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  • [WIND CHIMES CLANGING]

  • [GRUNTING]

  • [MONKEYS CHATTERING]

  • Dilbert.

  • So good to see you.

  • You simply must disturb us more often.

  • Actually, I'm trying to sleep,

  • which is what normal people do at 3:00 in the morning.

  • Normal people?

  • Oh, how dreadful.

  • Which brings me to my point.

  • Your wind chimes are making so much noise

  • I can't go to sleep.

  • We got those on a trip to the Congo.

  • It was the Canary Islands, dear.

  • I didn't see any canaries, but they could have been hiding.

  • They'll do that.

  • It doesn't matter where you got them.

  • Can you please keep the noise down?

  • Well, it's not us, dear, it's the wind.

  • You can't hold the wind, son.

  • I learned that in the Aussie outback.

  • Look, I'm begging you.

  • All day long, I have to listen to my pointy-haired boss,

  • my yammering co-workers, the traffic, the phone ringing,

  • and my computer beeping at me.

  • But knowing I can return to the quiet of my home--

  • that little bit of comfort allows me to cling to my sanity.

  • It's my fortress of solitude.

  • I thought only Superman had a fortress of solitude.

  • Are you comparing yourself to Superman?

  • Rather cheeky, I should think.

  • Please, the wind chimes?

  • Would you take them down?

  • Yes, yes, we'll take care of it.

  • We always comply with our neighbors.

  • Especially the ones who have super powers.

  • [BOTH LAUGHING]

  • Did you see the look...

  • Thank you.

  • [LOUD CHANTING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

  • [CONGA DRUMS PLAYING]

  • What is it now?

  • Is the moonlight bouncing off our house

  • and hurting you in some way?

  • You're playing conga drums

  • and singing at 3:15 in the morning.

  • Oh. It seems the list of things you don't like

  • is growing by the minute.

  • Please, could you keep the noise down

  • for three more hours?

  • That's all I ask.

  • MRS. PIERPONT: Look, lovey,

  • it's the item we purchased in Zimbabwe.

  • I thought it would never come.

  • [TRUMPETS]

  • That means he's got to go.

  • Hey! Hey, get him away from my lawn!

  • Stop it! Shoo!

  • He is a nervous fellow.

  • Yes, he should try to get more sleep.

  • Oh, no!

  • [EXPLOSION]

  • [music]

  • [CHANTING]

  • [ELECTRICITY CRACKLING]

  • REPORTER: What does the Tree Lover Society expect from its lawsuit?

  • Big companies have been hurting our trees for too long.

  • We want to show the world that trees have feelings too.

  • Are you a nut?

  • If so, what kind are you?

  • I am not a nut.

  • I am a man who loves trees.

  • I love them in every way a man can love wood.

  • Would you mind

  • handcuffing yourself to a tree

  • when my photographer gets here?

  • That's original.

  • There is nothing wrong with the classics.

  • What have you got?

  • I interviewed an owl.

  • People, whoo-hoo,

  • a little more attention up here, please?

  • What matters is that

  • the big corporations who hurt our trees

  • must be stopped.

  • Long live the trees!

  • That's the man who's suing us--

  • Elmer Oakley,

  • the president of the Tree Lover Society.

  • Why is he mad at us?

  • We don't harm any trees.

  • Actually, we do, thanks to Alice.

  • It wasn't my fault.

  • We'll be the judge of that.

  • It all started with benchmarking.

  • Benchmarking?

  • Is that even a word?

  • Benchmarking is when you study world-class companies

  • to learn the processes that make them successful.

  • Then you try to duplicate those processes

  • using less intelligent employees.

  • So you try to blatantly copy

  • another company's success,

  • knowing fully that you can't do it as well?

  • He's a tack, isn't he?

  • In this case,

  • I studied a company that makes paper.

  • I found out that they have great training programs,

  • fully automated systems, and excellent management.

  • And they completely raped the forest,

  • don't forget that.

  • Just laid waste to it.

  • So, naturally, we had

  • to completely rape a forest too.

  • Apparently, this damn Tree Lover Society

  • was somehow offended.

  • DILBERT: Only another 10 hours and I'll be home.

  • Dilbert. Dilbert!

  • Yes?

  • That's better.

  • For a moment, it looked like you weren't suffering.

  • What shall we do about the Tree Lover Society?

  • Why don't we have a meeting?

  • I think this is A MEETING.

  • Loud Howard is on to something.

  • I'm not on anything!

  • I'm always like this!

  • I mean, your idea to have an off-site meeting

  • and invite the Tree Lover Society

  • to work out a compromise.

  • He didn't say that.

  • It was implied!

  • Quiet, I'm trying to think.

  • That won't work.

  • We'll use Dilbert's house.

  • Why my house?

  • Because it's the nearest one to my house

  • without actually being my house.

  • We can trash your place until rush hour

  • and I'll still be home in 10 minutes.

  • Your logic escapes me.

  • Well, you'd better go catch it.

  • I don't see why I should suffer.

  • I had nothing to do with this Tree Lover situation.

  • Dilbert, do you realize that the letter "I"

  • and the word "I" are one and the same?

  • Yes.

  • Good. I think I've made my point.

  • Now, who's handling the refreshments?

  • Alice will.

  • Why? Because I'm the only woman in the group?

  • Hard to refute the logic of that.

  • Let me try.

  • [GRUNTING]

  • Apparently, I'll be in charge

  • of the refreshments.

  • Alice, I want you to organize the icebreaker games.

  • I love Chutes and Ladders!

  • I think I'd prefer Russian roulette.

  • American games only.

  • You'd better do more than dust

  • if your co-workers are coming over here for a meeting.

  • That's all this house needs.

  • My program of ongoing tidiness pays big dividends

  • in these situations.

  • Your co-workers are going to see you

  • in your natural habitat.

  • So?

  • They'll form lasting opinions based on your possessions...

  • opinions that will influence your career for years to come.

  • What do I care what others might think?

  • I'm not... like what?

  • You have no athletic trophies on display--

  • says you're a loser.

  • If I had trophies on display,

  • wouldn't it say I was a braggart?

  • Yes, but if anyone asked you about the trophies,

  • you could say you were lucky.

  • Then I would be a lying braggart.

  • And that's still better than being a loser.

  • I'll buy you some trophies at the trophy store.

  • No bowling trophies.

  • Oh, perish the thought.

  • And the magazines-- you'll have to replace them.

  • What's wrong with my reading material?

  • Needlepoint is not the exclusive domain

  • of women, you know.

  • It happens to be both challenging and creative.

  • I'm not going to comment.

  • I'll just look at you until you agree with me.

  • That won't work, because I'm right

  • and I know I'm right.

  • You might not think I'm right,

  • and no one else might think I'm right,

  • but I'm right.

  • Okay, you made your point.

  • I'll stop at the newsstand.

  • Is that all?

  • You'll have to stage the refrigerator.

  • Lose the cheesecake and get some broccoli.

  • It shows you have self-control.

  • But I...

  • Oh, all right.

  • I'll go get some fake food.

  • Change the station on your stereo and TV

  • to something educational.

  • And take the hair out of your soap in the shower.

  • That hair is clean!

  • [SIGHS]

  • At least give it a trim.

  • Just a little off the top.

  • [TRUMPETING AND TRAMPLING]

  • Why do I have to live by the only people in the world

  • who have a pet elephant?

  • Your elephant is ruining my backyard.

  • Are you sure that's our elephant?

  • How many people on this street have an elephant?

  • If you don't have that information,

  • how can you be certain it's ours?

  • You're rather jumping to conclusions, my good man.

  • Just look out your back window

  • and see if your elephant is there.

  • Oh, very well.

  • Our ELEPHANT IS IN OUR backyard.

  • You must be mistaken.

  • He just ran back there when you put the phone down.

  • Look at the path of destruction

  • between your house and my backyard.

  • Do you see a path of destruction?

  • I can't say that I do, dear.

  • No, nothing like that over here.

  • You are disturbing the sanctity of my home.

  • All I ask is to be left alone at home.

  • A man's home is his castle.

  • Oh, we're a king now, are we?

  • [LAUGHS]

  • Very good.

  • I guess he grew weary of being the man of steel.

  • [BOTH LAUGHING]

  • That's it.

  • I'm getting Dogbert.

  • Ooh! He's getting Dogbert.

  • I'm so AFRAID.

  • [BOTH LAUGHING]

  • Dogbert!

  • Dogbert!

  • How may I be of service?

  • You can tell me where Dogbert is.

  • He left early this morning.

  • Something about installing a puppet government.

  • He's always installing a puppet government

  • when I need him!

  • What the...

  • What is all this?

  • We call it "construction".

  • I know what it is.

  • I don't think you do.

  • Why are you on my lawn?

  • We're building a pen for you neighbor's pet elephant.

  • I'm all for that,

  • but why are you on my lawn?

  • It's okay.

  • The Pierponts gave us permission.

  • They can't give you permission to wreck my lawn.

  • They only gave us permission

  • to use YOUR LAWN.

  • The wrecking part was all us.

  • This is outrageous.

  • I want all this stuff off my lawn by 2:00.

  • My co-workers are coming over here

  • for an off-site meeting.

  • This will be very embarrassing.

  • More embarrassing than your needlepoint magazines?

  • How do you know about them?

  • You look like a man with eclectic tastes...

  • and I don't mean that in a good way.

  • That's it.

  • I'm an easygoing guy,

  • but I've been pushed to the breaking point!

  • And when I reach that point, look out!

  • Hey! Hey!

  • Whoa!

  • You might want to put some cones around this open trench.

  • Dilbert, old chap, can't talk now.

  • We're off for a two-week vacation.

  • We didn't want to be here

  • when all the construction was going on.

  • It can be so disruptive.

  • Could you tell the workers to get off my lawn, please?

  • Yes. We'll call them from the car

  • using our cell phone.

  • But if, for some reason,

  • you don't call them from the car,

  • then there's nothing I can do about it.

  • Very good.

  • Chop, chop.

  • Elmer!

  • Elmer Oakley,

  • president of the Tree Lover Society?

  • I didn't know how old she was.

  • She lied about her number of rings.

  • I say, "Don't judge a man

  • until you walk a mile in his shoes."

  • So let's change shoes.

  • I think I'll get the best of that exchange.

  • I've come from the big company you're suing

  • to take you to an off-site meeting.

  • Do you know what an off-site meeting is, Elmer?

  • Wait. Don't tell me.

  • Is it, like, a meeting that's not on-site?

  • Oh! You've got a lot on the ball, son.

  • What do you say we go

  • to that meeting, you and me--

  • you in my shoes, me in yours--

  • and see if we can't convince you

  • to drop this cockeyed lawsuit, huh?

  • Although, off the record,

  • if I was you, I'd sue for 10 times as much.

  • Ah! Beautiful home.

  • If I can just get through the off-site meeting,

  • I will have my little sanctuary back.

  • [YELLS]

  • Dogbert, where are you?

  • I need a little help here!

  • He's not here.

  • He said something about looting national treasures.

  • When's he getting back?

  • I don't have the answer to that question,

  • so instead, I offer you this dance.

  • music Yeh-teh-toh, ra-ta-ta... music

  • My co-workers will be here any minute,

  • I have an elephant on my roof,

  • my lawn has been trashed,

  • and now I have a dancing rat!

  • I don't see how this could be worse.

  • You'll like Dilbert's house.

  • There's almost no wood in it.

  • I hope that's sap.

  • ALICE: What's wrong with you?

  • Why are you driving this way?

  • This is the way I drive.

  • It is most annoying.

  • Everyone has their own driving style.

  • This is mine.

  • You're doing this

  • so we'll never ask you to drive again.

  • WALLY: It's all perfectly legal.

  • Here it is...

  • Dilbert's house.

  • It has more wood than I remember.

  • Well, well.

  • Let's see what

  • Dilbert reads at home.

  • Ah! What's this?

  • Dilbert doesn't have good taste.

  • Let's see what station

  • Dilbert was watching last.

  • And now another masterpiece

  • involving British people with no emotional depth.

  • Educational television?

  • Dilbert watches educational television?

  • I had no idea that

  • Dilbert was such an accomplished sportsman.

  • He never speaks of it.

  • Oh, those? I just got lucky.

  • It's broccoli!

  • Nothing but broccoli!

  • Broccoli?

  • Something is very wrong here.

  • Wally, check his soap.

  • I'm on it.

  • It's been trimmed.

  • Possibly blow-dried.

  • I knew it.

  • This place has been staged.

  • Staged.

  • We've been had.

  • Uh... were we going to have a meeting?

  • Right. The meeting.

  • Let's start with the refreshments.

  • Wally, what did you bring?

  • I did a survey

  • and found that everyone wanted hot dogs.

  • I'm a vegetarian.

  • It's too late to cast your vote.

  • Hot dogs it is. Where are they?

  • Well, the survey was phase one.

  • I'm hoping to get to phase two some time in the next quarter.

  • Ooh!

  • We can go directly to the icebreaker phase.

  • Everyone, grab a paint gun.

  • We're playing street rules!

  • Are your meetings always like this?

  • Not always.

  • One time, we had HOT DOGS.

  • Ow!

  • [ALL SHOUTING]

  • [SHOUTING CONTINUES]

  • That paint washes off, right?

  • There's your consensus, you tree-loving freak!

  • Whoo-hoo!

  • Nice going, Dilbert.

  • This is the last time I let you talk me into

  • having an off-site meeting at your house.

  • I'll sue your tree-killing company

  • into sawdust!

  • But not before I win this ice-breaker game.

  • Hey, this should work.

  • No! Not the elephant!

  • [LAUGHING]

  • [TRUMPETING]

  • My house.

  • You destroyed my fortress of solitude.

  • As it turns out, it wasn't much of a fortress.

  • I don't know about anyone else,

  • but that really worked up my appetite.

  • Oh, yeah, that's right.

  • I have destroyed your hovel

  • and I shall destroy your company--

  • in court.

  • [HELICOPTER APPROACHING]

  • Dogbert has returned.

  • It just turned into a bad day to be you.

  • I'm not afraid of some little dog.

  • Never mind.

  • Explanation?

  • DILBERT: ...and then Elmer hit the elephant

  • and the whole thing collapsed.

  • And you want me to fix everything.

  • I believe that is outside of even your powers, Mr. Dogbert.

  • [SOFTLY]: I'm sorry.

  • It seems you have four problems here.

  • One, dead elephant,

  • two, Wally forgot the food,

  • three,

  • Wood-For-Brains here is suing your company,

  • and four, the house has been destroyed.

  • He's good.

  • We can solve problems one and two

  • by barbecuing the elephant over the lumber.

  • That sounds tasty.

  • Oh, yeah.

  • As for the woodaphile here,

  • you do know you've slain an endangered species.

  • That's right, he has, and we all saw it.

  • Uh, never mind about the lawsuit.

  • Forgive and forget, that's my motto.

  • That's three problems out of four!

  • Cell phone.

  • Hello.

  • Is this the construction firm

  • that did the Pierpont job this morning?

  • This is Mr.. Pierpont.

  • I want you to remove the wreckage next to my house

  • and move my entire house into the lot.

  • Throw away all the possessions inside and change the locks.

  • I lost a lot of computer equipment.

  • I'll get the insurance adjuster here in the morning.

  • It was time to upgrade anyway.

  • Start tomorrow afternoon.

  • You have two weeks until I return from vacation.

  • I shall now start the paperwork to make you a god.

  • I call leg.

  • This might be

  • some of your best work.

  • You're lucky these houses all look alike.

  • We found this in the wreckage.

  • Do you want it?

  • Yes.

  • Thank you.

  • Freak.

  • I wonder what the Pierponts will think when they get back?

  • I took care of that too.

  • PILOT: Uh, ladies and gentlemen,

  • I've been asked to make a public service announcement.

  • Be sure to unplug your curling iron

  • before taking long vacations.

  • Oh, lovey, did you unplug your curler?

  • I'm not sure.

  • Because if you don't, your house might disappear

  • along with your pet elephant.

  • And announcement number two,

  • does anyone know how to land this thing?

  • [music]

[WIND CHIMES CLANGING]

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