"A Matter of Silence" opens with Lamont questioning his father's hearing, how people talk to him and he ignores them: "I've been doing that for 50 years!" A telephone message with the wrong address convinces Lamont that his father should see ear doctor Fuddle (Fuddle Bagley), whose diagnosis requires a simple flushing of the wax buildup. Fred overhears a conversation between his son and Donna, and decides to continue playing deaf so the private nurse can pay him more attention. Only when Lamont gives Dr. Fuddle a call does he learn that his father is playing them for a couple of suckers. When he and Donna pull the strings the puppet dances to their tune, and once Rollo shows up with two girls dancing to total silence Fred really believes he's gone deaf and promises to 'walk through fire and kiss Esther' to make up for his deception!