The Waltons (1971–1981): Season 4, Episode 24 - The Collision - full transcript

JOHN-BOY: Though the
early years of the Depression

were difficult on
Walton's Mountain,

we still felt a
sense of security

in our isolation from
a troubled world.

The building turmoil
of the times, it seemed,

lay beyond the mountains
and across a distant ocean.

Then, in 1936,

we became aware of Hitler in
Germany and Mussolini in Italy.

A war was being fought in Spain.

Historic events, yet all
them were overshadowed

by my acquisition of
an old printing press



and the prospect of publishing
my own small-town newspaper.

(HORSE NEIGHING)

(YELLING) What do
you think you're doing?

Enjoying myself.

Ever tried it, John-Boy?

Selena Linville? Lady Godiva.

I might've known it'd have
been you, crazy riding like that.

You look different.

Well, some people
change, some don't.

What are you doing around
here? Well, I'm home from Vassar.

You, uh, married one of
those backwoods beauties yet?

Well, I always figured I
was saving myself for you.

(CHUCKLES)

I suppose you're one
of Boatwright's brightest.



I'm enjoying it.
Oh, that's too bad.

Why's that? Well, if you didn't,

there might be some hope.

Well, Boatwright's
a fine school.

Well, it isn't just Boatwright.

It's what you're
doing with your life.

Hiding away in these
backwoods hollers.

I'm not hiding away
anyplace. I'm studying writing.

Oh, "What I Did On
My Summer Vacation"?

Oh, wait a minute.
You don't understand.

I'm gonna have a newspaper.

I bought myself
a printing press.

I'm gonna be a publisher soon.

Oh, covering spelling
bees and church socials.

John-Boy, wake up!

Nothing that matters
ever happens here.

Nothing ever will.

Do you know where Ernest
Hemingway is right now?

With the Republican
Army in Spain.

And Martha Gellhorn's
right there with him.

Two real artists sharing
everything together.

But Boatwright and
Rockfish suit you just fine.

Well, I admit I'm not
Ernest Hemingway.

How long are you
gonna be around here?

For a few days.
Grandfather isn't feeling well.

Well, I'm sorry to hear that.

I'd like to see you. All right.

Come to dinner.
Tomorrow night. All right.

I'll be there.

And you be careful.

(CHUCKLING) So red! Oh,
she had it coming to her, though.

She sure did, for a week
now. I'm glad she got it.

Elizabeth. ELIZABETH: Coming.

Why do you keep turning around?

Well, I wanted to see
if Ariel could catch up.

Well, she sure
is a peculiar child.

You're the only
one she talks to.

Well, making
friends isn't that easy.

Neither is changing schools
in the middle of the year.

Yeah. Elizabeth!

Hold it.

Hi. Hi.

I had to talk to Mrs. Fordwick.

Oh. Well, I got my... Got
my sewing project back.

Made aprons, one for my
grandma and, uh, one for my mama.

They're pretty. I
guess they'll like them.

ERIN: Elizabeth. I'm coming!

I wish you could see the
aprons I made for my mother.

Well, I'd like to.

I edged it with the
very finest lace,

and Mother was so pleased,
there were tears in her eyes.

Well, I hope I can
see it someday.

I hope so, too.

Well, I'll be waiting for
you here in the morning.

ERIN: Elizabeth! Coming.

(SIGHS)

(CHATTERING)

(BEN EXCLAIMING) I won!

All right, Jason, you have to
do Ben's chores for a week.

Now, wait a minute.
I demand a rematch.

That's the way it goes.
It's just the way it goes.

So you're moving
up in the world, huh?

I'm moving up in the world?

Having supper
with the Linvilles.

Now wait a minute, fellas.

You know Selena as well as I do.

It's real likely that
I'll just show up there

and she'll have
forgotten all about it.

If you don't wanna have supper
at Selena Linville's, don't go.

Mama, I wanna go.
I just don't wanna go

(CHUCKLING) and
feel like a fool, that's all.

This is a kitchen
and not a playground.

You boys go on outside.

And no more of that
gambling. Stop that.

We're not gambling.
We're just playing around.

You know what I'm
talking about, Jason?

She's just that kind of girl.

I might show up
there and she'll say,

"What are you doing here?"

Hi, Daddy. Howdy, Daddy.

Hi, Son. How are you, Son?

I found these band of
hens just dawdling along.

Dawdling? Elizabeth dawdles.

I spend half my life
telling her to hurry up.

Yeah, and the other half
telling me to slow down.

Mary Ellen, here.

Grandma! Put those in...

Put them in your brother's room.

Elizabeth, aren't you
forgetting something?

The surprise.

Uh, Mrs. Fordwick had us
do this special sewing project.

And, well, I made these.

Aprons?

Grandma?

This one is yours,
if you want it.

If I want it?

Imagine you going to all
that trouble for me. Thank you.

(GIGGLING)

Mama, this one's yours.

That's nice. Why, Elizabeth,
that is just beautiful.

Thank you.

John, will you look at the
beautiful work that child has done?

Well, that's real pretty, honey.

You know, maybe if I could
learn how to embroider,

I could put some
flowers on yours

and some birds
on yours, Grandma.

I like it just the way it is.

See, it's a perfect fit.

We'll have company
over and show them off.

It's not that pretty, Daddy.

I wouldn't change a thing.

Well, that's real
nice of you, honey.

I tell you what. I'm gonna take a ride
over the ridge to Staunton after a while.

You wanna go along? Oh, can I?

Yeah. We might even stop
at the park and feed the deer.

(CHUCKLING)

You know, maybe they'd look
prettier if I had some better lace.

Elizabeth, I think they're
just perfect the way they are.

Well, I make nice
daughters, don't I?

(LAUGHING)

(SNIFFLES)

John-Boy! Vesper.

Come in, come in.
Thank you very much.

(CHUCKLING)

I was so happy when I heard you
were gonna be with us this evening.

Thank you, Vesper.

That girl's been with those
northern boys too long.

Needs somebody like
you to straighten her out.

Thank you very much. Come on.

(CLEARING THROAT)

Colonel? COLONEL: Yes?

Your guest is here.

Excuse me, won't you?
Of course, of course.

John Walton. Oh, Colonel.

Nice to see you again.
Thank you very much.

It's good to be here.

You have such a
beautiful home, and...

Well, this clock belonged
to my grandfather.

Oh. Came over from England.

Really? Please, please, please.

Thank you.

Selena will join us shortly. Ah.

Last-minute primping.

(BOTH CHUCKLING)

But I don't have to tell
you about the ladies.

No, no.

Uh, bourbon, rye, sherry?

Sherry will be fine, thank you.

I believe Selena told me

you attend the
Boatwright University?

Yes, sir. Fine school.

Thank you very much.

Yes, I find my work there
very challenging. Hmm.

I listen to Selena
talk about her school.

With all the meetings
and forums and rallies,

I wonder when they
find time to go to class.

(CHUCKLING)

SELENA: John.

You did remember.

Good evening. Good evening.

Selena, isn't that a rather
bizarre costume for dinner?

This is a copy of the uniform

worn by the members of the
Lincoln Brigade in Spain, Grandfather.

Highly useful
for fighting a war,

but not for entertaining guests.

I see you're a sherry drinker.

Uh, well, yes, for tonight I am.

I'm glad. The national
drink of Spain, you know.

Oh. No, I didn't.

Um, we were just talking about
John's work at the university.

Yes, I was just...
Gentlemen, a toast.

To Spain.

To her brave Republicans,
fighting for democracy and freedom.

To the Lincoln Brigade,
fighting the common enemy

while most of us
hide in our hollers.

Cheers.

Everybody knows the Italian
Fascists and the German Nazis

are pouring money, men
and weapons into Spain

to support Franco's
Nationalists.

Your soup's getting cold. I
don't want any more, Vesper.

The Fascists and the Nazis are
testing bombs, planes and guns.

It's a dress rehearsal for
something a whole lot bigger.

Thank you very much, Vesper.

But aren't the Communists
doing the same thing?

I mean, aren't the Russians
just doing the same thing

for the other side?
That isn't the point.

Seems like a very
good point to me.

Grandfather, the Republicans
have to take whatever help is offered,

whoever offers it.

It should be us,
not the Russians,

because they're fighting for
what we're supposed to believe in,

free speech and free press.

Well, certainly it's not
that simple, Selena.

It is.

(DOOR OPENING)

Oh, Vesper, they look divine!

Oh, they're as nice
as any I've ever seen.

(CHUCKLING)

Wonderful.

Oh, you like?

I hope you like lobster,
John. Here you are.

Grandfather,
everyone likes lobster.

They're perfect, Vesper.

I had them brought in
specially as a surprise.

I'll bet you never expected
anything like this, John.

No, I never did.

(CLEARING THROAT)

Thank you very much.

Enjoy yourselves. Thank you.

(CUTLERY CLINKING)

So, you say the
situation in Spain

isn't as simple as
I make it sound?

You're one of those people who insists
on taking a perfectly simple situation

and complicating it in
order to avoid taking action.

Well, I just don't
wanna take action

and find out I've
done the wrong thing.

Oh, so while you sit there juggling
right and wrong, this and that,

the doers are in there
getting the job done.

This is no world for
the timid, John-Boy.

You've got to be aggressive.

Make your move.

Attack. That's the key.

And the first time you're pushed
back, attack again and again.

It's better to go down fighting

than to waste your
life on the sidelines.

But aren't there times when you
just have to admit that you're licked?

Not me.

Oh.

Can I have the rolls, please?

Thank you.

I've checked into
ways of getting to Spain.

There are still some ships going into
the smaller ports, despite the blockade.

And when do you plan to leave?

Soon.

Oh.

(SIGHS)

Grandfather.

Hmm?

(CHUCKLING) Oh.

I hope you young
folks will excuse me.

Oh, certainly. I, uh...

I have some accounts to go over.

Oh. I understand.

Happy you could be with us.

Thank you. It was
my pleasure, sir.

Next time we'll have
soft-shelled crab

(CHUCKLING) or lobster Newburg.

(LAUGHING) All right. All right.

I'll come in to say good night

just before I go to bed, okay?

(CLOCK CHIMING)

He's gotten so different.

Just in the last few
months since I've been here.

So much older.

Well, people do
get older. Not me.

My life's going to be
one smashing adventure.

It's not how long you
live, it's how you live.

I don't know. I think there's
a great deal to be said

for how long you live.

Look at my grandma
and my grandpa.

They've lived a lot of years,

and they still enjoy
living each new day.

John.

You... You don't understand.

What you people
do here isn't living.

Well, we think it is.

John, you have a
brain. You have talent.

For you to stay here is
like using my thoroughbred

to pull a junk
wagon. Oh, oh, I see.

So the answer to being
a useful human being

is to run away to
Spain, is that it?

Yes. Look at the
great American writers.

E.e. cummings, Dos Passos,
Hemingway, Stephen Crane...

Ha! Aha! Stephen Crane, you see?

Stephen Crane wasn't even born
during the war between the states,

and that didn't keep
him from writing

The Red Badge of
Courage, now did it?

Forget Stephen Crane.

I wouldn't be telling
you this if I didn't care,

if I didn't feel you
have so much to offer.

The writers of our times,
they're not hiding in the hollers.

They've all gone
out in the world

to experience war,
death and passion!

You've been practicing
since the last time.

Well...

Not bad. What do
you mean, "not bad"?

A little reminiscent of Post
Office and Spin the Bottle, but...

Oh, yeah?

(MOANS)

I've been practicing my
sketching since the last time.

I think I've gotten
better. Oh, I see.

(BREATHING HEAVILY)

I've been thinking.

Wouldn't it be fantastic
to go to Spain together?

What?

Go to Spain? Well,
that's impossible.

Just think.

You could do the writing.
I could do the illustrations.

Imagine.

Jonathan Walton and
Selena Linville reporting

from Valencia, Barcelona...

All the important magazines would
be interested, Harper's and Atlantic.

Oh, that's nonsense. I
couldn't do that. Why not?

Well, I... I... I can't just
run away from school.

I've got... I've got a
newspaper to get started.

I've gotta pay up on
my printing press...

Every day you spend here
is another link in the chain

that holds you to being
a backwoods nonentity

for the rest of your life!

However, you have to
make up your own mind.

Hmm.

Stay in the sidelines, but don't
expect me to keep you company.

Whoa, whoa, whoa! Y-You're not
leaving tomorrow or tonight, are you?

It's getting late. I want to
check with Grandfather.

Oh. Well, I'd... I'd
like to see you again.

Is there any point?

Well, of course there's a point.

All right. Would
you like to go riding?

Yes. Tomorrow?

I don't know. I'll have to let
you know. Good night, John.

Good night.

Mama and Grandma seemed
to like the aprons I gave them.

I told you they would.

I just wish I could've
made them more like yours.

Well, anyway, my daddy's taking
me on a trip to Staunton anyhow.

It's fun to go places
with your parents.

Do you that much?

Mmm-hmm.

My favorite trip was
when we went to Europe.

You went on a ship?

We sailed for days and days.
We played games on the deck.

At night, there was music.

Mother and Father danced,
and once he danced with me.

(JASON LAUGHING) You
just quit! He is so excited.

Well, you can't blame him.

He's got a date
with a thoroughbred.

Doesn't make any
difference to a mule.

That's right.

I saw Selena
riding the other day,

and that sure was a
beautiful horse she was riding.

And don't you wish we
had a horse like that, Blue?

JOHN-BOY: You don't
wanna hurt his feelings, do you?

Hey, here comes Daddy.

Hey, Daddy. Hey, Daddy.

Hey, Daddy, how
are you? Hiya, Son.

Have a good time? All right.

Where you off to?

Oh, I got a riding date
with Selena Linville.

Hear anything
about her grandfather

giving an auction
over in Staunton?

Yeah, something about
it. I'll ask her about it.

All right. See you later.

See you later, fellas. Have fun.

(LAUGHING)

Thank you, Daddy.
I had a good time.

I'm glad, honey.

Well, Elizabeth.

You have a good
time in Staunton?

It was okay.

Good. Daddy bought
me a Fairy Stone.

Pretty. Yeah.

Did you and Elizabeth
enjoy yourselves?

Well, I did. I'm not
so sure about her.

She mention a girl
named Ariel to you?

Uh-huh. She's new. Elizabeth
seems to think a lot of her.

What do you know about her?

Not much. Why?

I just get this feeling we're
being compared to Ariel's parents

and we're not
coming off too well.

Come on, Blue.

Come on.

You're gonna break
your neck riding like that.

You look about 65 years old

when you shake
and frown like that.

Oh, yeah? Yes.

Well, how do you
feel about older men?

Oh, play it safe. That's
your motto and your epitaph.

I see.

Well, before I die and
you set up my tombstone,

how about this?

For an older man, you certainly
have a lot of young ideas.

Which I hope you
share. Oh, wait!

I think we've
established the fact

that you're attracted to
me and I'm attracted to you.

You are? Really?
That's exciting.

Yes. Temporarily.

Only I'm looking for a lot
more than just the physical.

Well, so am I, of course.

Ideally, a man and a woman
should share on every level.

Well, I... I agree
with you 100%.

Have you thought any more
about Spain? Of course I have.

I've read everything I
can get my hands on.

In the magazines,
the books, everything.

Well, you don't have to settle
for secondhand experience.

I've been on the
phone to New York,

and we can be in Spain
by the end of the month.

You really got it all
arranged, haven't you?

Mmm-hmm.

We leave on a freighter
a week from Thursday,

and once we get there, we're
given contacts to get to Barcelona,

and when we get
there, I know someone

who will introduce
us to Hemingway.

(LAUGHING) I suppose
all this is a free ride, huh?

$200 will cover it.

$200? I've haven't got $200!

Well, sell your car, your books.

Borrow, whatever. I'll
lend you the difference.

You can pay me back when
we start selling our stories.

What about your grandfather?

How does he feel about all this?

I haven't told him yet.

Oh, he'll be upset for a while,

but he seems to be living
in the past these days.

We've got to live
now, for this moment.

Well, what about
the future, Selena?

Well, we'll be shaping it.

We'll be the ones making
history instead of studying it.

Oh, it'd be wonderful to
do it all alone, of course,

but to share it with someone
who feels the same way...

Hmm.

Oh, that's crazy!
I can't do that.

I can't go running
away from home

for $200, which I don't have.

I've got commitments, Selena.

The only commitment that matters

is to yourself, as a writer.

I can't. I'm sorry.
You're afraid.

You're one of the
world's frightened rabbits,

hiding in your
little briar patch.

Hey, now wait a minute.

You haven't the courage
to go out and meet life.

All right. Stay here.

And let the men and
women who have the courage

go out and do
your fighting for you.

Well, Selena,
wait a minute. I...

Now... What are you doing?

You just wait!

Careful, careful.

That clock is four times
your combined age,

so please be careful.

SELENA: Grandfather.

What's going on?

Selena, forgive me.

I meant to tell
you the first day,

but I kept putting it off.

Has something happened?

The, uh...

The house and the land
has been sold by the bank,

and there will be an auction
on Saturday for the rest.

Everything?

Everything in the house?

Everything but the tenant farm,

and that's where
we'll be living.

We lost it all. I'm sorry.

(CRYING)

JOHN-BOY: Selena?

Selena, I wanna talk to
you right now. Get out.

Get off this property.

What do you mean,
"Get off this property"?

Selena! Now, you listen to me.

You've had your say,
and I wanna have mine.

Get out of here!

John-Boy, I think it's
best that you leave.

Seems a little upset to me.

Did you enjoy your ride?

The ride was fine.

Did Selena say anything
about the auction?

Daddy, I would rather not talk
about Selena Linville right now.

It's your business, Son.

I do not understand
why anybody should have

that kind of a view of
the world all the time.

She acts as though
nothing has ever happened

in the state of Virginia
and nothing ever will.

I mean, there have been wars fought
in the state of Virginia, too, you know.

We've had our share, Son.

And Ernest Hemingway
may be off in Spain

being a hero and a great writer,

but, uh, John
Steinbeck is in California,

and Robert Frost is
in New Hampshire,

and William Faulkner
is in Mississippi, right?

If you say so.

Reminds me of me when I was 20.

I didn't know you
ever let girls upset you.

Only one.

Are you comparing me to Selena?

It was my salvation
you were after.

You were worried about whether I
was gonna spend eternity in heaven.

I was worried about
the next half hour.

I guess we did
have a few set-tos.

Sure am glad you
decided to marry me then

and try to save me later.

I'm still trying.

JOHN-BOY: Courage is
to feel the daily daggers

of relentless steel
and go on living.

Recklessness, a
mask labeled courage

to hide the lack
of true courage.

So, from her point
of view, I'm a coward.

I don't have to
accept her definition.

I'm a fool to be touched
by it for one minute.

Who is Selena Linville to tell
me what I am or what I should be?

Philosopher? Saint? An
understanding and caring friend?

None of the above. She's
spoiled, selfish, limited,

and it's ridiculous to waste one
second caring what she thinks of me.

I care.

Well, as I was
saying, Elizabeth,

I got this consolation prize,

and I just don't know
what I'm gonna do with it.

It's right in here.

Here. Isn't that pretty? Hmm.

Never saw anything like it.

Well, it sure is nice.

You know, you can
put enough pencils in it

to keep you all the
way through college.

It's just beautiful.
Yeah, it is nice.

But it reminds me
too much of school.

I think I'm just
gonna give it away.

Well, I'd sure like to have it.

Okay, it's yours.

Do you really mean it?

Sure, it's yours.

For keeps? Mmm-hmm.

I'm gonna go show
the girls. Okay.

(CHUCKLES)

Hello, Ike. Hello, Elizabeth.

I need a pencil.

Oh! Excuse me, Curtis.

You need a pencil?

Now, if you need a pencil, you're
probably gonna make some mistakes.

And so, uh, better sell you
a pencil with an eraser, huh?

Well, of course.

Okay. It's for this.

Ooh. What a nice pencil
box. Where'd you get that?

Ben gave it to me.

Oh, what a nice
brother he is. Hi.

Erin told me I
could find you here.

Well, I missed you at recess.

ARIEL: Mrs. Fordwick was
helping me with my schoolwork.

I wanted to show you something.

My brother gave it to me.

Your brother gave you this? Why?

Just 'cause he likes me.

ARIEL: It certainly is big.

Well, you see,
there's a special place

for the erasers and the crayons.

I've got a place for
rulers and compasses,

and, uh, lots of
room for pencils.

It's almost like the
one I have at home.

Same kind?

Mine was imported
from Switzerland.

My father gave it to
me for my birthday.

It has beautiful
flowers painted on it.

Oh.

I guess you and I have the
nicest pencil boxes in school.

I guess so.

Elizabeth, you gonna
take your pencil?

No, thanks, Ike.

Maybe I can sell you a pencil
for your pretty pencil box, huh?

No, I already have
enough at home.

Boy, it must be nice to be rich.

Yeah. Bye.

Bye.

All right.

Here we go. I got it.

(JOHN-BOY GRUNTS)
Thank you, Son.

Ah, it's good to know I can do
something without getting criticism.

What's got into you, John-Boy?

That face on you would
curdle Chance's milk.

I'm sorry. I know I haven't been

a real pleasure
to live with lately.

We haven't gone
so far as to say that.

Oh, I won't deny it.
I'm hot under the collar.

I've been called "one of the
scared rabbits of the world,

"afraid to leave my briar patch,"
all 'cause I won't go over to Spain.

This war she's talking
about over there,

is it something that endangers
the things you believe in

and the folks that
you hold dear?

It seems awful far
away to me, Grandpa.

'Course, things were
different down in Cuba in '98.

There were no ifs,
ands or maybes.

My best friend over at
Schuyler Way had been blown up

in the battleship Maine,
right there in the harbor,

and I was just
itching to take off.

In '17, when I was called up,

it seemed the whole
world was at war.

If we didn't stop the Kaiser
over there, he'd be over here.

Sure.

As a rule, the men in our family

don't go off
looking for a fight.

But if the cause is clear, I
guess we're right in there.

Well, of course.

No reason to think you'll
be an exception, Son.

Well, it's good to know that there's
somebody else who feels that way.

Maybe you're just taking
this whole thing too serious.

No, she got me to asking
myself some important questions.

You know, what is courage?
What makes a man a coward?

I think I came up with
some good answers, myself.

Well, what are they?

I don't like being
called a coward

just because I don't
wanna go fight in a war

which is basically
somebody else's war.

See, it seems to me that the
true test of a man's courage,

the true test of what a man
is, comes in the little ways.

You know, those day-to-day,
hand-to-hand skirmishes of life.

There's plenty
skirmishes around here.

GRANDPA: Yes, plenty
to go on right around here.

Of course, you can't come back

to newspaper headlines and bands

and cheering crowds.

Mmm-hmm.

Only the man knows for sure,

and maybe the
people close to him,

whether he stands his
ground or turns and runs.

That makes sense to me.

Think it'll make sense to her?

No.

(ELIZABETH HUMMING)

Elizabeth, is something
troubling you?

No, Mama.

(HUMMING)

Your daddy took you
on a nice trip to Staunton

and you didn't
seem to enjoy it at all.

Oh, I thanked Daddy.

And now Ben tells me that he
gave you a beautiful pencil box

and you set it on a shelf,

and you don't even
take it to school anymore.

Hmm. I wanna keep it nice.

Does any of this have something
to do with your new friend, Ariel?

You wanna tell me about it?

I don't know.

She just seems...

Whenever I do something,
Ariel does something better.

Even her name is prettier.

Well, Elizabeth,
you're gonna find

a lot of people
like that around,

who seem to have
it better than you do.

You just... Just
have to live with it.

(SIGHS)

You know, I bet she
doesn't have a Fairy Stone.

I used to have a Fairy Stone
like that when I was a little girl.

You know, I bet she's never
even seen a Fairy Stone.

Well, just make sure you don't
brag on it when you show it to her.

I won't.

Are you all right? Yes.

Are you sure you're all right?

All right.

VESPER: Now, be
careful with that piece.

Take it on over there, past
that... Yeah, it's open over there.

Don't scratch that
on the bushes.

Vesper?

I don't know why she wouldn't
tell me something like that.

She didn't know.
And Selena's proud.

I begged the
Colonel to tell her.

You don't know how
many times I begged him.

Well, we had no idea
he was that bad off.

We all knew there was gonna
be an auction over in Staunton,

but we thought that was just
to get rid of a few extra things.

"Extra things."

They went a long time ago.

After tomorrow, there'll just
be that farm and some furniture

and a few personal things
he's managed to hold onto.

How's he taking it?

Oh, he's fine. More
relieved than hurt.

This has been
coming on for so long,

and he's been
under such a strain.

When this is all over, maybe
he'll enjoy a little peace.

I hope so. What about you?

(CHUCKLES) Me?

I'm not going nowhere.

Seems like all my life, I've
been working for the Colonel.

Besides, they're all
the family I've got.

True, he won't be
able to pay me no more,

but that's how it
is with families.

We gotta stick together.

I'm just worried
about that girl.

Don't worry about Selena.

She's gonna
finish her schooling.

The Colonel took care
of that a long time ago.

You know how he is about Selena.

Vesper, you don't think you could
get her to see me, now do you?

She's hurt, embarrassed,

all mixed up inside.

She doesn't know
how to take this.

Well, she doesn't have to
be embarrassed around me.

You know that. She knows that.

When Selena sets her mind,
no one can out-stubborn her,

and you know that.

Well, we'll see. Maybe I'm the
one who can out-stubborn her.

'Cause I wanna see that girl.

You tell her for me, I'm
gonna wait here until I see her.

I'm gonna camp right here
till kingdom come if I have to,

but I'm gonna see her.

Yes?

Does Ariel live here?
You mean Effie?

No, ma'am, I mean Ariel.

Effie sometimes
calls herself that.

You come on in.

Are you the little Walton girl?

Yes, ma'am. I'm Elizabeth.

Oh, well, Effie'll be
so glad to see you.

Are you her mother?

Her mama and her daddy are gone.

I'm her aunt.

Oh. Her mama and
daddy go on a trip?

Died.

Her mama last year and
her daddy the year before.

Oh.

Effie's in there
with her catalogs.

Well, go on in, honey.

ARIEL: Of course I'll come
to your party, Jenny-Ann.

I have a new dress
all bought for it.

It's this one here.

All white, with
little roses all over.

Ariel?

I don't live here.
I'm just visiting.

Your aunt told me.

Ever seen a Fairy Stone?

They're very rare.

Looks like a cross.

You can only find them in one
place in the whole wide world.

It's pretty.

Would you like to have it?

Thank you.

You're welcome.

I was going to have
a pretend tea party.

(SNIFFLES)

I used to have lots of them.

It's more fun
with a real person.

Do you want to pour
or do you want me to?

You can. It's your party.

I baked some nice cookies.

Here.

It's hot.

I wanted to be sure these personal
things went to the little house

before the auction tomorrow.

Must be a hard
thing to do, Colonel.

Well, I look at it
this way, John-Boy.

I've had a lot of
good things in my life.

With the way things are going
for most people these days,

I'm not bad off.

Selena must be worried
about you, though.

Oh, I'm all right.

It's easier for me
than she thinks.

She has it in her mind
that I live for my money.

(BOTH CHUCKLING)

Oh, I enjoyed it.
I don't deny that.

But losing it? Not
the end of the world.

I, uh, hope you two
work out your differences.

So do I.

I'm trying.

You gentlemen take
this load down to the farm,

then come back for the rest.

I wouldn't go along with her
on this Spain deal, Colonel.

I just couldn't. She
got upset about that.

Then this hard
luck hit you folks.

Well, I know Selena.
She'll be all right in a while.

It takes her a little time to
change her mind about things.

(HORSE WHINNYING)

COLONEL: Selena!

Excuse me, Colonel.

Go on.

Selena?

Selena.

Selena?

Are you all right? Yes.

(PANTING)

I thought maybe
you'd taken a fall.

Disappointed?

Oh, don't be crazy. I've
been needing to talk to you.

All right. Get it over with.
Tell me all about myself.

It doesn't matter now.
Well, I think it matters.

You called me a coward because
I wouldn't go fight in some war

that you picked out for me.

That I picked out?

The survival of the free world could
depend on what happens in Spain.

Oh, it could. It
very well could.

Survival can depend
on a lot of things, Selena.

There are people in this country
right now who are fighting a war.

Somebody decided to call it a
depression, but it's a war all the same.

People are fighting
for food, for shelter,

to hang on to
simple human dignity.

I'm in that war with my
family, and so are you now.

And the question for you
and the question for me

is exactly the same thing,
"Are we gonna survive?"

And you haven't
won that war yet.

Oh, so I try to enlist
you in my war in Spain

and now I'm
supposed to join yours?

Selena, for someone who cares,

there are a lot of battles a lot
closer home than Barcelona.

Just look around. People
are fighting for a decent wage.

They're fighting for
a clean place to live.

They're fighting for the vote.

I don't have to run away
from college and borrow $200

and travel 3,000
miles to volunteer.

There's plenty of
battlefields right here at home.

Are you finished? No.

I'm not finished.

A coward is a person

who finds himself on
the battlefield, under fire,

and runs away from the people

who are depending on him or her.

Well, then, nobody
better depend on me,

because I wasn't
just running from you.

I was running from all those empty
rooms, everything that I cared for.

I couldn't stand the pain
on my grandfather's face.

He needs you now, Selena.

He's a strong man,
but he needs you now.

He'll be relieved not to have
me around, making him feel guilty.

Oh, you don't believe
that. You're just saying that

so you can run off to
that fancy school up north

and pretend none of
this ever happened.

I hate the idea of going back!

You're never going back.

And you know you're
never going back.

And you're not
going to Spain, either.

Stay here. Please.

You can transfer to Boatwright.

You can... You can help Vesper
take care of your grandfather.

He'd never allow that.

He'd allow it if he thought
that's what you really wanted.

I don't know.

Selena, you're a fighter.

You got something
worth fighting for right now.

You make it sound so simple.

Oh, I see.

So you're one of those people

who insists on complicating
a perfectly simple situation

in order to avoid taking action.

Is that it?

Using my own weapons
against me? That isn't fair, John.

Selena, all's fair.

In love and war?

You said it, not me.

Do you want me to stay?

Yes.

You might regret it.

Mmm-hmm.

I probably will.

JOHN-BOY: Selena did stay with her
grandfather, did transfer to Boatwright,

and, as she predicted,
there were times I regretted it.

But mostly after the collisions,

when we had picked ourselves up,

got our bearings, we found
ourselves headed in the same direction

and grateful to have
each other's company.

ELIZABETH: John-Boy?
Yes, Elizabeth?

Are you gonna
marry Selena Linville?

That's a silly question.

JIM-BOB: It sure is.
JASON: Oh, it sure is.

Fellas! Wait a minute.

Fellas, it's not that silly.

ELIZABETH: Well, John-Boy,
you've got plenty of time to decide.

Thank you, Elizabeth.

Good night. Good night.