It's Easier to Pass an Elephant Through the Eye of a Needle Than a Bad Check in Bel Air - Recap

As he has his partner Candy drive him to another scam, E.L. puts on a fake scar. Candy is skeptical and notes that he's a family man with three kids, but E.L. figures the scam will let him buy his own taxi and go into business for himself. They arrive at a Bel Air hotel, the Blackburn, and E.L. goes in as the assistant to a rich sheik, Zabi. The hotel manager, Rogers Dillingham, greets him and E.L. intimidates the man into getting him at least two floors and letting him stay there until the sheik arrives.



At the office, Lionel is engrossed in another Mark Savage novel when there's a knock on the door. A young boy comes in and asks for E.L., and identifies himself as his nephew Brandon Leroy, B.L. needs help but all Lionel knows is that E.L. claimed that he was moving.

E.L. moves into the hotel's Presidential Suite and relaxes once Dillingham leaves.

B.L. explains that he was left behind during a scout camping trip and is worried how the scoutmaster, Dekova, will react. Lionel promises to help. Two thugs, Mucker and Taps, come in and demands to know where E.L. is. Lionel has no idea, and B.L. pretends to be a delivery boy so he can slip out. Once he's out in the hallway, the thugs demand a book. Lionel takes them down with karate, and B.L. sets off the fire alarm.



Outside, Lionel lectures B.L. about setting off fire alarms, and wonders how he was so good at pretending to be a delivery man. B.L. starts spinning him another story as Candy pulls up in E.L.'s spot. He explains that E.L. sent him there, and gives them directions to find E.L. As they drive, B.L. worries that his uncle is a crook, and Lionel convinces him to sing scout songs. They are unaware that the two thugs are following them. They then call their boss, Lester Rollins, and tell them they're on E.L.'s trail, and he tells them to get the book. They figure B.L. is involved since he's now at the hotel with Lionel. Lester tells them to get the book because his life depends on it.

E.L. is sampling wine when Lionel shows up. He has no idea who the disguised E.L. is at first, but quickly figures things out. E.L. is shocked to see that his nephew is there, and tries to claim he's having a costume party. B.L. wants to talk to his uncle as well and E.L. invites them but tells them to play along. He then sends Lionel out, and B.L. admits that he's impressed with E.L.'s scam, and dismisses Lionel as a turkey. E.L. comes to his friend's defense and tells him to treat Lionel nicely, and then plays along with B.L.'s story. Lionel wants to know what he's going on and E.L. insists that his current scam is 60% legal. He read that Sheik Zabi of Zafir is coming to town, so he plans to sell the hotel to him. E.L. is putting the real estate man, Mr. Linden, with Zabi and collecting a finder's fee.



Mucker and Taps arrive at the suite and spot Lionel, and launch an attack. They're interrupted when several Arabic men arrive and drive them off. They then realize that E.L. is a fake and draw their swords. They take the partners and B.L. prisoner, and E.L. insists that he doesn't know anything about a book. B.L. insists that he has to go and E.L. tries to explain that he works for Zabi. They respect Zabi's name but have no intention of letting them go, until E.L. speaks in rhyme. The men are amused, and E.L. covertly sets a radio alarm. When it goes off, the men focus on the music and E.L. dims the lights, impressing them further. They finally warm to him but ignore Lionel's similar attempts.



Lester is at the club when Mucker calls with an update. His boss warns that if he doesn't get the book back, he'll lose his territory to his rivals, and he'll come along with them. However, he insists that they make sure that B.L. is kept safe because he doesn't like hurting children.

Once the Arabs are calmed down, Lionel wants an explanation but E.L. insists that he doesn't know about any book. B.L. calls his father Clancy and puts E.L. on the phone, while they distract one of the Arabs with a vibrating bed. Clancy demands answers and is worried, and E.L. assures him that B.L. will be on the next plane back.

E.L. goes with a new disguise and leaves with Lionel, B.L., and the Zabi's men, and tries to get a car to the airport. He cons the valet into getting him the cars and explains to Lionel that Zabi will be paying for everything. E.L. wants Zabi's guards along to protect them from Mucker and Taps. En route they stop at a drive-thru restaurant and E.L. impresses the guards with his "magic." Meanwhile, B.L. tries to explain why he ran away and finally admits that he stole the book from Lester, a numbers runner. He convinced Lester that E.L. stole the book, which is hidden in a bus locker. B.L. says he has to go to the bathroom and slips away, but Mucker and Taps grab him. They offer to pay him in return for getting them to E.L., and the boy agrees to stay out of the way for a couple of hours.



Lionel apologizes to E.L. for thinking he was a liar. Meanwhile, the thugs drive away with B.L. and make sure that E.L. sees them. He drives after them but runs out of gas.

Back at the hotel, E.L. waits for Lester to call and demand the book. He worries that it's his fault for giving B.L. a poor role model, and doesn't want to call in the police because they'll put his nephew in juvenile. E.L. plans to give them a book. Zabi arrives and demands to know where his party is to be found. Lester calls from a hotel, and offers E.L. his nephew in return for a book. E.L. sets up a meet at public stables the next morning at 6 a.m. Once he hangs up, Lester sends Mucker out for pizza and then apologizes to B.L., who sends him a story about his father being laid off. Lester promptly pays him… and keeps paying him as B.L. keeps laying on the guilt.



The next morning at the stables, Lester arrives and they make the trade, B.L. for the book. E.L. runs with his nephew, while Lester realizes he's been given a Mark Savage novel. Zabi's men ride up and chase off Lester, while Lionel and E.L. dispose of Mucker and Taps. Lester makes a run for it and E.L. ride him down on horseback and knocks him out.



Later, E.L. and Lionel escort B.L. out of the hotel, accompanied by Zabi's men, and explain that they're actually detectives. E.L. tries to thank the men while Lionel insists that there's a lesson to be learned. B.L. agrees to go straight and says he'll join the Scouts. Zabi's men insist that E.L. stay and he tries to explain, but the best he can do is a nursery rhyme.



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