Developing Responsibility

Today’s Saturday Short is “Developing Responsibility,” part of the Pull Yourself Up By Your Own Bootstraps, Kid series. It’s the story of Frank Harris and how his paper route rules his life.

We begin with a shot of Frank carrying a large sack of papers. His friends want him to play with them in the ol’ vacant lot but he can’t right now. Frank has A Job To Do. He is a Responsible Employee. Which is why he tosses a newspaper into the bushes instead of on the front porch.

As he moves the paper to the proper position, a German Shepherd runs around the corner of the house, looking for pettin’. Frank is more than happy to give the requested pettin’ but then Mr. Morgan comes out of the house with a request for Frank. Mr. Morgan is going to be moving at the end of the week and he needs to cancel his subscription to the Pamphlet Times. He pays up until Saturday, then notices Frank playing with his dog. He introduces them: Frank, this is Pal, my pedigreed German Shepherd. Pal, this is Frank the Paperboy. Shake boys, shake.

Then Mr. Morgan wants to know where Frank lives. Now why does he want to know that? the narrator wonders. We, in our more cynical age, are shrieking at Frank to run, hide, get an adult, just don’t give him your address! Sadly, this is a more innocent time so Frank tells Mr. Morgan what he wants to know.

That night Frank counts up all the money he collected on his route, writing the amount in his ledger with the world’s longest pencil. He gives the cash to Dad who writes Frank a check to give to the newspaper office the next day while Dad deposits the $2.75 in his own account. Then it’s time for Frank to show off his subscription book to Mom. He has a new customer starting tomorrow! He’s a Good Employee!

Someone knocks at the door. Why it’s Mr. Morgan and he’s brought Pal with him! Turns out that he can’t take Pal with him when he moves because his new place doesn’t allow pets so would it be okay for Frank to take him?

Wait, people in this town will just walk up and give you a dog? I’ve never said this about an educational film before and I never will again, but can I PLEASE live in this short?

Mom and Dad aren’t sure Frank’s ready for a pet. German Shepherds are big dogs, after all, and that would mean a lot of work and responsibility for someone. (Someone = Mom.) Can Frank be expected to add a dog on top of all his other responsibilities? Dad suggests a trial: Frank can keep Pal for one week and if, by the end of the week, he’s proved he can manage a dog along with his paper route, school, and many chores, then Pal can stay. Otherwise it’s off to the pound with him!

After Mr. Morgan leaves, Dad and Frank sit down for a man-to-man dog responsibility talk. Dad tells Frank that he’ll have to feed, water, and walk the dog. He’ll also have to teach Pal to obey which won’t be a big deal because Pal’s trainer is clearly just off camera. Frank also can’t shirk his other responsibilities. It’s worth noting that there is no mention of who is going to scoop Pal’s poops.

The next day Frank takes Pal with him on his paper route and gets a quick lesson on why one must keep one’s dog on a leash. He gets tired walking a big dog all around town, a weariness that is only exacerbated when Frank realizes he forgot to deliver the paper to the new customer’s house and must go all the way back across town to drop it off. He blames Pal for his bad memory. Pal doesn’t care. He’s going walkies!

That night Frank and Dad have another father-son talk. Dad is pleased with Frank and clearly wants him to keep the dog. Guess who was playing with Pal while Frank was at school? But Dad can’t go back on his word–that would be unmanly. He suggests Frank adjust his schedule to allow for Dog Time.

We’re treated to a brief montage of Frank keeping up his responsibilities while finding time to play with Pal. Now it’s Saturday. Frank is brushing Pal in the middle of the kitchen, making sure to get hair over every surface, when Mr. Morgan comes over. He asks the big question: Can Frank keep Pal or will Pal have to go live with his cousin Ol’ Yeller?

Flashback time! We get another montage of everything Frank’s done in the short so far, up to and including the time he threw his schoolbooks on the burner of the stove when he got home from school. Silly Frank. Burning your homework won’t make it any less due tomorrow.

Now it’s time for the big decision: of course Frank can keep Pal! His ignorance of basic kitchen safety has no bearing on his ability to take care of a dog! Mr. Morgan gives Frank Pal’s pedigree papers. We end with Frank petting Pal while Pal looks longingly at his trainer over Frank’s shoulder.