Maurice is bombarded with unwelcome reminders of his age through social security checks, senior-citizen movie discounts, and the ailing health of old friends. Working himself into a frenzy over growing old, he suffers a minor heart attack. Close to giving up his vices for the betterment of his heart, Maurice decides in a life-affirming revelation that it is to be lived and savored, not squandered counting birthdays and ailments.

Meanwhile, Maggie avoids facing her feelings about her father's wedding by creating a "Nancy Drew" detective fantasy about a couple who own a local curio shop. Construing a few odd incidents to be a major mystery, Maggie carries out her investigation by trespassing in the dark, accidentally scratching her eye on a branch. As Joel tends to her wound, he makes her realize that her delusions of some great mystery are only an avoidance of facing the fact that she is not the only woman in her father's life.

When Joel discovers traces of Yiddish in the Tlingit language, he is intrigued and traces Cicely's history to the source. Much to his pleasure, he discovers that a Jewish explorer was marooned in the village in the eighteenth century and had a profound impact on the dialect and culture. Joel, of course, envisions himself to be a modern-day version of this historical figure, bringing medical awareness to the Cicely community.

Details
(Production Bible):

Ed notes that Maurice colors his hair.

Maurice dates KIMBERLY, a 21 year old Huskyette/Bimbette with a taste for the vernacular. "Eewww, I'm ruded."

Maggie's dad is marrying Jennifer Elgin, a composer.

Maurice and Ed go to the movies in Cantwell (quickly replacing Sleetmute as Southeastern Alaska's hot new town!)

Joel concludes that the mythological "Bear Man," who fathered a slew of Indian children, and Franco-Jewish explorer Paul Berman are the same entity.

ED'S MOVIE REFERENCES: Reviews of "Menace II Society" and "Homeward Bound". Compares Maurice to Vito Corleone in "The Godfather" after his heart attack.

Best Hair: Maggie in Nancy Drew dream sequence.

Is it me or are we doing more and more stunts this season? First Ed hangs from a tree branch, now Maurice jumps off a cliff. This is a trend to watch.

Next break out character: Dave the Cook? Joel has a whole scene with Holling's right hand man.

Truth or fiction? Jewish explorer Paul Berman is not a real person, just a figment of our writers' imaginations.

Dave the Cook - William J. White
Cashier - Ashley Rey
Mrs. Le Fleur - Lori Larsen
Mr. Le Fleur - Bob Morrisey
Sally - Wren Walker
Ellen Dorset - Micole Mercurio
Ricky Dorset - Douglas Rowe
Kimberly - Traci Martinson
George - Brandy Black
Ned - Eric Gustavson
Airplane Pilot - Mike Dewey
Maurice's Dive Stunt Double - David Boushey

Music:
(Note music listed is from the original TV airings. The DVD may differ.)

[Help! I need names of missing tunes from the original airings - email me.]

• Terrible Thing - Booker T. and the MGs

• Riding the Gravy Train - Jo Stafford

• In the Shake of the Palms

• The Future is Important to Her

• Wiener Wein

• Mo Onions - Booker T and the MGs

• Allen's Goodies

• D.W. Suite - Lindsey Buckingham [Note that this is part of the same song suite used at the end of 2.5 Spring Break during the Running of the Bulls.]

Shelly's Earrings:

String of pink, clear and black beads [Talks to Maggie about the mysteries about town.]

Anyone notice the basement of the Brick and the basement of Ruth-Anne's look a lot alike?

Barry Corbin talked about the lake scene at the end this past summer at Moose Days 2001 - he said he would only do it in *one* take. The water was very cold. Another time, he said in the newsgroup, through Armando (who ran the old Barry Corbin web site):
You are right in assuming that I myself did not do the high dive. I was in the water though, which was thrill enough as the pond was fed by a mountain stream right off the snow pack! The water temperature was approximately 38 degrees which certianly causes every inch of you to draw up! Fortunately, I had already had all the children I needed.