Where Did THAT Come From- Spiro and Spiro’s (BONUS Rita LaFleur)

Hey Howdy Hey Tappers!

In our silly lil game, we sometimes see things pop in that we have no clue as to their Origin. They seem familiar, but we just can’t pinpoint from where. So that is why we decided to make a fun lil reminder out of it. To let you know just Where Did THAT Come From?

For this post, let’s tackle the final few items from the latest mini-event to hit our pocket-sized towns…Springfield Choppers.  Time to examine where Spiro and Spiro’s get their origins from…

Both these items (as well as other returning items) come from the 2012 episode, “Gone Abie Gone” S24, E4.  

This episode actually kicks off with a great scene at Gulp N’ Blow where Homer gets a thought bubble about making healthier choices when he eats (from Marge).  Who then has a thought bubble about Dr. Hibbert, who then has a thought bubble about Bernice, and it’s here we’re introduced (on a subconscious level) to Dr. Hibbert’s brother-in-law Chester!   (I actually wrote a fun post about this back in 2014, you can check it out here)

Anyway, Homer eventually ignores everyone and orders onion rings.  Inside the Gulp n’ Blow SVT is having an anxiety attack when everyone is coming to him with their problems (homeless man in the bathroom, hungry karate kids, etc.) He gets so freaked out that he hurls Homer’s scolding hot onion rings out the drive-through window at him!  Burning poor Homer!

Homer: Ahhhh this is the worst pain imaginable! *eats onion ring off nose* This one’s cold. 

So they decide to sue because that’s what we do here in America, right?  They see the lawyer Robert Dinero (still wish it was Lionel).  And are eventually awarded $5,000 (after legal fees)…which for some reason they make Krusty pay up (even though it wasn’t even his place!).

Homer then decides to put the money in a college fund for Lisa, except the guys at the bar convince him that he can’t trust banks!  So he puts it in the safest place he knows, an online poker site.

This has little to do with Spiro…but it’s just a funny setup for the episode and makes me giggle.  It also sets up the secondary plot in this episode, where, it turns out, Lisa has an online gambling problem.

ANYWAY…let’s get onto Spiro.  As Homer’s sitting at the kitchen table retrieving his keys from the toaster (because that’s one way to avoid drunk driving) Marge realizes that they forgot to visit Grampa!

So they head over to the Retirement Castle, and when they arrive they’re told Abe is missing!  Don’t worry though, they’ll probably find him when the river thaws in the Spring!

So Marge and Homer head to Abe’s room trying to find some clues about where he might have gone.  Although Homer thinks it’s hopeless because it’s “like a museum full of meaningless old crap!” Then from under the bed Marge finds Abe’s old Army footlocker, which Homer promptly dumps out.

As Homer’s kicking around Abe’s whole life on the floor, Marge discovers a coaster for…Spiro’s!  And on the back they discover that Abe holds a special place for Spiro’s…

So they decide to head to Spiro’s in search of Abe.  The place may have changed a bit…

They head inside and we see a few familiar faces.  They’re a little older, but recognize these two?

Anyway, they start asking if anyone’s seen Abe.  They’re met with a biker proclaiming that they don’t like questions! And of course Homer just makes the situation worse for himself by making the biker’s think he’s an undercover cop!  This leads, where you would expect it to lead, to pool sticks up the nose!

And if you’re ever wondering what happens when you sneeze with pool chalk up your nose? Well you turn everyone around you blue!

Not exactly COVID safe…

ANYWAY, with all the noise and commotion, Homer drops the photo he has of Abe and we see someone pick it up off the floor. It’s Spiro!

He recognizes him and reveals that Abe used to work there! Spiro then orders the bikers to put Homer down, and welcomes him to Spiro’s!  He’s Spiro, but not the Spiro on the sign…that’s his brother.

Spiro then proceeds to tell Homer about how Abe used to work there in the old days…when people ate steak, drank champagne, and how he hated the music!

Abe was a busser at Spiro’s…and would often write songs in his notebook while cleaning tables.

It is here at Spiro’s where Abe meets Rita…the flashy singer!

Spiro then promptly fired both Abe and Rita!  He wanted them to be sweet on each other in their own time! While reflecting about why he left Greece in the first place…(train wreck)

This is followed by an amusing exchange about Spiro’s last name.

Homer and Marge then discover there’s only one Rita in the phone book.  They call her up and she tells them she’s married to Abe!

They take a ride over the Fallen Diva’s Apartments where they have a chat with Rita, all about Abe and their history.

Rita tells Homer and Marge that when Homer was a young boy she and Abe were in love and they made beautiful music together. After some time, Abe asks Rita to marry him!  They were married, but after a very short while they’re offered up a chance to go on a European Tour!  Finally, their dreams were coming true!  But Abe realizes he can’t take Homer to Europe!  Sure he could handle 110 volts but 220 will kill him!

Abe and Rita go their separate ways in a very sad scene at the airport…

After which Homer and Abe get drunk at the airport bar so they won’t remember any of it.

Eventually, Rita gives them a bottle of Abe’s Chicory Mist cologne, and that leads them to Vandersniff and Wiffly’s.  Where they find Abe! Turns out he got so mad at Homer and Marge for not visiting that he became a stock boy at Vanderniff and Wiffly’s to earn money to get his own apartment! How about that?!

Anyway, Abe and Rita were reunited back at the Springfield Retirement Castle where they once again made beautiful music together..and where we get a fun animated task for our games from…

And that’s it my friends, the story of Spiro, Spiro’s, Abe, and Rita!

A fun little love story, and a nice glimpse at Abe’s past.  A very sweet episode!

Anyway thoughts on the WDTCF?  Do you remember the episode? Thoughts on the Spiro and Spiro’s?  Sound off below, you know we love hearing from you!