you moron.

Mary: Oh, it's in Florida. (You have to be incredibly clueless to mix California up with Florida on a map). 

Annie kisses Eric and thanks him for helping Millard. Eric questions who Millard really is as Millard comes out of the bathroom. He hands Eric his dog tags and tells him he is who he claims he was. Annie tells Millard she will make him a steak, potatoes, and a salad. Eric wants to know why she doesn't cook steak for the family, and she tells him that it would be too expensive. 

Ginger and Grandpa are arguing about their pasts. Ginger is sick of hearing about his last wife. Grandpa lets her know she always brings up her deceased husband, including reminding him that "he had a full hair of head the day he passed away." Then they start arguing about everything else that bothers them about the other one.

Simon and Deena are discussing investments for the future. (Never too early to start planning). 

Simon: So, stocks, bonds, or mutual funds?

Deena: I don't know anything about that. I think the smartest thing we can invest in for the future is love. 

She tells him any money left when they die should go to the arts. She tells Simon that she can sing and tap dance.

Jordan and Lucy are in the living room. Jordan tells her that he went with Ashley to see "Gone with the Wind," followed by coffee. Ashley knew that Jordan was seeing Lucy and gave him the history of Jimmy Moon. 

Eric goes to the Veteran's Administration, but they are closed. 

Eric: How can you be closed. How can a facility for veterans who fought wars for this country close on a holiday, weekend, or any other time?

The woman (Jaquelyn Houston) explains it is not an emergency facility. Eric explains about Millard, and the woman knows who Millard is. She opens the door and lets Eric inside.

Deena and Simon are sharing a soda. Millard tells them about Kathleen Garritty who he used to share sodas with. She wrote to him daily for a while but then found someone else. He says he never saw anyone else because she was the one for him. 

Grandpa storms out of Ginger's room, telling her, "forget I ever asked you." She goes across to his room and tells him, "forget I ever accepted."

Matt and Mary are still stranded.

Annie is asleep in her room as the clock ticks. 

Lucy is shooting hoops, and Jordan asks her to admit she is mad. When she refuses, he says he's leaving. Lucy throws the basketball at him but misses. Then the two of them argue. Then Jordan admits he likes Lucy and picks her up. Eric comes to the gate,

Eric: Father coming through.

Jordan: I have the worst timing. Your dad's never going to like me.

Lucy: Do you care?

Jordan: Not that much.

Eric (off-camera): Put her down.

A tow truck comes out to get Mary and Matt because he heard that they were stranded. The man (Zaid Farid) asks them why they didn't call for help. Matt tells him there aren't any phones around. They tell him they don't have a cell phone either. They also don't have a credit card. Matt asks the man to use his phone to call their dad. Mary tells him to call Grandpa instead.

Matt: Can I call information on this?

Tow Truck Man: You're not Amish runaways or something, are you?

Matt: No.

Tow Truck Man: Yes, you can call information on that. You can call anywhere you want. You can use it just like the phone in your house. You have a phone in your house?

Matt (chuckles): Yeah.

Matt calls Grandpa, and Grandpa answers, thinking it's Ginger. Matt tells him they got a flat tire and need a credit card. Grandpa is about to get a credit card when there's a knock on the door. It's Ginger, and the two of them make up. Grandpa forgets about Matt.

Millard and Eric are in the living room talking. He explains to Eric that he'd rather have people who really need the help get it. 

Millard: This country doesn't owe me anything?

Eric: Really? I think it owes you everything. 

Millard tells Eric that living in America is a privilege, as is serving in the armed forces. (I really like Millard. I also like Ray Walston, and incidentally, this was his last TV performance before he passed away). He tells Eric that when he needs help, he will ask for it. Eric tells him about Annie's father getting remarried. He asks Eric to leave him the car, some money for the groceries, and keys to the house, and he will cook the reception meal because he used to be a short-order cook. Eric tells him he will check with Annie and goes upstairs to the bedroom.

Annie tells him she needs a nap. (Apparently, she got tired out taking the last nap). He reminds her that they have a wedding in half an hour. He tells her that Millard said he could cook a meal for everyone, and she tells him, "give him the money and the keys." 

Grandpa is at the bar in the Glenoak Lodge. He is talking with another man who is also a widower. The man does not help Grandpa with his nerves. 

Simon is tying Ruthie's shoes. (She can't tie them yet)? She asks him about Deena, and he says he's not very good on her checklist. She confesses that Hoowie isn't really back, and she's scared she outgrew him. Simon tells her that Hoowie will always be around when she needs him unless she completely forgets about him. 

Ruthie: I can never forget Hoowie.

Simon: No. I couldn't either. 

Eric sees Deena in the hall and tells her she looks beautiful. 

Deena: Thank you, Reverend Camden. I feel beautiful. Good for you. 

Eric: Good for you.

Deena: You know my life wouldn't be this great if it weren't for your help. 

Eric: Well, no one has to know that we know each other from counseling. 

Deena: Okay, but someday I may wanna tell them. (I bet we will find out in some future episode). 

Eric: It's up to you. 

The man with the tow truck finished changing the tire. (Grandpa must have finally returned to the phone with his credit card). He tells them they won't make the wedding. Mary is in the car pretending to cry. Then when Matt tries to comfort her, she says, "Gotcha!" She tells him he was the one who didn't have a spare tire, and he tells her she can't read a map. 

At the church, Grandpa is telling Eric that he and Ginger were fighting all day. Grandpa says he's not sure how the remarrying works out in the after-life as far as which wife he will be with. However, he's focused on the here and now. 

Annie talks to Ginger and tells her that she's not ready to be grateful her dad found someone. Ginger says she understands, as does Annie's father. However, they can't keep waiting since Annie may never be ready. Ginger tells her that she understands because she lost her mother when she was five years old. She tells Annie she won't ask the kids to call her grandma because she isn't trying to replace Annie's mother. 

Lucy interrupts them to let them know Matt and Mary are still missing. 

Matt gets a speeding ticket for going 65 in a 35. Matt tells Mary she's paying the fine.

Mary: There's a fine?

Matt: You know absolutely nothing about cars. 

Mary: Well, I know not to drive over the speed limit. (Apparently not if she told him to do it). 

At the church, Eric pronounces Granda and Ginger as man and wife. 

Eric: You may kiss the bride. 

Ginger and Grandpa kiss. Then Annie and Eric kiss. Jordan and Lucy kiss. Simon and Deena kiss.

Eric: The bride. I said kiss the bride. 

They arrive at the house to see this:

Millard has left a note for everyone, thanking them for "an opportunity to do something for someone else." 

They all leave to find Millard and bring him back to the house. 

Matt and Mary run into the church only to find it empty. Then they run home to see if there's a reception. They see all the food and start to eat, agreeing not to touch the wedding cake.

The Camden station wagon is driving in the dark. They stop, and a man (Millard) gets into the vehicle, and it heads back to the house.

The closing credits come up. 

(This was a great episode. I love the entire storyline of Millard).