Oh, My Aching Back

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“Oh, My Aching Back”
The Honeymooners episode

Ralph can barely conceal his back pain in front of Uncle Leo.
Episode no. Season 1
Episode 16
Written by Leonard Stern and
Sydney Zelinka
Directed by Frank Satenstein
Production no. n/a
Original airdate January 14, 1956
Episode chronology
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"A Matter of Record" "The Baby Sitter"
List of The Honeymooners episodes

Oh, My Aching Back is the 16th episode of the TV series The Honeymooners. Ralph needs to recover from a night of bowling without Alice knowing.

[edit] Plot

Because of Ralph's weight, he's forced to go through a physical at work the next day. However, what he REALLY wants to do is to go bowling with his bowling league, seeing as how that night is the championship, and he's their best bowler. Alice, however, forbids Ralph from going bowling. The last time Ralph went bowling, he threw his back out, and his passing his physical in the morning is too important to waste on a 'silly bowling game'. Alice tells Ralph that she's going to visit a cousin of hers, and will be back later. Ralph takes the opportunity to sneak out and go bowling anyway, particularly when Norton uses reverse psychology to pressure him into going and also when Ralph learns that the winning team will be given a victory feast, consisting of, among other things, Ralph's favorite, Neapolitan knockwurst.

Later that night, Norton and another teammate drag a weary Ralph back to the apartment. Ralph did indeed throw his back out, but he managed to win the championship for them. Ralph figures that as long as he can lie in bed with a hot water pack on his back, he'll be fine by morning. Norton and the teammate leave, and Ralph prepares for bed, but gets a rude surprise when Alice's Uncle Leo stops by. Uncle Leo likes Ralph, so much so that he smacks him on the back as he says, "Ralph, it's GOOD to see ya!" Ralph, barely able to contain the pain he's in, manages to tell the uncle that he's about to go to bed - but not before he gets another hearty smack on the back with a "Well, good-BYE, Ralph!".

The next morning, Alice is in the apartment when Ralph's bowling buddy stops by. He wanted to make sure that Ralph would get the trophy they won the night before, seeing as how they couldn't have won without him. Alice hides the trophy, then waits for Ralph to get home. Ralph announces that he passed his physical with flying colors, and Alice asks him if it wasn't sensible advice that he stay at home the night before instead of going bowling. Ralph agrees, and asks for his supper. Alice, however, pulls out the trophy and places it in front of Ralph, busting him.