The Flintstones

You'd better tell Wilma to hurry up, or we'll miss that plane.

She just got a long-distance call.

That's wonderful, Mother. I'm so glad you're feeling better.

You'll come here and rest instead of me going there?

Fine, I'll see you next week.

- Bye, Mom. - She's feeling better, Wilma?

Yes, isn't that wonderful? I won't have to make the trip after all.

I'll call Fred right away and tell him the good news.

The poor dear. He looked so sad this morning.

You think he'll cheer up when he finds out...

his mother-In-law is coming here instead?

Quiet, Barney. That's not funny.

Mr. Boulder? This is Wilma Flintstone.

Will you tell Fred I won't be going to visit my mother?

Why not?

He's away on a leave of absence.

No, ma'am, he wouldn't tell me.

All he said was that he'd be away from home for a few days.

Yeah, okay. Bye.

That Fred!

This is Bedrock, county seat of Cobble Stone County...

200 feet below sea level. Population, 2,500.

It's an average town with average people.

We have our butcher, our baker...

our pizza-pie maker.

We have our bank.

And while some of us stay late to catch up on our work...

the lucky ones who get home early catch up on their chores...

like watering the lawn...

and trimming the hedge.

For most of us, the usual activities...

except for Fred Flintstone...

who has had a most unusual day...

with the worst yet to come.

Wilma, you're home! How come, sweetheart?

You mean "battle-ax," don't you?

Battle-ax? What are you talking about?

- Hello, Fred. - Barney, my pal.

Pal!

What's the matter with you, Barn? Of course you're my pal.

- Put it there, chum. - Sure, Fred.

I've been waiting all day for that, pal.

- Where did you get that money? - How could you treat Wilma like that?

- Why did you body-slam me on the street? - I'm going home to Mother.

- You should be ashamed. - Stand up and I'll let you have it again!

Say something. Don't just lay there.

Poor Fred.

It all started this morning...

when Fred was about to leave for work, and Wilma was going to visit her mother.

It all seemed like an ordinary beginning to an ordinary day.

I've got to shove off for work, Wilma.

Have a good trip, and say hello to your mother for me.

I'm going to miss you.

I'll miss you, too, Fred. But it'll only be for a couple of days.

Mother's had these spells before.

I still think I ought to drive you to the airport.

But, honey, you know how your boss grumbles if you're late for work.

And the plane doesn't leave for a couple of hours yet.

Besides, it's already settled.

Barney has the day off, and he and Betty will drive me down in plenty of time.

- Now go to work, Fred. - Okay.

Goodbye, dear.

- Come home as soon as you can. - I will, Fred. Goodbye.

Good morning, Betty. Are you awake yet?

Yes, Wilma. We're just finishing breakfast.

Is it still okay to drive me to the airport? I could take a taxi...

if it's gonna be a problem.

No problem, Wilma. Barney and I would love to see you off.

Did Fred leave for work yet?

The old darling. He hates the idea of my going.

I bet he does.

We'll leave in about an hour, okay?

Swell, and thanks, Betty.

So Fred went to his job at the gravel pits...

playing to standing room only, as usual...

the audience watching and appreciating each skillful move.

Okay, Fred, take her away!

It is said that everyone in the world has a double, a look-alike...

and Fred Flintstone is no exception...

because nearby, in the J.L. Gotrocks building...

is Fred Flint5tone's double...

none other than J.L. Gotrocks himself:?

- big business tycoon... - Hello?

...and head of the Gotrocks industrial empire.

How's the rock market today?

Up two points? Good. When I make a million, sell.

I'm not money-mad.

Hello? Yes. Build another factory.

Hello? Okay, buy the steamship line.

Hello? We'll need 200 more trucks.

Hello? Merge with them and we'll get control.

Hold on, I've got another call.

Yes, I've got it. No, I don't have to write it down.

I can remember. You want me to bring home...

a pound of liver, a loaf of bread, and a dozen hair curlers.

Of course I won't forget. I've got nothing else on my mind.

Battle-ax!

Hello? Yes, sell.

Hello? No, buy!

Hello?

Decisions! That's all I do, make decisions.

Every day, the same thing.

I'm insulated from the world. I know nothing of the humanities.

I don't know what's going on out there.

I've got to get away. That's the answer.

I've got to mingle with the real people...

doing things I've heard about, but never seen.

Pinball machines, jukeboxes...

pastrami on rye bread.

I want to have some of the good things in life.

They'll never find me.

They'll search the Riviera, they'll scour the country clubs...

but they'll never think of looking for me out there. It'll work.

But before I disappear, I'll leave them a message.

This is J.L. speaking.

As of today, I am resigning. Do not bother to look for me...

and tell my wife to buy her own liver and hair curlers. Goodbye.

Now out the back way, and freedom!

I'm telling you, G.W., he's not here. And I know he didn't come out.

- Maybe he left by the back door, F.M. - J.L. would never do that.

Let's check the pterodactyl-phone. Maybe he left a message.

That's an idea. Here's a cracker.

Are there any messages?

"This is J.L. speaking.

"As of today, I am resigning.

"Do not bother to look for me...

"and tell my wife to buy her own liver and hair curlers.

"Bye.

- J.L. has flown the coop, G.W. - Oh, no, F.M.

Without J.L. at the big meeting today, the whole Gotrocks empire could crash.

Even if word of this got out, it would be disaster.

Big deal!

Where can I get a cinchy job like this, at my age?

- What do we do, F.M.? - Find him, that's what.

He's out there somewhere.

We'll check the Riviera, search the country clubs.

We'll call the yacht club. We'll...

What is it, F.M.?

Come here a minute, G.W. Take a look at that.

- You'll never believe it. - What is it, F.M.?

That man in the gravel pit. That's J.L. Gotrocks.

You're right! What do you suppose he's doing in a gravel pit?

With his luck, he probably struck gold.

Come on, let's go down there and find out.

Hey, Mr. Gotrocks! It's time for the big meeting.

You guys talking to me?

You've got a good sense of humor, boss.

You had us worried, until we spotted you on that overgrown rocking horse.

Yeah, boss, what are you doing? Going in for dino polo?

Let's go back to the office now. We all had a big laugh, Mr. Gotrocks.

You guys got rocks in your head.

I don't know nothing about a big meeting, and I'm not your boss.

My name is Fred Flintstone, and I work here at the gravel pit.

- Fred Flintstone? - You mean you're not J.L. Gotrocks?

J.L. Gotrocks? Are you kidding?

But you look just like him.

If I had J.L. Gotrocks' dough...

I wouldn't be scratching around in a gravel pit for a living.

That makes sense.

Amazing resemblance. He could pass for Gotrocks anytime.

Yeah, that's right.

He could, couldn't he?

- Say, Flintstone. - Yeah?

How would you like to make some extra dough?

Doing what?

We're in a jam. J.L. Gotrocks has disappeared, vanished.

And there's this big meeting today, see?

If J.L. doesn't show up, the company will go bankrupt.

Hundreds of people will be out of work.

Widows and babies will lose their life's savings.

- The whole country could go broke. - And, besides, we'd lose our cinchy jobs.

If that's the case, there's only one thing to do.

- Yes? - You guys better find that guy Gotrocks.

No, we want you to take Gotrocks' place till we find him.

Who, me?

Go on. I couldn't do that.

But you've got to.

- Think of those people out of work. - Think of those widows and babies.

Think oi our cinch'; "yobs.

You'll be doing a great thing for humanity and our country.

Okay, if it's a national emergency.

But I can only do it for a couple of days while my wife is out of town.

That's perfect. You may not get home for a couple of nights.

You check out with your boss, then come up to the office.

All right, I'll ask him.

I'd like to have a couple of days leave of absence, boss.

You know we don't like to have the dinosaur idle.

- Is it important? - Yeah, it is.

I can't tell you the reason. It's sort of hush-hush.

I'll even be away from home for a few days.

If it's some kind of emergency, go ahead, Flintstone.

Thank you, boss.

That Mr. Boulder. What a real swell guy.

You'd better tell Wilma to hurry up, or we'll miss that plane.

She just got a long-distance call.

That's wonderful, Mother. I'm so glad you're feeling better.

You'll come here and rest instead of me going there?

Fine, I'll see you next week.

- Bye, Mom. - She's feeling better, Wilma?

Yes, isn't that wonderful? I won't have to make the trip after all.