Bonanza (1959–1973): Season 12, Episode 24 - The Stillness Within - full transcript

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Whoa, oh.

Hey, Charlie!

Ah, save your breath.

He's asleep as usual. Take more
than yelling to wake him up.

Yeah.

Well, this is one trip
I'm glad to see over.

Yeah, I know what you mean.

Hauling nitro's not my idea
of a picnic, either.

Let's get this stuff
in the shack and get moving.



Yeah.

You, uh... you in kind of a hurry
to get home, ain't you?

Yeah, kind of.

Couldn't be because you got a date
with that Sally Morris?

Well, could be. Why?

You, uh... you ain't getting
sweet on her, are you, Joseph?

You're getting awful nosey,
aren't you, big brother?

Now, ain't that
what big brothers are for?

Well, I suppose you're right.

Now, why don't you go
wake up Charlie,

and tell him to give us a hand
with the sacks.

Yes, sir. Yes, sir, Romeo.

Joe.

I've got him
patched up the best I can, Ben.



He's taken quite a blow to the head.

He's got a concussion.

And there's no way of telling
how bad it is.

Joe?

What?

Doc says you're gonna be all right.

Darn cat knocked the...
knocked the nitro off the shelf.

You took quite a walloping there.

You trying to blow up the whole world?

Pa, where... where are you?

Pa, I...

I can't see you.

I'm... I'm blind.

Have you had
any more headaches, Joe?

No.

Is it any better?

Well, the fact that the headaches
are gone is a good sign.

Look, I may be blind, Doc,
but I know you're not deaf.

Now, it's been a month.
Is it any better?

No, not yet.

But I told you,
this could take time, Joe.

Your sight could return next week,
next month.

Maybe even tomorrow.

Or maybe never, huh?

I'll drop by next week.

Here I am, Joseph. I'll help you.

I just... Show me where the sofa is.

All right, all right. Here.

You're coming up to it.

Watch it. Watch it.

All right, I... I can do it now.

Morning, Joe.

Morning, Jamie.

Hoss is at the barn.

I'll, uh... I'll fill a plate for you.

Thanks, Pa.

It smells good.

Yeah.

Eggs on the right, bacon on the left.

Thank you.

Morning, Joseph.

Hey, good morning, Hoss.
Sit down, have some breakfast.

Oh, I already had breakfast,

but I think I will have
another cup of coffee. Pa.

You had breakfast early.
What time is it?

Oh, it's about 9:00.

Don't you have any work to do today?

Well, nothing that won't keep.

Ah, come on, you've been saying that
for three weeks now.

You and Pa
don't have to sit around here,

looking at me, you know.

Uh, Joe, I...

I was gonna take the new buggy
out for a ride today.

I just wondered if you'd like
to come along for the ride.

Oh, that's great.

These two are gonna quit working
so they can keep an eye on me,

and you're quit school
so you can take me for rides.

There is no school today, Joe.
It's Saturday.

Well, if I want fresh air,
I can open my window.

- Sally Morris came by this morning.
- I don't want her coming around here.

She just wanted to
stop by and see you.

You mean, she wanted to stop by
and look at me. I don't want her here.

Jamie, I changed...
I changed my mind.

I think I'd like to go for that ride.

If Sally comes by,
you tell her to stay away from here.

What do you think he's gonna say

when the teacher
from the institute gets here?

Same thing he said

when I suggested it
in the first place...

that he doesn't want her here.

Yeah.

You know, Pa, maybe...

maybe you shoulda told him
you sent for her anyhow.

Yeah, maybe.

Hey, Jamie, what kind of day is it?

Oh, uh, real nice.

Any clouds?

Yeah, there's a couple up there.

Not rain clouds, though.
They're just the white, fluffy kind.

Were you ever afraid of the dark
when you were a kid?

Yeah, a little, I guess.

I wasn't.

I kind of liked it.

Something kind of quiet and warm
about it.

You know...

You know, my brother Hoss was afraid
of the dark when he was little.

- You're kidding.
- Yeah, yeah.

Pa said he wouldn't go to bed

without a candle burning in the room
every night.

Kind of funny, a guy that big
being afraid of the dark, and I wasn't.

Sure afraid of it now, though.

- Miss Dobbs.
- Yes, I'm Ellen Dobbs.

Uh, are you Benjamin Cartwright?

- Yes, yes.
- Oh, good.

Thank you, driver.

I'll be all right now.

A pleasure, ma'am.

I'll take your bag.

Thank you.

Won't you come in, please?

Um, Miss Dobbs,
uh, this is my son Hoss.

Hoss.

How do you do?

My goodness, you're a big man,
aren't you, Hoss?

Yes'm, that's what folks tell me.

And Joseph, he's not here, is he?

Well, the institute wrote that

you preferred him not to be here
when you arrived.

Yes, that's correct.

He'll be here this afternoon.

Miss Dobbs,
you've had a long journey.

Would you, uh,
like to get settled into your room

and catch your breath?

Oh, well, I would love
a cup of coffee, if I may.

The road was so dusty.

Yes, of course.

Hop Sing?

Hop Sing!

What you yell for now?

Uh, coffee for three, please.

Hmm.

Thank you.

Uh, Miss Dobbs,
why don't we sit down?

Uh, it would be better
if I take your arm, Mr. Cartwright.

And if you would walk
just a little ahead of me, please.

- All right?
- Yes, thank you.

You can just put my hand on the chair.

Oh, uh...

I see.

Well, my, this is certainly
more comfortable

than the seat on the stage.

Uh, what exactly did the institute
write about me, Mr. Cartwright?

That you're a fine teacher

and, uh, a tough little lady.

Coming all the way
from San Francisco,

I know exactly what they mean.

Thank you, Hop Sing.

Oh, may I pour, Mr. Cartwright?

If you'll just hand me the cups, please.

Thank you.

I take it that, uh...

my not being able to see disturbs you.

Well, I don't know
if the word is "disturbed."

Oh, I think it'll do nicely.

You see, we've learned at the institute

that some of the best teachers
of the blind are other blind.

Nevertheless,

I want to be
totally honest, Miss Dobbs.

I can't believe that
a teacher who is as...

who is as sightless as he is...
will instill much faith.

Well, you're probably right.

But you see, I've no intention
of telling Joseph that I'm blind.

At least, not for a while.

In the beginning, he'll believe that...

that I can teach, that I can do a job

because I can see.

When the time is right,
I'll tell him I'm blind.

I hope by then he'll realize

that there is a place
for blind people in this world.

Well...

- I don't see...
- No, Mr. Cartwright, I don't see.

That's where
you're going to have to help me.

How long will it be
before Joseph returns?

Well, a few hours.

Oh, good, 'cause I'm going to
need time to get used to this house,

at least the areas where
I'll come in contact with Joseph.

To begin with,
if you'll trace the shape of this room

on the palm of my hand
with your finger,

it'll be easier for me to visualize it.

You could start at the front door,
where I first came in.

Well, it's a pretty large area.

Actually, it's three rooms in one.

Uh, the front door is, say, right here.

I see.

Now, you move along here
and you go towards back of you,

which is the dining room area.

The kitchen's entrance is right here.

There's someone coming.

Hey! Joe, hey.

- How was the ride, huh?
- Oh, it was good.

That buggy's really nice.
It's smooth and...

Yeah.

Uh, Joseph.

Uh, there's someone here
I'd like you to meet.

Hello, Joseph.

This is Miss Dobbs.

She's from the Institute, isn't she?

Yes, I am.

I told you I didn't want anybody here.

- Joseph...
- I'm sorry

you came all this way for nothing,
but, I, uh...

See, I talked to the doctor,
and he said I'm gonna be... fine.

I'm not gonna be blind very long.

So you'd, uh,
just be wasting your time here.

But I'm a teacher, Joseph.

I don't consider teaching
a waste of time.

I... don't... want you here. I...

I don't need you
and I don't want you here!

Joseph.

Leave me alone!

I don't want you here!

Joseph?

May I speak to you for a moment?

I thought you'd be gone by now.

Uh, well, I'm afraid that leaving here
is as hard as getting here.

Stages for San Francisco
don't leave exactly every hour.

But I'll be gone in the morning.

Fine.

Joseph.

I... I'm terribly sorry that
my coming here disturbed you.

I had no idea
that your condition was temporary

when I took the job.

Well, now you know.

Yes, now I know.

I was looking forward to this job.

I haven't had
a great deal of work lately.

It's my father's fault, not mine.

Oh, I'm not blaming you.

It's just that...

that I had hoped
for a few weeks' work.

I don't need you.

Well, you can't blame me for trying,
can you?

Will I see you at dinner?

Oh, Hop Sing,
the dinner was just wonderful.

I even had seconds.

Thank you, Missy Dobb.

You lucky
Mr. Hoss not here for dinner.

You maybe not even have first.

Well, I think I better look in on Jamie.

He has a tendency to daydream
while he's doing his homework.

Excuse me.

- Well, I must say...
- How...

I'm... I'm sorry. Go right ahead.

No, I was just going to say, I...

I must say, I'm not looking forward
to that trip tomorrow.

Well, that's funny.
I was gonna ask you

how long it took
to get to San Francisco by stage.

I've never gone that way.

Well, all I can say is,
it's much too long.

I'll take your word for it.

May I have some more coffee, please?

Hmm?

Here's my cup.

Well, you have to tell me
when to stop pouring.

Oh, well, wait just a minute, then.

Would you like me
to show you a simple way?

- Sure.
- All right.

Put your fingers around the cup.

And this top finger
rests just inside the rim.

You'll know when to stop.

- Hey.
- That's good. That's very good.

You know when to stop, all right.
It's hot.

It's simple.

There are other ways, too.

You know that some people can do it
just by listening?

What do you mean, listening?

Well, would you like to try it?

- Sure.
- All right.

Hold your cup by the handle.

Now, as you pour, you'll find
that the sound begins to lower.

When it's about three-quarters full,
it'll stop.

You did it.

Hey, I never thought
about listening to coffee before.

Hey, you got me...
you got me listening to coffee.

I think I sip it kind of loud.

Hey, look, uh...

I don't like to see
anybody, uh, lose a job.

I mean, like you said,
when you came here,

you didn't know the circumstances.

Well, it was wrong of me
to come begging you for a job.

Besides, you're right,

you don't need me.

It would be foolish for me
to teach you a lot of things

that you don't have to learn.

Yeah, but, we...
I mean, we did hire you... I...

Well, that was, uh,
before I knew the circumstances.

Yeah, well...

See, I don't know how long it'll be
before I get my sight back.

The doctor's not sure.

Could be two days,
it could be two months.

I mean, I could probably
learn a lot of things

that would help me get along
'til I got my sight back.

Well, um...

Are you sure
you're not just saying this

because you know I need work?

Oh, no. No, I...

I mean, I just sit around here.
I don't have anything else to do.

Well, it would be nice for me
to stay here in the country.

Well, would you?

Uh, yes, all right.

I'll stay a little while.

Good.

Left arm stays at a right angle
at all times.

That way, you'll be protected.

The right hand guides you.

Back of the hand
against the wall. That's right.

Feels kind of funny.

I know, but it works.

Now,

as you walk, keep your head up,

shoulders back.

Think of the center of your body.

- That's right.
- Yes.

Now, you know this room very well,
so you should have no difficulty.

Now, you tell me everything you touch
as you come to it.

Well, all I feel now is the wall.

Yes.

Now I got...

That's the fireplace, I guess.

Good. Yes.

Is there anything there
above the fireplace?

I can feel a picture.

Good.

That's fine.

Head up, though, head up.
Shoulders back. Stand erect.

You should've been a sergeant,
Miss Dobbs.

Now, remember,
the heel against the step,

and slide it straight down.

Against the step.
Slide it straight down.

Again, heel against the stairs.
That's good.

All right. Now, you know
where you are, don't you?

First landing, right?

Right. Put your heel
against the stair. Let it slide down.

Good. Relax it.

There we are.

How was that?

It's coming.

Let's try it again.

Yes'm.

Well, you seemed
more comfortable that time.

I was. It was easy.

Good.

Hey, I hit it! Did I get a ringer?

No, but you came darn close.

Well, you watch me, Pa.
I bet you I get one this time.

You got yourself a bet.

All right, you wait and see.

I never thought
I'd ever hear him laugh again.

Miss Dobbs,
you're a remarkable woman.

Oh.

He's completely changed
since you got here.

I don't know how to thank you.

Well, the easy part is over now.

There's a difficult time
still ahead for Joseph.

Well, he knows he can function.
He knows he can do for himself.

But he still hasn't admitted to himself
that he may always be blind.

That's a fact that he's going to
have to face very soon now.

Well, he's... he's adjusted
very well so far, hasn't he?

To playing the game,
but not to facing reality.

But then, I guess,
some of us never really do.

Well, you have.

Hmm, not completely.

No. Even after all these years.

No, there's still that...

that moment every once in a while
when I...

when I lie awake in the morning,

wondering what it would be like

to open my eyes
and feel the light streaming in.

No.

I'm afraid the hardest part
still lies ahead for your son.

Pa, how 'bout a contest?

Sure. You asked for it,
you're gonna get it.

B...

A...

C...

I... I can't get this one.

Feel the dots.

Concentrate.

Don't think of anything
but your fingertips.

Remember, somewhere inside,
you must keep a stillness

so that you can always concentrate.

Now, let's try it again.

G...

Good. That's very good.

Good, Joe.

I don't know what good it'll do
to learn all this Braille.

It'll take me forever
to learn to read anything.

Oh, it takes time, but not forever.

Hear that, Jamie? I could

end up with the fastest fingers
in the west, huh?

Could be.

That's enough for now.
Let's have some lunch, shall we?

Sounds good to me.
I'd like a big cheese sandwich.

Would you like me to make it,
Miss Dobbs?

Well, why don't we make it together?

Okay.

Hey, and give me a big glass of milk
with that, too, will you?

- Sure thing, Joe.
- Thanks.

Hi, Joe.

Sally?

How you doing?

Fine.

I came by a couple of times,
but you weren't here.

Yeah, well, I've been kind of busy.

I was so worried
when I heard about the accident. I...

Yeah, well, they were kind of worried
about my eyes for a while, but, uh,

Doc says I'm gonna be fine. I'm...

I'm seeing a lot better every day.
In about a month, I'll be just like new.

What have you been doing?

Working at the store mostly.

Hasn't been much business, though,
since the Dow mine shut down.

Well, if they hit a new vein,
things'll be booming again.

I brought you a get-well present.

It's the only thing I could think of.

Well, thanks.

You want me to unwrap it first?
You want me to guess...

You always said
you liked strawberry jam.

- I thought that...
- I like it just fine.

Why don't you go now?
I've got a lot of things I have to do.

Joe, I'm sorry.

Look, you got a look at the blind man.
What else do you want?

Why'd you come here, anyway?

To ask me
to the dance Saturday night?

How about a...

How 'bout a party? I'm great at parties.

Blind man's bluff,
pin the tail on the donkey...

you name it.

Look, get out of here, will you?

He's just setting there.

Says he wants to be left alone.

It's hard to understand.
He was doing so well.

Pa, you don't reckon Sally Morris

might have
something to do with it, huh?

I saw her riding down
on the south road this afternoon.

Did you speak to her?

No. I was up on Willow Crest,

but she wouldn't have been
down there

unless she was visiting this place,
would she?

Was he very fond of that girl?

Yes, I...

Well, he's been
going out with her for some time.

Well, that's it, of course...

having her see him like this
for the first time.

You see, he felt safe with us...

teacher and family.

But a girl...

someone you have
that special feeling for...

I know how painful it can be.

You, uh...

think I ought to go up and...

No, Mr. Cartwright,
please don't do that.

You're too close to him.

I know how much he means to you,
but, please, you...

you must let me try
to think of a way to handle this.

All right.

Thank you.

Do you care for a whiskey,
Miss Dobbs?

No, thank you, Joseph.

You gonna congratulate me
for knowing it was you?

Yes, that was very good.

Course it was good.

I had a very good teacher.

I'm supposed to listen
and think and then do.

Sure you don't want some whiskey?

I'm sure.

Don't you think
you've had enough, Joseph?

No, I haven't had nearly enough.

I'm gonna get blind, Miss Dobbs.

That's a joke, you can laugh,
a blind man getting blind.

It's very funny.

You're very quiet.

That's right.
You're supposed to be quiet

so you can listen.

That's what I did today. I had a...

I had a caller today.

A young lady calling me

to give me some jam and pity.

Lots of pity.

Well, she needn't have.

You seem to have enough for yourself.

Oh, Joseph.

Do you think
you're the only person in the world

who's lost his sight?

Close your eyes!

Go on, Miss Dobbs, shut 'em tight!

Shut 'em and tell me what you see!

Now, what do you see?

Nothing.

Well, that's exactly
what I have to look forward to

the rest of my life, nothing.

Being blind doesn't give you
special privileges.

You've only lost one of your senses.

You still have four left.

Now, learn to use them.

I want to see!

And if you don't,

are you going to be waited on
and dependent for the rest of your life,

wallowing in your... your self-pity?

What do you know?

Oh.

I've taught ten-year-old boys
with more guts than you have.

They faced their blindness
and they learned to...

to make a life for themselves.

I'm wasting
my precious time here, Joseph.

I lied to you.

I don't need this job.

I'm desperately needed at the institute.

- There are so many blind people...
- Then go!

Who want to learn,
who are eager to learn.

Damn you, go! I don't...

Well, I will!

And I pity you, Joseph,
not because you're blind,

but because you haven't the...
the courage to learn to live with it.

Miss Dobbs!

Miss Dobbs!

I'll try.

I'll see you in the morning, Joseph.

"The...

"only...

"accident

"he...

"had...

"was...

"a broken...

"axel,

"and he had

"it fixed...

"promptly."

How's that for quick reading, huh?

Oh, it's remarkable.

As good as they do at the institute?

In some cases, better.

My, you've accomplished so much
these last three weeks.

I had a good teacher.

Why don't you take tomorrow off

and go for another nice ride
with Jamie?

Ah, I don't want him dragging me
around the ranch anymore.

Oh, now we're gonna start that, hmm?

Telling yourself
how worthless you are.

No, I'm not gonna
start that again. It's...

It's just, I wish there was something
I could really do, you know?

Well, it seems to me

there are a lot of things around here
you could learn to do.

Well, not the things I want to do. I...

Can you see me

busting broncs or herding cattle
or anything like that?

I mean, I want to do...
I want to do a job I can really do.

You know what I mean.

How would you feel about teaching?

Hmm?

Teaching at the institute.

There are so many there
who need to learn

exactly what you've learned.

I couldn't do that.

Why not?

I'm blind. I'm...

Well, Louis Braille did it,
and he was only a boy.

Well, you think I could?

Yes.

Oh, it would take
a lot more work, a lot of study,

but you have
such a fine mind, Joseph.

I know you could.

Why don't you think about it?

I will. I'll think about it.

Hey, I'm... I'm gonna
get some sleep, I think.

- See you in the morning, huh?
- All right.

- Good night.
- Good night.

Oh, Miss Dobbs, you're up kind of late.

Yes, I am.

Joseph has gone up
to his room and I...

I hoped that this might be
a good time for us to have a talk.

Oh, sure.

I went to see one of the young colts
who'd been doing rather badly.

Doing better now.

Well...

I'll be leaving in a few days,
Mr. Cartwright.

My work is finished here.

Have you told Joseph yet?

No, I... I haven't.

Hmm, he's, uh...

he's grown very fond of you, you know.

I feel the same about him.

I know how much you love him,

so what I'm going to say
may be difficult for you to hear,

but... but I know that you want
the best for your son, Mr. Cartwright.

Of course.

Well...

Joseph feels useless here.

He wants to work,
he wants to make his own way.

And above all, he wants to be needed.

Yes, I can understand that.

As a teacher at the institute,
he would certainly be needed.

As a teacher?

Yes.

Well, he's hardly begun
to learn himself yet.

Well, it would take a while,

but I think he'd make a fine teacher,
Mr. Cartwright.

And then, you know,
once he gains his confidence,

once he knows that he can do
something worthwhile and necessary,

then he might be ready
to come back here,

and find a place for himself with you.

Did Joseph say he wants to go?

No, he...

Well, he's not sure.

He's still afraid, you know.

But he needs to believe
that he can teach.

I think he will believe it

when I tell him that I'm blind, too.

Well...

I suppose San Francisco
isn't so far away

that we won't get up to visit.

Good night.

Pa!

Pa!

Joe? What is it?

Pa, I can see.

I can see.

Clearly? Everything?

Everything, just like before.

Well, the dad-blamed doctor said

you was gonna see again
anyhow, didn't he?

You sure are a beautiful sight,
I'll tell you that.

I gotta... I gotta tell Ellen.

Miss Dobbs!

Hey, Miss Dobbs!

Miss Dobbs!

Miss Dobbs, it's over.

I can see. No more counting steps.
No more being useless.

Look at me, I can see.

Oh, my dear!

Oh, you can see!

Oh, Joseph!

Oh, thank God.

Oh, don't, my dear.

Oh, don't, my dear. It's all right.

You can see, that's what's important.

I'm so sorry.

Shh.

I love you.

I know you do.

And I love you, too, my dear,
in a very special way.

I... I didn't want...

want to hurt you.

I know you didn't.

Joseph, cry out of joy for yourself,
but not out of pity for me.

I'm loved and I'm needed
and I'm happy.

Truly, I am.