The Waltons (1971–1981): Season 4, Episode 17 - The Fox - full transcript

(BIRDS CHIRPING)

(CLUCKING)

(BARKING)

JOHN-BOY: In the days of my
boyhood on Walton's Mountain,

it was not only home to me

but to the wild animals
roaming the woods.

And though they were not always
welcome guests in our house,

they were reasonably
free and without fear.

Sometimes, though, a threat
to their lives would appear.

Where'd you find that?
BEN: Oh, in the cellar.

(BEN CHUCKLES) Thought
I got rid of that years ago.



What do you plan to do with it?

Well, I'm going
into the fur business.

Oh, yeah? With one trap?

Well, that's how John Jacob Astor
began. And he became a millionaire.

Uh, but he trapped wild things.

What did you think
I'm gonna trap?

Maybe Myrtle there.

(CHUCKLING)

Or this wild thing?

Who's wild? You are.

BEN: Daddy, there's some kind
of animal hanging around here.

Ever seen an animal
trapped in one of those things?

No.

Just suppose you're a muskrat or a
mink and you're out looking for food.



They got small delicate
bones, you know.

JOHN: Just like
them flower stems.

And they see this trap

and they think it's food.
So they reach in and...

I have seen them caught in
these, Son. It's not a pretty sight.

Well, there goes my Fourth
of July firecracker money.

Not necessarily. You ever
thought about a box trap?

Box traps? They're for
kids. They're just play toys.

They got advantages, Son. At
least they don't hurt the animals.

GRANDPA: John. Over here, Pa.

I guess a box trap
would be the best thing.

Maybe you could trap
a rabbit or something.

Not pets. This is business only.

What you got there, Pa?
Oh, here, on this map,

I think there's considerable good
timber left up here in this area.

Oh, yeah. I was thinking
about going over here.

It's level, you get the lumber out
easy and it's ready for harvesting.

Right over here.
That's possible.

Them Virginia pines
always need tending.

How long do you
think it will take you?

I think I can mark enough trees in two
or three days to keep us busy a while.

Oh, I'd sure like to
go up there with you.

It's been more than a while
since I've been up in those parts.

I'd rather have you stay here,
Pa, and keep the mill running.

Besides, you might want to
sneak off to that reunion of yours.

Oh, yes, I would enjoy that.

To see all my old buddies
and retell all the old battle tales.

Where's that, Grandpa?

The veterans of the Spanish-American
War are having a reunion.

Those of us that fought at
the battle of San Juan Hill.

JIM-BOB: You were
there, weren't you?

You know that. Along with Teddy
Roosevelt and the Rough Riders.

One of these days, I'm
gonna buy a store-bought cake,

all frosted and ready to eat.

Them store-bought
cakes look pretty,

but they never put enough
eggs in them for my taste.

(DOOR CLOSED) "Glory
be to God for dappled things

"For skies of couple-color
as a brindled cow

"For rose-moles all in
stipple upon trout that swim"

For fluffy frosting on
an angel's cake. Hmm.

Good.

"Fresh-firecoal
chestnut-falls, finches' wings

"Whatever is fickle,
freckled, who knows how?

"With swift, slow,
sweet, sour, adazzle, dim

"He fathers-forth whose
beauty is past change

"Praise him"

What's got into him?

Summer vacation, I expect.

He's getting more like
his grandpa every day.

Is that so bad?

(JASON PLAYING GUITAR)

Oh, I'm sorry. I
was just practicing.

Oh, don't let me stop you.

You gonna study? Well, not yet.

Do you ever read
Adventure magazine?

Sure. Good action stories. Yeah.

You know how much they pay?

I never really thought about it.

Two cents a word.

For every word?

"They," "you," "are," "is," "and,"
"but," "it," two cents apiece.

"How are you today,
sir?" It's 10 cents.

It's two candy bars.
Or a guitar string.

How do you know they
pay that kind of money?

Writer's Digest.

It tells you how much
these magazines pay,

what kind of stuff
they're looking for,

length of manuscript, where
to submit, all that kind of thing.

I was thinking about writing an
adventure story for these fellas.

Why are you laughing?

Well, you've... you've never
been hunting for lions in Africa

or... or gone sailing down the
Amazon looking for head-hunters.

You never had an adventure.

Well, I wouldn't
say that exactly.

Well, what would you
say exactly? Well, Jason,

when you're a writer, you don't have
to actually experience an adventure

to write about it. Oh.

I mean, look at Stephen Crane.

He wrote some of the best descriptions
of battle in American literature.

He was never in
a war. Oh, I see.

Maybe you could write one called uh,
"How I Shot at a Wild Turkey but Missed."

Or, um, let's see,

"Stalking the Jungles of Walton's
Mountain with a Slingshot and BB Gun."

Why don't you go practice
your guitar in the barn? Huh?

All right, I'm going.

I know when to take a hint.

(IMITATING GUN FIRING)

Go on.

(IMITATING GUN FIRING)

Go on.

(THUMPING)

Radio's on the blink.

Well, what's wrong with it?

JIM-BOB: I don't know.
Think we blew a tube. Oh!

Here. Let me take a look at it.

Not again.

Oh, we just got a new
tube. What's the trouble?

JASON: Oh, it
does look like a tube.

BEN: Is it the same one?

Yes. Aw. Goodbye Amos n' Andy.

We're gonna miss Gang Busters.

Well, you can live without
Gang Busters for one night.

No, we can't, Grandma. Just try.

Well, what can I do?

Lots of things. Read a book.

I did that at school.

Well, you can help Erin with
the dishes or fill the wood box.

Or you can come and sit
beside me and let me hug you.

I'm too old for that, Grandma.

I'm not.

(CHUCKLING)

I'm going away tomorrow.

I'm gonna walk down to the pond.

JASON: One, two, three.

(LAUGHING) Got you.

ELIZABETH: One, two, three.

(ALL LAUGHING)

Finish the dishes, Erin?

I'll finish them.

Ah. It's kind of nice.

An evening without that
radio chattering away.

Grandma.

Well, after a busy day, a little peace
and quiet can be a welcome thing.

Well, who wants peace and quiet?

We have that all day.

Your grandma likes
to collect her thoughts.

It's a harmless pastime.

Now, the world would be a lot better
place if people spent more time doing it.

What if you don't have
any thoughts to collect?

(SIGHING) Do you
want some of mine?

No, thanks.

What are we gonna do now?

We could make some fudge.

I'll crack the walnuts.

Can we, Grandma?

No, we're low on sugar.

(SIGHING)

Why don't we grow our
sugar? We grow everything else.

Because you don't grow
sugar. Somebody does.

How do you think
we get it? Sugar cane.

They squeeze
the juice out of it.

Hmm. Sugar.

I saw lots of it when I was
down in Cuba with Teddy.

GRANDPA: Teddy Roosevelt.

Is he gonna be at
the reunion, Grandpa?

(CHUCKLING) Well,
only in spirit, Jim-Bob.

What reunion are
you talking about?

Reunion of the veterans of
the Spanish-American War,

the anniversary of the
Battle of San Juan Hill.

Well, Grandpa, why don't you tell
us about the charge up San Juan Hill?

Well, it was something to
remember, I could tell you that.

Zeb, you're not gonna
tell that story again?

Well, if we can't have Gang
Busters, I'll settle for Rough Riders.

ELIZABETH: Yes, Grandpa.

Charge! Charge! Charge!

Don't spoil it by
telling the ending.

Come on, Grandpa. We haven't
heard that story in a long time.

Well,

it was early morning
of July 1, 1898.

The sun rose up out of
the sea like a ball of fire.

We Rough Riders were gathered
at the foot of San Juan Hill.

There was sort of
a clutter and clang

an army's pulling itself
together early in the morning.

The dust rose up high in the heaven
mingling with the mist on the ground.

Oh, it was humid. Oh,
just like a Turkish bath.

The sun rose up higher
and began to scorch our skins

even before a single
shot was fired in that army.

Our bayonets and
our rifles were so hot,

we could hardly bear to
put our hands to touch them.

Couldn't you just
say it was hot?

It was burning, blazing hot.

It was so hot that you could
have fried an egg on the ground.

(ALL LAUGHING)

There wasn't a sound so far
up on the enemy's encampment

up on top of the hill.

(WHISPERING) Then suddenly there
came a whistling, singing sound in the air.

Something exploded
right over our heads.

It was shrapnel, shrapnel
from the enemy guns

and it showered all around us.

We began to duck,
sort of, go for cover.

Then, over the carbines
there came a rattle of...

(IMITATING MACHINE GUNFIRE)

"Machine guns," somebody
yelled. "Let's get out of here."

And we turned and then...
Then we heard his voice.

That magnificent voice.

"It's your own Gatling
guns, you sons... You men!"

"It's your own
Gatlings, you men!"

And there he loomed
up in front of us

on that magnificent steed!
JIM-BOB: Teddy Roosevelt.

Shouting, "Charge!" ALL: Charge!

Not yet. Not yet.

"Dress on the colors, men,"
he said. "Dress on the colors."

Oh, it was such an
inspiration, a sight to behold.

I'll never forget it. Sitting
there, tall in his saddle...

Uh, what was the
name of his horse?

ALL: Little Texas. That's right.

And off we went. So courageous,
an inspiration to all of us.

Sitting up there with the
enemy's bullets flying around him,

like so much
popcorn are popping.

GRANDPA: And then... Charge?

(SHUSHING)

Not yet.

There are some enemy
pillboxes up on top of the hill.

And the sharpshooters
are shooting at us.

Then our own men
begin to return the fire.

(IMITATING GUNFIRE)

Someone had been shot.

Oh, it was the young
man right next to me.

And then a sharp, clear
voice came out ringing,

uh, Teddy Roosevelt's
own voice, uh...

ALL: "Charge!"

"Charge!" And up we charged.

Up, up, to the valiant
thunder of the enemy's guns.

Up, up... Grandpa, I'm a goner.

Hang on, young man. On we went.

We charged. ALL: Charge!

Up, up the hill till I
reached the very crest...

Grandpa, I'm dead.

Up on top of the hill till
the very crest of the hill.

And I can look down on
the village of Santiago.

And then I grab
that red banda...

You remember that red
bandana you gave me, Esther?

I sure do. It belonged to my
papa. On my wedding day.

I planted that bandana...
On my wedding day.

He gave it to me to tie around
my hair. Esther, I planted...

To tie around my hair, so
my hair wouldn't get blown.

Esther, I am talking.

In case the horse and
buggy got up too much steam.

Esther, have you quite finished?

I could go on.

I planted that red bandanna
on top of San Juan Hill!

A sign of victory
for everyone to see!

(CHEERING)

MARY ELLEN: Aye. Victory!

(CHEERING)

(LAUGHING)

GRANDPA: It was
burning, boiling hot.

You could have fried
an egg on the ground.

There wasn't a sound on the
enemy encampment up there

on top of the hill.

Ike, how come these
peas are marked 11 cents

when they was only
nine cents last week?

Well, Mrs. Gormley, I guess prosperity
has finally made it around the corner.

What's this?

It's five pounds
of sugar, 19 cents.

Oh, highway robbery!

Mrs. Gormley, I can't help.

The wholesale house
raised their prices on me.

What's this?

(DOORBELL JINGLING) But
there's a depression going on.

Hey, John-Boy. Hey, Ike.

Mrs. Gormley, good morning.
Well, good morning, John-Boy.

Don't you buy a thing.
He'll rob you blind.

Uh, Mrs. Gormley,
uh, will that be all?

Yes, that's all.

Deliver it with
my sack of flour.

And, uh, keep your
eyes out for my cat.

Prudence run off again?
Yeah, it's got to be a habit.

Are you on your
way to Boatwright?

Yes, ma'am, but it's the last week.
Summer vacation's coming up.

Oh, it seems like only yesterday
we were shoveling snow.

JOHN-BOY: That is the truth.
Well, well, don't the time fly?

Yes, it does, ma'am. Bye-bye.

(DOORBELL JINGLING)

Time certainly flies, Ike, especially
when you're behind schedule.

I'd like a number two lead
pencil, sharpened, please.

Number two sharpened coming up.

Oh, hey, I saved, uh, yesterday's
newspaper for your grandpa.

There's an article in there
that I think might interest him.

What's that?

There's a reunion, Spanish-American
war veterans over in Charlottesville.

Yeah, we know about
that. Is Zeb going?

Unfortunately, he can't.

Daddy's got to go back up on
the mountain and mark timber.

Grandpa's got to mind the mill.

Say, Ike, does it say in here
who's in charge of this thing?

Yeah, it's right
there. Uh... Hey, uh...

Allen McCreary.

Yeah. In Charlottesville.

I'm going to take
this, Ike, all right?

Oh, sure, go ahead. Thank you.

(DOORBELL JINGLING)

Go ahead and try it.

I don't wanna get trapped.

Well, it won't hurt you. Just
touch the stick where the bait is.

ERIN: Why don't you
touch the stick, Ben?

BEN: What's the matter?
You're all afraid of a box?

JIM-BOB: Use a stick.

ERIN: I don't want to do it.

Elizabeth, you
show us how it works.

BEN: Go on. Don't push me.

JIM-BOB: It's not
gonna explode. All right.

BEN: See, that's
all there is to it.

Now, if that had been
an animal in there,

he would have been all boxed up.

Well, what if the
door fell on its head?

His head is over
there where the bait is.

Even if it falls on his tail,
it's not going to hurt him.

It's not that heavy.
BEN: Pretty nifty, huh?

Well, why do you want
to trap animals anyway?

To get furs.

Now, I've been reading up on it. And
you know the Hudson Bay Company,

you know how they got
all their money? From furs.

And they own
practically all of Canada.

You could own all of
Walton's Mountain?

Well, like what Grandpa says,
"Great oaks come from little acorns."

This is my little acorn.

Come in, young man.
I'm sorry I kept you waiting.

But I've been putting
this reunion together.

Been going from
reveille to taps.

Oh, that's quite all right. I've been
enjoying looking around myself.

Now, what did you say your name
was? Uh-huh. John Walton, Jr.

What can I do for you, John?

Well, we read in our newspaper
that you were in charge

of the Spanish-American
War reunion.

Yes, sir. That's correct.

My granddaddy was a Rough Rider.

Well, now, there aren't
too many of those around.

Sit down, boy, sit
down. Sit down.

McCREARY: Your grandfather
still alive? He most certainly is.

And what was his name?

Zebulon Tyler Walton,
but we all call him Zeb.

Oh, well, y-y-you won't
find him in that picture.

Well, it says Cuba, July 1898.

No, no, that...
that's my outfit,

the First Brigade. He was
probably in the Second Brigade.

You see, there aren't many
Rough Riders in these parts.

Most of them from out
West or back New York way.

Polo players or cowboys.

Well, I suppose he
told you about our war.

Oh, he certainly has.

You know something, sir? I think I could
find my way up San Juan Hill blindfolded.

I'm glad to hear that.

I think more young people should know
and be proud of that historic occasion.

And of Teddy Roosevelt.

I think he was the bravest
leader that our country ever had.

We've certainly heard
a great deal about him.

You know, there was a fighter.

He led our glorious
flag to victory that day.

(CHUCKLING) Look here.

Have you ever seen one of these?

A 30-caliber Krag. Oh.

First bolt-action gun
adopted by the Army in 1896.

We had these down there

on the island. Well,
very interesting.

(CHUCKLING) Fine
weapon. Fine, fine weapon.

Mr. McCreary. Yeah?

(CLEARING THROAT)

Tell you the real
reason I'm here.

I'm a writer.

And I was thinking about a slant

on an article that I'm gonna be
writing for Adventure magazine.

Oh ho, you write for
Adventure magazine?

Well, I submit to it. You
see, they like a gimmick.

Something new or
different and interesting

that you can hang
on to an article.

In the military, we call
that a surprise tactic.

Could be, could be.
Anyway, my idea is this.

What would you say, at
your reunion, to a reenactment

of the charge up San Juan Hill by the
veterans who were there on that day?

Say, that's an interesting
idea. Yeah, very interesting.

I think I could get them to
rally behind an idea like that.

Second part of the idea is this.

We could hold the charge
right on Walton's Mountain

which is where I live.

And where is that? Just
over in Jefferson County.

You could have the whole
mountain for the entire day

and we will cooperate
with you 100%.

Capital idea, John, capital. I'll
tell the veterans when they arrive.

I'm sure they'll say bully to
it, you can depend on it. Bully!

Oh, it's gonna cause
a lot of excitement.

Let me think here, let me think.

Ah, come here.
I've got it. I've got it.

We'll have a parade. You
know, the veterans in the cars,

flags flying, buntings on the wheel,
a caravan right up to your mountain.

They'll come from all
over the county. Yeah.

It'll certainly be a lot better than the
basement of the Methodist Church.

You don't know how hot
it can get there in July.

I imagine so.

(DOOR SQUEAKING)

Esther.

Good Lord!

Maude! Couldn't you have
let a person know you're here?

You... you scared
the wits out of me.

Oh, I was only resting, Esther.

I get sort of winded
finding my way over here.

Are you here for a visit or... or
is there something you need?

Prudence is what I need.

The cat's out again?

You wouldn't want to take
her for free, would you?

If Prudence don't quit running away,
I'm gonna have to give her to you.

No, no, no, no giving us
Myrtle was quite enough.

And besides, Prudence
is good company for you.

Aw, she's away from home
all the time running somewhere.

Esther, if you see her,

I'd appreciate it if you'd send
one of the boys over to tell me.

I'll keep an eye open.

Oh, you're a good soul, Esther.

JIM-BOB: I think I got something.
ELIZABETH: What is that?

Hey, I got something.

Is it a bob kitten or
something? What is it?

It's wild I think. It could be a
mountain lion or something.

Yeah.

(YOWLING) It's just a dumb cat.

Be careful, Ben, it might
hurt you. Big animal, Ben.

Come on, cut it out. Be careful.

Naughty Prudence
to run away like that.

You say you found her in a trap?

Well, yes, ma'am.

GORMLEY: Well, I never heard of a
cat trap before, but if you got one set,

I know where to find Prudence.

Sure will save a lot of wear
and tear on looking for her.

Well, it's not actually
a cat trap, ma'am.

It's for wild animals.

Well, don't say anything to Prudence
and she won't know the difference.

Esther, what are you planning
to do? Set fire to the place?

I'm not taking out a sliver with a
needle that hasn't been sterilized.

Ow!

Ouch! What do you think you're
doing? Would you hold still?

Stop jumping around.
I can't do anything.

I did not request a
major operation, Esther.

You handle that needle
like a lumberjack. Ow.

I never heard a man complain
so. Now will you hold still?

Esther, if you were planning
to amputate my thumb,

I wish you would at least
give me a say-so in the matter.

IKE: Hey, hi, Zeb. Come on.

Hi, Ike.

GRANDMA: Hold still.

Where's your motorcycle?

Ah, that stupid thing blew
up. I got a fella working on it.

Hi, Ike, ow!

Esther's trying to extract a
cord of wood from my thumb.

(GROANING) There.
There's his cord of wood.

Oh, uh, what
brings you here, Ike?

Oh, I was bringing a sack of
flour over to Maude Gormley.

And, uh, John-Boy left this
at the store this morning.

I thought I'd bring
it by to him. Thanks.

IKE: Hey, how about that
big reunion coming up, Zeb?

It ought to be
quite an affair, yes.

Boy, I read that in the paper
and I thought about you right off.

I've been doing some
thinking about it myself.

Be nice for you to go, Zeb.

Yeah, you can get together
with all your old war buddies.

Oh, it would, yes, but John being
off the place I can't spare the time.

For one day?

As much as I would
like to, I cannot indulge

in such highfalutin foolishness
with a bank payment coming due.

Well, that reunion
dinner, if I recall,

was only a dollar and a
quarter, wasn't it, Zeb?

Huh, only!

Zeb, we can manage
a dollar and a quarter.

And I'll tell you what, Zeb.
Uh, I'll contribute a quarter.

Anytime I am in need of your
charity, Ike, I will let you know.

I don't think it's the supper
money that's bothering him.

Well, then, what is it?

I don't know.

Maybe men don't
like to go to reunions.

Remember how John didn't want
to go to his high school reunion?

Well, I want Zeb to go.

I want him to get together with
all those old war buddies of his

and talk and talk till he
gets it all out of his system

so I don't have to
listen to it anymore,

have it all brought back to me.

Every time he tells
those stories, I...

(SIGHING) Well, nobody
knows what I went through

while he was off
fighting in that war.

GRANDPA: Where...

Uh, where is she? Where...
where is my little chickadee?

Don't... Don't "little
chickadee" me!

You're going. That's that,
and there is no argument.

Just where am I
going? To the reunion.

Well, I guess, I'm the best
judge of where I'm going.

Work around here is more important
than chewing the fat about old times.

After all that... Grandma,
don't worry about a thing.

Grandpa. GRANDPA: Hmm?

I'm happy to tell you that you
do not have to go to the reunion.

What do you mean by that?

You do not have
to go to the reunion.

How's that... It's
coming to you.

Well, what do you mean by that?

Mr. Allen McCreary, who's in
charge of the whole shebang,

has moved it from Charlottesville
to Walton's Mountain.

Well, whose dumb
fool idea is that?

It was my dumb fool idea.

Well, you could just tell
Mr. Mc, whatever his name is,

uh, to keep his reunion in
Charlottesville where it belongs

instead of bothering us up here
at Walton's Mountain. Fool ideas...

Wha... I think...

Well, here's what I had in
mind. You think it's a good idea?

Uh, see, what we had in
mind, Mr. McCreary and myself,

was to... to have a reenactment
of the charge up San Juan Hill

with the actual veterans who were
there that day reliving the battle.

I think that's a terrible idea.

Why?

A friendly reunion is one
thing, but reenacting a battle

in which young men died on
both sides is something else again.

It seems to me
you're glorifying war.

I'm not glorifying war. I
wouldn't do such a thing.

Well, you get a bunch of
old fossils charging up a hill

they might make it look
like all fun and games,

but it wasn't.

I don't want Ben or Jim-Bob
or any other youngster

to think that war is no
worse than a turkey shoot.

I just thought it would
be fun for Grandpa.

John-Boy, it wasn't fun. Not
for those that stayed at home.

And not for those
that went, either,

no matter how much
they like to talk about it.

(EXHALING)

Well, I have to admit,
I know what you mean.

I'll just have to call
the whole thing off.

I'm sorry. I guess I shouldn't
have made any plans

without asking my family first.

Why should they object?

It was such a glorious chapter
in the history of our country.

I think they feel that to relive all that
killing with young children around...

But those men died as heroes
in the name of our country.

I understand that, sir.

And I don't know what to tell you.
They've just put their foot down.

I have to ask
you to call it off.

Uh, but you can't do that, it's too
late. Too many plans have been made.

This is very important to me. I want
to charge up that hill like Teddy did.

Well, I've even had
my uniform cleaned.

And my wife, she's
been decorating the car,

the whole town has been helping.

And the newspaper, they've got a
copy of the speech that I'm gonna make

up on your hill. It... it's very
important, sir, very important.

Yes, sir.

We'll just have to
work something out.

GRANDPA: John-Boy, out
there in them pickleweeds

is a catfish as big as
Jonah's whale lurking.

I aim to have him for supper
if he'll accept my invitation.

What are you tempting him with?

Uh, huh, I've got some cheese
that's been aging all winter long.

You get any bites from him yet?

Mosquitoes, and
a chigger or two.

Grandpa, I couldn't
call off that reunion.

I tried, but I couldn't
do that to Mr. McCreary.

But I'll tell you what
they're gonna do.

They're gonna hold it on the
whole other side of the mountain.

Let them have it wherever they
want. It's no concern of mine.

Would it make any
difference if I told you

that I was planning to write an article
on this reunion for Adventure magazine?

A real adventure story, you know.
"How I Charged up San Juan Hill."

I wanted to make
you the first person.

You know, I'd like to have a
first person for those stories.

"I charged up San Juan Hill with
Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders."

I could even sign it

"How I Charged Up San Juan
Hill by Rough Rider Zeb Walton

"as told to his grandson
John Walton, Jr."

If they bought it from me, they'd pay
me two cents for every word you told me.

Didn't realize any words of mine
would be worth two cents total.

I suppose if you
sold the article,

it'd help you buy
schoolbooks in the fall, huh?

Probably would.

Might even be able to buy
a second-hand typewriter.

I just don't think I
can do it, John-Boy.

Please, Grandpa.

I'm sorry.

Fox.

(SNARLING)

Fox! Got a fox!
Jason, Mary Ellen.

BEN: Come here, everyone.
ELIZABETH: What happened?

(SCREAMING)
It's a fox. I got a fox.

A fox!

With a red fur. What did
you expect? A green fox?

I saw Carole Lombard
in a movie magazine once

and she had a fox just
like that around her neck.

Wouldn't it bite? Don't
be silly, it wasn't alive.

I'm not silly. Carole Lombard is silly
for wearing a dead fox around her.

(CHUCKLING) Well, a lot of women
wear a dead fox around their necks.

That's what makes
them fashionable.

(GRUNTING)

How're you gonna kill him, Ben?

Kill him?

Well, I was gonna ask Daddy
the best way to save the pelt.

But I guess I'll just
whack him on the head.

You're gonna kill him, are you?

Well, how else am I going to
get the pelt? Skin him alive?

Don't you dare kill him!

I have to. No, you don't.

Elizabeth, all he is, is a fox and all
they do is eat chickens and make trouble.

How could you even think
of killing something so cute?

(BIRDS CHIRPING)

(GROWLING)

Well, it's his fault he
got trapped. Not mine.

Who built the trap? And
who baited it and set it?

Maybe I'll get some
chloroform and put him to sleep.

That would be an improvement
over being knocked in the head.

Poor thing. He looks hungry.

Guess I'll give you some
leftovers after supper.

Hey, I'll give him some
leftovers after supper.

Mary Ellen, will you please tell
Mama that Ben's gonna kill that fox?

And so he says.

Elizabeth, don't worry about it.

Go get washed up for supper now.

Jason.

Would you please tell Mama
that Ben is going to kill that fox?

Jason, what is
your brother up to?

Well, he says
he's gonna kill it.

And I reckon he's
gonna sell the pelt.

That boy would do
anything for money.

Elizabeth, I will
take care of it.

Now, will you go get washed up?
You're gonna be late for prayer meeting.

Come on.

(SIGHING)

John-Boy, do you know
where your grandpa is?

He's gonna miss his supper.
I don't know where he is.

And even if I found him, he
probably wouldn't speak to me.

He's so upset about
this reunion business.

Now, don't you go blame
yourself for your grandpa's moods.

He... he hides in
that little world of his

when he's got
something on his mind.

I remember way back
when it was the Maine.

GRANDMA: Yeah.

You mean the battleship Maine?

The one blown up
off of Cuba? Yeah.

One of Zeb's best friends
was killed. I'll never forget it.

All those young men so
stirred up, so anxious to enlist.

Including Zeb.

And I made the mistake of telling
him that war was for single men,

not... not men with
a... Well, with a wife.

I almost made this mistake
of saying, "And a child."

You know, Zeb didn't know I
was carrying John at the time.

I'll never understand
why you didn't tell him.

Uh, we were so young.

I was afraid he felt
trapped enough as it was

without saddling
fatherhood on him

and he was so eager to go.

And he just moped in that little world
of his until I just couldn't stand it.

Yeah. So I finally told him to go, it
was his duty to go. His patriotic duty.

Uh, I didn't want him to
hate me for holding on to him.

And then later I thought

maybe I'd been right,

that it... it would have been
better if... if he was with me,

even hating me,

than lying out there somewhere
in a battlefield in Cuba.

I didn't hear from
him for weeks.

When he came home from the war,
when he came home to me and John,

it was... I was so...

(SOBBING)

John-Boy, would you... you
get your grandpa in here now?

These peas... Now look
what you made me do.

John-Boy, you got a long
distance phone call at Ike's.

You've got to call operator
number three in Charlottesville.

Operator number three.
John-Boy, supper's almost ready.

Mama, it's long distance. I'll
be right back. Thanks, Jim-Bob.

It's about time you showed up,
young man. Where have you been?

No place.

Well, go wash up for supper.

Yeah, I guess I'd better.

Grandma.

(CHUCKLING)

I love you.

(RINGING)

Miss Fannie, this
is John Walton, Jr.

Yes, John-Boy.

I need, uh, operator number
three in Charlottesville.

Listen, John-Boy, if
there's anything I could do...

I don't even know
who it is yet, Ike.

Uh, hello, operator.
Yes. I'm here.

Uh-huh. It's Mr. McCreary.
Oh, that's the guy with the...

Oh, Mr. McCreary.

Uh, yes, this is John Walton,
Jr., I'm returning your call.

Yes. A-about the
reunion tomorrow.

I didn't get the
response I expected.

Only three men reported in.
JOHN-BOY: I'm sorry to hear that, sir.

Kind of hard to do a charge
up a hill with only three men.

Besides, they don't
much like the idea.

Uh... Running up a hill.

You tried, Mr. McCreary.

Yeah, we tried. Oh, I
guess times are changing.

The four of us will just have
to go to the Methodist Church

and then have
supper at the diner.

Canceled everything else.

Thanks for calling,
Mr. McCreary. Yeah.

Good luck, boy, and thank you.

(DOOR SQUEAKING)

Where is everybody?

Prayer meeting.
Oh, that's right.

Did you get your long
distance call? Yeah.

The reunion's been called off.

Nobody's coming?

Only three of them showed up.

Grandpa's gonna
be happy to hear that.

Your grandpa's gone.

What do you mean gone?

Yeah, well, he left a
note for me on the dresser.

What does it say?

Nothing makes any sense.

"Gone to the mountain. Be
back when the war's over."

Just gonna sit there
and look at him?

Just leave me alone, Elizabeth.

How would you
feel if you were it?

Look, this is none
of your business.

Well, this is interesting. Two
Waltons and a fox in the middle.

What are you gonna do, Ben?

I don't know. He's mean!

Well, look at him.
He kills chickens.

He didn't kill any
of our chickens.

Well, how do you know? I caught
him right near the chicken coop.

Mama, will you tell Elizabeth
that foxes kill chickens?

That's his nature.
He hunts for food.

He wants to kill him
to buy firecrackers.

I don't want to kill him.

In fact, I was thinking I
might keep him for a pet.

That might have worked if
you'd caught him a year ago.

He's a wild creature now.

Then I'll keep a wild fox.

Why do you want to keep him if
you can't make a pet out of him?

Look, Elizabeth. He's mine, I caught him
and I could do anything I want with him.

Ben, you know, you and
he are about the same age

in animal years.

He has a good, full life to
look forward to, just as you do.

He even looks like you.

What are you talking about?
ELIZABETH: You both have red hair.

OLIVIA: One of these days you're
probably gonna meet a nice girl

and get married
and have a family.

I bet he was looking
forward to meeting

a pretty little vixen
and having a family, too.

How you gonna feel, keeping
him locked up in a cage

knowing how lonely he
is, all that he's missing?

Well, it's his fault.
He went into my cage.

He was hungry!

Then I'll put him out where...
where he could see everything.

Where he can watch all the
other animals running free?

Close to the woods so that he can
smell the earth and the new spring leaves?

Where on a quiet night he can hear the
bullfrogs, the waterfall, and the river?

Come on, Elizabeth.

(BRAYING)

Heehaw.

Hey, old fella.

Couple of stubborn old mules,
one of them trying to tell the other

what a jackass he's made of
himself through all these years.

Heehaw. Is that what
you're trying to tell me?

(CHUCKLING)
Well, don't rub it in.

Well, thank you
kindly for quitting.

JOHN-BOY: Grandpa! Hmm.

John-Boy.

Well.

What are you doing
up here, young man?

I could ask you
the same question.

I come up here to tell you
the reunion's been called off.

I suppose you think
that's why I come up here,

on account of your
dumb, silly old reunion?

Yes, it is.

You hit the nail on the head,
just what you've been thinking.

I did come up here on account
of your dumb, silly old reunion.

Well, that is something that I
just don't understand, Grandpa,

if you want the truth.

Uh, it's embarrassment,
false pride.

I didn't want to go to that reunion
on account of your grandma.

She would've eventually
found out the truth.

(LAUGHING SARCASTICALLY)

It's an awful thing to have
even that kind of a white lie

festering in your
soul for over 40 years.

What do you mean, Grandpa?

Well, the truth is, contrary to what
I've been telling you all these years,

I never was a member of
that wonderful organization

known as the Rough Riders.

It was never my privilege to be
one of Teddy Roosevelt's chosen few.

I was in the Army,

but they gave me the only job I
guess they thought I was fit for.

What was that? Tending mules.

(LAUGHING)

What do you think of that now?

I never knew the
Army was so practical.

(LAUGHING)

No, I never made that charge
up to the top of San Juan Hill.

I never did. Talking kindly
of your grandma though,

she'd sacrificed an
awful lot to let me go.

I don't suppose you recollect

that she was carrying your
daddy while I was away.

She was talking
about it the other day.

After I got back, I just couldn't
bear to tell her the miserable truth.

So I sort of fabricated things,
embroidered the story, you know,

the way your grandma embroiders
a tablecloth to sort of perk it up,

well, I embroidered my story.

Just to make her happy. You
young ones seem to enjoy it, too.

And after a while it got so that I
almost began to believe it myself.

You know, that's the way
of a lot of our memories are.

Almost pure fabrications.

It wasn't what happened,

but just what you wished and
hoped would have happened.

And in my memory, I made
that charge up San Juan Hill.

That's what I want to remember.

Is it so criminal, John-Boy, to
want to have pleasant memories?

And I have seven
grandchildren right in this house.

(LAUGHING) My word!
You know that we...

Mrs. Walton, could
this be them now?

Looks like John-Boy found
him. Am I glad you waited.

Esther. Oh. We have company.

Zeb Walton and my
grandson John Walton, Jr.

How do you do. This
is Mr. and Mrs. Allerton.

Nice to know you. Zeb.

It is a pleasure, ma'am.
It's my pleasure, Mr. Walton.

Zeb! You old rascal you!

Boy, am I ever happy
to find you again.

I never knew where you were

until McCreary talked about a
charge up Walton's Mountain.

I said to Elaine,

that's got to be Zeb Walton's
mountain and sure enough...

(LAUGHING) After all
these years! I can't believe it!

Well, I might believe if
I knew what to believe.

Just who are you,
sir? Bob! Bob Allerton.

Don't tell me you
don't remember me.

Didn't you tell your
folks about me?

Well, if you're not Teddy
Roosevelt, I don't think he did.

No, you couldn't be. Yes.

Bobby. Yes.

(LAUGHING) Bobby!
Little Bobby Allerton!

I never forgot you.

I could never forget the
man that saved my life. Oh.

BOB: Didn't you
ever tell them about it?

No, Mr. Allerton.

I don't think he ever did.

BOB: The truth is, I wouldn't be
here today if it weren't for Zeb Walton.

Oh. We were just starting
up the hill, I was scared stiff,

shaking in my boots.

Zeb was standing just a few feet
away from me when the shooting started.

I guess I was about
the first one hit.

I went down. Next thing I knew,

Zeb was kneeling over me
tying a tourniquet around my leg.

A red bandana,
I'll never forget.

I kept trying to get up,

but he held me down saying,
"Hang on, boy. Hang on."

And then, when the
enemy fire slowed down,

he picked me up and slung me
over his shoulder like... like a child.

And carried me all the way
back to the base hospital.

The bullets were
screaming around our ears.

Oh, Zeb.

We never got to the
top of San Juan Hill,

but thanks to your granddad,

I came through the war alive.

Whatever happened to
that... that red bandana?

Zeb, it's yours.

JOHN-BOY: Grandpa's story
of the charge up San Juan Hill

was different when
he told it after that.

But in many ways, more
satisfying to him and to his listeners.

Just at dusk of that day, Grandpa
rode alone up Walton's Mountain.

Perhaps it was San Juan
Hill he saw there in the sunset.

This time, there was
only silence and peace.

And this time, he made
it all the way to the top.

Get along, Blue.

JOHN-BOY: I wrote my
story for Adventure magazine,

but it was rejected with a
terse note from the editor,

"Not interested in the
Spanish-American War."

ELIZABETH: Ben, don't you
feel good letting the fox go?

BEN: Uh, what am I gonna do
for firecrackers on the fourth?

How about me?

(ELIZABETH IMITATING
FIRE CRACKERS)

You wouldn't fool anyone.

GRANDPA: Who's shooting
off firecrackers this time of night?

See, I fooled Grandpa!

GRANDMA: Old man, now don't
you encourage their foolishness.

You children go to sleep.
BEN: Okay. Good night.

ELIZABETH: Good
night. ALL: Good night.

(ALL IMITATING FIRE CRACKERS)

GRANDMA: Oh, good Lord!