There’s a moment in the old Andy Griffith Show where Andy and Barney are talking about their plans for the weekend – Andy’s date with Helen, and Barney’s date with Thelma Lou.
Barney plans to take Thelma Lou to the diner. No surprise there, it’s the only place to eat in Mayberry; you have to go large and drive to Mt. Pilot to do better. But then Barney is arguing, on a Friday night at the diner, it’s best to just go with the special; “You can hold it to two-fifty if you pass on the apple pie.”
Two-fifty???
Okay, it’s the 1960s, so prices are much lower. But consider:
In another episode, it’s revealed that Barney makes $75 a week, or $300 a month. That means he’s budgeting, oh, a lordly 1% of his monthly income for his date with Thelma Lou, assuming he plunks down 25 cents apiece for a movie after dinner.
One percent!!!
What a cheap-ass!
Barney’s going to take Thelma Lou to the diner she always eats in anyway, choose the special for her, and deny her apple pie?
Mt. Pilot is only 10 miles away, and we know from past experience that Andy wouldn’t mind Barney borrowing the squad car – they use it for off-duty activities all the time. Barney could take Thelma Lou to an actual restaurant, and lavish all of four dollars on her! And even buy her some pie!
But, no – that's too much to ask!
It’s arguable that I need something new to think about; but Thelma Lou can do much better. Just sayin’.
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