Summary:

Bakersfeld returns to the MelMobile, takes the microphone, and says “Yes, Danny.” Danny, at the Snow Desk, reports that he’s calling Patroni and that Mel should stand by on his mobile phone. Mel shuts the MelMobile door, picks up the ringing phone, and talks to Patroni on a split-screen. Joe Patroni tells Mel to save his breath – – Joe isn’t available tonight. Mel tells Joe he’s got “fourteen on the ground and eighteen stacked upstairs.” Joe replies that he’s got his five kids stacked away at his mother’s house so that he and Marie could spend time alone, together. Mel asks Joe to give Marie his apologies, but he needs Runway Two-Niner badly. Joe asks if the Global crew could handle it. Mel replies that he needs someone who knows what to do — a “genius, like Patroni!” Joe tells Mel, “Hold the whipped cream, I’ve just had dessert. ” Joe ponders for a moment, then tells Mel, “Alright, I’ll be there.” He also tells Mel to give everyone a shovel and start digging a 10° incline in front of the wheels.

In This Minute:

Burt Lancaster as Mel Bakersfeld

Brian Fies is a writer and cartoonist who created the award-winning graphic novels Mom’s Cancer and Whatever Happened to the World of Tomorrow, as well as the Eisner Award-nominated webcomic The Last Mechanical Monster. He’s been a newspaper reporter, environmental chemist, science writer, husband, and dad to twin girls. He also saw “Airport” in a theater during its first run. He lives in California.