The Life You Save

The Life You Save is the ninth episode from Season 1.

Credits
Credit
 * Written by Ed Nofziger
 * Storyboard by Chris Savino
 * Directed by Genndy Tartakovsky

Plot
Dennis and Ruff are walking out of an ice cream parlor with an ice cream. As Ruff takes a lick out of Dennis' ice cream, Dennis pulls it away in disgust since he's now unable to finish it off. Just then, Margaret walks by with a bag of groceries, little knowing a shopping cart is heading her way.

Dennis thinks quickly; He gets on his skateboard, throws his ice cream into Ruff's mouth, and pulls Margaret out of the way of the shopping cart. The shopping cart bumps into Ruff, getting him in and rolling all the way to the supermarket, being purchased for $2.50.

Margaret, after seeing everything, is grateful to Dennis for saving her from getting run over by a shopping cart. Dennis tries to brush it off as "it's just a shopping cart", but Margaret tells everyone that Dennis is a hero and how he saved her life, embarrassing Dennis in the process.

Later, as Dennis is about to cross the road, Margaret, still grateful to Dennis, comes in and stops all vehicles, letting Dennis cross the road. Dennis tries everything to make Margaret cut it out, but to no avail.

During a baseball game, Margaret cheers on Dennis, encouraging him to hit a homer, only for Dennis to swing the bat, hit the ball, causing some fielders to miss, prompting Dennis to make it to a base. As the pitcher is taking his time to pitch, Dennis runs for a base as the pitcher throws the ball, causing the batter to miss.

Once the fielder catches the ball, meaning that Dennis is out, Margaret dashes past Dennis, and pounces on the fielder's hat, causing him to fall. Dennis continues to run, and despite ordering Margaret to go away, Margaret continues to annoy him by crashing into several other players, making way for Dennis, while still declaring him a hero. The angry players order Dennis out of the game, while Margaret tries to make him have a tea party with her.

At the Mitchell place, Margaret continues to annoy Dennis by declaring him a hero to no end and addressing the public, trying to make it a motion picture. Dennis, having reached his limits with Margaret's gratitude, thought up an idea; have Margaret save his life so they'd be even.

During recess the next day, while Margaret is on a jump rope, Dennis calls for someone to help him because "he's being robbed". The "robber" (really Joey in disguise) orders him to "reach for it, Mr.!". Margaret walks over and takes off the "robber's" hat and mask, only to find out it's only Joey.

Later, as Margaret is playing the piano, trying to sing in tune, Dennis cries for help, saying he's being chased by an escaped bear. Margaret saw through Dennis' trick that the "bear" is really Ruff in a bear rug. Dennis wonders how Margaret figured it out. So Margaret continues to play piano and sing.

It looks as though Dennis will have to give up and accept Margaret remaining in his debt when a zoo truck drives by with a black bear in it. The bear sees Ruff, who's still in a bear rug, and escapes from the truck. Ruff and Dennis look up and see the bear. Dennis, in terror, screams that a bear really escaped, but Margaret still thinks Dennis is crying bear and continues to sing.

As the bear hears Margaret's crummy singing, the bear walks over to where the singing was coming from, and Margaret, still trying to sing in tune, sees the bear and screams in terror. The bear hears Margaret's loud scream and runs back to the zoo truck.

Dennis then shows gratitude to Margaret because her crummy singing scared the bear away and declares her a hero. Margaret was confused, but Dennis, deciding he and Margaret are even, and he and Ruff run off, free from Margaret's gratitude. Margaret tries to explain her singing isn't crummy, and closes the window. As Margaret continues to sing while playing the piano, her crummy singing ended up shattering the window in the process, causing her to blush.