The Waltons (1971–1981): Season 6, Episode 12 - The Milestone - full transcript

Liv, it's past three.

- You haven't been to sleep, why?
- I don't know.

Why are you crying?

I can't tell you.

That's not like us. We
always talk about things.

- Now, come on.
- Don't touch me!

There is a special
niche in memory

where a child
places his parents.

A place and time where they
are never younger, never older.

A time when they are changeless.

For me, that memory
is of many years ago,



and no matter what came
after, they are forever young.

Jason, will you please find
someplace else to practice?

Jason, will you stop
playing for a minute!

I have to practice this piece, Mama.
I'm playing it in church tomorrow.

Somewhere else.
I can't have it here.

Well, I can't practice at church
'cause they're staining the floor today.

And if I try to play this kind
of music at the Dew Drop Inn,

nobody is gonna buy any beer!

Jason, I don't care where
you go, just please...

You hurt yourself, Mama?

What happened?

I'm not sure.

Thought I saw you coming
out here. Couldn't figure out why.

No reason I can think of.



Liv, you crying?

Just wanted some air. I
think I'll sit here for a while.

Can I stay with you?

I'd rather you didn't.

Mama!

Hey, Mary Ellen, have
you seen where mom is?

No.

That's silly. She's
usually around here.

Watch where you step.
There's glass all over the floor.

- What did you break this time?
- Nothing.

You know sometimes you
don't make a whole lot of sense.

- What have you got there?
- Oh. This is private.

It's papers for Mama to sign.

Maybe I'll let you look
at 'em after she's done.

I'd wait on it if I
were you, Jim-Bob.

Today isn't the best day to
be asking Mama for favors.

What's wrong with Mama?

I don't know. Maybe nothing.

Who said it was a favor, anyway?

Mama!

Guess that's my mess.
Thanks, Mary Ellen.

It wasn't that much
trouble, Mama.

I don't know what gets into these
hands. They used to work better.

Might be you overwork them.

I guess I drove Jason away.

He'll be back.

It just flew out of my hand.

Hey, Jim-Bob, you
better get a move on.

I'm not going to
church. I'm sick.

You're liable to be.
Mama's on her way upstairs.

- Jim-Bob, what's wrong?
- He claims he's sick.

When did this come on?

Probably when the
church bell started ringing.

I've got a stomach ache,
but I don't think it's serious.

Let me see your tongue.

I don't think it's
serious, either.

Mama, is it a good
time to talk to you?

It's a good time
to go to church.

You want me spreading
germs all over those people?

Here's your Bible. Find yourself
some paper and copy ten Bible verses.

Keep you from getting bored.

How long ago? You
don't want to tell me.

They're gettin' up
ahead of us there.

I can't figure out
which one to have,

sandwiches and lemonade,
or cake and ice cream.

I thought you wanted both.

Well, I think I do, but I
might change my mind.

What do you think, Mama?

I don't know what you're
talking about, Elizabeth.

My party.

What party?

Remember the party you
promised me I could have?

Remember you were
gonna make me a dress,

and I could invite
anyone I wanted to.

You did say it, Mama.
We all heard you.

I'm sure if you'd told me, I
would have remembered.

- Mama?
- You don't remember?

Maybe we ought to
talk about this later.

No, wait a minute.
Let's get this straight.

What party are
you talking about?

You promised me I could have
a party, invite anyone I wanted to.

You also said that you'd
make her a new dress.

You did, Mama, it was just the other
day, when we were all in the kitchen.

No one said a word to me about any party,
and I don't want to hear any more about it!

- Mama, what is it?
- You all go on ahead.

Liv! I'll wait here
with you if you like.

I just want you
all to go on ahead

and stop fussing over
everything! I'm not ill.

Please!

Come along, come
along, young'uns.

Come on.

Good morning, Olivia.

Something wrong, Olivia?

Hadn't planned on
buildin' your bedroom yet,

but I'm willing. I'm willing.

He ever answer you?

We understand each
other. He doesn't talk back.

You thinking about building
on the Mountain again?

Never stopped
thinking about that, Son.

And, Daddy, I got a real good
chance for a job in Rockfish.

That so?

Might be paying $20 a week,
and that's just at the beginning.

The experience is
better than the money.

I'd be working with tools and
I'd have a chance to learn a lot.

What you got there?

Some papers you have to
sign 'cause I'm under age.

Under age for what?

Building small airplane
parts. It's for defense work.

Be on after-schools
and Saturdays.

It says here you need
both parents' signatures.

Yeah.

Well, I'm willing if
you wanna give it a try.

Don't neglect your schoolwork.

Don't know how your
mom's going to feel about this.

Well, you could sign it.

It says it needs both
parents' signatures.

You ask her about
it, I'll back you up.

Thanks, Dad. What
was for breakfast?

Sausage and pancakes.

You wouldn't want any
anyway with that stomach ache.

Hey, Daddy, isn't something
supposed to be cooking?

Hmm.

It's not like your mama
to forget Sunday dinner.

Where's Liv?

Isn't she home? She
left before church.

Why'd she do that?

I don't know.

Seemed to be all right.
Said she wasn't sick.

Well, she sure hasn't
been herself lately.

Well, if she missed church,
something must be wrong.

I'll go look for her.

You better get some
dinner started around here.

What is it, Liv?

The other day, running off from
behind the barn, today missing church,

it's got to be serious.

I feel like I'm a
long way from home.

You look so serious.

I feel homesick.

Like I want to go back.

Like I wanna be a child
with my mother and father.

I know they've been
gone this long time,

but that's the kind
of homesick I feel.

Doesn't make
much sense, does it?

Whatever troubles
you troubles me, Liv.

We've always been able
to talk. Talk about things.

If we couldn't talk, we...

We'd touch and make
things good again.

I've just never
seen you this way.

It's tearing me apart,
not being able to help you.

I feel like running away or trying to
catch up or finding something I've lost.

I don't know which it is.

How can I find what I'm looking for when
I don't even know what it is I've lost?

Your mama's tired, she's taking a rest.
There's no need for all these long faces.

Yeah, Livie needs a
little peace and quiet

after taking care of all you wild
young'uns for all these years.

Let's try to be extra
considerate of her for a while.

If you've got any problems,
don't go to her with them.

I don't understand.
I mean, is she sick?

I told you, honey, she's tired.

How much longer is she
gonna be tired, Daddy?

That's a real bright
question, Jim-Bob.

Yeah, it's like,
"How high is up?"

I need to know, Ben,
it's not that dumb.

Jason, this was a big day
for you, you ask the blessing.

God, our Father, we thank
you for the bounty of this table.

And we all ask your help
in making Mama feel easier.

- Amen.
- Amen.

Ah, here she is.

Figured it was safe to come
down, now that all the work is done.

Mama?

Come in, Mary
Ellen, if you're alone.

Somebody you don't wanna see?

I'm trying to work on
this surprise for Elizabeth.

Oh, Mama, it's just
what Elizabeth wants.

Never know when
I can work on it.

I don't know if I've mentioned lately
but these... hands seem to fight me.

Would you like me to massage them?
Curt says I'm real good on backs and necks.

All right.

I must get that child to
tell me what she needs,

how many children
she wants and...

Are you talking about the party?

Elizabeth's party, I
told you about that.

Yeah, I guess I forgot.

I'm sorry.

You didn't hurt me,
Mary Ellen. They hurt me!

Sometimes it seems like
they don't belong to me at all.

Sometimes the pain
just shoots through them!

Do they hurt that much?

Don't mind the
tears, I'm not really

crying. I just can't
seem to stop the tears.

I really think you're just
tired, Mama. Just extra tired.

I think I'm just extra silly.

I don't know when I've
given way like this before.

I don't think ever.

Well, I don't like the feeling. And
I am not going to accommodate it.

Mama?

I'm taking a trip, you
want to come along?

Make-believe?

For the time being, anyway.

This is my mother and
her sister, Aunt Kate Daley,

in front of our
house in Alberene.

Which one's your mother?

Do I look like her?

I think you're prettier.

Well, I'm not. Or nearly
as good or as strong.

I wish I could be the
woman my mother was.

What about your Aunt Kate?

Kate Grover Daley. She
wasn't at all like my mother.

They were both strong women,

but Mother's strength
was a quieter strength.

You always knew where Aunt Kate stood
on things and where you stood with her.

It's kind of like having an
older sister in Aunt Kate.

Who's the little girl?

That's your mama.

Really?

And that hat you see going round the
porch, that was on my daddy's head.

You know? I'm glad you
grew up to be my mama.

I hope I grow up to
be as pretty as you are.

Mama?

I'm all right, Elizabeth.
It's just a little close in here.

I think I better go downstairs.

Are you feeling sick?

You know how it is, Elizabeth,
sometimes it's time to move on.

Will you pick up
that photo album?

- Mama, I need to talk to you.
- It'll have to wait, Jim-Bob.

Well, I've been waiting,
and it can't wait any more.

Daddy's gonna sign it.
All you have to do is read it.

I mean, you don't have to
read it, just sign your name.

Well, I have to know
what I'm signing.

It's just a chance at the
best job offer I ever had.

Good money and good
experience. Daddy's all for it.

With the chores you have to do
around here and your schoolwork,

you've got enough to handle.

Come on, Mom, it's just in Rockfish
at Lou's tool and machine shop.

After schools and Saturdays, and that's
it. I still have time to do my schoolwork.

Jim-Bob, I am busy. I
don't wanna talk about it.

This is lousy.

Don't you talk to me that way.

I'm sorry, Mama.

Daddy says we have to be
extra nice to you right now.

I don't know why.
You sure make it tough.

I don't know what it is with your
mama, but it's getting time to find out.

I'll tell you, it's
got me worried.

I wish Curt were
here. He'd know.

- Mama, why don't you take my place?
- I've got some errands to run.

Why don't you let
Mary Ellen run 'em?

It'd be awful nice having you up
on the Mountain building the house.

Wonder if I put the
potatoes on to boil.

Mary Ellen, will you take
care of it for me, please?

Liv.

Liv!

When I was in training, there
was a patient kind of like Mama.

Very sad, very depressed.
The doctors called it melancholia.

What did you do about it?

Well, the first thing you do
is don't take my word for it.

I learned my lesson about
diagnosing illnesses a long time ago.

Oh, hello, Olivia, how are you?

Boy, this is the limit. I
gotta find this earring in here.

- Has the mail gone out yet, Ike?
- Oh, I don't know.

Flossie Brimmer comes in
here, she's dressed fit to kill.

She's going into Westham
to shop for the day.

She loses her earring,
and she thinks it's in here...

I think I found it!

Gum! Corabeth!

Mr. Godsey, I am not deaf.

Hello, Olivia, I didn't know you
were here. What can I do for you?

I just wanna mail some letters.

Oh, well, the mail seems
to be slightly disorganized.

But if you'll give them to me,
I'll see that they're dispatched.

How am I gonna get this off?

Shall I take them, dear?

A little paint thinner,
rubbing alcohol.

I beg your pardon?

It'll take the gum
off his hands.

Oh, well, I'll tidy Mr. Godsey up a bit,
and then we'll be back in business shortly.

You know, Flossie,
she comes in with...

Number, please.

Your number, please.

May I please have your number?

Hello? Hello?

Is anybody there? Hello?

You won't believe what
was in that gum, Olivia.

Yeah, Flossie Brimmer's...

Strange. She left
without leaving her letters.

Hello? Is anybody there? Hello?

Hello?

It's me, Ike, Erin.

Oh, Erin.

Well, I guess your mother
just changed her mind.

Oh.

Strange, she didn't
mail her letters.

Well, there's one thing never changes
up here. That's this endless view.

This house never
changes much either, Pa.

You can't do anything
but fits and starts.

I don't think we've been able to
put one week's decent work in here

since we first got going on it.

Just keep pulling me away.

Hauling logs, working for the Army,
chasing pigs, working with the Baldwins.

Time is a precious commodity.

There was a time

Liv and me used to talk about
living up here without a house.

That was a long time ago,

before the babies
started coming, you know?

You don't suppose you're the only
couple that ever had such an idea, do you?

I don't want it to go
on any longer, Pa.

Things standing in the
way of Liv being up here.

She needs a change. A
view, breathing space, Pa.

Well, let's get started.

I'd feel a lot better about this
if I were driving you over there.

Where did I put that picture?

Oh.

Do you remember
Aunt Kate at all?

Nice lady.

She was when I saw
her sometime back.

Fifteen years ago, I counted.

Liv.

John, it won't be long.

How long?

I don't know how long. I just... I
just feel if I can go back to Alberene

and spend some time with Aunt Kate, that
it will set all kinds of things to rest.

But you never say
what kind of things.

Just...

Feelings. I...

The need to go back to...

To be somewhere else, to get
out of my family's way for a while.

I can't believe this! What in
the hell is going on around here?

You're just gonna have
to be patient with me, John.

Hello, young fella.

Walton, James Robert.
I was in here last week.

Oh, sure. About the job,
only you're under age, right?

That's what you said, sir.

No, that's what Uncle Sam said.

Well, let's look at
your application now.

It's not signed or anything.

It better be. Unless you had a few
birthdays this week to bring you up to age.

You see, it's about my mama.

My daddy's gonna sign
it, but she can't right...

Well, she has to sign it,
too. Now, I told you that.

Well, she's gonna sign it.
She's just away right now.

You have to have both parents.
I made that as clear as I could.

My grandpa would
sign it in a minute.

How about the minister?

It sounds like you better
get to work on your mama.

I guess that job's
still open then.

Well, not for long.

I guess I told you
I built my own car.

Walton.

Thanks.

Whatever's in that case,
I've already got plenty of it.

I was told you'd
want all I have.

Of what?

Candy kisses, liquorice
whips, a rag doll...

A flannel nightgown
and a clean handkerchief!

You've run away from home
again. Your mother is going to be so...

Olivia!

I do my best crying indoors.

Here!

This isn't how I planned it.

I believe that.

Come in. Sit down.

Tell me how you
thought it would be.

You were going to open
the door, I was going to say,

"Hello, Aunt Kate.
I'm Olivia Walton,"

and you were going
to be thrilled to see me.

I guess that's a
better beginning.

No, I liked the candy
kisses and the liquorice whip.

Why have you run away
from home this time?

Are you given to tears or do
you have something to cry about?

I don't know.

I often have a sherry
after I've mowed the lawn.

Not for me, thanks.

You sound just like your mother.

I used to rub it on your
gums when you were teething.

It worked wonders then.

You'd stop crying.

Very often you smiled at me.

I don't want any, thank you.

If you wrote me a letter about
coming to visit, I didn't get it.

I wrote you one,
but I didn't mail it.

What's the matter, Olivia?

Something dreadful.
Something very frightening.

What is it?

I can't control how I
think. Or what I think.

- Have you been to a doctor?
- Or how I act.

It seems wherever I am, I wanna leave.
I don't even know what I'm doing here.

You'll stay here till we know.

I don't know what's
wrong with me.

Your mother used to solve most
of her problems over a cup of tea.

I'll fix you one.

And after this, most
likely, you'll want a rest.

And then tomorrow,
we'll see Doc Caldwell,

who's got no business
being as wise as he is.

I don't know if I'm gonna be
able to lie still long enough to rest.

Might be different today.

- What're you up to?
- Nothing.

You gonna leave
those on the floor?

I'll pick 'em up when I want to.

Looks like Mama's writing.

It's just some stuff she
wanted to throw away.

You're copying her signature?

I'm not very good at it.

I wouldn't get very good at it.

That's forgery. You can get
thrown in the clink for that.

Well, even if I was good at
it, I'd probably be too nervous.

You mean on the job application?

I really want the job.

They'd probably
shoot you for it.

Mama wrote this to John-Boy.

I think reading other
people's mail is a crime, too.

"I need something to hold on
to, or I know I'll fly off the world."

I wonder why she'd say that.
Wonder why she'd write it to John-Boy.

Don't ask me. I'm
practically an orphan.

Yeah, you're in a
lot of trouble all right.

I sure am.

Daddy's up on the Mountain working
on the house, and now Mama's gone.

Yeah, we better
throw these away.

Mama meant to get
rid of them obviously.

Jim-Bob, you're
gonna get in trouble.

I was just thinking about it.

Honest.

Aunt Kate, you didn't tell
me we were coming here.

We're having a picnic.
Right under the oak tree.

- Does anybody live here?
- Not at the moment.

Does it look the same to you?

It's a lot smaller
than I remember.

You're bigger.

I seem to remember you could
see the church from this side

and nearly to your
house on the other.

Trees and shrubs
grow, too, you know.

At least the rope didn't break.

I expect it's been changed.

A few times.

Be careful, child.

Be careful, child.

It's supper time. Time to
come in now and clean up.

It'll be dark soon. I don't
want you out there alone.

Come in now, child.

Olivia.

Olivia.

Here's some tea.

Come sit and eat.

- I made you party sandwiches.
- With the crusts off.

This isn't the same tea
you gave me yesterday.

Oh, no, that was my special blend
for people who need to rest and can't.

I slept round the clock.

It does a job on a cold, too,
if you catch it soon enough.

There's always been a part of
me that wanted to be wild and free.

I imagined that when the children were
grown I could express that part of myself.

Inside I feel like a young girl.

When I look in the mirror...

You're determined that
it's bad news, aren't you?

The way that I feel...
No, the ways that I feel,

there's no chance that
it could be good news.

Olivia.

You really do want to know, or
you'd have never come to me.

You're going to see
Dr. Caldwell, right?

Let's go, Mary Ellen!

Daddy, am I glad I caught you.

- Any word from your mama?
- No.

Can you sign these now?

All right, but I don't know
what good one signature'll do.

I thought if I showed him your signature,
he'd hold the job open a little longer.

I hope so, but don't count on
your mama changing her mind.

Maybe she'll be a new woman
by the time she gets back.

Thanks, Daddy.

Let's go, Mary Ellen!

- Hello.
- Hi, Reverend.

Jim-Bob, my car broke down.

- Where you headed?
- Rockfish.

- Mind if I bum a ride?
- Hop in.

James Robert, I never thought
you would be an act of Providence.

Here, I'll hold that.

- Darn it. This just isn't fair!
- What's the matter?

I wasn't gonna go
through with it, but...

I just can't figure out how you
show up right when I was signing it.

You preachers got
powers or something?

Yeah, yeah. We're absolutely
amazing. What are you talking about?

I signed my mother's
signature on there.

You forged your mother's name?

It's pretty good if you know what
my mama's handwriting looks like.

But you preachers
probably know everything.

Just beats me how you do.

How did your dad's
name get on here?

He signed that.

Guess I lost that job for sure.

Well, you know what
you did was wrong.

I wanted the job.

But you are going to
forgive and forget, right?

Well, I'll forgive you, but I
don't know if I can forget about it.

It's going to take some thought.

Guess I'm going to
drive you to Rockfish now.

Sure you want to?

- It's Kate Grover Daley in Alberene.
- Right.

Operator? Yes, could you give
me Alberene, Virginia? Mark it 2346.

Thank you.

- Is it ringing?
- Yep.

You should have seen what
Mama wrote to John-Boy.

I know I shouldn't have
been looking at it, but...

Well, the other day, she tried
to call somebody from Ike's.

I don't know who it was, though.

- Is it still ringing?
- Yep.

Thank you.

There's no answer, Jason.
You want me to try later?

No, I'll think of something.

I just can't accept that.

He's a nice enough man, your
young Dr. What's-his-name.

Caldwell.

And I mean no offense to
him. It's simply that he's too...

I don't know how to say it.

You said to me in the car he
doesn't know what he's talking about.

I guess I did say that.

No sherry for me, thank you.

I am just trying to
remember. The...

The shortness of breath, the
interior shakes and quivers,

the headaches that split your
skull and the hands that won't work.

- I didn't tell you...
- And the need to run away.

You didn't mention the sudden rises
in temperature and the forgetfulness.

How do you know?

Those were my symptoms.

This time of life. It didn't
start with you, Olivia.

But I'm too young, aren't I?

Apparently not.

- That smells good.
- Your headache must be gone.

The food wasn't made that
appealed to me when I had one.

I hate growing old.

Well, you've been
doing it right along.

Never seemed so
until this came along.

Oh, Olivia!

You find that
amusing? Well, I don't.

Well, it is.

And you better find some way so
you can laugh at yourself a little bit.

- It's not the end of the road.
- It is surely not the beginning.

It's a bend in the road.
It's just a turning, that's all.

I'm sorry. I'm not myself.

No, you're not.

You're mighty quick to agree.

Well, the Olivia that I
know writes me letters.

Not often.

But enough for me to
know how wonderful John is.

And how talented
John-Boy and Jason are.

And how lovely Erin is and
Elizabeth and Mary Ellen and the baby.

Ben is some kind of a tycoon. And
Jim-Bob thinks that he's Lindbergh.

I do love hearing about them.

And you haven't mentioned
them once since you've been here.

Now, I know that
you've been fearful.

I was terrified.

And you had every right to be.

But now that you know what it
is, you just have to head in there.

And stop feeling
sorry for myself.

Well. None of it's easy.

But just turning your eyes around
and thinking about that family of yours,

it's a good place to start.

I guess if I've got to grow old, and there
doesn't seem to be any way of stopping it,

I might as well try
to do it gracefully.

You never can tell
about this kind of a storm.

It may rain, it may flood, it
may light up the sky and roar,

and then just go on its way.

I wish Daddy was here.

He may very well be
up there in the brunt of it.

What's that?

Don't worry about Daddy,
Elizabeth. He can take care of himself.

I just wish he was
here. Mama, too.

This could be my fault.

- Jim-Bob, how could this be your fault?
- Can't be sure.

Sometimes it's fire, hordes of
locusts, sometimes it's flood.

Just depends on what
kind of punishment you get.

Now, what did that mean?

Well, sometimes it's just as well
not to know what Jim-Bob means.

Come on, let's get on in.

It's a night that you get under the
dining room table with the dog. Come on.

Oh, boy. It's
gonna pour. Get in.

But they're always
there, Operator.

I know it says it's a store and a
post office, but they live there, too.

Well, could you try Rockfish?
Just ask for the operator.

Could be Erin, she works there.

What seems to be
the trouble, Operator?

I thought it smelled like rain.

All the lines are down,
clear to Westham?

No. No, thank you.

There's a storm back
home, all the lines are down.

I wish I was there.

Yes?

I think my mother's here.

- Which one are you?
- I'm Jason.

I'm your mother's Aunt Kate,
and I'm mighty glad to see you!

- Mama!
- Jason!

What are you doing here?

- Are you all right?
- Is everyone all right?

I don't know how everyone is.
We were so worried about you.

We tried to call you, Erin
and I, but there was no answer.

I tried to call you all, too, but the
operator said the lines were down.

Can you come home now?

You just give me a minute to
pack. Go get your breakfast.

- Hi.
- Hello.

- Jim-Bob, what is all this stuff?
- None of your business.

Jim-Bob's going to copy
some sermons for me.

- Ever seen his handwriting?
- Why don't you go run along, Elizabeth?

It's gonna be a whole lot
better when he gets finished.

- You want me to copy all of these?
- Yep.

Don't just copy 'em, read a
few of 'em. They're worth it.

Jim-Bob, I never knew that
you liked to copy sermons.

One of these days, Liv, I'm gonna
build you that house up in the mountains.

I already have a house.
And I'm standing in it.

It's wherever you
and I are together.

My mother's concern for her
lost youth didn't last very long.

And though she must have known
many times when she thought she'd

fly off the world, she never
concerned her family with them again.

And today, her children are
hard-put to maintain the pace

of that vital, interested
woman for very long.

To us, she'll be forever young.

- Mama?
- Yes, Elizabeth.

Has Jim-Bob told
you about his new job?

Shut up, Elizabeth!

Jim-Bob, don't talk that way!

He's helping Reverend Buchanan.

I think that's wonderful,
Jim-Bob. What do you do?

- Copy sermons.
- What an interesting idea!

It was his idea,
Mom. Good night.

Good night, everybody.

English -SDH