My biggest tearing up moment comes at the end of the episode when Barney
returned to Mayberry for a visit and falls for Tina Andrews. In the
epilogue Andy and Aunt Bea are on the porch and Andy is reading a letter
from Barney. Aunt Bee comments on how much she misses Barney and Andy
agrees that there is only one Barney Fife. I think this moves me so much
because it gets me to thinking about my many good friends I had when growing
up and how time and distance has caused us to drift apart and lose touch.
So few things ever changed in Mayberry, which is why I love the place so
much, so when Barney moves to Raleigh he leaves an empty void forever.. We
never learn how it came that Barney moved out of Mayberry or the reasons why
he did so. He just suddenly disappeared. In order to get the job at the
Raleigh Police Department he would have had to have some very good
credentials. I can imagine that once again Andy came through for his friend
and gave him a glowing recommendation that enabled him to secure the job.
At the same time I have to believe that deep down Barney realized that
leaving Mayberry was a big mistake but he was too proud to admit it and
return to Mayberry. I can just picture him sitting in his corner room at
the Y feeling lonely. And then there is the question as to where he lived
after Ma and the boys were arrested for all those robberies. Probably back
to the Y or at another lonely boarding house.While in Raleigh Andy once
again tried to convince Barney to return to Mayberry, but Barney decides not
to return. I imagine he thought people would consider him a failure if he
had to leave his big city job only to return to be Andy's deputy once again.
I have often wondered too how the story line would go if we were to find out
how Barney was able to eventually return to Mayberry to become acting
sheriff in the movie "Return to Mayberry". I guess these are just some of
the many questions that shall remain unanswered for all of time. And
perhaps that is for the best.
Ken Anderson
Eau Claire, Wisconsin
[email protected]
www.mayberryreflections.com
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