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Butterflies - Nov 10, 1978 Episode 1-1,   Grade A Detailed Summary by John T Burt 2001 Main Butterflies Page

    Food Disasters:
Ria has to identify the heaps on the plate at dinner. The next day the oven won't open to "give birth" to the cake.

    Mini Cooper use:
Leonard sees the car when he drops Ria off at home. Later, off camera, he follows it when the boys are driving. Ria takes it to lunch.

    Special Events:
Russell giving Ria the keys and telling her to watch out for the nutty guy who followed the car is poignant.

    Funny Scenes:
The "birth" of a cake exchange is very funny.

    Summary:
Ria is promenading on the stairs thinking herself in a fashion show until she loosens her dress revealing a big hole and run in one knee.

Ben hollers for help from the dining room and wants Ria to identify the heaps on his dinner plate. She succeeds on most of the items. Ria comments that her cooking problems are nothing new and Ben responds that he can't take it as well as he used to because he is not young anymore. He then goes on moaning about his age problems. Ria apparently finally identifies the mystery item as gravy. Russell comes in. Ben moans about Russell's stretching and yawning and not working, relaying his messages through Ria because Russell and Ben are not talking. Adam is heard coming in and Ria comments she will be fine as long as she has Adam. When Adam is seen, he has a broken arm from yet another car crash.

In a restaurant, Ria is smoking and Leonard, who happens to be at the same table, asks her to avoid putting ash in his trifle. Leonard eventually starts chatting Ria up and Ria lies about the age of her boys saying they are 10 and 9. Her metaphors about life put him off his food leaving only his coffee which Ria spills when she leaves.

Ben mocks the restaurant incident before dinner the next day while Ria is baking a cake. Adam comes in and starts comparing the baking of a cake to giving birth. Ben does not like that at all especially when Ria asks for help opening the pregnant oven which is stuck. It never was opened. Ria remembers meeting Ben as a patient and their walks in the park. Ria plans a romantic evening with wine.

Later Leonard almost runs Ria over on her way back from buying the wine. They have a nice walk and talk in the park. He gives her a ride home and notices the Mini Cooper painted like a flag in the drive. Leonard sets up a possible lunch date for the next day.

During lunch at home the next day, Ria clears the table before they are done eating so she can make it to her clandestine lunch date. But she is guilt ridden especially with everyone being nice for once. Eventually Russell tells her to take the Mini so she isn't late but to watch out for the nutty guy who followed them yesterday claiming to know someone with an identical car.

Ria goes to the restaurant but decides not to go in. She returns home to find Ben working on his butterfly collection. She gives him a hug and he squashes the butterfly he was holding.