#216 TWO FOR THE ROAD           (Original air date:   02/26/98)
 

Written by:	E.F. Wallengren & William Schwartz
Directed by:	Alan J. Levi
Produced by:	Martha Williamson, Jon Andersen, E.F. Wallengren & R.J. Visciglia, Jr.

Guest Cast:

Joe Greene	Richard Thomas
Erasmus Jones	Ossie Davis
Blondell	Jeff King
Lyle Cavanaugh	Richard Hamilton
Bear Wycowski	Scott Bronson
Sheriff Bates	Lee deBroux

 

Russell arranges to pick up his brother Joe on a weekend release as a surprise for Nathaniel's tenth birthday. But a series of unfortunate mishaps threaten to foil the plan. They miss the train and end up taking a bus, seated next to an obnoxious guy named Lyle. At the next stop, Lyle provokes a fight. They get kicked off the bus and wind up hitching a ride with a truck driver named Bear Wycowski. While they sleep in the back, bad weather conditions force Bear to take an alternate route, crossing the state line -- and breaking the conditions of Joe's release. Joe calls Blondel (his warden) who can tell from caller identification that Joe's out of state, and tells him to stay put. But Joe leaves with Bear and Russell without letting on there's trouble, not wanting anything to spoil his son's birthday plans. Russell notices Joe's anxiety as the highway patrol passes. Russell spills Joe's story and once again, they wind up stranded on the lone highway. They make a call and arrange for the state police to pick Joe up, surrendering his weekend pass. On the way back to prison, Joe and Russell explain the series of mishaps that foiled their plans to Sheriff Bates. Meanwhile, Nathaniel sits at the dinner table, depressed at his Uncle Russell's absence. Even the thought of opening presents does little to snap Nathaniel out of the birthday blues. That is, until Claire sees the Sheriff's car pull up front and, while Nathaniel sits with his back to the door, lets Joe inside. Russell asks Sheriff Bates what changed his mind. Sheriff Bates responds, "sometimes bad weather happens to good people."