Plot

A series of misunderstandings leaves a married man believing that he has impregnated the owner of an adoption agency, and that she will be the surrogate for him and his wife.

The Pooles are unable to have a baby after years of trying. They apply to the Rock-A-Bye Adoption Agency, and are assigned Miss Novick as an investigator. Through a far-fetched miscommunication, she gets a very bad impression of Augie Poole and indicates that her report will be unfavorable. Through even more far-fetched circumstances, Augie is able to change Miss Novick's mind, and later he comes to believe that the baby she is carrying is his. Rock-A-Bye does find the Pooles a baby, and Augie is convinced that it is Miss Novick's and he is the real father...so much so that his wife also comes to believe it. She threatens to leave him, but all the misunderstandings are finally cleared up for a happy ending.—Ron Kerrigan <mvg@whidbey.com>

Isolde and Augie Poole have been unsuccessful in trying to have a baby. Isolde is a little uptight because of this lack of success; Augie a little uptight because that's his general nature. They aspire to the life of their best friends and next-door neighbors, Alice and Dick Pepper, who have three children and another on the way. But the one thing Augie doesn't aspire to is Dick's womanizing ways, despite Dick telling Augie that playing the field may make him less uptight, which Dick sees as one of the reasons why the Pooles haven't yet conceived. While the Pooles keep trying, they decide to apply to an adoption agency, Rock-a-Bye, with the Peppers as their primary reference. When Estelle Novick, Rock-a-Bye's case investigator, comes for her first visit, Augie and Dick, initially unaware of who she is, make a worse-than-bad impression (Dick hits on her) and she turns down the Pooles' application right then and there. Miss Novick does return, deciding to give the Pooles a second chance. On Dick's advice, Augie decides to let loose with Miss Novick. The next afternoon, Augie awakens in a motel room unaware of what happened in the preceding 18 hours; he is under the impression that he and Miss Novick had a tryst. Three months later without having heard from Miss Novick or Rock-a-Bye, Miss Novick does come by for her last visit as she is taking an extended leave from her job. Augie is under the impression that she is pregnant and going away to have his baby, which she will give to the Pooles. Nine months after Augie and Miss Novick's supposed tryst, during which time Augie has been more wound up than ever, Rock-a-Bye calls the Poole with news of a baby. Although Augie is nervous, he is also all-consumed with the idea of adopting his biological child. The baby does bear a striking resemblance to Augie, a fact not lost on Isolde, who ultimately confronts Augie with her suspicions. Only Miss Novick can truly explain the situation.—Huggo