LIFE OF CRIME
Episode Title: "Life of Crime"
Episode Airing Number: 33
Episode Production Number: 27
Original Airdate: May 5, 2001
Season: 2
On DVD: "SpongeBob SquarePants: The Complete Second Season," "Sea Stories"
On VHS: "Sea Stories"
Aired With Episode: "Pre-Hibernation Week"
Running Time: 11:18
Storyboard Director: Jay Lender
Storyboard Artist: William Reiss
Writers: Jay Lender, William Reiss and Mr. Lawrence
Animation Director: Sean Dempsey
In Brief: SpongeBob and Patrick think they'll get busted for stealing a balloon, so they go on the lam.
Story: SpongeBob, Patrick and Mr. Krabs are at the Krusty Krab watching a show about a robbery, and Mr. Krabs comments that thieves need to be treated badly. Pat and Sponge remind him that he has stolen a lot of things. Krabs covers himself up by saying he borrowed the stuff, and you can borrow anything anytime, as long as you return it to the owner. He then sends them out of the Krusty Krab.
At the park, the boys don't know what to do. Patrick sees a balloon stand and wants a balloon really badly. He needs money to buy one, but he and SpongeBob don't have any. Pat suggests they borrow the balloon, so they do that instead. The two plan what they'll do with the balloon and declare that they love borrowing when the balloon pops. They can't return it to the balloon man. Realizing that they'll get locked up forever for stealing, they run away from Bikini Bottom.
Patrick and SpongeBob sit in the middle of nowhere, discussing the pros and cons of being wanted men on the lam and not being able to go home again. When Patrick says he's hungry, SpongeBob pulls out a candy bar for each of them, saying they need to last the rest of their lives. Patrick eats his immediately. Not knowing where his went, he accuses SpongeBob of eating his candy bar. The two argue about it, and Patrick ends up saying that he'll tell on SpongeBob for stealing the balloon. The two race each other to the police station to tell on the other first.
Once the boys arrive at the police station, they instead confess to a cop that they both stole the balloon. As a punishment, they lock them up in jail...for three seconds. The cops let them out and tell them that it was Free Balloon Day. For the road, the police officers give SpongeBob and Patrick lollipops. They are about to vow to never borrow anything without permission again by placing their lollipops together, but Pat's is already eaten. He asks who stole his lollipop.
Song: (none)
Quotes:
SpongeBob: *after the balloon they took pops and they can't return it* We have to confess!
Patrick: Confess?! Are you out of your mind? Do you have any idea what they do to people like us? We're not talking about some dumb mail fraud scheme or hijacking here! WE STOLE A BALLOON!
SpongeBob: *running from town* We've gotta move fast and cover our tracks.
Patrick: I'm on it, SpongeBob! *he's seen covering Sponge's footprints with a trail of red paint*
SpongeBob: SpongeBob: *sitting by a fire* We're wanted men. We'll spend the rest of our lives running. Running. But at least it's warm around the fire.
Patrick: Hey, if we're underwater, how could there be a - *fire goes out*
Patrick: I wish we had something to eat now.
SpongeBob: *pulls out candy bars* Look what I've got.
Patrick: *happily* RECTANGLES!
Patrick: You're a crazy person! I should have expected this after the way you stole that balloon.
SpongeBob: Did I, Patrick? Did I? Or did your criminal mind hypnotize me to steal it?
Observations:
The Show On Crustacean Crime Theater, a black-and-white program, a crab is sleeping when another crab comes along and steals his shell. The victim yells, "Stop! Thief!", and four cops chase after the robber. The crab that stole the shell gets captured and thrown in jail.
Wooden Tube The TV that the boys watch Crustacean Crime Theater on is wooden and has nails in it.
Things Mr. Krabs Stole:
-A barrel from Salty Sea Farms
-A towel from Sizzling Spring Sauna
-A Bikini Bell phone
-Sandy's hedge clippers
-Plankton's lawnmower
-Mrs. Puff's hair curlers
People at the Park At the park, a kid swings on a swing, another kid flies a kite, a person is seen walking, and an old lady sits on a bench.
Patrick's Bellybutton In Patrick's bellybutton is a paper clip, three clumps of lint and a blue movie ticket that says Admit One.
Things SpongeBob and Patrick Will Do with the Balloon:
-Run with it
-Go to the beach
-Take a bike ride
-Go to the movies
-Go to the arcade
-Go to the ice rink
-Go to the pizza shop
-Go to the moon
-Go to the sky
-Go to their car behind the dumpster
-Go to the candy shop
-Go to Patrick's backyard
-Go in a plane
-Go over a rock
-Go under a hill
-Go with a whale
Shattering Scream When Patrick screams that he and SpongeBob stole a balloon, the windows of the houses around them shatter. They are later seen intact.
People in Odd Places When everybody hears Patrick shout that he and SpongeBob stole a balloon, a woman peers at them from her rooftop and a construction worker peers out from a manhole.
Wrapper-Eater Patrick eats his candy bar without peeling the wrapper off.
Cell Number SpongeBob and Patrick's jail cell is number 1B.