The Waltons (1971–1981): Season 5, Episode 2 - The Vigil - full transcript

Now, stop that,
you hear? Stop that!

Are you all right, Grandma?

No, it's serious, John-Boy. It's
happening all over the country.

Rural doctors moving to
the cities just to make a living.

John-Boy?

Is Grandma gonna die?

Oh, Livie,

I... I just can't go
on without her.

I remember so well the carefully
designated crossroads of my life.

The points where one could stop and
thoughtfully consider which road to take.

But there were those
other particles of time



in which decisions
were made more quickly.

And in one snap judgment,
irrevocable forces were set into motion.

I especially recall such a
time affecting my grandmother

and my sister Mary Ellen.

The chickens take the pan
away from you, Grandma?

I dropped it.

Something wrong, Grandma?

No, I... Just hand me the pan.

You got sweat on your
forehead. You know that?

Just go on back to
your chores. Go on.

What in heaven's name?

Grandma, what's going on here?

Put that on the back porch.

What are you doing?



Something wrong?

Grandma, what's wrong?

What's wrong is I can't get my work
done for being asked what's wrong.

But these are all clean.

I say they need scouring.

If you've something
else to say, I'd listen.

Put that on the back porch.

Oh, I'm sorry! Sorry
about that, Doc.

You're doing pretty well
on that cane, John-Boy.

A lot better than I'd
do on a motorcycle.

You ought to stay
off of those things.

And I fully intend
to from now on.

Let's see. You were
asking me something?

Yes, I was. I wanna be able
to quote you on this, Doc, and...

Well, I was wondering
if I could at least say

that you were giving it some
consideration about moving away.

Yes, I'd say that's
a fair statement.

As a matter of fact, I'm
going to Charlottesville today.

And if the offer I've had there looks
as good as it sounded on the telephone,

then I'm going to take it.

And then we'll leave here just
as soon as we can get packed.

You sound mighty anxious
about that, ma'am. We are.

Yes, well, I'm not sure
"anxious" is the word.

I just can't afford to stay,
John-Boy, it comes down to that.

It's a common problem
in rural areas today.

Times are hard and the doctors
are the last ones to be paid.

If they get paid at all.

This is what they give
us instead of money!

Now how do we pay
our taxes with a ham?

Or how do we have the roof fixed
for eggs and watermelon pickles?

Well, don't worry
about the roof.

John-Boy, Len Porter
paid for his son's tonsils

with shingles!

That's right. Laugh about it.

Ma'am, hey, I'm, uh... Hey,
I'm sorry about that, Doc.

I didn't mean to laugh.
No. No, no, John-Boy.

I started it. I started it.

Well...

I don't know, maybe...

Maybe people just think about doctors
the way they think about preachers.

As if medicine were a calling?

Yeah, they gotta eat
what people bring 'em.

Gotta dress out
of the poor barrels,

gotta be kind, gotta be patient,

gotta be available all hours
of the day and the night.

Thank God for
their many blessings.

I don't know, I guess
that's true enough.

You know, I wanted more than
anything to become a country doctor.

Well, you got your wish.

Don't tell me you
wanna give it all up now.

No, it's serious, John-Boy. It's
happening all over the country.

Rural doctors moving to
the cities just to make a living.

Here, read those.

Can I hold on to these
for a while? Mmm.

Yes, and someplace over here
is a copy of the Hippocratic oath.

A very stirring document, written
some 400 years before Christ.

If you can find it and
show me any place

where it says that the physician
is more or less than human,

then I'd cheerfully give you a
dozen eggs, some quince jelly,

and a shingle.

Now, Erin, this is
the switchboard.

Looks complicated.

It is. It is. But
you'll learn it.

I hope so.

Now, these are your
trunk lines along here.

Never give a busy signal
unless all these lines are in use.

How do I know?

The red light, the line is busy.

Yellow light, the line is open.

Red, busy. Yellow, open.

Now, these are
your ringing switches.

When you've plugged in
the number being called,

push the switch
forward, then release.

Forward and release,
until the number answers.

Well, what if they don't answer?

Well, never give less than
six rings before giving up.

A subscriber may be out of
doors or occupied in another room.

Six rings.

Remain calm and
cool at all times.

I do hope you're not excitable.

Am I?

Oh, no, I wouldn't
say so, honey, no.

Never forget, Erin, this is the very
nerve center of Jefferson County.

Yes, ma'am.

Now, are you ready, child?

Now then, get me Len Bookings.

Head of the Volunteer
Fire Department.

Someone answered.

Tell him your business.

Hello, this is... Well,
you don't know me.

No, no, no, there
isn't a fire. I just...

No, my goodness, no.

Len?

Fanny Tatum here.

Just my new assistant
practicing on the switchboard.

Tarnation, Fanny! You
gone plumb out of your mind?

Now, Len! Shall we
watch our language?

Enough!

I'm sorry.

It's not your fault, honey.

Maybe you shouldn't practice with the
Head of the Volunteer Fire Department.

I take full
responsibility for that.

It's the pressures of things here,
Mr. Walton. It's been building.

I do need Erin to help me.

You think you can
handle it, honey?

Your number, please? Thank you.

After school, and
half-day on Saturday.

That's not too much to ask.

I've coped with the
pressures of this job for...

Miss Fanny. They've answered.

Your number, please?

Grandma, if you would
read these articles here,

you'd understand,
it's happening all over.

Doctors don't leave
because they're inhuman,

they leave 'cause
they can't afford to stay.

Well, then, let 'em
go. Let me see.

Grandma, Doc
Vance is gonna leave.

And if he does, this whole
area is gonna be in a fix for sure.

It's not fair to expect
doctors to work for nothing.

A lot of people nowadays are
working for nothing or next to nothing.

That don't make it right,
but we owe 'em respect.

You can't eat respect, Pa.

Know what they're sending him?

Food, shingles for his roof...

Well, then he gets paid.

Grandma, he can't pay his bills
with that stuff. He needs money.

Oh, good Lord. I've had
my fill of this kind of talk.

What would you
like to talk about, Ma?

Something that's got nothing
to do with doctors or sickness

or unpleasant things.

I don't think that's too
tall an order, Grandma.

Oh, Esther. Come on back and
compose yourself and we'll talk about you.

Don't mollycoddle me.

I'll tell you this, if you work hard
and mind your own business,

then you've got no time to get sick,
and you won't need any doctoring!

Hmm!

She does seem
to be off her feed.

I think it's a little more
than that, Grandpa.

This stuff sure goes way back.

Well, Hippocrates lived
in the 4th century BC,

and most of this stuff
is from that period.

Huh. Listen to this, it
doesn't even sound English.

"I swear by Apollo
Physician, by Asclepius,

"by Health, by Panaceia..."

Wait a minute, that's it, that's what
I'm looking for. Hippocratic oath.

"I swear by..."

"making them my
witnesses that I will carry out,

"according to my ability
and judgment, this oath."

What do you need with that?

I'm gonna use
this in my editorial.

I just don't see how Doc
Vance can pick up and leave.

Well, I don't think he wants to leave.
He's gotta make a living, Mary Ellen.

But there's such a need
for doctors, and nurses.

You know something,
you must know somebody.

Some young doctor
at the university.

That's got to be the answer
for an area like this, you know?

Some young man who's
not attached, no family.

Just starting out.

David Spencer. He's an intern
at the University Medical School.

He came to mind
pretty quick, didn't he?

He's got a way of doing that.

Yeah?

Hmm.

You know, when I finish up
here, I'd like to be a country doctor.

Out in the backwoods somewhere.

Well, that could turn out
to be Walton's Mountain.

Especially if Dr. Vance leaves.

You're going to take notes?

Yeah, if you say something
I wanna write down.

John-Boy's got a newspaper,
The Blue Ridge Chronicle.

We like to take a
stand on certain things,

such as Doc Vance leaving,

the fact that most people don't
pay their doctors for their services,

and of course, we'd like to
encourage some young doctors

to come out and
work in the area.

You have that many people?

We've got all ages, all
sizes and all ailments.

Somebody's always sick.

If we ever had any kind of an
epidemic, I don't know what we'd do.

Mmm.

You know, we're
about to have one here

if things keep going at the
rate they've been progressing.

Really? What is it?

It's a strain of intestinal flu.

Some aggravated cases
have had to be hospitalized.

But don't quote me
on that. Why not?

The Public Health Officer has to
issue all statements about epidemics.

If that's what this is.

Well, I'd sure
like to touch on it.

You think maybe I could mention the
symptoms? What are the symptoms?

A very sore intestinal tract,

some sharp
abdominal pains, fever.

Cramps, nausea,
marked loss of appetite.

Sounds like you two could
open up a clinic on your own.

You know, what
I would really like

would be a chance to work with a
man like your Dr. Vance for a while.

You know, watch
him, learn from him.

Go his rounds with him,
get to know the people.

It would be a great experience.

It's like extra schooling. You
just can't buy experience like that.

Well, I'm glad you feel that way

because the way
things stand now,

you certainly couldn't
afford to pay for it.

Here you go, catch!

Now, stop that,
you hear? Stop that!

Ben! Ben, here!

Ben!

Grandma? Are you
all right, Grandma?

I told you not to
throw that ball.

I'm sorry, Grandma.

It's all right, Ben. Don't fret.

Are you sick?

I'm glad you're
here, Mary Ellen.

You been having those
pains long, Grandma?

Is it kind of a
sharp pain in here,

and then kind of
sore all around?

And a fever. We
gotta get you to bed.

Do you know what it is,
Mary Ellen? Can you tell?

It's intestinal flu.

It's all over Charlottesville.

Now, come on,
let's get you to bed.

Come on. No need
to make such a fuss.

Grandma, when the nurse says,
"Go to bed," that's where you go.

Come on, Grandma.

You okay, Grandma?

Elizabeth, no visitors.

Let her stay.

Grandma, what you've
got could be catching.

I don't want Elizabeth
coming down with it, too.

Yeah, but they're in here.

Elizabeth, out.

You don't seem quite
so hot. That's a good sign.

It is better.

Esther always feels better
when I'm near at hand.

Mighty handy, growing
your own nurse.

Well, there's nothing
to worry about.

I know if you keep that
heating pad on your stomach,

you'll be fine by tomorrow.

How's it look? It
looks great, just great.

Stands out on the page,
just like I thought it would.

Go on, read it.

Really want to?

Yeah, read it.

Okay.

"Dry-cleaning special.
Ladies' silk dresses, 50 cents..."

Not that. Read the editorial.

I'm not interested
in that. Why not?

Well, I'm interested in the stuff
that pays for editorials. Here.

Yeah, not bad at all.

"Dr. Vance's Pledge
To You." You see that?

See, what I did was

I put the Hippocratic
oath at the top there, see?

And then down below, I composed
up a little something of my own.

I called it "The Patient's
Pledge to His Doctor."

It says, uh, "I..." You
want me to read it?

Sure.

It says, "I fully recognize the
financial needs of my doctor,

"that his costs of living
are the same as mine,

"and in return for his
dedicated services,

"I promise to pay as promptly
as possible for those services,

"not in butter,
eggs and pickles,

"but in the cash
that he requires

"to sustain himself
and his family."

How's that?

Well, I like this better.

What?

"Pimento cheese
sandwich and a Green River,

"here at Cookson's
Drug Store in Rockfish."

Ben, some more paper, please.

I'm already late, John-Boy.

Just hold your horses.

John-Boy. Never knew you
to deliver the paper before.

Well, I've never been so anxious
for the Doc to see it before.

Is he back from
Charlottesville yet? No, I...

I was expecting a letter
from somewhere today.

Somewhere? Where's somewhere?

Fredericksburg, Richmond.

He's looking into
other situations.

Oh.

You want me to
keep this for him?

Well, I'd appreciate it.

Ma'am, it really sounds like
you're planning on leaving.

Well, we have to do something.

Hurry up, John-Boy!

Eunice, you'll have to tell
your mother I've been delayed.

I'm breaking in a girl to
help me and she's late.

That little Walton girl, Erin.

She was supposed to be
here at 4:00 on the dot...

I'm sorry, Miss Fanny.

She just walked in,
Eunice. I'll be there directly.

I know I'm late.
I couldn't help it.

Four and one-half
minutes exactly.

I would have been
on time. I tried.

Trying is not good
enough, child.

We must always be on time.

People depend on us. We're a
vital service to this community.

My brother brings me, and
he had to stop at Dr. Vance's.

No excuses, Erin. I
won't hear of them.

I cannot abide excuses.

I just wanted to explain.

There is no explanation, child.

Punctuality is part
of responsibility.

Yes, ma'am.

You assumed that
when you took this job.

And don't forget,
Erin, you came to me.

I did not seek you out.

I will, of course, be exactly four and
one-half minutes late upon my return.

That is how we learn.

Your number, please.

Can I get you anything?

No, Livie.

I feel bad. Real bad.

Don't tell Zeb.

He knows.

You just gonna stand
there holding that thing

or are you gonna pour some?

She's not doing well at all.

You think she's worse?

All she'll take is a little water.
She hasn't had a bite to eat.

That's not what worries you.

Her temperature's 102 and she
just keeps hugging that heating pad.

You haven't touched anything.

Not like you not
to have your tea.

Just a little more water.

You just don't feel
so good, do you?

Zeb, you take care
of yourself, hmm?

John.

I think you'd better call
Dr. Vance right away.

Livie.

Thank you.

Your number, please.

Erin, honey, get me Dr. Vance.

How do you know that?

You sure?

Well, get me Mrs. Vance, then.
Maybe she's heard from him.

Ma's sick.

The Doc gotta be within reach.

I hear he's trying to
pull out altogether.

Yeah, I know.

Mrs. Vance? Mrs. Vance,
this is John Walton. I...

Yes, ma'am, I'm
feeling just fine.

Mrs. Vance, we have to find the
doctor. My mother's sick, and...

You don't know where he is?

Yes, ma'am, I certainly would
appreciate it if you tried to find him.

Thank you, ma'am.

Do you know what ails Esther?

No. And we're through guessing.

Erin, honey, get me Ep Bridges.

No, tell him to come to the
house. Don't call me back here.

Tell him Ma's gotta
get to the hospital.

Yeah, that touring
car of his will do just

fine. That truck is too
rough a ride for her.

What's the matter with Grandma?

Well, of course I
will. Right away.

Yes, I know how to call him.

Sheriff Bridges, please
answer your phone.

Sheriff's office?

May I speak to Sheriff Bridges?

Well, where is he?

Don't you know?

You think he might be
in the Rockfish area?

Well, listen, my grandma's sick
and she has to go to the hospital,

and my daddy
needs Sheriff Bridges.

Yes, I know what
his car looks like.

All right, I'll try.

My daddy? John Walton!

Much obliged, Ep.
Need a hand in there?

They're inside.

Mama, is Grandma real sick?

More than we know
how to care for.

Wouldn't do to let her
know how worried we are.

But it's not like
Grandma to be sick.

I wish I could help her.

Seems like you've been the most
help of all getting the sheriff here.

Grandma. There we go.

Liv will ride with you.
Come on, Grandma.

I'll follow in the truck.

You see that Ep drives
nice and easy, Ma.

John-Boy, you better wait
here for the rest of the children.

I will. You want us to follow
you into Charlottesville?

No, I'll call Ike if
we got any news.

Okay, we'll be there.
Don't worry about us.

Better get you back to Miss
Fanny's. She know you're gone?

Operator.

No, it was just a
temporary problem here.

Nothing we can't handle.

Well, I know
you've been patient.

Thanks very much.

Operator. No, nothing
we can't fix. Ring who?

Very well.

Don't mention it.

Operator. No, now it's
all been taken care of.

Of course we can.
Anywhere you want to call.

Glad to be of help.

Miss Fanny, I know you don't...

Want any excuses
or explanations!

There are none!
None! There's one.

I tried to call you.

Do you know this entire switchboard
was one enormous busy signal?

Please listen to me.

Never, since this
board was first installed,

has it ever gone unattended.

Not for so much
as a single minute!

I don't care!

Doc Vance is off somewhere and
Mrs. Vance doesn't know where.

So I had to go and find the
Sheriff and bring him to my house.

Oh, my dear child! I rode home
with him. And I'd do it again!

What's wrong at your house,
Erin? My grandma's sick.

The sheriff's driving her to
Charlottesville to the hospital.

Now... Now, there
are things we can do.

But what?

Well, if Dr. Vance is
in my part of the world,

I'll find him.

You may just want to watch this.

I don't mind splinters.

A splinter, you see,

works up here in the palm of
your hand, there's a sore spot,

comes to the surface and you
yank it out and it isn't sore anymore.

Whatever's wrong with Esther, I
wish it could be no more than a splinter.

Ma's in the right place
for whatever she's got, Pa.

She stood the ride well.
Thank God Ep got her here.

Are you the Waltons?

Yes, I'm John Walton. This
is my father. This is my wife.

How do you do? I'm David
Spencer. I'm an intern here.

A good friend of Mary Ellen's.

Ah! We're real
proud of Mary Ellen.

She's going to be a
fine nurse someday.

Her grandma thinks
she's a fine nurse now.

They sent me to
tell you that there's a

possibility that Mrs.
Walton may need surgery.

Surgery?

For what?

Well, they're examining
her now. It's just a possibility.

Who are "they"? They're
the best on our staff, sir.

The best in the Commonwealth.

I wish I could be as sure of
that as you are, young man.

Well, if they do choose to operate,
Mr. Walton, they'll need your permission.

How am I to know
what's right or wrong?

You might try
praying on it, Grandpa.

Dr. Vance would've brought
Ma to these same people, Pa.

Now, come on. They
may need your permission.

Elizabeth, will you get the
dog out of here, please?

He won't go home.
Get him out of here.

He doesn't belong
in here anyway.

John-Boy, don't use it,
Daddy may be trying to call.

Maybe it's out of order,
Ben. I gotta find out.

Hello, Miss Fanny? Miss
Fanny, this is John Walton, Jr.

Me and the children
are down at Ike Godsey's.

We're waiting for a call
from my daddy, and I...

Mmm-hmm.

That's right.

Okay, thank you. I'll get off.

Well, it's working.

John-Boy, you know your daddy would
call you if he had anything to tell you.

Yeah.

This afternoon seems
like a long time ago, Ike.

Elizabeth, get the
dog out of here!

Come on, Reckless.

Hey, I got an idea.

Why don't we all go play pool?

We'll teach you, too, Elizabeth.

Mmm-mmm. No thanks, Ike.

Well, uh... Y'all
had enough to eat?

Yeah, we had enough
at home, thank you.

Ben? Jim-Bob?

Well, if it wouldn't
put you out any, Ike.

You had enough at home now, Ben.

You had enough.

Well, I'm sure that Corabeth
has got some meat loaf left over.

You know, grape soda goes
pretty good with meat loaf, Ike.

Or strawberry, too.

Grape soda, strawberry.

Okay, grape soda and strawberry.

You want something, honey?

John-Boy?

Is Grandma gonna die?

I'm not waiting
around here any longer.

Dr. Grierson, go to maternity.

Dr. Grierson, go to maternity.

You want some coffee?
No, thank you, John.

I should have thought to
bring some needlework.

Well! Here they are.

Daddy. Son.

Daddy. Honey.

Hi, Grandpa.

Any word yet?
Not in a long time.

You two look awful good
to me. Glad to see you.

David Spencer called me.

And she called me. I wish
there was something I could do.

It's a comfort just to
know you're here, Jason.

David said something
about surgery.

You just don't operate
on intestinal flu.

John, Zeb.

Dr. Vance. Doc.

I just wanted to let
you know I'm here.

It's a comfort
you are here, Doc.

How on earth did they find you?

Well, you never wanna
hide from Fanny Tatum.

Well, I'll go and see
Esther now. All right.

Well, it sure sounded like
that flu that was going around.

Must not be.

I must have made
an awful mistake.

Oh, honey, you don't know that.

Now don't you go blaming
yourself. You did the best you could.

Dr. Foley, go to
admitting, please.

Dr. Foley, go to
admitting, please.

It's so big!

How do we know which
room is Grandma's?

Well, they said it's room 111.
Should be right around here.

You children go on down to the waiting
room with Mama and Daddy, all right?

I'm going to find Mary Ellen.

Okay.

There's Grandma's room.

Yeah.

I want to go in there and see
her! You can't do that, Elizabeth.

Yeah, but she'd be
glad to see me. All of us.

At least I would if I
were in there all alone.

What was that? That
was an oxygen tent.

Does that mean that
Grandma's worse?

Look, worrying isn't
gonna help anything.

But there wasn't
anyone to help her.

You should have left her
alone till you got a doctor.

Ice packs should've been put on her.
Heat was the worse thing you could've done.

Well, you gave me all
the symptoms yourself!

She had all of them!
Abdominal pains, cramping,

sore intestinal tract,
fever, loss of appetite.

I know. Some of the
symptoms are the same.

Same as what, Doctor?

Intestinal flu and
acute appendicitis.

Grandma has appendicitis?

It burst, and the
peritonitis has spread.

Please, God, let Grandma live.

What's happened
to her is all my fault.

Not hers.

I failed her.

I didn't mean to, I really...

I really wanted to help her.

But I was wrong.

And I ask your forgiveness.

Please watch over her

and keep her safe.

Grandpa.

I know. I know.

It sure is quiet in there.

Waiting is always
the quietest time, Son.

And the longest.

Never was much of a hand at it.

Well, maybe it got
easier when you got older.

It doesn't.

If she pulls through this, I'm gonna
have to spend more time with her.

I wouldn't exactly say
you've been a neglectful son,

if that's what's bothering you.

Back a ways, we used to
spend more time together.

About the time my
brother Ben died,

she got so she
was leaning on me.

I come out on the front
porch and see her sitting there

with that pained look
in her eyes, and I'd say,

"Come on, Ma,
let's go for a ride."

That's what we'd do. We'd get
in that old DeSoto I used to own,

we'd ride all over the place

back to Fluvanna County,
where she was born.

It seemed to bring
her some comfort.

I remember a time when I took
her down to Boatwright University.

You know, I wanted her to see
the place before I went off to college,

and we were walking
down the hallway, and she...

She took a look at
this sign up on the wall

that said they were giving a
course in the Bible as literature.

She wanted to be
sure I took that one.

Did you? Yeah.

She does get her way.

Right after your ma
and me were married,

I wanted to get started on that
home of ours up in the mountains.

I wanted to build it right away.

She wouldn't hear that. She said,
"No, you gotta stay here." So we did.

Then the children started
coming and the years passed.

And here we are.

Yeah.

She knows how we feel about her.

That's gotta count
for something in there.

Not the kind of woman
to give up without a fight.

Couldn't find Mary
Ellen anyplace.

Can't have gone far.

Not tonight.

Why don't you stretch
your legs for a while?

How am I gonna manage that?

I'll sit in for you.

You don't feel like a mama.

Right now, I don't think
she'd know the difference.

There you go.

Thanks, Jason.

I stepped on her dress.

What?

At our wedding.

Didn't Esther
ever tell you that?

She told me a little bit about the
wedding, but she left out that part.

It was a June wedding.

It was that pretty little
white church at Mount Shiloh.

Esther was holding onto a bunch
of wood violets that I'd picked for her.

And the church was
real pretty, you know?

Smelled real good, too,

what with the
white ox-eye daisies

and the running cedar
that grows thereabouts

they used to decorate
the church with.

It was a real solemn,
pretty wedding.

Till the preacher says,

"Now you may kiss the bride."

Well, I hauled off and gave
Esther a good one, I can tell you.

Well, it must've been a
little too long to suit Esther,

'cause she kind of gave me
a shove and moved aside.

And when she did,

her dress ripped because
I was standing on it.

Of course, everybody in the
church, they begin to laugh,

and Esther, she turned
and gave me such a look

I thought it was all
over, I can tell you.

Then she reached out

and gave me her hand...

Oh, Livie,

I... I just can't go
on without her.

It's all right.

Tell me about Grandma.

She's come through
a critical experience,

and we fully expect
her to recover.

Thank God.

God seems to be the one to thank,
and those fine surgeons in there.

You don't have to tell me.
I know how wrong I was.

I hope you really know.

I made a wrong diagnosis.

From you, any
diagnosis is wrong.

Do you understand? You had
no right. You are not a doctor!

Well, somebody
had to do something!

That's no excuse!

I know why you did it.

The worry, the fear.

It's hard to think
clearly at such a time.

But if you're ever
to be a nurse,

you must learn just that.

I'm ashamed.

Well, that's a beginning.

I have another message for you.

Your grandmother
wants to see you.

I wonder if I can face her.

Well, I'm counting on you to
face up to a number of things.

Mmm?

Mary Ellen?

Yes, Grandma?

You always did take your own
sweet time coming when I called you.

How do you feel, Grandma?

I'm fixing to feel
a whole lot better.

Come over here, Mary
Ellen. Come on closer.

Mary Ellen, I want
you to forgive me.

Forgive you?

Yeah.

I can't think what got into me,

asking your help like you
were a doctor. It's just...

It's just I'm so proud of you.

Proud?

Someday you're gonna make a
fine nurse and make me even prouder.

The very idea of me
putting all that weight on you,

asking you to know
things you couldn't know.

I take all the blame,
and well I should.

Grandma, you've got
it all twisted around.

Don't you tell me I got things
twisted around. I know better.

Well, if it means
that you forgive me,

and that you
promise to get well,

then I accept your apology.

Oh,

Mary Ellen,

things don't come
easy in this life.

Most everything worth
knowing takes a lot of hard work

and prayers.

But sometimes, you've just got to
learn the bad of things and go on.

That's a way of growing,

of being the best you can be.

You know, if things
don't cost you something,

if they come too easy,

they don't seem
to be worth much.

Our grandmother recovered
to live long, good years with us.

And Dr. Vance decided to
remain on Walton's Mountain.

People there, who had
always appreciated him,

began to show it by paying
him with money, when they could.

Mary Ellen stayed in nursing,
where she surely belonged,

to learn all the things
that she had to learn.

John-Boy, will you take me
to Miss Fanny's tomorrow?

Why don't you ride on Blue?
He doesn't take gasoline.

What's that got to do with it?

Gasoline costs 15
cents a gallon, Erin.

Make her pay you, John-Boy.
She's earning money now.

Good idea, Ben. You can pay
me, too, all your riding around.

Ben?

Ben?

I'm asleep.

Good night, Ben.

Good night, everybody.