House of Dreams, Episode 10: Building a Dream

Before getting started on this week’s review, a recap of the builders remaining:

1. Flor, formerly a lawyer. The Queen Bee of Hut #2 and the Love Shack who has just lost her “mate,” Jim. The villain of this show;
2. Tony, homeless with two young daughters. Gets voting advice from God;
3. Matt, who wants to give the house to a former student;
4. Viveca, the circus juggler who doesn’t plan to move into the house full-time but may rent it to friends;
5. Naomi, an artist (“photographer/pillow-maker”) looking to put down roots;
6. Mike, bartender, Mensa-reject and party-boy. He’s toned it down a little, but was a real ass in the early going. He has previous construction experience but seems to have forgotten all those time-consuming safety issues.

So far, the first three have been a concrete-solid voting bloc.

OK, on with the show. It begins with a recap of the previous episode, where Sherrill was voted out and, as a result of the twist known as the “Red Hats Revenge,” he chose to eliminate Jim. Sherrill, all of North America was united in a collective cry of joy when you sent the morally-challenged Aussie packing. He was truly Hall Of Shame-worthy. Our thanks!

OK, on to this week’s shenanigans.

Day 36:

We begin with discussions of last night’s Eviction Ceremony. Predictably, Flor was devastated while Mike and Naomi were thrilled. Tony rationalizes, “it’s not like the man is dead, he’s just not here.”

Tony also surmises that Sherrill “is attached to Jim’s hand right now” and Flor and Matt laugh. Gotta tell you, my first interpretation of this may not be suitable for a family website.

Flor dedicates her efforts to Jim by continuing to wear his clothes. Hey, she might as well, because if you ship them to the address you have, they and their attached love note are not likely to get past the curb.

Viveca says that Jim had a negative vibe about him, and Mike and Naomi think Flor may be less evil without him around. Hoo boy … she’s Flor!! Flor the lawyer!! Need I say more?

The next building task for our dwindling band of six is to install the sprinkler system. This, as Foreman Joe Bukey informs them, is hard work. And it is, it requires a lot of shoveling and sweating. Even Flor is working. Okay, the few times we see her digging she’s moving about a cup and a half of dirt. Yes, I know it could be editing but she’s not in the background or anywhere in sight in this whole section of the show.

It comes time to use the big machinery (a trencher) and Joe says one of the men should handle it. Viveca pretends to be insulted, but Flor, with her vast knowledge of trenchers, takes offense and argues with Joe, saying Naomi is stronger than Matt. Matt pretends to be slighted, but Naomi is truly pissed at Joe. The result is that Tony is put in control of the trencher. My opinion, it should have been Mike running that trencher. Oh sure, he would have messed up but the machine looks to be too much for Matt or any of the ladies and this is no time for Tony to risk another shoulder injury.

Privately, all say their plans are to be nice to everybody else, because with so few builders left, you cannot afford to burn any bridges. Yeah, as of this crowd can do that!

Mike describes himself in a series of tightly-edited clips as “player … jock … big dumb guy … jokester … hot-head … crazy … egotistical.” He forgot “immature.” The good news is that he knows who he is, the bad news it that most any combination of the above is going to keep him from getting the house. He proves it by going up to the trencher and pointing to a warning sticker showing a black operator and says, “look, they got a picture on Tony on here!” Tony is SO not amused. Way to keep that low-profile thing going, Mike. If you ever had any chance at all of ever getting Tony’s vote, you have just kissed it off.

Upon completion, Joe tells them, “you folks did fine.” Flor is still feeling the sting of the gender dis from before and says, “how did we do as girls?” Maybe she thought he said, “you guys …” but I re-checked my tape and he did not. Joe responds quizzically, “Y’all did fine … you (meaning, Flor) were a pain … as usual!” Ha!

This brings us to today’s Key Ceremony. George is again stunning in his blue-whale shirt and olive shorts. He mounts the stairs cleanly this week. It’s fortunate that on The Great American Spelling Bee, no such gymnastics were required.

There’s a small change in the game. Now, the builder getting past last week’s Elimination Ceremony does not get an exemption at the Key Ceremony this week. Naomi, who would have had that benefit, gives an “it figures” grin.

George makes mention that Mike and Tony have never had a bad key. Could this be their time? Flor is called first to try her key and is successful. Next up is Mike, who thinks that when he draws a bad key, he’s gone. Sure enough, he is not lucky and claims his first-ever red hat. As he puts it on, George tells him he looks “a little Village People.” If you’re too young to get that one, send me an e-mail and I’ll fill you in.