"Stranger In Town"
1960 Andy Griffith Show - Season 1 - 2 descriptions below of this episode
When a stranger comes to town and knows people's name and all about them, folks become scared and suspicious and want Andy to do something about him. Since Ed Sawyer has broken no laws, Andy refuses. Things get even more curious when he tells Andy that Mayberry is his hometown, even though he has never been there before. After being rejected by everyone, Lucy Matthews in particular, Ed asks Andy for help and tells him how Mayberry became his hometown. As Andy is calling the newspaper with the story, Ed is confronted by a group of townsfolk who want to run him out of town. Andy steps in and tells his story to the crowd, which backs down and welcomes him to town.
Mayberry is suspicious when a visiting man, whom no one knows, appears in town and seems to know everything about everyone, including some very personal information. Just when the town begins to worry, the truth is revealed and it is discovered that the man has gleaned his information from the local newspaper to which he has been subscribing in the hopes of making Mayberry his adopted hometown.
Editorial by the Outlook’s Dave Schmidt
I am a big fan of the Andy Griffith Show, still watch it today. I remember the above episode very well. Poor Ed Sawyer just wants to become an instant part of the Mayberry community that he actually has the folks of Mayberry afraid of him. They don’t like him at all, even though he has done nothing wrong except want to become a part of them. Luckily Andy finds out why Ed wants to be a part of Mayberry and make it his hometown. While in the service Ed served with a native of Mayberry, he started to read his friends letters and even the Mayberry newspaper. So Ed decides that after he gets out of the service he would go and make Mayberry his hometown. Andy tells the folks the story to the crowd around and says that all that Ed wanted to do was be a part of the community, maybe he didn’t approach it right. Andy looks at Ed and says I wouldn’t blame you if you just left, we don’t deserve to have you here. When all of a sudden everyone decides Ed is an ok guy and things turn out for the best for everyone.
Today I wish I had an “Andy” to help me out with all of you folks. I just want to be a part of your communities and serve you with a good online newspaper. I am much like Ed was, I am big fan of “Deadliest Catch” and noticed the islands every week when they showed the map and thinking how wonderful it would be to live in such a unique area of the world, still feel that way. Maybe I scared you all by acting like I knew all of you so well. I’m sure many of you were thinking this guy is trying to make a “fast buck” off of us or why is this guy wanting to do this. For that I am sorry, maybe we can start fresh again. It has been several months since we started the Outlook and I have made some good friends, but I would like everyone to be my friend. We will continue to try and provide the Outlook for you in the future. Someday I hope to be a “Friend” and not a “Stranger”.