Missing Fender

Originally Aired: April 1, 1941

In Fibber McGee & Molly #281, "Missing Fender," Molly returns home from a shopping trip with Mrs. Uppington and makes a startling discovery: the car's left rear fender is missing, apparently lost when she scraped against a parked truck at Fourteenth and Oak. Desperate to prove her driving skills to her skeptical husband, Molly faces a dilemma. Mrs. Uppington suggests keeping the incident secret from Fibber, and Gildersleeve volunteers to rush to the dealer and have a replacement fender installed before McGee notices. The conspirators spring into action, with Gildersleeve attempting to delay Fibber on the street while Molly hides the car in the garage.

Despite Molly's attempts to confess, the well-meaning but bumbling efforts of Mrs. Uppington and Gildersleeve keep interrupting her. Gildersleeve spins an absurd tale about the dangers of greasing a hot car, complete with visions of Fibber imprisoned in Alcatraz, all to keep him away from the damaged vehicle. As Gildersleeve rushes off to handle the "secret" repair and Molly grows increasingly uncomfortable with the deception, the stage is set for the inevitable moment when Fibber discovers what everyone has been hiding from him.