Five Tons Of Coal

Originally Aired: December 3, 1940

Fibber McGee & Molly #264, "Five Tons Of Coal," finds the McGees attempting to organize their Christmas shopping list when Mrs. Uppington arrives selling raffle tickets for her club's fundraiser. What follows is a hilariously confusing exchange of quarters, half dollars, and nickels that leaves everyone uncertain who owes whom what. The real conflict erupts when neighbor Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve arrives to borrow his coal shovel, revealing that someone told the coal delivery driver to dump five tons of coal on his front lawn instead of in the basement. When Fibber admits he was the "helpful" neighbor who gave those instructions, Gildersleeve explodes in anger.

The two men launch into their characteristic battle of insults and threats, with Fibber going so far as to have Molly dramatically remove Gildersleeve's name from their Christmas list and revoke his daisy air rifle gift. Gildersleeve counters by mentioning the boy scout knife with six blades he planned to give Fibber. As tensions escalate and Christmas spirit hangs in the balance, the question remains whether these feuding neighbors will reconcile and whether Fibber will help shovel those five tons of coal into Gildersleeve's basement.