Gunsmoke (1955–1975): Season 8, Episode 12 - The Way It Is - full transcript

(theme music playing)

(both guns fire)

ANNOUNCER: starring
James Arness as Matt Dillon.

♪♪

(door opens)

Ah, good morning, Miss Kitty.

Good morning, Sam.

Oh, Kitty. Just a
minute, I want...

Kitty?

♪ Oh, the red that's
running, red that's... ♪

Oh, Miss Kitty.



Morning, Miss Kitty.

Your horse is saddled
like you wanted him.

If you wait just a
minute, I'll get him for you.

Pesky wagon tongues.

I'd just as soon work on my
own tongue as one of these.

Why, Miss Kitty...

I'd've helped you.

Where you ridin' to, anyway?

Straight up!

♪♪

(sighs)

(stifled sobs)

(door opens)

Well, I see the
troops are assembled.



Kitty, well, you're
all right after all.

After all what?

Well, I don't know.
Doc here said that...

Well, I told him that you passed
me on the street this morning

just like I wasn't there at all.

- Then Chester, when I saw him...
- Yeah.

You almost stepped on
me there, you remember?

And heavens, that-that
wasn't like you at all.

DILLON: We thought
maybe something was wrong.

And just when
everything was so right.

Well, Kitty, let's, uh...

let's grab some breakfast.

I've had my breakfast.

Haven't I, Sam?

Well, you had an
eye-opener, sure enough.

Every woman ought to have

her eyes wide
open once in a while.

You just troop along without me.

I'm through being
one of the boys.

DILLON: Kitty?

What is it?

You give it a
little quiet thought,

and it might come to you.

Everything was
all right last night.

Was it?

Chester, let's...

let's go have some breakfast.

Why?

Because I'm hungry.

You want to talk about it?

No.

Now, Kitty, if it's about that,
uh, Ford County Sociable,

I'm sorry about that,
I just can't help it.

I gotta go to Topeka.

So you told me.

Well, you ought to be
able to understand that.

Good old understanding Kitty.

You know, if you and I
are going to have a fight,

seems to me we can find
something better to fight about

than a sociable.

How would you know?

As far as I know, you've
never been to one.

Now, Kitty, if you're that
set on going to the dance,

Doc and Chester'll
take you, you know that.

Doc and Chester.

I don't think you've
got a grain of sense.

They'll be glad to take me,

but maybe I won't be glad to go.

Matt, don't you understand?

I don't want to go
with Doc and Chester.

I want to go with you.

Now, Kitty, I wanted
to go with you.

I was looking
forward to this dance

until this thing about
Topeka came up.

Something always comes up.

Oh, it's not as bad as all that.

You don't think so?

You take a look at this.

I had that made
especially for the sociable.

And there's more.

This is the trip to
Wichita that we didn't take.

And Lillie's wedding
that you couldn't go to.

And Bessie Larcher's chivari.

Last year's Ford
County Sociable.

Now, they may look
like dresses to you,

but they're not.

They're disappointments.

I've got a whole
closetful of rejections.

Now, Kitty, you listen to me.

There's nothing in
the world I'd rather do

than take you to that dance.

There's nothing in
the world I'd like better

than to always be able
to do the things we plan.

But, Kitty, I got a
job and I gotta do it.

I wish I could
change, but I can't.

I'm sorry, but that's
just the way it is.

I'll see you when I
get back from Topeka.

Don't count on it.

(door closes)

Well, I sure don't
mind telling you

that I'm awful
disappointed in Miss Kitty.

Well, she's just not
herself right now.

Well, who is she, then?

She's a mighty upset
woman, that's what she is.

I don't blame her, but...

You got a big problem.

Well, I don't see that
it's no problem at all.

Heavens, Doc and me'll
see her to the sociable.

It's not the sociable that's
bothering her, Chester.

'Course it isn't.

Well, maybe you're right.

I've knowed dozens
of times, Mr. Dillon,

when you've had to break
off plans with Miss Kitty,

that's true.

But I-I sure never seen
her take on this way afore.

It's just no good for a woman

to demand more of a
man than he can give her.

It's got to build
up in her, that's all.

Well...

I hate to disappoint her, but...

you know, this job of
mine isn't the kind of thing

you can just set aside
whenever you want to, you know.

No.

Well... Kitty understands that.

She's been able to shrug it off.

Every time up until now.

But you see...

a thing like this just
grows all out of proportion.

Now, Kitty's a
level-headed woman.

You know that.

The point is, she's a woman.

I hate to leave town
with her feeling this way,

but I just don't know
what else to do.

Well, Mr. Dillon, you just
don't need to worry about it.

Doc and me'll take care of her.

I mean, I-I don't
feel so bad about her

that-that I'm not willing
to turn the other cheek.

- Morning, Slim.
- Morning, Marshal.

Say, if he's planning on
going, he's gotta have a ticket.

No, he'll be staying here.

You ain't seen Miss Kitty
this morning, have you, Slim?

No, I haven't, Chester.

Not a sign of her.

Well, I doubt that she's
planning to show up, Chester.

Well, she's probably
so ashamed of herself,

the way she acted yesterday,
she just don't want to face us.

DRIVER: We're
ready to go, Marshal.

All right.

Marshal, have a nice trip.

Thank you, Slim.

Well, take care of
things here, Chester.

Don't worry about
a thing, Mr. Dillon.

Everything's gonna be all right.

Hyah!

I want you to look after
things for a while, Sam.

You leaving town, Miss Kitty?

I'm going out to Annie and
Bent Dillards' for a few days.

Well, a change of
scene helps sometimes.

This one better.

If anybody wants
to buy a saloon,

tell them to wait
until I come back.

(singing softly)

Oh, uh, Miss Kitty?

Uh, did you forget to come by

and say a farewell to
Mr. Dillon this mornin'?

I'm in a hurry, Chester.

Well, me and Doc'll see that you

get to the sociable.

I don't expect to be
back for the sociable.

Where you goin'?

I told you, I'm in a hurry.

♪♪

(horse snorts)

(man groans)

(man groans)

What happened to you anyway?

My head.

Did you get shot?

I fell in the stream.

I hit my head on a rock.

I thought I was gonna drown.

You mean you-you
crawled up here?

No.

I walked, but I...

I got so dizzy, I
guess I fell here.

Did you break anything?

(chuckles) Just my head.

You think you can lift me up?

Oh, I... I'll try,

but I'm not so
sure you ought to.

If I can just find my horse,

I think I can sit it.

(grunting) Oh, no.

- Take it ea...
- No, wait.

Just-just a minute now.

You know, I...

I think I better
go for some help.

No, no.

Don't you leave me now.

I'm gonna make it this time.

All right, just easy.

Easy, easy.

(sighs)

Just take a step or two
when-when you're able.

I'm not gonna forget you.

Well, we'll worry
about that later.

You want to try your legs?

(groans)

I just...

I just kind of float
in... and out again.

I really am going for some help.

I can't manage you alone.

My friends aren't far.

Oh, I'll be right here.

♪♪

♪♪

I got our room readied, Bent.

This is awful
good of you, Annie.

Hush.

(groans)

(sighs) He wakes up for a while

and then he just
passes out again.

Well, it comes from
that head of his.

Sure got himself
an awful wallop.

I'd say he did. I better
clean him up a little bit.

He's gonna know
some pain with that.

I better go back and get Doc.

Oh, Kitty, I'd do it for you,

but Annie and me, we
planned to leave by midday.

Bent's mother's poorly.

We wrote we'd be
there by evening.

Oh, Bent, I'm sorry,

coming here, bringing trouble.

Oh, that's not your fault.

Now, Kitty, you know you're
welcome here any time.

Look, I'll go back to
Dodge and get Doc

and get back out here
just as fast as I can.

- We'll look after him.
- All right.

Kitty didn't say
his name, did she?

Why, no, she didn't.

You know this
fella at all, Kitty?

All I know is he's hurt.

Wouldn't have come asking
a favor of you if he wasn't.

Good heavens, I set
bones for drunken trail hands

and cut bullets out of killers.

Certainly don't mind
doing a favor for a friend.

Well, would you
mind hurrying up?

(clicking tongue)

I just hate leaving
you here like this.

Never you mind about me.

Doc will have him fixed up
and on his way in no time.

Well, I sure feel better
now Doc's here with you.

I hope your mother's
feeling better, Bent.

You mind yourself now, Kitty.

(clicks tongue)

Well, Kitty, he's
got a concussion.

It's not too serious.

He'll just have to be
quiet for a day or two.

Well, I'll-I'll see that he is.

Now, I left some
powders in there.

That'll take care
of his headaches.

Now, you know,

I'd sure like to stay
here with you, Kitty,

but by thunder, the
whole Curtin family

is down with the diphtheria.

Whole family, and
I've just got to spend

at least a day and
a night with them.

You got a long way to go then.

Yeah, and I just
don't like the idea

of leaving you
here alone with him.

I might not be very good
with some men, Doc,

but I ought to be able
to handle a sick one.

Well, now just don't
be so all-fired ready

to misunderstand me.

That man's a stranger to you.

You don't know
a thing about him.

We'll be here a day or so.

I can learn something about him.

You better go on and
take care of the Curtins.

Thank you for your help.

There may be worse things
than a stubborn woman.

Like a nosy doctor?

Get up.

Well, hello.

The doc's right.

You don't know
anything about me.

Well, I know one thing;
your hearing's pretty good.

How do you feel?

Like I won't mind staying
in bed for a day or two.

He called you Kitty?

Mm-hmm, Kitty Russell.

My name's Ad Bellem, Kitty,

and I'm mighty grateful to you.

You just do what Doc says.

You stand up to a man real well.

If I have to.

(chuckles) Lady saves my life,

I'm not gonna worry her.

I sure don't want
another head wallop.

(chuckles)

Doc says if you, um,

if you rest, the
dizziness will go away.

Well, I wouldn't have
planned it this way.

I meet a pretty woman,

and all I'm supposed
to do is lie quiet-like.

Well, my plans aren't
working out very well

these days either.

Right away, we got
something in common.

You better get some sleep.

♪♪

♪♪

Hey.

That water can't be that good.

Mm.

You know, I was just thinking.

I sell an awful lot of whiskey,

but well water's about
the best drink there is.

Mountain spring
water's got to be.

But you got to climb so high.

Oh, you hear the wind
up in the high pines,

whistling along there.

Smell all that evergreen,

the cool fresh air.

Makes you glad you got a nose.

You're a poet.

(chuckles)

No, I'm just a man
with a sore head.

I don't know whether it's too
good for you to be out here.

Oh, the room was closing in.

I-I'll be all right for a while,

if you don't mind the company.

No, it'll be fine.

That was a... It
was a good meal.

You're a pretty
good cook, Kitty.

I'm a very good cook.

Well, you can't go
on just one meal.

(chuckles)

You partial to
the prairie, Kitty?

(sighs)

Oh, I'm partial to
the long twilights

and the way the
evenings come on.

How about the mornings?

I try to sleep through them.

Mornings are my time.

Beginnings,

starting-off times.

Like you close the
door on yesterday.

You start off on
something fresh.

If I had my way,

I'd see a sunset a
different place every day.

You like to be on the move, Ad?

I got to be on the move.

Soon as my head sits
square on my neck again,

I'm gonna go chase
me a new sunset.

What do you do?

I just told you.

I mean, what do
you do for a living?

I live.

(chuckles)

I think you really are a poet.

Do you live, Kitty?

Sometimes I call it that.

I run the Long Branch in Dodge.

And what's the Long Branch?

A saloon.

The evenings don't
come on so quiet there,

and sunset's the time

when we try to boot
out all the day drunks

to make room for
the night drunks.

If that's the way
you feel about it,

why do you do it?

I guess that's what I'm
out here to ask myself.

Well, it seems to me like
you and the Long Branch

have been together too long.

That's crossed my mind.

You married, Kitty?

No.

Belong to somebody?

No.

Now, when a woman
answers that quick,

it means she's either very sure

or she's not sure at all.

I never met a man yet

that didn't know all
there was about women.

Talking big, that's part
of being a man, Kitty.

Can I help you?

No, no, I'm all right.

I think I'll, uh, maybe I'll
leave the long twilight to you.

I don't make it out though.

A pretty woman, easy for
a man to talk to, be with,

she's not married.

She knows that
better than you do.

Night, Kitty.

Good night, Ad.

♪♪

(knocking)

AD: Kitty?

What is it, Ad?

I just wanted to say good night.

Can I do something for you?

You could turn
off that big moon.

I wouldn't think of it.

Like I said, you stand
up to a man real well.

Good night, Ad.

Good night.

Well, looks like
business was good.

Can't complain, Miss Kitty.

It seems like everyone's
been practicing drinking.

Getting ready for
the sociable, I think.

Anybody practice hard
enough to want to buy the place?

No, but everyone sure
noticed you weren't around.

- Hello, Sam.
- Chester.

Miss Kitty.

Chester.

I, uh, heard that you was back.

- I guess you heard right.
- (Chester chuckles)

- Sam?
- Yes, ma'am?

Did this whiskey come in,
or is this just our order for it?

It got here yesterday.

Oh, good.

Kinda busy, huh?

A little.

Well, I just come
by to, to remind you

that the sociable is tonight

and that Doc and me
would sure admire taking you.

I don't think I'll
feel like going.

Oh. Well, I thought maybe
you'd changed your mind,

you know, after being
out of town so long, and...

But then I guess a
body either wants to go

or they don't want to go.

You ran off.

Well, you were
asleep when I left,

and I just didn't
want to wake you.

How do you feel?

I'm bound to be better now.

Good. Ad, this is Chester Goode.

Chester, this is Ad Bellum.

- Chester, how are ya?
- How do you do?

I couldn't help notice
all the big plans.

It's like the whole
town's going to a party.

The whole county.

Well, if, uh, if you
aren't spoken for,

I'd like to take
you to that dance.

Well, I-I, uh, uh...

I guess maybe
I'd better be going.

I got some things that I
gotta be doing for Mr. Dillon.

Bye, Chester.

Who's Mr. Dillon?

He's the marshal here.

He's out of town.

You haven't answered
me yet about the dance.

Well, to tell you the truth,

I hadn't really
planned on going.

But I don't mind changing that.

Well, I've never seen a
Dodge City sunset before,

but I think I'm gonna like it.

You gotta do something
for me, though.

What's that?

You gotta go over
to the Dodge House

and get yourself a room
and rest until evening.

Now, I never was much of a
one for taking motherly advice.

I don't know the first
thing about being a mother.

(sprightly music playing,
lively crowd chatter)

♪♪

Didn't you come here
to have a good time?

Why don't you cheer up?

You're sitting there
acting like a wallflower.

Well, it's just awful to have
to sit here and watch 'em.

What are you
watching them for then?

Well... watching them mostly
out of loyalty to Mr. Dillon.

Oh, pshaw.

Oh, don't "Oh, pshaw" me.

I just never seen Miss Kitty
having such a good time before.

Well, what in thunder is wrong
with Kitty having a good time?

Oh, you care, too.
You can't fool me none.

You're just putting on a face.

Oh... Chester,
for heaven's sake,

don't you want to
dance or something?

Well, that'd look kind of silly.

- What?
- Well, you and me dancing together.

(both laughing)

(music stops, applause)

You know, I think maybe
I'm a little drunk, Kitty.

Well, I think maybe
you ought to be.

The reason I know,
I feel like dancing,

and I never feel like dancing.

Oh, what's the matter, Ad?

Oh, I think my head's
already dancing.

Well, here, you better
sit on back down.

(Ad groans, Kitty chuckles)

Where is your head now?

I think it'll be
back in a minute.

You all right, young fellow?

You just show up
everywhere, don't you?

Oh, Doc, his head will
be back. He said so.

When it gets back it better
have some sense in it.

You better take it easy...

- Go away!
- Ad, I mean it.

- Lay off the whiskey.
- Kitty, make him go!

Oh, he's a friend of mine.

He's a friend of a
friend of mine, I think.

- Hiya, Kitty!
- Hi, Ranch!

Come on, Kitty, you
need a dancing partner.

(Kitty chuckles)

- Ranch.
- Hi, Doc.

Now you just...

You...!

Don't come grabbing at her.

- (music stops)
- Oh, Ad!

It's just a little dance.

It's only in fun, mister.

Why, everyone's
having a good time.

Well, I'm not.

(Ranch groans)

(bottles clattering)

Oh, Ad, he didn't mean anything.

He did to me!

Kitty, can we get some air?

Oh, sure.

I'm all right, Doc.

You sure, Ranch?

Yeah, I'd see to that big devil.

Any man that hits that hard

has got to have
something wrong with him.

You just better go on
over and be quiet now.

- Sit down there.
- It's all I can do.

Doc, you think he's
just drunk or what?

I don't know.

Well, he sure acted
like he owned Miss Kitty,

- I'll tell you that.
- He sure did.

All right, you folks, now go on.
Let's have a good time, dance.

Start the music!

(upbeat music plays)

(lively chatter)

♪♪

I'm sorry, Kitty.

I'm sorry, too.

It was fun till then.

I don't know why I hit him.

I saw him whirling
you away from me,

and my head just went on fire.

I think you better take
your head back to the hotel

and give it a good cooling off.

Who is he, Kitty?

He's nobody to me.

He's just a rancher
with a wife and four kids,

and he gets to celebrate
one night a year.

And this was the night.

The minute I hit him,
I knew it was wrong.

We'll just forget it.

Will we?

Good night, Kitty.

Good night, Ad.

Well, thanks. I think I will.

Well, what are you sitting
here chuckling about?

Now, look, Doc, if
you're gonna be funny,

well, I'd just soon you...

Oh, I'm funny all right.

- I'm so comical today
- went someplace else.

That I've had to treat people
for split sides all over Dodge.

I figured if I sat
here long enough,

you'd come along and say
something just about like that.

Well, why didn't
you sit inside then?

'Cause it's more like
keeping company with a tomb

is why.

Have you heard
anything from Matt?

He's gonna be back tomorrow.

Well, you're treating
it like it was bad news.

(sighs) Well, what
am I gonna do, Doc?

Well, why don't you
just go meet the stage

kind of friendly-like?

No, now you know what I mean.

I mean, am I gonna
tell him about Miss Kitty

and this Ad Bedlem,
and how he...

- Bellem.
- Bellem, and how he hit this feller

at the sociable
and like he-he...

he's acting like that
Miss Kitty's just his,

lock, stock and barrel,
and straining things,

and end up being
unfriendly, or not?

Or not?

Not what?

Or not tell him.

Well, I don't think I'd go
through all of that again.

Not even out of loyalty?

Loyalty's got
nothing to do with it.

Well, what has then?

Your health.

You go through a long
spiel like that again,

your lungs will collapse.

♪♪

Chester?

Oh, Miss Kitty.

Come on over here.

There's room with us.

Uh, well, I...

(sighs)

(chuckles) Don't
want to be no bother.

Don't be silly.

Sit down.

Ad hasn't had much of a
chance to meet new friends.

Uh, well, no,

I guess he ain't.

You want to eat by yourself,
Chester, we'll understand.

Well, I guess maybe you
ought to have asked permission,

Miss Kitty.

Ad didn't mean that
the way it sounded.

Well, like you say,
he's your friend.

Now you're getting
the idea, Chester.

You did that deliberately.

I wanted to have
supper with you.

Well, I think you'd
better have it alone.

Women don't turn heel
and walk out on me.

This one just did.

Now just wait, Kitty.

Just don't do anything

but stand there
quiet-like for a minute.

I want to go, Ad.

Now, Kitty, maybe
I'm not myself.

My head, hurting it that way,

maybe it makes me act all wrong.

Maybe you ought
to go rest someplace

until you can act right.

Well, forgive me

and be patient with me.

Well, say it's all right, Kitty.

I can't.

It isn't.

Here's your bag, Marshal.

Thank you.

CHESTER: Mr. Dillon.

- Hello, Chester.
- Well, welcome back, Mr. Dillon.

By golly, you don't look
none the worse for wear,

just as good as when you left.

How's, uh, how's everything?

How's the stage ride?

Well, a little like
riding a sick cow.

(chuckles)

Good morning to you, Chester.

Morning. Mr. Dillon,
this here's Ad Bellem.

How do?

Dillon, huh?

You're the marshal.

Yeah, and we've kind
of got a lot to talk about,

so if you want to go ahead,

well, we'd sure
understand the whole thing.

That's the way, Chester.

Now, what was that all about?

Oh, don't pay him
no mind, Mr. Dillon.

I can't make up my mind

whether she's serious
about him or not nohow.

- Who?
- Miss Kitty.

You know, what with
them being together

all the time that
he was recovering

from his hurt head,

and then him
following her into town,

and all the trouble
that went on afterwards.

Well, I just don't think
I'll bother you with it.

Well, just wait a minute.

Maybe you better
bother me with it.

Well, Mr. Dillon, I kindly hoped

that you'd see it like that.

Well, you see, after you left,

uh, Miss Kitty
went out to see...

So I think all I need
is just another sunset.

You never did show
me one, you know?

I guess I haven't.

So long about afternoon,

we'll take a ride
out on the prairie,

find the right spot,
and watch the sunset.

Ad, I've got to work some time.

Then we'll stay
through the long twilight

that you like so much,

then in the evening...

You're not listening to me.

Well, I thought you
were listening to me.

I can't go with you
late this afternoon.

Why?

I told you.

I've got to work.

I want you to be with me, Kitty.

I'd like to, but I can't.

- (slams glass on table)
- Don't tell me you can't again.

- Just do it.
- Ad!

Don't start pulling
away from me.

What are you trying to do?

I'm trying to make
you understand.

You found me,

you nursed me well, you
smiled and were easy,

you-you teased me with
your eyes and your kisses.

Now, don't shake
your head at me.

What gets into women anyway?

Ad, will you please calm down?

Oh, no, no, no.

You bring this all out in me,

then you think you
can just shut it off?

Well, it don't work that way.

No, if women would only
stay with me for a while,

- just to see how nice
I can be, - Come on.

- but they... -Come on.

- (grunting)
- Ad!

Ad!

(screams): Stop it!

Don't you try to get
away from me, Kitty.

Or I'll kill you.

I'll come back for you later.

Sam.

Oh, Sam.

Oh, I'm so sorry.

Oh.

Hello, Kitty.

Sam, what's the matter?

Sam, why don't you go get
cleaned up in the backroom, huh?

I didn't know you were back.

Well, sure, I got
back this morning.

What going on around
here, Kitty? What's wrong?

(door crash open)

Did you tell him yet, Kitty?

Ad, you better get
ahold of yourself.

No, I think the marshal's
got a right to know.

Kitty belongs to me
now, and I'm ready to go.

She hasn't told me that yet.

Then tell him, Kitty. Tell him.

It's something he's
just gonna have to face.

I took his girl.

Bellem, maybe you and I better
sit down and have a little talk.

- (Kitty cries out)
- Come on, let's go.

Let go of me.

(Kitty grunts)

I'm gonna kill you both.

(gunshot)

♪♪

I'm sorry, Kitty.

Ad was...

two men.

He-he could be so kind

and gentle.

And he could make a woman

feel like such a woman.

You just saw the other one.

I'll take care of
things here, Kitty,

and then I'll be back later.

Maybe we can have
supper tonight or something.

Matt?

I...

Matt, I...

I know, Kitty.

I'll see you later.

I'm sure glad he's back.

He's an awful good man
to have around, Miss Kitty.

He's the best.

♪♪