The annual Harvest Ball is soon and the men are asking each other who they're going to take. Goober would like to take Millie Swanson, but is having a hard time asking her. Emmett writes a letter to Millie for Goober. Meanwhile, Sam would like to ask Millie to the ball as well. Goober asks Sam to rewrite Emmett's letter and Sam finds out it's to Millie. Sam has to run an errand before he can finish Goober's letter. Millie comes to Sam's office and sees the letter. She is excited because she likes Sam. Millie gets the letter in the mail but is disappointed when she sees it's from Goober. Millie's friend Dorothy is there when she reads the letter and says what a nice guy Goober is. Millie shows up to the ball with Goober. Sam is able to get a dance with Millie and Goober can see she would rather be with Sam. Goober tells Sam what he sensed and says it's OK. Goober leaves and runs into Dorothy and senses she likes him. Sam and Millie see Goober and Dorothy walking off arm in arm.

Mailman Felton delivers a bunch of birthday cards to Emmett. Emmett tells Goober and Howard that he's going to be 50. The men tease Emmett a little bit about his age. Martha wants to throw a birthday party for him, but Emmett is against it. Realizing that Emmett is getting sensitive about his age, Goober and Howard try to cheer him up. After getting directions from Emmett, a guy on a motorcycle says "Thanks Gramps". Emmett then gets a blank card from a fortune machine. Emmett now feels worse. While looking through a movie magazine, Millie mentions to Emmett that Cary Grant is in his 60s. Now Emmett doesn't feel so bad about his age. He has a spring in his step and tells Martha he now wants a party. Emmett goes wild at his party. The next morning, he is all worn out. Sam comes by and the two have a talk that puts things in perspective.

Emmett has Sam, Howard and Goober at his shop and has them watch him burn his paid mortgage contract. Emmett also tells them that he is retiring. Martha is surprised when Emmett tells her the news. He also says that they'll take a trip to Washington, D.C. But they no sooner get to D.C. when Emmett says it's time to go home. Back in Mayberry, Emmett tries to fill his time with fishing and other activities. Martha runs into Sam and tells him that Emmett can't seem to find enough things to do. Sam says it might just take time to adjust. Goober loses his patience with Emmett when Emmett hangs around the gas station and tells Goober how to do things. Sam, Howard and Goober find a way to get Emmett back in the fix-it business and still save face.

Emmett and Martha's wedding anniversary is coming up. He wants to take her engagement ring to Mt. Pilot to be cleaned. Emmett mentions to Sam, Howard and Goober that a he ran into Wendell, a stockbroker friend of his. Wendell gave Emmett a "sure thing" insider tip on a planned merger between two companies. In Mt. Pilot, Mr. Peterson, the Jeweler, tells Emmett that the ring is now worth $1,500. Emmett notices a $35 synthetic diamond that looks identical to Martha's. Emmett tells Sam and Howard how he pawned Martha's diamond for $1100 and had Wendell buy stock in the company. Emmett learns that the merger didn't go through. He tries to tell Martha what he did, but can't bring himself to do it. And he finds out he'll only get $400 for his stock. Sam, Goober, and Howard bring Emmett and Martha an electric blanket as a gift. Mr. Finletter calls and tells Martha that the ring is worth $35. Emmett finally tells Martha what he did.

Emmett's wife joins a women's lib group.

Emmett tries to look young by buying a Toupee

Great news comes from the Mt.Pilot Press....Millie is declared the best dressed woman in ALL of the area! Everyone is very happy about this. Soon, the woman start copying Millie's styles and clothing she wears...including miniskits! The men strongly object, and Sam must tell Millie to stop. That night, the woman who she has been getting the fashions visits....and is in completly different clothes! Millie finds out that you should wear what you want to wear in this episode.

Emmett designs a cheap European tour for his wife.

A large company wants to buy the rights to Emmett's old invention