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"That hurt!"
— Gloria Cornwallis
BumperBuddiesHeader
Bumper Buddies
Director(s)

David Coole

Producer(s)

Andrew Cochran

Writer(s)

Jeff Rosen

Narrator

The Harbour Master
(Denny Doherty)
Jan Nonhof (Dutch Dub)

Air date

July 14th, 1993

Previous episode

True Blue Friends

Next episode

Theodore and
the Welcome

Bumper Buddies is the eighth episode of the first season.

Plot

Theodore and Foduck are returning back to their dock after taking a small cargo ship out to sea and decide to go the long way home pass the rocky shore. Foduck's computer starts making sounds, saying there's big rocks underwater. And that also means there's also marker buoys to mark where they are. One buoy named Bedford marks where there's a big rock in the Big Harbour. And he's pretty special too because Theodore and Foduck's favorite thing to do is "Button Bedford." Which is a special practice they made up, and pretend they are buttoning on to a big ship. And they like to make it a race. As they race, it becomes bumper to bumper, but at last, Foduck wins. He is thrilled and bumps Theodore. Theodore is surprised and doesn't like it all. But Foduck is still excited and thinks they can be bumper buddies and it can be their new secret thing. And he bumps Theodore again, harder. Theodore goes back to the dock. Foduck doesn't understand what he did wrong. Theodore cries as he goes back home.

Later, Theodore goes to sees George and asks if tugboats should ever bump each other. George tells him that ships don't like being bumped, as it can damage their hulls. And tells him that the pilot boats always say a good tug is a gentle tug. But then Theodore asks what if a tugboat bumped you. George asks who did that. But Theodore simply says nobody. George gets confused but tells Theodore that a big container ship is to be brought in tomorrow. George is to bring the ship in. And so is Theodore and Foduck. That was the one name Theodore doesn't want to hear. Because he fears Foduck is going to bump him again.

As the next morning had come, Theodore, Foduck and George are bringing the ship named Gloria Cornwallis into the harbour, with Pearl leading the way. Theodore is at the back and isn't paying attention. He's freaking out that when they finish docking Gloria, Foduck is going to bump him again. Pearl and Gloria tell him to be careful as he pushes. But Theodore still isn't paying attention. Pearl sees that Theodore is getting too close to the dock and shouts at him to look out. Theodore snaps to attention and tries to pull back, but he's too late. Gloria hits the dock and yells in pain. Pearl is furious and tells Theodore she'll talk to him later.

At the Great Ocean dock, Theodore is feeling pretty sad about what he did. Pearl scolds at him for his carelessness and tells him that he, George and Foduck are to take Gloria Cornwallis back out to the ocean the next day. Theodore groans a big groan, knowing he'll have to work with Foduck again. So, he goes to his secret hiding place. He goes to a giant oil rig named Owan to think and hide. Theodore thinks if he hides under Owan, he wouldn't have to work with Foduck and he wouldn't bump him. Then Hank shows up and tells him Foduck is looking for him. And just when he's about to go tell Foduck he found Theodore, Theodore stops him, much to Hank's surprise. Then Theodore asks him if he wants to practice buttoning Bedford with him. Hank agrees to. Even though he knows it's a secret thing he and Foduck do.

At the dock, Hank sees Foduck looking puzzled. Foduck asks him if he has seen Theodore, and he tells him that they were buttoning Bedford together. Foduck can't believe what he heard and sadly leaves. Then he asks George what if someone doesn't want to work with you and does their special practice with someone else. George asks who, but Foduck says no one. George is getting even more confused seeing as everyone is asking questions about no one. It's getting dark and Theodore is still hiding under Owan, who has fallen asleep. Then he sees a shadow that scares him. And it turns out to be Foduck which really scares him. Foduck asks Theodore if he's still his friend, but Theodore doesn't say anything. Foduck gives him a little bump to try and get him to talk, but Theodore tells Foduck he's not friends with him anymore. Foduck feels really sad. He doesn't know if Theodore really means it, but he doesn't like it when Foduck bumps him because they really hurt. But hearing those words makes Foduck miserable, and he goes back home. Theodore stays under Owan wondering what's going to happen tomorrow when they work together.

Next day, Foduck and Theodore take Gloria Cornwallis out of the harbour. But they don't speak to each other. Not even on the way home. They see Bedford, and Foduck hopes for a chance to button Bedford. Even though he's not friends with Theodore. Theodore ponders for a moment and tells Foduck he just doesn't like it when he bumps him because it hurts. Foduck never realized it because he thought it was fun and thought if Theodore never told him, he wouldn't be his friend anymore. So Foduck suggests that from now on they will tell each other if they don't like what the other friend is doing. Theodore turns away from Foduck making him think Theodore is still upset with him. But really, he gets Foduck to race with him again and to button Bedford. Foduck is happy he's friends with Theodore. And Bedford thinks it's the best buttoning they did as they didn't bump him either. After all, no one likes to be bumped.

Characters

Trivia

  • Even though this is Owan's first appearance, he does not get his loud nature until Night Shift.
  • This is the first episode to feature Bedford Buoy with eyebrows, meaning that this episode has been filmed after all the ones where he didn't have eyebrows.
  • This is Gloria Cornwallis' only speaking role.
  • The shot of the tugs pulling Gloria Cornwallis into port is used in the show's opening sequence.

Goofs

  • When Gloria Cornwallis cries "That hurt!" a hand can be seen holding her hull in the down left corner.

In Other Languages

Language Name Meaning
Dutch Botsmaatjes Boat Buddies

Video Release

Watch

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