St. Boniface Vikings (Part 1)

I Love Lisa

At school, Lisa's class begins constructing paper mailboxes for all the cards they are about to receive. When Lonnie Grafft doesn't get any cards and begins to sob, Lisa hastily gives him a card out of sympathy. Lonnie immediately cheers up, and develops a crush on his classmate.

Lonnie begins to follow Lisa around, walking her home and discussing his medical maladies. Lisa tries to escape the situation and let him down gently, but Lonnie, with the encouragement of his father, who is the police chief, to keep trying, doesn't understand and uses his position as the police chief's son to get her tickets to Johnny Carson's show as well as a leading part for himself in a President's Day Pageant as George Washington (beating out the school's best actor, Rodney Geisel) with Lisa also starring as Martha Washington, George's wife. This of course doesn't settle in well with Rodney and he accuses the fifth grade teacher of being bought out, but suspended until Feb. 28. Though she claims it fair, it's soon revealed that she was blackmailed by Lonnie's father.

With Nolan having convinced Lisa that nothing can go wrong at Johnny's show, and Kevin pointing out how great it is, Lisa and Lonnie go together. On live air, Johnny begins interviewing audience members, and Lonnie excitedly takes the opportunity to declare that Lisa is the love of his life and that he intends to marry her. Angry, Lisa begins to shout in front of everybody at Lonnie that they are not in any relationship, and she never liked him, and that the only reason she gave him a Valentine card was because no one else would. She slapped him in the face, ran into the dressing room, and cries very hard.

Meanwhile, Lisa told Nolan how she ever break up with Lonnie, but Paul, Grady, Ed, Fran, Bill, Mick, Roy, Fred, Karl and Milt were upset about her.

The day of the play finally arrives and Lisa tries to take the opportunity to apologize to Lonnie, however he refuses to listen, determined to play his part just the same.

The play begins with one group of students singing about the lesser-known U.S. Presidents. The main feature however is a re-telling of George Washington's life story. At first, Lisa is convinced that Lonnie has forgotten his lines, or intends to humiliate her as she did him. However he gives a touching and emotional performance that affects everybody in the audience.

The play ends with an animatronic Mount Rushmore singing one of the stanzas of "America The Beautiful", as well as giving away final stage announcements to the audience to buy orange juice.

Afterward, Lonnie signs autographs and greets well-wishers. Lisa also approaches, and gives him a new card, reading "Let's bee friends." Lonnie laughs at the joke and thanks Lisa, the two making up. Lonnie's father takes Lonnie and Lisa to the malt shop, and played the "Monster Mash" on the jukebox.