Occasionally I try to watch an old show that I never paid much attention to when I was younger, one of which is the sitcom Growing Pains. I think the reason I was never a diehard fan of this show is that the focus was primarily on Mike Seaver, the popular kid who got by on his good looks--the bastard.

But the episode I just caught had a good storyline; all about hustling. It starts with Mike hustling his sister and little brother using a card trick to get money for the arcade. Then the next day Ben brings home a rock--a magic rock--that he paid another kid to get. Mike thinks Ben is an idiot until Ben's wishes come true; simple stuff like finding some lost papers and a toothache going away. We the audience of course believe it is just coincidence until Mike pays Ben to clean his room for a dollar and Ben wishes it clean. The wish works. Mike opens the door to find the room straightened up when seconds earlier it was a mess. Now Mike wants to buy the Magic Rock but how much is he willing to pay?

I won't give away the rest. This is an instance of "Freethunk" that would be good to share with your kids. A lesson on how not to get hustled.

One last note. On the first episode of Growing Pains Mike Seaver refers to his dad as a "Liberal Humanist" which took me by surprise. Oh, how far we have strayed Mike, er, Kirk. You should have learned from your sitcom Dad instead of the apocalyptic freaks. Besides, Alan Thicke is much more handsome than Tim LaHaye.