(remember Sheldon and the Milk money??)
..The scene is one of the most iconic shots of the entire series. A father and
his son perched a hillside sharing time together enjoying their favorite
pastime, fishing. With thick woods behind them, and a shimmering lake in front
of them..they are all alone, as the father waits for the right teaching moment.
They catch a nice fish in this favorite spot, just adding more good vibes to
the moment. They have caught their fill, and now it's time to go back home,
and leave the perfect scene behind...too bad -it's perfect..I want to stay
there.
The sons is troubled, but is too proud the reveal his dilemma. The father
could take an easier way out, but has the patience to wait for the right
moment, and the right analogy to teach from. The bond is so real, it's hard to
imagine that this is a young actor about six years old, rattling of his lines
with the delivery of feelings that only a professional could pull off. Andy
Taylor, the father, is so good in his method of teaching. Andy Griffith, the
actor, is in his strength..story-telling..as he carefully weaves the yarn about
the mythical Hodie Snitch. It is so precise, and so at the level that his
young son clearly gets the message, that at times, it's better to stand and
fight..than run from the bullies and problems of life.
I have struggled with this lesson many times. I have never encouraged any of
my kids to stand and fight, in part due to the era that we lived in, and in
part because I was never quite the Dad as an Andy Taylor.
As the story played out, Andy had the patience, and the faith of the lesson, to
let the situation play out, and his son to meet the bully alone. How tough was
that? I would have been more like Barney and contacted the Bully's
father...but what would the son have learned?? That Daddy will take care of
all your troubles?? Then the heart-felt relief of the father when the son
returns triumphantly, having survived the fight. His "Opie, Son are you
alright?" is priceless. He picks him up with pride, knowing he has made the
right decision, and his son has become more of a man.
Watch it again and you will appreciate it even more. If you have DVDs, pull
out Season Two Disc One track One. Episode 33...but before you do that, pull
out the Season One Box..there they are on the front cover..look at the back
cover.. There they are walking with Opie carrying that bag of fish they just
caught...These scenes are not from the opening of the show..but from Opie and
the Bully. Later Opie will stand tough against another bully, Steve Qunicy, in
One-Punch Opie. Later Andy will use his instinct to teach another prodigy
about standing up to Bullies..as he coaches Barney through the Vegetable
Farmers..and Fred Plummer. But in this day is Opie, and the Milk-money thief
perhaps named after the producer that sets the tone for all tough guys to come.
Stand Firm
It's not all the bad
The reward will exceed the pain
Did you really laugh, Pa?
Yeah but he smiled more when his son triumphed over his fear
The Untrained Voice
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