Gildersleeve’s Diary

Originally Aired: October 22, 1940

In Fibber McGee & Molly #258, "Gildersleeve's Diary," Fibber stumbles upon a golden opportunity for mischief when he discovers that neighbor Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve's personal diary has been accidentally thrown out with the trash. Despite Molly's earnest pleas that reading someone else's diary would be a terrible invasion of privacy, Fibber can't resist the temptation to unlock its secrets. The situation grows more complicated when Gildersleeve himself arrives at the McGee home, nervously searching for something he's lost. When he casually offers Fibber a key that might open a briefcase, Molly and Fibber must scramble to hide the diary they're concealing.

As Fibber dons gloves to avoid leaving fingerprints and dives deeper into the diary's pages, he uncovers entries spanning decades of Gildersleeve's life, from humorous mundane observations to surprisingly prescient predictions. Meanwhile, young Teeny drops by and engages Fibber in a conversation about fairy tales that reveals how much the precocious girl has outgrown children's stories. The stage is set for potential embarrassment and comedy as Fibber possesses intimate knowledge of his neighbor's private thoughts.