Family History/Transcript

Oliver and Company: The Series

Family History

[The dockside of New York, at mid-morning. Dockers go about their business, hauling crates onto and off ships. Meanwhile, in an abandoned warehouse, Dodger and Oliver are talking. They are joined by a small Scottish terrier, Hugo.]

Hugo: [in thick Scottish accent] Aye, Dodger, ma boy. Why ya lookin' so dowie?

Dodger: Come again?

Oliver: He's asking what's up, Dodger. Is everything alright?

Dodger: Well...it's just...I've been thinking...

Oliver: About what?

Dodger: [breathes in] About...my family...

Hugo: Ah dinnae know what ya talkin' about, Dodger?

Dodger: I mean, who were my ancestors? Where did I come from?

Hugo: Dodger, ma boy, ah was born in auld reekie, but me and mah maw came to America when ah was a bairn tae start a new life.

Dodger: I mean, I've heard Georgette going on about her pedigree! [In a poor imitation of Georgette's voice] "My pedigree can be traced back to the poodles kept by Marie Antoinette." [normal voice] She certainly acts like a queen.

Hugo: Aye, mah wee pal. She sounds like she needs knockin' down a peg or tae.

Dodger: I'll take your word for it, Hugo.

[He and Oliver take off.]

Oliver: Dodger...I've heard you telling stories about your mom...and you've even made up stories about your ancestors.

Dodger: I will admit, that story about an outlaw dog living in the Old West was a classic...(in Southern accent) Pard'ner.

[Oliver laughs.]

Dodger: (Imitating John Wayne) This town ain't big enough for the both of us, pilgrim!

[Oliver continues laughing.]

Dodger: (normal accent) In all seriousness, though, it is something to think about.

[Fade. The caption reads "Upstate New York, 1813". A man trudges through the deep snow in the forest, holding a shotgun. He is cloaked in furs, and has brown hair and a beard. He is accompanied by a Schnauzer.]

Man: Come, Rusty! This is no time for man or beast to be out.

[The two continue trudging through the trees, the wind whipping in John's face.]

John: We'll set up camp for the night!

[John starts to pitch a tent, struggling in the wind as he does so. He finally gets the tent sent up, and starts to light a fire, rubbing two sticks together, until he produces a small flame.]

John: Perfect.

[It is night. John sits at the fire, eating a piece of meat which he has roasted over the flames. He tosses a piece to Rusty, who eats it. From off-camera, there is the howl of a wolf. Rusty's hackles go up; John runs towards the tent.]

Rusty: [growls] If you have the guts, you'd come and fight me!

[A pack of wolves emerge from the forest, snarling and ready to attack. John emerges from the tent with his shotgun, and fires two rounds at the animals; one of the wolves charges him, causing him to drop his weapon to the ground, and sinks its teeth into his leg; John cries out in agony.]

John: Let go! Get off!

[Rusty pounces onto the wolf's back, and bites it on the shoulder. It cries out, and tosses him aside, before joining the rest of its pack. Rusty barks at the wolves, as they take off into the forest.]

John: Rusty, you saved my life. You're the best friend I could ever have.

[John turns his head back to the forest.]

John: Come, let's move.

[Fade. Caption reads "Massachusetts, 1909". In an abandoned back alley, two dogs are talking. One of them is Tramp, from "Lady and the Tramp", and the other is a Yorkshire terrier.]

Tramp: I'm tellin' ya now, Flo. I could take him on.

Flo: (sarcastically) Really? I'll believe it when I see it.

Tramp: You will.

[The two friends disembark from the alley and head off into the streets. Suddenly, he hears the sound of a struggle.]

Tramp: What in the world?

[Tramp sees Lady being accosted by a gang of stray dogs. Tramp enters the fray, fighting them off, and barking at them as they take their leave. He turns to Lady.]

Tramp: You OK, pidge?

Lady: I'm fine. My name's Lady. You?

Tramp: I'm Tramp. You're a house dog, aren't you?

Lady: Well, yes, but...I ran away.

Tramp: Come with me. I'll show you what life is like to run free. Without collars or leashes.

[The two dogs run off together.]

[Fade. Scene changes to the streets of Brooklyn. Caption reads "Brooklyn, 1930." Eddie, a young man roughly in his 20s with brown hair, races down the streets, being chased out of a shop. He is flanked by a Jack Russell in a brown vest. The two race back to a rundown apartment complex.]

Eddie: Can ya believe it, Reggie? Ya take one piece of bread and the world ends for these guys.

[Eddie barks.]

Eddie: I agree. My brother and I used to play pranks like this in the neighborhood all the time. But then things changed, when he got deployed to the war.

[He pulls out a picture of his brother, a handsome-looking man in military uniform. The sounds of gunfire and soldiers yelling can be briefly heard.]

Eddie: [sighs] I'll miss ya. Anyway, Eddie, I'm gonna go. Got a job as a cleaner at Tony's, the Italian place. See ya later.

[As soon as Eddie is out of earshot, Reggie stares out of the apartment window, at the busy, bustling streets.]

Reggie: [to himself] I gotta get out for a bit.

[Reggie sneaks into the apartment hallway, down the stairs and onto the streets. He is amazed by the sights he sees.]

Reggie: Now this is how to see the sights!

[Reggie weaves the through the mass of people going about their business, and jumping onto the bonnets of cars passing by. He laughs to himself.]

Reggie: Man, I love this city!

[Suddenly, Reggie's stomach rumbles.]

Reggie: I could use something to eat.

[Reggie's attention is drawn to a Turkish street vendor, selling kebabs. Reggie snatches one and runs off, as the man screams at him in Turkish. Reggie smiles cheekily, as he races through the mass of people, and heads back to the apartment to finish his meal. Eddie returns.]

Eddie: Hi, Reggie. [strokes Reggie's ears] How've ya been?

[He notices Reggie's meal.]

Eddie: Got yourself some lunch, have ya, Reggie? Where'd ya get it?

[The sound of shouting can be heard on the streets. Eddie stares out of the window and sees the kebab merchant screaming at the top of his lungs. Eddie turns to Reggie, who acts innocent.]

Eddie: [laughs] You know what, Reggie? You're a wild one, but never change. You've got New York City fire in ya heart.

[He strokes Reggie behind the ears.]

[Fade back to the present day. Dodger is with Oliver back at the Foxworth house, where the gang have come to visit.]

Oliver: So, Dodge, did you figure out what you needed to find out?

Dodger: I have! Apparently, one of my ancestors is some really cool dog called the Tramp. Would ya like to hear the story?

Oliver: I think I would.

[End credits.]