Lucy Changes Her Mind

Pity poor Frank Nelson, the waiter that Lucy drives to distraction ... and to quitting!

Lucy Changes Her Mind – I Love Lucy episode 49, season 2, originally aired 3/30/1953

Lucy changes her mind - at the Ricardos apartment, waiting for Lucy to decide

Lucy Changes Her Mind is a very funny episode, that showcases some of Lucy’s characteristic of changing her mind.  The episode begins with Lucy, Ricky, Fred and Ethel preparing to go out to eat at a restaurant — if Lucy can make up her mind between Chinese and Italian food.  Once they actually get to the restaurant, Lucy has a very funny scene where she unintentionally tortures their waiter, played very funnily by Frank Nelson, who also appeared intermittently on the series in a number of roles, finally becoming a regular in the sixth season when the Ricardos move to Connecticut.

Pity poor Frank Nelson, the waiter that Lucy drives to distraction ... and to quitting!
Pity poor Frank Nelson, the waiter that Lucy drives to distraction … and to quitting!

But here, he’s the waiter who has to deal with Lucy changing her order after every member of her party orders.  As well as moving the entire group back and forth from one table to another.  He raises the art of the “slow burn” to a science, culminating with him quitting and walking out of the restaurant!

After some more comic moments with Lucy being unable to make up her mind about seemingly anything, Ricky becomes upset.  Lucy decides to get even, leaving an old boyfriend’s love letter lying around for Ricky to find.  When Ricky goes to the man’s fur shop to confront him, Lucy is already there – only to find that her former flame is now bald, and since she wants to make Ricky jealous, he finds Lucy flirting with a mannequin.

Lucy Changes Her Mind is available as part of the season 2 I Love Lucy DVD collection.

Quotes from Lucy Changes Her Mind – I Love Lucy

Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): I like Chinese food, but I’m crazy about Italian food, too.
Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz): Well, maybe we can find a place that serves ravioli foo yong.
Fred Mertz (William Frawley): Or chicken chow pizza.


Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz): I know you have an interior motive.
Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): That’s ulterior motive, and I do not.


Fred Mertz (William Frawley): Are you really going to mail it?
Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz): No, I’m just going to let her stew in her own goose for awhile.


Ethel Mertz (Vivian Vance)That’s a gorgeous hunk of man?
Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): Looks like my hunk has shrunk.

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