Little House on the Prairie (1974–1983): Season 4, Episode 22 - I'll Be Waving as You Drive Away: Part 2 - full transcript

Mrs. Simms gave me some
books to read.

She wants me to take
the teachers examination

after I graduate
in the spring.

Mm!
I don't want to fail.

I'm sure you'll pass
with flying colors.

How about you half-pint?
Any special project?

Not anymore.

Mary,
are you all right?

Oh, yeah. My... my eyes
are just a little tired.

You're about due for
an eye examination.

Oh, no need for that.



I think it's just all the
studying I've been doing.

You're probably right.

But you should get your eyes
examined at least once a year.

You're out of school.
It's as good a time as any.

I didn't know
your daughter

had Scarlet fever,
Mr. Ingalls.

Yeah, she...
She's had Scarlet fever.

Oh, how bad was it?

It was bad. It was Scarlet fever.
Wh-what is it?

Mr. Ingalls...

Mary is going blind.

God must have chosen Mary
for some very special purpose.

Why do I have to tell my
daughter that she's going blind?

What should I tell her
is that special purpose?



Mary: Help me!

Mary?

Mary.
Help me!

Pa, I can't see!

I can't see!

Your pa and I have been
to see Dr. Baker.

He, uh...

He knows about a school.

He thinks maybe it would be a
good idea if you went there,

just for a while.

School?

It's a school
for the blind.

They can teach you
a lot of things.

I've never heard of one of
those schools around here.

It's not around here.

It's in Iowa.

Charles: I've got to get back
to the station this afternoon.

My train leaves at 4:00.

I'll be here.

All right. Thank you.

Mary? Your father and I
have some papers to sign,

so, uh, you just relax
for a few minutes.

Man: I'm looking for
a Mary Ingalls.

You got one in here?

I'm Mary Ingalls.

Uh-huh.
I thought so.

Allow me to introduce myself...

Adam Kendall,
your teacher,

and I am here,
miss Ingalls,

to escort you
to your room.

These last few weeks have
been a nightmare for us.

I just hope I'm
doing the right thing.

Mr. Ingalls...

Plenty of families hide their
blind children from the world

as if they were
mentally ill

instead of just being
unable to see.

As a matter of fact,
until recently,

schools like ours
were known as asylums.

It takes courage
to let go, Mr. Ingalls...

Courage on both sides,
and a great deal of love.

We couldn't love her
more than we do.

I'm sure that's true,

but the blind can
only learn by doing,

under professional
guidance.

We've found that family
is too concerned,

too willing to help.

That's also the reason

we don't allow letters or
visits for the first 3 months.

For 3 months?

It's hard enough
on Mary.

Hard on Mary or...

Hard on you?

You see, Mr. Ingalls,
one of the first things

we have to deal
with here

is self-pity.

People who are
close to you, family,

generally don't help
that situation.

Now, the school
will send you reports

and keep you informed
of Mary's progress.

Believe me, we know
what we're doing.

How are you, Paul?

Fine, Mr. Nash.

Now, I'd like you to make your
good-bye as brief as possible.

Well, I... I thought I could
spend some time with Mary.

My train doesn't leave
until 4:00.

No. The time spent would only
be painful for both of you.

Adam, can I see you
a minute?

Yes, sir.

Hey, nice room.

Pa!

Pa, I... I didn't know
you were here.

Yeah, well, I can't
stay very long.

I got a chance to catch
an earlier train.

I thought I'd
try to make it.

But I thought we'd
spend the afternoon.

Well, I was going to,

but then this
earlier train came up.

I took a look at the place.
It's a fine place.

You're in good hands.

So, hey, if I want to make that
train, I'd better go.

Give me a hug.

Pa, don't leave me here.

Please don't
leave me here.

I love you.
I got to go.

Don't leave me here.
Please!

Adam...

School begins.

Yes, sir.

You must be tired.

Your bag's on the bed.

I'll leave you to rest and
get your clothes unpacked.

Unpack? I can't.

You have to.

You're here to learn.
You may as well start now.

You know the room
well enough.

Supper's at 6:00.
I'll see you then.

Soup's on.

Sorry I'm late.

Little problem
in the kitchen.

Our students do the cooking
here, and one of the new ones

mistook the cayenne pepper
bottle for the cinnamon.

Needless to say,
we had about two dozen

of the hottest apple pies
in the school's history.

Well, enough chitchat.

Let's get to work.

I'm at the table.
You know where it is.

Come on. I haven't
had my dinner yet.

Your supper is part
of your homework.

I hope you're hungry.

Not particularly.

Mmm. Roast beef,
peas, and potatoes.

Here's your napkin.

Ok. Let's begin.

I'd rather eat
by myself.

When you eat in the
school dining room,

you can pick
your own company,

but for now,
this is schoolwork,

so you'll have to
eat with the teacher.

I don't like people
looking at me!

Why? Because you eat
with your fingers?

Nothing to feel
bad about.

Most everybody does
till they learn.

Look, my parents
didn't send me here

to have you teach me
table manners.

Yes, they did.

It's all
a part of learning.

Now, just because
you're blind

doesn't mean you have
to eat like an animal.

All right.

The food is served on
the plate clockwise...

Potatoes at 2 o'clock,
meat at 5 o'clock,

vegetables
at 10 o'clock.

Your fork is to the
left of the plate.

Don't use
your fingers.

If you don't like watching a blind
person eat, why don't you just get out!

All you think about
is being blind.

You happen to be a
perfectly normal person

who just happens not to be
able to see with her eyes.

When are you going to
get on with living?

Get out.

Pitying yourself
won't help.

Blind people are just as good
or as bad as everybody else.

You're not special.

I told you
to get out!

The roast beef
was good.

You'll find
the towels

on the shelf
in the closet.

This is your room as
long as you're here.

You make a mess,
you clean it up.

See you
in the morning.

Walk toward me.

I don't want to.

Do it, Mary.

You can tell where I am
by the sound of my voice.

Don't shuffle!

Think of the people
who will be watching you

and walk with confidence.

Shuffling looks helpless
and sounds awful.

Now walk towards me.

Right. All right.

You see,
it's not so hard.

No.

No, I don't see.

That's the point.

Who cares
about all this?

Who cares about walking
across the room when...

When there's nothing to
see when you get there?

I care...

Because it's my job
to teach you.

If I don't teach you,
I don't get paid.

So you can sulk
if you want to

for about 5 minutes.

Then we are
going to wash up

and see if we can eat
without throwing it.

I'll be right back.

Adam, how's it
going with Mary?

Just fine, sir.
Just fine.

Good.

Adam: All right. You've
done well this week.

Now it's time
to really start work.

Today, you learn
to read.

What?

Mary Ingalls,
today you learn to read.

I told you before,
you can see with your hands.

Thanks
to Louis braille,

we can read
with them.

Move over.

Touch the book
in front of you.

What's that?

Give me your hand.

"And the darkness

"was upon the face
of the deep,

"and the spirit
of god

"moved upon the face
of the waters,

and god said,

letthere
belight."

The 6 dots in this
square are your alphabet.

Every dot
or sequence of dots

represents a letter,

number,
or punctuation.

Remember the square.

This... is an "A."

This is "B."

Now, "C," "D."

Ok. Stop
for a minute.

And what letter
is this?

"C."

Right.

This?

"D."

Excellent. You're
learning fast.

Were you a good
student in school?

Yes. Reading was
my best subject.

It will be again.

Let's go on.

Here's an "E,"

an "F."

Charles!

Charles, a letter
from the school!

Mary is learning
to read!

Afternoon, Jenny.

Hello, Mr. Kendall.

Good afternoon,
lady.

Nice little girl.
One of our best students.

You should hear her
play the piano.

She was blind?

But she said hello
to me.

How did she know
I was here?

Listen to yourself.

All she had to hear was
the sound of your footsteps

and the rustle
of your dress.

I never thought
of that.

Her walk
sounded strange.

That was a crutch.

She has a bad leg.
There was a wagon wreck.

Both her parents
were killed.

And I used to think
nobody suffered but me.

I'll be sure and
recognize her next time.

Right. Only do say hello.

She can't hear you smile.

Hey, Jonathan.

Hey, Charles,
I was just coming out to look for you.

I think I got us
a piece of good news.

I could use
a windfall.

Sam Ballard is looking for somebody
to cut 18 cords of wood for him.

I told him we'd do it.
He's going to pay us $1.00 a cord.

I figure it's not much,
but every little bit helps.

That sounds good to me.

Charles! Letter
from Mary. Look.

Take a look at
that writing, huh?

Why, it's straight
as a ruler.

That's the way
she does it.

They taught her
to do it with a ruler.

She can come home.

Oh, Charles.

Oh, she's
coming home!

Hey, Jonathan,
can the girls stay at your place?

Of course they can.

All right. Well,
let's get to cutting that wood.

We're going to need
the $9.00 for the trip.

Oh, Charles,
I can't wait.

I can't believe
she's coming home.

Ohh!

Come on.
Let's get to work.

Ok.

I'll see you
at home.

Ok.

Jenny, you play
so well.

Thank you, Mary.

Better go now.
I've got to help with the baking.

All right.

I've always
loved music.

I could sit
and listen for hours

to my pa
play the fiddle.

Do you play
any instruments?

Me? No.

I never learned.

Would you like to?

I'm not the best teacher,
but Jenny's got to do the baking.

I could never learn.

I wish you'd
forget about that.

Some of the greatest writers and
composers in the world were blind.

Have you ever heard
of John Milton?

Well, of course.
He... he wrote paradise lost,

one of my
favorite books.

Well, he was
also blind.

Now, do you want to
play the piano or not?

There wouldn't be
enough time.

You know my family's
coming to take me home.

They'll be here
in a few days.

It's been a long time,
hasn't it,

since you've
seen your folks?

It seems like
a lifetime.

Adam, I'm so scared.

I mean...

I know I'm ready
to go home...

But here,
it's... It's easy,

and I've always
got you to help me.

Mary, you can't
depend on me forever.

And I'll
be leaving, too.

Where are you going?

To winoka,
in Dakota territory,

to start a new
blind school.

Why didn't you
tell me?

I don't know.

It just never
came up.

Then I'm glad
I'm going home.

Mary, it's not that much
different out there.

Not really.

Yes, it is.

I wouldn't expect you
to understand.

How could you?

Mary...

The world
isn't like the...

The Burton school
for the blind. It...

It's a huge,
dark place

filled with...

Hidden obstacles
and...

Strange sounds
and voices

coming from
faceless people.

Even you.

I've never even
seen you.

Well, then look at me.

What color
are your eyes?

Blue.

Your hair?

Brown.

Thank you, Adam.

What do you
look like, Mary?

I've never seen you
either.

Mary.

Ma!

Mary! Oh.

Oh, ma. I love you.

I never thought
you'd be able to come.

The garveys are taking
care of the girls.

Oh, how we've
missed you.

Oh, I've
missed you.

Hey, what about me?

Oh, pa!

Hiya, baby.

Adam?

Meet my ma and pa.

This is Adam Kendall,

the most wonderful teacher
in the world.

Good to meet you,
Mr. Ingalls.

Pleasure meeting
you, Mr. Kendall.

Mrs. Ingalls.

Mr. Kendall, hello.

Please, it's Adam.

Come on. I want
to show you my room.

I'll lead the way.
You could get lost around here.

I made a big lunch
for later.

I hope
you're hungry.

There's no more ice,
but it still feels cold.

Here you go.

Thank you.

Anybody ready
for dessert?

Mm-hmm. I am.

I'd love to,
but I've got a class.

I'll see you folks
before you leave.

Good-bye.

Save me a piece.

I will.

Ma, I know
it's lopsided, but...

My cakes were
always lopsided.

Well, you've been here
a whole day.

What do you think?

It's as if this whole thing
had never happened.

It's like
we'll be going home,

and nothing
will have changed.

Things do change,
though.

That's what I wanted
to talk to you about.

Sure, darlin'.
What is it?

First of all, I...

I want to thank you
for sending me here.

If I hadn't come
to this school, I...

I'd probably still be
sitting in the darkness

feeling sorry
for myself,

and I never
would have met Adam.

He saved my life.

We all owe him
a lot.

He helped me,
and now I'm going to help him.

Adam's going to winoka,
Dakota, to open a blind school.

He's asked me
to come there and teach.

It's what I want to do.

It's a chance to do for
others what Adam did for me.

Ma... I'll be a teacher,

just as we
always planned.

He'll be leaving
the first of the week.

He'd like me to get there
as soon as I can.

I thought I could go back
with you and see everybody

and get my things
together.

Hey.

Ma...

Ma, don't cry.

I was hoping
you'd understand.

Oh, I do.

It's just...

A teacher...

It's a dream
I made myself forget.

Now it's coming true.

Oh, ma.

Caroline:
Oh, my baby.

Hey, will you two stop
all that hugging

and cut this
lopsided cake?

We'll see you both
tomorrow morning.

See you then.

Ohh.

Hey, come on, now.
Take it easy.

Oh, I just can't help it.
I'm so happy.

I know.

Driver, colla hotel,
please.

Come on. Make up
your mind, Ingalls.

Dadburn it. Why not?

Caroline?

Mm-hmm?

Honey, come on.
Wake up.

Charles,
what's wrong?

Nothing.
We have to talk.

Or I have to talk.
Now listen.

We... we know
the railroad's got us.

I mean, there isn't a farmer in
walnut grove that's going to make it

until this thing is settled
with the grange.

The mill's closed.
The bank's closed.

Rumor has it that the
mercantile's going to close.

Well, Charles,
we've been through hard times before.

I know that, but I have to have a job.
I have to work.

There aren't going to be
any jobs in walnut grove.

There will be
in a town like winoka.

What?

I know it isn't
going to be easy,

but we said that when we
left Wisconsin and Kansas,

but we knew we had to
do it and we did it,

and things
turned out all right.

But, Charles,
to sell the farm?

Oh, Caroline, I couldn't sell the
farm, not the way things are.

There isn't a man in his
right mind that would buy it.

But then we'll be going to
a new town with no money

and not certain that
you could get a job.

There's always a job for a
man who's willing to work.

At least we'd be together.
We'd be a family.

We'd have a chance.

But the city.
You hate the city.

Well, no, I wouldn't. I wouldn't hate
it, not if we were together.

I swear to you
I wouldn't.

Well...

What do you say?

I say it's crazy.

I say together we don't
have enough brains

to blow ourselves
up with,

and I say,
let's do it.

Come on.
Let's tell Mary.

Well, of course
we'll tell Mary.

No, I mean right now.
Let's tell her now.

Charles,
it's the middle of the night.

So what?

And it's raining.

Then we'll get wet.
Come on. Get dressed.

Ok!

Driver,
just wait for us.

Mr. Ingalls.
Is something wrong?

No, everything is just fine.
Just fine, Mr. Nash.

Hey, we didn't pick too good a
day to ride in an open coach.

Adam, we'll see you
in about a month.

I'm looking forward
to it, sir.

Same here.
You ready, darling?

Just about.

Charles...
Oh.

We'll wait for you
in the coach.

All right.

I miss you already.

A month never seemed
so long before.

I know.

I'm really excited
about the new school...

And you.

You know, it's...

It's hard to believe
the way things change.

I hated it
when I came here.

Then I never wanted
to leave here.

Now it's just
a whole new life.

I want to hold your face in my
heart, Adam Kendall.

I'll be waving
as you drive away.

Ready, pa.

See you soon,
Adam.

Step up.

That's it.

Next one's
a big one.

There.

Take care
of yourself, Adam.

Charles! Mary!
I heard you were back.

Yeah, not for long, nels.

Yeah, I heard
that, too.

Mary,
how are you feeling?

Just fine,
Mr. Oleson.

How soon are you
leaving, Charles?

We're going to go
in about a week.

Just selling off a few of
the things I have left.

That's why I came
to see you.

I've got a cow and a
couple of good calves.

Charles, come here.
Take a look.

I'm packing up
all this merchandise

to sell
to a wholesaler.

I'm not gonna get half
what I paid for it.

I'm sorry
to hear that.

Mrs. Simms: Mary?

Mrs. Simms.

I, uh... I was out
at your house,

and your mother told
me you were here.

Did ma tell you?

Yes!

My prize pupil's
going to teach.

Laura told us about the
school having to close.

Well,
I wanted to stay,

but my husband just
can't make a living here.

I don't think
anybody can.

Well, we're going
to leave at sunup.

Mary... I want you
to have this.

It's a cameo.

It was given to me
by my first teacher.

And...

Well, I've watched
you grow up...

And I'm going to
miss you.

I'm going to miss
all of you.

We'll miss you, too.

Charles: Hey, that's it.
Hold that finger.

Say, she's really
getting a muscle.

You need some help, Mary?

Pa...

Sorry.

What you gonna do?

I'm going to write
a letter to Adam

so he'll know
when to expect us.

With that?

Sure. It's
a braille writer.

Why don't you just write regular?
It's a lot quicker.

Because then somebody'd
have to read it to him.

So?

Caroline: Laura.

Maybe it's
a private letter.

Oh, yeah.

I sure felt sorry
for Mrs. Simms today.

I know how she must
feel, having to leave.

The whole town
feels that way.

We just don't have
any choice anymore.

Pa, are we going to
church tomorrow?

I was hoping to.
Do you want to?

We can do our praying
right here if you'd rather.

No. No,
I want to go.

It'll be our last
chance to say good-bye.

All right, then we go.

Many of our friends
aren't with us here today.

Many others of you
will be leaving soon.

I've grown to love
this church...

And the people
of this town, too.

I spent last night...

Thinking about the sermon...

What I'd say...

And I found myself angry...

Angry and confused.

I questioned the lord.

Why?

Why would he allow this
to happen to his flock?

Why should men of greed

be allowed to do this

to men of good faith?

I had no answer.

But I remembered a talk...

That I had one night
in this church with one of you.

He had no answers, either.

The sight was being taken away
from his child

for some unexplained reason,

and I told him...

That his daughter was chosen
for some very special purpose.

And I had no idea
what it was.

Mary Ingalls is going to be
leaving us very soon.

She's going to teach

in a school for the blind...

To help other blind children.

So now we know what purpose
god had in mind.

I spoke to Mary
this morning...

And she asked if she could
lead the congregation in prayer

on her last day with us.

I've spent 4 years of my life
in this room,

in school and at service.

They have been years
of laughter and joy and...

And sometimes sadness.

Like many of you,

I'll miss it
a great deal, but...

We'll all be
together again someday

in god's house.

I know I'll see you then.

Psalm 15.

"Lord, who shall abide
in thy tabernacle?

"Who shall dwell
in thy holy hill?

"He that walketh uprightedly

"and worketh righteousness

"and speaketh the truth
in his heart.

"He that backbiteth not
with his tongue,

"nor doeth evil
to his neighbor,

"nor taketh up reproach
against his neighbor.

"In whose eyes a vile person
is condemned,

"but he honoreth them
that fear the lord.

"He that sweareth to his
own hurt and changeth not,

"he that putteth not out
his money to usury,

"nor taketh reward
against the innocent.

He that doeth these things
shall never be moved."

May god go with you all.