The Waltons (1971–1981): Season 4, Episode 16 - The Secret - full transcript

JOHN-BOY: There comes
a time in a young man's life,

when he begins to wonder how
he fits into the world around him.

When that time came
for my brother Jim-Bob,

it brought the unfolding
of a long-kept secret.

BEN: Hey, Jim-Bob.

ERIN: I can't believe it.

Ever since Grandpa made him
that yo-yo, it's all he's been doing.

I think it's grown
onto his fingers.

(BOTH LAUGHS)

Well, Mrs. Fordwick had to take
it away from him at school today.

I know.



Stop teasing him.

He has to practice
for The Yo-Yo King.

Well, I don't know
who The Yo-Yo King is,

but as far as I'm concerned,
Jim-Bob's king of the yo-yos!

(BOTH LAUGHS)

You think you're so
smart, Ben Walton.

Well, I don't know how to
explain him to my friends.

It's embarrassing.

I don't know. I just tell
them that he's no kin to me.

Well, he doesn't
belong to me, either.

Jim-Bob belongs to all
of us. He's our brother.

I wonder about that.

What if Mama found
him under a cabbage leaf?

Maybe he was left
by some gypsies.



Why not? You know, a lot of
them did pass through here.

Tell us our fortunes, Jim-Bob.

Dance for us, Jim-Bob.

I'll go jump in the lake.

Watch out! He may
cast a spell on us!

Jim-Bob couldn't be a gypsy.
He doesn't even look like one.

He doesn't look
like a Walton, either.

Jim-Bob, wouldn't it be exciting

if gypsies or somebody
did leave you?

Just like in the
book I'm reading.

Forget it, Elizabeth.

It was about a girl
named Daphne.

She was abandoned.

Elizabeth.

Her parents were
too poor to keep her,

so they left her on the beach.

Look, I don't want to hear
any more of your dumb story.

Then a lighthouse keeper found
her just before the tide came in.

Jim-Bob, don't you
want to be a gypsy?

Right now, all I want
to be is an only child.

Hey! Maybe you are!

Yeah, that's fine.

Wish we could afford
to buy new curtains.

Well, they don't look
like they shrunk any.

We've washed the
shrink right out of them.

Elizabeth, that door's only
got so many slams in it,

and you've used up most of them.

Sorry, Mama.
OLIVIA: Chores done?

All except for
gathering the eggs.

Mama, if you and Daddy
were too poor to keep me,

who would you abandon me to?

(CHUCKLES)

Mrs. Fordwick, I suppose.

Why her?

Well, you'd be brought up
in a good Christian home.

She'd see that you get
to be a proper young lady.

I'd rather be
abandoned to a circus.

Good Lord, where did she
ever get an idea like that?

(DOOR SLAMS)

I guess I ought to be stricter
with Elizabeth. And Jim-Bob, too.

He's driving everybody
crazy with that yo-yo.

Well, they're the
last of your babies.

Nobody can blame you for...

Well, for making them special.

(CLEARS THROAT)

ERIN: See, Mary
Ellen, just look at him.

MARY ELLEN: What's
he doing up there?

Ben and Erin were teasing him.

Mary Ellen, do you think
Jim-Bob was abandoned?

Oh, yeah. He was
left on the doorstep.

Where do you think
we got the basket?

Ready to go, John-Boy?

Yeah. There's nothing
more I can do with this mess.

You sure got a lot of junk.

Yeah, well, don't
complain about it.

Some of this junk
is yours. My junk?

Yeah. Here's this essay that you
asked me to write for Mrs. Breckenridge.

You wrote it?

Well, that's what
you wanted me to do.

What did you think I
was gonna do with it?

That's great. Thank you.

This is really good.

You did it so fast and it's so
professional. I don't know how you do it.

Just a garden-variety genius.

(CHUCKLES)

Well, when Mrs. Breckenridge reads this
to the ladies at the Historical Society,

they're gonna be bowled over.

Of course. Come on, let's go.

JOHN-BOY: Do you
remember those days

when we actually
hated going to school?

JASON: (CHUCKLING) Sure do.

In spring. The first warm days.

That time we decided to cross
the creek without using the bridge.

Like Tarzan
swinging from a tree.

I will never forget
the teacher's face

when we walked in dripping
wet all over the place.

You sure looked funny.

Yeah, you should've
seen yourself.

We had fun, though. Uh-huh.

You gonna put all that
stuff into your novel?

Every bit of it.

It's gonna be
something, you know.

When it finally gets published

and we're all reading
about ourselves.

You'd probably come
after me with a stick.

Probably.

I can just see the
whole family now

chasing old John-Boy
down the road.

Well, a big laugh for you, sure,

but, uh, for me it might
not be so much fun.

Hey, I still gotta get this essay
over to Mrs. Breckenridge.

Think we got time to stop?

Well, I'm late, but, yeah,
we'll take it over there. Okay.

Great.

This looks lovely, Jason.

You will thank John-Boy
on behalf of all the ladies

in the Historical
Society, won't you?

Oh, yes, ma'am.
Surely. He enjoyed it.

Well, perhaps he'll
do another one for us.

(CAR HORN BLARING)

You see, Professor
Breckenridge was enchanted

with the early settlers
on the Rockfish River.

He was born and he was buried
at, uh, Crabtree Falls, you know.

Here are all his notes.

If John-Boy could sort
of weave them together.

Well, I don't know, ma'am.

You see, he's been
awfully busy lately and...

Well, I'll ask him.

Th-There's no hurry.

There would be ample
time if I had it by Saturday.

Saturday. All right.

Oh, uh... Is your
music going well?

Oh, yes, ma'am.
Just fine. Thank you.

Oh, I'm so proud of you, Jason.

The scholarship
at the conservatory

couldn't have gone to a more
deserving and talented young man.

Well, I'm mighty grateful
to you, Mrs. Breckenridge.

I expect a front row
seat at your first concert.

Well, I'd surely
want you to be there.

(CAR HORN BLARING)

I really have to hurry. John-Boy
is in the car waiting for me.

By the way,

I wonder if... if John-Boy
has carbon paper.

I reckon so. Why?

Oh, well, it would
be so convenient

if the essay on
the early settlers

could be done with three copies.

One for me, one for the
library, and one for the file.

All right. Three copies it is.

You're a dear boy, Jason.

Bye-bye. Bye-bye.

Elizabeth, I'm in the bathroom.

I know. But you're
just washing up.

Will you quit staring at me?

I was just noticing, you
even look like Skeezix.

Skeezix?

You know, in the funny papers.

Uncle Walt found him on
the front porch in a basket.

JIM-BOB: So?

Well, Mary Ellen says
that's where they found you.

In the egg basket.

Well, she was just kidding you.

Well, you sure don't
look like the rest of us.

Your eyes are different
and so is your hair.

Well, that doesn't
mean anything.

And you got nobody's nose.

Of course not. It's my nose.

GRANDMA: Elizabeth! Jim-Bob!

Elizabeth, now, when I
sent you after your brother,

I didn't mean for
you to disappear.

Now, hurry up, you two.
Supper's on the table.

Grandma, was Jim-Bob
left on the doorstep?

Now, what kind of
a question is that?

Mary Ellen said I was.

Jim-Bob, now, wouldn't
your mama's feelings be hurt

if she... if she knew that
you believed such nonsense?

At your age, too. Come
on, everybody's waiting.

Well, whose nose does he have?

You see, that proves it.

They wouldn't admit
it to Daphne, either.

You just can't ask grownups.

MARY ELLEN:
Let's get out of here!

(ALL YELLING) Let's get out...

BEN: I'm gonna beat you!

Jason! Jason!

You got yourself a
late passenger, huh?

Yes, I certainly do.

Whoever said that professors were
absent-minded never lived with a musician.

We got it. Just
don't get in a dither.

Grandpa, I've got a
week's worth of work.

I've got two days to do it in.

I got deadlines I'll never make.

Deadline. Well, at least
you won't get yourself shot.

What? Deadline.

That's what it used to mean
before you writing fellas took over.

There's a line drawn
outside of a military prison.

Anyone who stepped
across that line got shot, dead.

Well, it's not that bad,
but it seems like it.

Are you ready? Yeah.

You sure you didn't forget
something like the piano maybe?

(CHUCKLES)

We'll see you later,
Grandpa. Yeah.

Hop in, son. We gotta move.

Jim-Bob?

Thanks, Mama. Getting
too grownup for a kiss?

Bye, Mama. Have a
good day at school.

That boy seems
more quiet than usual.

Yeah. He's a deep one.

I'm just never sure
what he's thinking lately.

Airplanes, trading
cards, that fool yo-yo.

Yeah, I suppose.

Surprise!

What are you doing here?

Waiting for you.

Why didn't you come
with the rest of us?

Didn't feel like it.

Are you still mad
at Ben and Erin

for saying that you were
brought here by gypsies?

Well, I kind of forgot about it.

If I thought I was left on a
doorstep, I wouldn't forget about it.

I'd probably look for clues
like Daphne did in my book.

Elizabeth, don't
start that again.

(SIGHS)

What kind of clues?

Oh, old letters.

My picture in the family album.

Hers wasn't in it.

Well, I'm in ours. Come on.
We're gonna be late for school.

Wait up!

Jim-Bob.

Well, Son, you get the
notion that a pair of ladies

are trying to force
us back to work?

Now this is the quickest
midday meal we ever had.

Pa, did we eat? Hush, you two.

Livie and I have to cut out

some baby things for
Rosemary Fordwick.

And this table
has to be spotless.

Right, Ma.

Sorry to rush you, John, but
I've been putting it off for too long.

They had their baby already?

No. But Rosemary's
getting everything ready,

and I promised I'd do
some sewing for her.

I smell a sewing
spell coming on.

We'd better stage a retreat.

Once Livie gets that
sewing look in her left eyeball,

she's like a high-stepping
mare heading for the barn.

A mare!

Well, a thing of
joy, beauty to behold

but don't get in my way!

You don't know the
first thing about sewing.

Now go on. Go on.

All right, Pa. Let's go to work.

Yeah, we can work
on the furniture tonight.

We're not gonna get
anything out of those two.

Like father, like son.

And two like those is
about all anybody can take.

I took a vote today
during recess.

I asked everybody if they thought
that you looked like a Walton.

Do you want to
know what they said?

No, I don't.

Well, only two says you do.

That new girl who wears
glasses and Mary Ellen.

Elizabeth, this is dumb.

Four said you don't.

Jenny Marie says you look like her
cousin Norbert who lives in Richmond.

Bumper... She's
always talking about him.

Bumper O'Donnell says
you look like a dill pickle.

Well, who cares what he thinks?

Rowena says you
look like Nelson Eddy.

Nelson Eddy?

I think she likes you.

Don't you ever tell
that to anybody! Never!

Okay, well, that
makes two to seven.

Somebody didn't vote.

I didn't have time to ask
everybody. The bell rang.

I'll ask them tomorrow.

Forget it, Elizabeth.
Just forget it!

(BIRDS TWITTERING)

(YIPPING)

Hi, Jim-Bob.

JIM-BOB: Hi, Grandpa.

Hey, pot of gold.

For a boy who did nothing but
play with his yo-yo yesterday,

you're having a nice
change of pace, hmm?

I'm gonna buy a new one
from The Yo-Yo King tomorrow.

The one I made for you
wasn't good enough, huh?

Well, I have to buy one
to enter the contest. Oh.

That figures. Nothing's
free these days.

Glad to see you're reading.
Learn a poem everyday.

Well, that's the family
photograph album, huh?

Well, I was looking at some
pictures when we were little.

There you are. You didn't
have much hair on your head,

but you were cute as a
button everywhere else.

Are all the family
pictures in here?

As far as I know, yeah.

It seems like some
of them are missing.

Well, your grandma was always
mooning over the photographs.

Here, press this one for her.

No, I... I think
they're all there.

I just wouldn't know, Jim-Bob.

Mary Ellen. Mary Ellen.

Mary Ellen. Ben.

You see, there aren't
many pictures of you in here.

Well, that doesn't
prove anything.

It did for Daphne.

I'm gonna go look
somewhere else.

Look for what?

Your missing pictures.

Elizabeth.

JOHN: Pa, I'd rather
send you out here.

It hasn't got any
handles in there.

Looks to me... Well, now...

It's the same way it will
save us some money.

Yellow poplar...
Run it straight down.

JOHN: Straight
down here, we got it.

I mean, I've already written
one essay for Mrs. Breckenridge.

I like her and everything.
She's a nice lady.

But she must think I have
nothing else in the world to do.

Well, I reckon she liked
the first one you did so much,

that it just made her head spin.

Well, Jason, how
can I stop everything

and write an essay on
the Rockfish settlers?

I mean, look at
that desk over there.

Look how much
stuff I've got to do.

JASON: Yeah. You
are up to your neck.

Up to my neck? I'm over my head.

Well, it's all my fault.

I... I never should've told her that
you'd do it without asking you first.

That's true.

I guess she'll just have
to get someone else.

Well, that's the trouble. She
doesn't want anybody else to do it.

I'm sorry, Jason.

Well, I can't say
that I blame her.

I mean, you have a
way of saying things

about this country
and the people that...

Well, it just makes
them come to life.

I appreciate that. Thank you.

I really wish I could help you.

Well, I guess it was a dumb
idea me asking her anyway.

Reckon it was just
because I could never write

and I was proud of
my brother who can.

Just have to go back and
tell her she's out of luck.

Well, Jason, wait a minute.

I can write the thing for you.

No. Y-You don't have time.

No, I'll make time.
I can make time.

Well, that sure takes
a load off my mind.

And I want you to know
that there's no hurry,

just as long as it's
done by Saturday.

Which Saturday? This Saturday?

Yeah.

And... And if it is
not too much trouble

and if you have
some carbon paper,

Mrs. Breckenridge
would like three copies.

Thanks a million.

(DOOR SLAMS)

Look, Jim-Bob, I found
a bunch of old snapshots.

Come on. Help.

We'll have to use Virginia
pine here for the side pieces.

Good idea, Pa.

(CREAKING)

Or yellow poplar.

What's going on upstairs?

It's late and they're
still milling around.

I'll go take a look, Ma.

I'd go myself, but the... the iron's
just right and I hate it to cool down.

Well, they should be
getting ready for bed.

I'll tell them, Ma.

I wish somebody'd
tell me to go to bed.

Go to bed.

You gonna tuck me in, Esther?

Don't I always?

What's going on up here?

Oh, we're just looking
for some pictures.

What brought this on?

Well, you know, there aren't many
of Jim-Bob in the album downstairs.

Is that so? Are there
many of you, honey?

I guess there aren't.
How come, Daddy?

There are lots of pictures
of John-Boy and the others.

I guess with the
first few children

we had more time for
pictures and things like that.

We should have been born sooner.

I wish we'd taken more
pictures of all our children.

Except for you two.

You both are so ugly you'll
probably break the camera.

Daddy.

ELIZABETH: Well,
can we go downstairs

and paste them in the album now?

You can paste them in the
album, but not now. It's bedtime.

Please, Daddy. Come on, scoot.

Let's go, Son.

Jim-Bob. Good night.

Good night, Daddy.

OLIVIA: Wherever
did this come from?

JOHN: Jim-Bob and Elizabeth
found those up the attic tonight.

It's hard to believe
Jim-Bob was ever this small.

Yeah, he's grown six
inches this year alone.

Now he's got a voice like a man.

Grandpa says he was looking
in the album this afternoon.

All the children do that
from time to time, Liv.

The others have,
but never Jim-Bob.

He's been so quiet.

Now, Liv, don't
let it upset you.

Tomorrow, he'll be playing with
his airplanes and his yo-yo again.

Liv?

Liv.

Come on. Let's get some sleep.

Come on. Come on, give me a hug.

All right. Make the
yo-yo loop once around.

CHILDREN: All right!

All right. Now you
want to see it sleep.

All right, here we go.
Just going to sleep.

There he is. Wake
up. Now. (CHEERING)

YO-YO KING: Now, we're
gonna take the dog for a walk.

Okay, walk the
dog. There he goes.

Okay. Now I'm gonna
show you another one.

In case you get hungry, a
yo-yo is always good for eating.

Watch. This is called spaghetti.

(SLURPS)

Okay, now we're gonna take
the baby and put him in the cradle.

And there's the
baby in his cradle.

Now, this one's really
tough. Watch this one close.

This one is called a handcuff.

Throw it down and you get it right
in your hand and they take you away.

That's it.

All right, kids, so all you have
to do is practice. That's good.

Jim-Bob, I wanna
go get some gum.

Pretty good. All
right, now tomorrow,

we're gonna have a big
yo-yo contest right here.

Every one of you
can win a prize.

Some kind of a prize.
Don't worry about it.

All you have to do is buy a
genuine professional yo-yo.

Step right up. Get your yo-yo.

Come on, kids. Easy now.

Okay, which kind do you want?

You want this one? Okay.

Put your money right here.

You want a red one?

Little girl, there's
one red one left.

Elizabeth, gum is gum.

Uh-huh, Ike, but there are gumdrops,
and bubblegum, and stick gum,

and peppermint
gum, and licorice gum.

I know that, but, uh, why don't
you chew them all at once?

(CHILDREN CHATTERING)

ELIZABETH: I only have a nickel,
but I'd try it if you give it to me.

Jim-Bob, hey, how is that
new yo-yo working out?

Well, it's not as good as the
one grandpa made for me.

I don't know. The
Yo-Yo King says

that's about the best
yo-yo made in the world.

They should've made it out of
good Virginia pine like grandpa did.

Well, don't you worry about it.

It'll work out.
You'll get used to it.

Besides, it's not that serious.

It's not that, Ike.

He's mad at me because
of a vote I'm taking at school.

JIM-BOB: Come on,
Elizabeth, hurry up.

Okay, I'll take this and this.

Those are excellent choices.

What, uh, what
vote are you taking?

To see whether or not
he looks like a Walton.

You mean, you need to
take a vote to tell you that?

You see, he thinks
he was abandoned.

I do not.

Oh, child, what kind
of nonsense is that?

You know, left on the doorstep.

Well, you don't have
to worry about that,

'cause I can remember
the very day you were born.

You do? IKE: Mmm-hmm.

Your daddy came
by with all the kids

and took them all over to
Mrs. Brimmer's. What for?

Well, because he was
gonna take your mama

into Charlottesville
to the hospital.

Didn't you know that? No.

Why Charlottesville?

Well, it seems to
me that we were, uh,

we were fresh out
of babies that day,

and, uh, so John and
Olivia went into town

so that they could
shop for one there.

Come on, Ike. Don't
you really know why?

No, Jim-Bob. It's been quite a
while and I don't rightly remember.

Thanks. Yeah.

Bye, kids. Bye.

Jim-Bob certainly is
full of questions. Yeah.

But I think it's just his age.

YO-YO KING: Hurry.

Charlottesville.
Isn't that exciting?

Yeah, you go on home. I
got to see somebody, okay?

Where are my keys? John-Boy,
is that the way you ask?

I'm sorry. Mama, please,
where are my car keys?

I've seen Jason's ocarina
and Elizabeth's coloring book,

and a lipstick Erin doesn't
know I know she's using.

I realize that you
have to clean up

after all the children.
I'm sorry about that.

But could you just
come out and tell me

whether or not
you've seen my keys?

John-Boy, are you
mad at me or something,

or do I just happen to be handy?

No, I am not angry with you.

Just angry. Why?

Because I've got too many
things going at the same time.

More things than
I can possibly do.

I'm doing this for this person,

I'm doing that for that person.

Everybody's pulling me
in a different direction.

I don't know what
to do about it.

Did it ever occur
to you to say no?

Your keys are on the, uh, rail of
the front porch where you left them.

Thank you.

Well, I don't know
how they got here.

Hey, John-Boy. Wait.

Your paper on the
Rockfish settlers

sure made a big hit
with Mrs. Breckenridge.

Well, I'm glad she liked it.

Yeah. Not only that,

she liked it so much, she's sending
a copy of it to the library in Richmond.

Oh, really? That's wonderful.

And she's picked
you to write a paper

on the life of
Professor Breckenridge.

What do you mean
she's picked me?

Well, it just shows you
how much she thinks of you.

What did you tell her?
Well, what can I say?

It's such an honor for you.
I couldn't turn her down.

She says you'll record
a notable chapter

in the academic
history of Virginia.

She wouldn't trust
it to anybody else.

She's got all the material and it's
just the kind of thing you're so great at.

Jason, you've been
handing me a lot of soft-soap

about what a good writer I am

just so you can get me to do
these things for Mrs. Breckenridge.

But you are.

Jason, I can't do it. Why not?

Because I have work of my
own that I can't even take care of.

But I promised her. Well, you
shouldn't have promised her.

I know, but I... but
I'm obligated. Why?

Well, the Conservatory. The
scholarship. Wait a minute. Wait a minute.

Jason, she got you that
scholarship because you have talent,

because you deserved it, not
because she wanted anything from you.

You're not beholden
to her because of that.

Well, I guess so.

What am I gonna say to
her? Be honest with her.

Tell her I'm very sorry but I'm
too busy and I can't possibly do it.

I don't know. Maybe she ought
to write the life of the Professor.

She probably knew him
better than anybody else did.

All right. That's what I'll do.

I gotta go.

MAN ON RADIO: the
old gentleman signals.

Well, be sure to be listening
tomorrow to Backstage Wife,

the story of Mary Noble
and her husband Larry Noble.

(KNOCKING)

Oh, Jim-Bob! Come on in.

All right. Come on.

Mary Noble and I were
just having a good cry.

Those soap opera people
do have a hard time of it.

How come you listen to it?

Because there's nothing like
a good cry to cheer a body up.

As a matter of fact, you look
like you need some cheering up.

Here, sit down. Have a cookie.

Oatmeal, applesauce.

Just feel around in there
and get what you want.

No, thanks, Mrs. Brimmer.

Don't you want to grow up and be
a strapping man like your grandpa?

Maybe just one.

(CHUCKLING) Well, that's better.

You know, I remember when
John-Boy used to come by for cookies.

And now, look at you.
You're all grown up, too.

Mrs. Brimmer, do you
remember when I was born?

I sure do.

John-Boy and all the others
came over to stay here.

Even Ben and Erin had tonsillitis
at the time. They came, too.

Why didn't Grandma and
Grandpa take care of them?

Well, now, as I recall,
your grandpa had influenza,

and your grandma was
busy with your mama.

It was your daddy that
brought them over here

and they stayed the whole night.

My, Mr. Brimmer did
enjoy those children.

That Mary Ellen used to
put her hand on her little hip

and say "Hello, hello, hello!"

It was so cute.

Mrs. Brimmer, Ike says Mama
went to Charlottesville for me.

Why wasn't I born at home?

Well, um, your mama
had a little trouble

and they had to take
her to the hospital.

How come nobody
ever talks about it?

Perhaps there's no need for it.

What's the difference where you
were born as long as you're here?

Come on. Have another cookie.

No, thanks, Mrs. Brimmer.

(KNOCKING AT DOOR)

Oh, come in, Jason. Thank you.

May I fix you some tea?

Oh, yes. Thank you.
That would be very nice.

Good.

Sit down, Jason. I'll
just get another cup.

Here we are. Thank you.

Uh, I hope you told John-Boy
how delighted we all were

with his lovely paper
on the early settlers.

Thank you. Yes, ma'am, I did.

Good.

I'm so looking
forward to showing him

all the letters and records
in the Professor's file.

You see, the life
of the Professor

was crowded with...
with people and events,

just the sort of thing that
John-Boy writes about so beautifully.

(SIGHING)

Well, Mrs. Breckenridge, that's
what I wanted to talk to you about.

Uh, John-Boy and I
were... were wondering

if maybe you
shouldn't be the one

to write about the
Professor's life.

Me? Oh, good gracious,
no! I'm not a writer.

No, Jason, that's
John-Boy's field.

I... I wouldn't think of
taking it away from him.

Well, I really don't think
he would mind that much.

Oh.

Well, uh...

Does John-Boy not want to do it?

Well...

We... We just thought that
it would be more personal

if you wrote it.

Uh, you knew the Professor
better than anyone else.

I wouldn't know where to begin.

Well, you just...
just put it down

the way you told me about him.

Now, those stories about
your husband were wonderful.

And the thing that
made them special

was the way you put
the words together.

Not even John-Boy could
come close to the way you do it.

I'd never thought about it.

Talking is one
thing, but writing...

Think how much more it would
mean to your friends coming from you.

I know we'd be
proud to have a copy.

Jason, I'm gonna think about it.

I'm really going
to think about it.

(GIGGLING)

Hey, what are you
doing out here?

Nothing.

That's pretty much
what I've been doing.

No, you're writing.

Thinking, mostly.

What's going on with you?

Nothing.

Are you sure about that? Yeah.

Jim-Bob, what's on your mind?

You won't laugh? Of
course I won't laugh.

I don't think I'm a Walton.

What?

I don't think I'm born a Walton.

What makes you say
something like that?

I don't look like a Walton.

Oh, you don't
look like a Walton.

Do I look like a Walton? Huh?

I don't know. I always thought
you and me looked a lot alike.

Anyway, what about your mama?

She wasn't a Walton before
she married your daddy.

If you look at it, every one of
us, we're a little bit different.

I guess you're right.

I sure hope that settles that.

Ike says Mama went to
Charlottesville when I was born.

Mmm-hmm.

Me and the rest of the children
stayed over at Mrs. Brimmer's.

I went over there today and she wouldn't
tell me why they went to Charlottesville.

Why don't you ask your
mama about it, Jim-Bob?

Well, if I am a Walton,
I'd feel stupid if I asked.

It might make them feel bad.

And what?

Suppose it's true, John-Boy.
I couldn't stand that.

You are a Walton, Jim-Bob!

Is there someplace
where it's written down?

Well, of course, there's some
place where it's written down.

Come on. Where are we going?

The County Courthouse. They'll
have it on record down there.

Here it is, right there. January
13, 1923, the day you were born.

Michael Paul Allister, boy.

It's A, B, C...

There you are. Right there.
James Robert Walton, boy.

JIM-BOB: There's another name.

Hmm?

Joseph Zebulon
Walton, died at birth.

What does it mean, John-Boy?

I don't know.

It means I had a twin
brother, doesn't it?

Um... It could have
been another family.

Uh, excuse me, sir.
Thank you. We're finished.

Jim-Bob.

I swear to you. I didn't
know anything about this.

How come they never told me?

I don't know.

Here you go, sweetie pie.

Afternoon, Corabeth, Ike.

Good afternoon, Esther.

Good to see you, Esther.
What brings you here?

Well, a pile of shirts
that need mending.

I'm down to my last
couple of buttons.

How many do you need?

Oh, a dozen ought
to hold me for a while.

And... And a dozen of
those little baby buttons.

You know, we don't see
you very often anymore.

How come you didn't
send one of the kids over?

Now we... 30 cents, Esther.

Uh, will that be
all? Yes, thank you.

Livie sent Jim-Bob
in here the other day

for a spool of green thread
and some coffee beans.

Well, he was gone a whole hour

and he came home with
a pound of green beans.

(CHUCKLING)

Well, I think we can understand
why a boy of Jim-Bob's age

would have a spell
of absentmindedness.

It could be a little
more than that.

Elizabeth told us he seems to
have some notion he's a foundling.

A foundling? Now,
that's the second...

I... I think that, that was just,
uh, Elizabeth's idea of a joke.

I don't know. He seemed to
me to be awfully interested in

where he came from.

I mean, have you
explained to him...

Well, you know,
about... About what?

Well, boys of that
age begin to be curious

in regard to certain things.

I mean, why else
would he be wondering

about the details of his birth?

Corabeth, I... I think
that Esther's in a hurry.

John and Livie don't beat
around the bush with their children.

They come right...

Unless that boy was asking
for other reasons that...

IKE: Esther, have
you heard the story

about the, uh, the
traveling button salesman

that wrote all his
business on his cuff!

I'll tell you, Esther, a good
tonic wouldn't hurt that boy.

Thank you, Corabeth.

(DOORBELL JINGLING)

Esther! Esther Walton?

I... I need a word with you.

Hello, Flossie, but
I'm in sort of a hurry.

This won't take but a minute.

This won't take but a minute.

I think you should
know that, well,

Jim-Bob dropped
by after school today.

He was asking some
troubling questions.

What kind of questions?

About the time he was born.

It's all right,
Flossie. It's all right.

He'll get his answers.

John?

Hi, Ma. What's for supper?

You're gonna have some hungry
men on your hands pretty soon.

It'll be on the table
at the usual time.

Now, will you hold up with
what you're doing, please?

Go ahead, Ma, I'm listening.

Now, would you
pay attention to me?

Ma, I can pay attention
while I'm working.

John, it's time you
and Livie told Jim-Bob

what happened the
night he was born.

What brought this on, Ma?

Well, he's asking questions.

He... He's worried and... and
he's going to keep asking questions

till he gets some answers.

And I think the answers
should come from you.

You haven't said anything
to Livie about this, have you?

Of course not.

All right, Ma. I'll
take care of it.

I understand how you feel.

I sure would have expected
them to tell me about it.

What I can't figure out is why.

I can't answer that.

You think they blame me
'cause my brother died?

Oh, that's crazy.

Are they ashamed of me?

Jim-Bob, you're getting yourself
all mixed up about this thing.

Whatever the reason is
that they haven't told you,

it's not because
they're ashamed of you

or they blame you
or anything like that.

How would you feel?

I don't know.

Probably about the same as you.

John-Boy, I never told
this to anybody before,

but sometimes I wake up at night

and I feel there's
somebody else just like me.

I don't know who he is or where.

Maybe you should've
mentioned that.

I don't know. They think
I'm crazy enough as it is.

Will supper be ready
soon, Grandma?

About as soon as you
can get that table set.

Where's Mama?

She's upstairs trying to
find some baby ribbons.

Well, John-Boy's not here and I
haven't seen Jim-Bob all afternoon.

Maybe the gypsies took him.

Now, you leave Jim-Bob alone,
and you stop that kind of talk.

Mary Ellen, will you, uh, get
our good tablecloth out, please?

I'll help you.

Company coming?

No, I just want the
place to look nice tonight.

What's going on
around here anyway?

How should I know?

They never tell me anything.

GRANDMA: Thank you, Ben.

I don't know why Jim-Bob
couldn't do his own chores.

Well, he didn't, so there's
no sense in complaining.

There's a lot of people around
here that get by with murder!

Hi, Grandpa.

Ah... Incense.

Hmm, what heavenly odor
pervades our humble kitchen?

What's cooking?
Nectar or ambrosia?

What's ambrosia?

Ambrosia's food for the gods.

Makes an ordinary
human immortal.

I suggest you go
wash that mortal face.

(SNIFFS) Go on.

(MOANS) Oh, you big baby.

Daddy?

Son, where you been?

Jim-Bob and I went over
to the Hall of Records.

Is that so? Yeah.

He wanted to see some kind of
written proof he was a real Walton.

You know, so we went over
there and took a look in the book.

I didn't know what to tell him.

I was just as surprised
about it as he was.

I think you got some kind
of a problem on your hands.

He's pretty confused.

Why didn't you ever
tell us about that?

It's not like you.

I know it's not, Son.

It's been bothering
me all these years.

Listen, John-Boy.

That time was so
bad for your mama.

When I first brought her home from
the hospital I wanted to protect her.

So we didn't talk about it.

Over the years it's
somehow gotten easier

not to talk about it, you know?

Even today, I can see a
hurt look come into her eyes,

I know she's thinking
about that time.

It just isn't easy
to talk about.

I understand that.

But I don't know about
that little fella over there.

Son.

Listen, Jim-Bob, I
know you're upset.

I never meant to keep it a big
secret, it just happened that way.

I could have handled it.

I know you could, Son.

You see, the point is, I don't
think your mama could've.

You see,

the doctor wanted her to
go to the hospital back then,

but all your brothers and sisters
were born here in the house

and your mama wanted
you to be born here, too.

It was only toward the last when
we knew there was a real problem

that we rushed her to the
hospital in Charlottesville.

Well, how come he
died and I got to live?

Well, Son, I guess he just wasn't
strong enough and you were.

But you see, your mama
could never accept that.

She kind of blamed herself.

And rather than bring
back all that grief,

we just never talked about it.

I suppose we should
have, but we didn't.

I'll tell you this, though.

Because of what happened, you've
always been especially dear to your mama.

Here they come. Let's eat.

ELIZABETH: It looks
better if you put it here.

It goes here.

Jim-Bob, would you
say grace, please?

We thank you for
the food on the table

and for making today
special in many ways.

Like Mrs. Fordwick didn't
call on me in spelling for once.

I saw an airplane after school.

I think it was a De
Havilland biplane,

but it might have
been just an old Jenny.

Amen. ALL: Amen.

The chicken here's hot. Chicken.

Chicken, chicken, chicken!

Where's the bread? Can you
pass me the bread, Grandma?

JOHN-BOY: The most valuable
truth that all of us learned

when that secret
was finally revealed,

is that belonging to a family
has less to do with being born

than being loved.

And with all the hurts
and fears and wants,

we might remember from
those Depression years,

being loved is what
we remember the best.

ELIZABETH: I told you Jim-Bob
would win the yo-yo contest.

JOHN-BOY: Who are
you talking to, Elizabeth?

Anybody that's still awake.

I think I'm the only one
and I never said he wouldn't.

Well, he did and
he's a real Walton!

Sounds to me like
you're feeling sorry

about trying to
convince him he wasn't.

I told him I was sorry.

So did Ben and
Erin, for teasing him.

Well, then just forget
about it. Good idea.

John-Boy? Yes, Elizabeth?

Do you think I could have
been left by the gypsies?

Red-haired ones?

(CHUCKLING) Good night,
Elizabeth. Good night, John-Boy.