Due South/Grinch DUE SOUTH and THE GRINCH WHO STOLE CHRISTMAS Story begins on Christmas morning. The sleepy denizens of Who-ville awake to carnage of yuletide larceny that has struck their Seussian-world. While the early risers are just starting to comprehend the situation, the sounds of a motor vehicle could be heard on the outskirts of their town. Shortly a green Buick Riviera is seen cruising into to town, running a stop sign ("That was a 'stop-on-pop' sign, Ray," chastisingly spoken from Frasier), and stopping at the Who-ville "Oh, the Places You Will Go" 23 & 5/8ths Hour-a- Day Convenience Store. Frasier, Ray, and Diefenbaker enter the store to stock up on provisions for the rest of their drive back to Chicago. As they were the only customers, Ray's constant complaining was the only sound resonating in the store. > Frasier slowly raises his hand, which brings the chatter to a stop, and asks Ray as to if he noticed the Christmas music. Ray says that he doesn't hear anything. "Exactly," says Frasier. He then begins to query Ray on the apparent absence of certain air in store - a lack of the Christmas Spirit. Mighty peculiar in a place of commerce considering the season. Rays says, "I don't know. Maybe they're Jewish." But Frasier also points out the lack of decorations and music throughout the Who-ville downtown and residential areas. "Maybe the whole town is Jewish!" Ray cries out in frustration knowing that this is certainly leading them on to another little Mounted adventure and dissipating any chances he might have had at claiming his lasagna. And as quickly as the price of a replacement rear window for a Buick Riviera goes up, Frasier disputes this because of the number of pig farms on the edge of town and the size of the Who-ville sausage and bacon plant that they had passed - which undoubtedly would employ a great many of the citizenry. After a discussion with the convenience store clerk (who just so happened to be Jewish - Jew-Who - but the only one in town), Frasier learned of the caper which had befallen this tiny town on Christmas Eve. Leaving the store, the three travellers happened to pass the town square where they saw a gathering of Who's-its, joined hand-in-hand in a circle. Frasier begs Ray to stop. Ray immediately initiated an endless chant of "no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no," when the Buick Riviera came to a screech as a result of Diefenbaker's loud bark. Frasier, knowing that Dief couldn't have heard Ray and thus been reacting out of sheer annoyance, looked out the front window and saw a little girl standing in the middle of the road - the Riv's grille mere inches from the girl's head. All leap out to make sure she is okay. Ray is furious! And just as he is about to unload his anger on the girl, she looks up - with those wide-Who-eyes - and asks if he is Santa? Ray just looks at her - then looking at Frasier, says "Let's get this guy." Unbeknownst to Frasier, Ray was briefly reminded of a Christmas long ago when his father had spent all the Christmas money on booze and gambling and his unnamed brother from the bath tub and sisters (Maria and Francesca) had cried and cried on Christmas morning. Ray asks the girl her name. "Cindy-Lou Who," she replies. Ray begins to canvass the Whos at the town center asking if anyone saw anything at all, heard anything, anything? Meanwhile Frasier and Diefenbaker begin to examine the evidence left behind. While the sled marks left in the snow atop the Who houses would suggest an errant Santa Sled, it was the singular set of tracks pulling the sled which garnered his attention. While examining another roof, he reaches down and picks up something. "Canine - definitely domestic," Benton announces. Dief looks at him and thinks, you keep putting dog piddle in your mouth and you're going to end up with pinworms. Frasier looks at Dief who is looking and him and he asks, "What?" With reindeer out of the picture, Frasier begins to contemplate on more concrete modus operandi. Benton and Dief wander about and both pick up a trail at the same time, Dief by smell - Frasier by the trail of packages leading up a promontory overlook- ing Who-ville. Both follow the trail up to a cave where they can hear the boastful voice (well okay, only Frasier can hear it) of a dweller inside. As they creep towards the voice's originator, Frasier notices the signs which further assures him that this is the lair of the Kris Kringle Krook: a ladened sled, decorations piled in a corner, Santa suit littering the floor, a slobber- ing, tail wagging dog with a stupid look on its face, .... whoops. Frasier freezes hoping not to alarm the dog which has already begun to intently stare at him. Dief starts to come into the room despite Frasier's body language attempts at warding him back. The other dog, upon seeing Dief perks up and runs over to the wolf's rear to practice that most obligatory of canine behaviors (which would apparently be enjoyable to this dog since it undoubted- ly receives few visitors at this altitude except occasionally at a passing Yeti or something). Dief backed away, reluctant as to the correct procedure for sniffing a two-dimensional butt and out of fear that the cartooning ink may not yet be dry and leaving him susceptible to embarrassing stains on his own pelt. Frasier decided that the owner of the dog, in addition to being callous for stealing Christmas from the Whos, must abuse this dog - for in spite of Dief's brush off at a greeting, the dog acted as if they were hitting it off famously. Determining that the dog was not a threat, Frasier proceeded towards the main room in the cave where the villain was regaling in his exploits. Because of this self confession, Frasier was satisfied that he was dealing with a single perpetrator and had no fear of being surprised by other accomplices. Frasier steps into the doorway and the Grinch notices a long, Mountie-shaped shadow running along his wall. The Grinch's shriek confirms Frasier's presence.