The Waltons (1971–1981): Season 6, Episode 6 - The Volunteer - full transcript
GW Haines proposes to Erin. She says no. GW joins the army. Meanwhile, Rover, the family peacock, is in heat and making a lot of noise.
You got to stop thinking of
her as if she's 12 years old.
Sometimes I wish
she still were 12.
I know how you feel.
I had to get out of the kitchen
before I broke all the dishes.
What are we gonna tell her?
Erin's a woman now.
She knows as much about
the world as the humming birds.
She knows a lot
more than you think.
Never been more than
20 miles from home,
and you want to let
her go to an Army camp!
In 1939, when the threat of
war hung over our country,
it seemed to me that our lives
altered much in the same way
that winds moved
down Walton's Mountain,
changing sharply sometimes,
but more often
gentling us so gradually
that it took a length of time to show
that change ha d come about at all.
Are you ready, Elizabeth?
Just a sec!
Okay! Just tell me
what I'm supposed to do.
I told you! Throw up the rope!
Yeah, but do you want the
whole thing or just one end?
Well, you can't throw the end,
so why don't you just
throw up the whole thing?
All the dumb
things I have to do.
Jim-Bob, what are
you doing up there?
Trying to tie the barn down
in case of a windstorm?
I'm putting up an antenna
for my shortwave radio.
An antenna? With a rope?
I'm gonna tie the antenna
to the rope and then pull it up.
Smart boy. Takes after me.
Well, you just be careful, now.
Throw up the rope.
- Hey, watch out for Rover!
- Why don't you tie him up?
He doesn't want to be tied up!
- Hey, hey, hey.
- Get away, you stupid bird!
It's your fault. You scared him.
Don't get so excited.
He was scared that you was
gonna hit him with the rope.
He flew right at me!
Well...
Bachelors get kind of
edgy once in a while.
What he needs is another
peahen. A lady friend.
What he needs is a
good hit in the head!
Oh, and I think he's about to...
Why don't you
just throw the rope?
- I've really got to go, Mrs. Gormley.
- Don't fidget, now.
That "Mrs. Gormley"
sounds like an old lady.
Call me Maude, or
don't call me at all.
Do you know what time it is?
That's catchy.
"Call me Maude, or
don't call me at all."
I'll be late for work, Maude.
Time don't mean a
thing to us creative artists.
Let me help you
carry your things.
No, you go along. Jim-Bob'll
come for me when it's time.
- Well, can I see it?
- No! Not until I say so.
I have to add my little touches.
Well, I better be running along.
Why don't you just
walk someplace?
Don't get him mad!
He's in a bad mood. He
doesn't have any girlfriends.
G.W., how tall are you?
Five foot, eleven inches.
Could you come in here
for a minute, please?
- Can I play in your car?
- Sure.
I want you to try
something on for me.
Slip into it, will you? I
just need to get an idea.
- I was supposed to pick up Erin.
- That looks about right.
She hasn't got all the time
in the world to get there.
Work your shoulders a
little. Is it tight in there?
- Feels all right to me.
- Good!
- You're right.
- Ma'am?
About Erin. She hasn't
got all the time in the world.
G.W.! Hurry up, I'll be late!
- There she is now. Thanks!
- Sure!
- Who's it for?
- It'll start off with Jason.
Out, Elizabeth, I'm in a
hurry. Come on, get out.
- Hey, I didn't get to play too long.
- Next time you can have it all day.
Hi.
Miss Fannie's very
fussy about being on time.
- Hi!
- Oh, hi. And hurry.
- Hold it there, G.W.
- I'll be late for work, Grandpa!
- I need some help over at the smokehouse.
- Sorry, Mr. Walton.
Oh, all right. All right,
I'll get one of the boys.
Honestly, you'd think
you're one of the family.
It's not funny, G.W. If I'm late
for work, Miss Fannie has a fit!
You're a first-rate
chauffeur, Jim-Bob.
And I feel like a royal lady
driving around in one
of those fancy carriages.
Well, maybe if I got
a hat with a visor on
it, people would think
I was your chauffeur.
But what I don't understand is,
who is J. Wellington Penrow?
When did we answer
that advertisement?
About a week ago.
Oh,
here it is.
"Mr. Penrow has
worldwide contacts
"for the display of
my creative work,
"and will take the troublesome business
and contract details off my hands."
Oh!
Penrow's an agent!
Well, I suppose he does
keep something for himself.
Ten percent. Oh, I
know all about agents.
But, listen, he's in New York.
- And I'm right here.
- Well, I see you are.
I can handle your
business details,
and I can display your artistic
works right here in the store.
I mean, after all, the store is the
center of activity for the entire area.
But I've already written him.
Yeah, but you didn't mail it.
How would you like to
steam that stamp off for me?
You bet I would,
Maude. I mean, "boss"!
When was the last time
you cleaned this thing?
Well, I guess it's been a while.
It looks like a while.
Well, take it all apart and dump
the pieces in a bucket of kerosene.
Then wipe them off
and put it back together.
Well, that's not as
easy as it sounds!
Know what, I'll help you. You just
get the rags from the house, all right?
Okay. Thanks!
- I'll get started.
- Okay.
Hey, G.W.! Can you lend
me a hand with the press?
- What's wrong with it?
- Well, it's not working.
Will you let him
catch his breath?
Okay.
I don't know why you
put up with this family.
I do.
Well, thanks for the ride.
I really do appreciate it.
Sure.
I better be getting
back to work.
- Thanks again, G.W.
- Anytime I can lend a hand.
Well, I appreciate it.
Issue seems at last to have
been resolved, with the agreement
- which gives the Sudetenland to Germany.
- G.W., come on and sit down.
Chancellor Hitler has
said that now, quote,
"We have no further territorial
ambitions in Europe." Unquote.
Turning now to other
news, negotiations began...
I'd like to believe that.
They sure put a lot of
store in that Maginot Line.
I saw it in a news reel a
while back. It's sure something.
Why don't they fly over with
a whole bunch of airplanes?
They couldn't
shoot them all down.
I hope they never find that out.
My land, aren't we cozy?
Everybody's got somebody.
Except for Jim-Bob.
Better grab a hold of Rover.
I think I'll go outside.
I ought to be going. Thanks
for supper, Mrs. Walton.
- You're always welcome here, G.W.
- Well, good night.
- Good night, G.W.
- Good night, G.W.
Sure is a pretty night.
Sure is. Want to go for a ride?
It's nice right here.
- I sure like your folks.
- So do I.
- Supper was just fine.
- Mama's the best kind of cook.
Smell that honeysuckle.
- Erin?
- Mmm-hmm?
You don't want to get
married or anything, do you?
Married?
Yeah!
I never even thought about it.
I have. I sure thought about it.
I was gonna ask you
on your graduation day.
I guess that was the first time.
I think about it a lot.
- Why wouldn't I know that?
- I don't know.
- You've always been so nice to me.
- That's not very hard.
I really do like you.
Well, I just thought I'd ask.
Goodbye, Erin.
- He's been hanging around a lot lately.
- He's in love with Erin.
Well, he gets around.
Last time I looked, he was
hanging around Mary Ellen.
Erin sort of inherited him.
Well, I like G.W.
He's a lot better than that
Chad she used to go with.
She almost married
that lame brain.
You know what my
father used to call you.
- Mmm-hmm, I know.
- "That wild one."
I was not wild. I was
just a little spirited.
He said, "You'll
never tame that one."
- What, now you think you tamed me?
- You have kind of gentled down.
I have not!
I didn't mean tamed.
Tamed, gentled down,
what's the difference?
Here I was, just about
to drop off to sleep,
now you got me all upset,
making me feel like I'm over the hill.
Still feel like
you're over the hill?
Guess not.
Erin's in.
Let's go to sleep.
Erin?
- You all right, honey?
- Sure.
Sure? It's 2:30 in the morning.
I can't sleep, Daddy.
You got some kind
of test tomorrow?
Hey, honey, what's the matter?
They're not tears, Daddy.
Well, they are,
but I'm not crying.
Now, that doesn't make
a whole lot of sense.
Daddy, G.W. asked
me to marry him tonight.
I'm not going to, but...
Why does it make
me feel this way?
What kind of way
does it make you feel?
Kind of lonely and sad.
I feel like I've lost something.
Well, you haven't
lost anything, honey.
You've known G. W. a long
time. You'll still be friends.
He didn't say so.
Well, he probably feels kind of
sad and lonely himself tonight.
He'll be around, you'll see.
Daddy, can you love
somebody and not know it?
Oh, I don't know.
I guess you can.
But one thing's for sure, Erin, if you
wanted to marry G.W., you'd know it.
Now come on, you
better get some sleep.
It's almost 8:00.
- G.W. will be along.
- I wouldn't count on it, honey.
I guess Daddy told you.
If I'd turned your daddy down,
I'm not so sure he'd have
showed up the next morning.
But G.W.'s different.
We'll always be friends.
Might take a little time.
Bye, Mama.
I'm not gonna let you forget this, Pa!
Trying to burn down the smokehouse!
I have made it abundantly
clear that I am not to blame!
It was the wind
shifting that caused it.
Maybe you just built
too much fire, Pa.
I have been smoking
meat in this smokehouse
since before you was born!
You're trying to tell me I
don't know how to fire it?
You sure do know how to fire it!
Don't let me scare you off.
I am going to the barn
to talk to the animals.
They're far more capable of
conducting an intelligent conversation!
What's he so riled up about?
I was just kidding him about
burning the smokehouse.
- Erin's left for school.
- Walking or riding?
Riding. G.W. showed
up right on schedule.
Well, I'll tell you this. If
you'd turned me down,
I never would have
shown up the next morning.
You say that now.
Course, I knew the answer
before I asked the question.
There's something I've
been meaning to ask you.
Liv! What are you trying
to do, start another fire?
Now, come on, get out of
here. You're gonna get all dirty.
Come on! Get out
of here! Get out.
So when you were late this
morning, I kind of wondered.
I had some extra things
to do before I could leave.
I never got a chance
to thank you, G.W.
- For asking me to marry you.
- You don't have to thank me.
It was just kind
of nice, that's all.
I really do have
to get to school.
I'm leaving today. I don't
know when I'll be back.
I wasn't going
to tell you at first,
but you're gonna have to find a
ride to school and to Miss Fannie's.
- Well, where are you going?
- I'm joining the Army.
And that's all I'm
gonna say about it.
Excuse me, hon.
Curt says all this bending
and exercise is good for me.
Yeah, exercise is
good for a growing girl,
and for our new grand-grandbaby.
It also gets Curt
out of a lot of work.
I'm not sure I should let
him get away with that.
Women have always
been stronger than men,
especially when
men want them to be.
Well, look who's here!
- Abel!
- Hey, Erin!
I thought all you
delivered was ice!
You're looking prettier
every day, Mary Ellen.
- Thanks, Abel.
- Thanks for the ride!
- Thank you, Abel, for fetching our girl.
- My pleasure.
- Well, now.
- What you doing?
You owe us an explanation.
Why are you arriving on ice, Erin?
Oh, come on, Erin,
there's plenty to go around.
Well, I called Ike's store to see if Daddy
or somebody could come pick me up,
but the line was busy.
Then I saw Abel out the window.
Well, where's Old Faithful? G.W.
- He joined the Army.
- He what?
- He joined the Army.
- Well, why would he do that?
The Army?
Well, he didn't say
anything about it last night.
He had supper
with us, Mary Ellen.
Well, I guess it was
kind of a sudden decision.
Why the Army? He always
said that all he ever wanted
was that patch
of his daddy's land
- and to get married.
- I know.
I don't suppose it be a
case of an unrequited lover
rejected and rushing off
to join the Foreign Legion.
Grandpa!
G.W.'s nice, but you
wouldn't want to marry him.
Of course not.
- How do you really feel, Erin?
- Why, I feel fine. Why?
If your heart's breaking, you can
tell me. I'm getting older all the time.
I really do feel fine.
Maybe you're bearing up bravely.
If you're doing that,
could you please tell me?
- I suppose all this is about G.W.
- I miss him.
Well, you go right ahead.
- Go right ahead and what?
- Miss G.W.
I do, but Erin won't
admit that she does.
Elizabeth, why don't you just get off
my bed and go bug somebody else?
If she starts bearing up
bravely, will you let me know?
- How do you like my new robe?
- It's nice.
Mama says G.W.
tried it on first.
She kind of fitted it to him.
Can't we talk about something
else? All I hear is G.W. this, G.W. that.
He's just a friend
who went away!
People do do that, you know.
I'm going to Rockfish tomorrow,
in the morning, if you need a ride.
Why don't you just
come right out and say it?
"Now that G.W.'s gone, I suppose
you'll be needing a ride to school."
Well, there's one thing.
You're not bearing up bravely.
You really miss him, don't you?
I suppose I do.
- She still reading that letter?
- Seems like she's memorizing it.
- I used to do that.
- Did you really?
I was young at the time.
I still can't get over that kid just
up and joining the Army like that.
He was such a fixture here. It
seemed like he belonged to us.
I miss him.
Hey, Rover, what's the matter?
Something sure must
have scared you, Rover.
It's okay. You're all right now.
Lordy! That's a fierce bird!
Rover's kind of shy. You
must have scared him.
Shy?
If ever I need a watchdog,
I'll get me a peacock!
I thought you were
going to take the day off.
Oh, I just thought the walk
over here would do me good.
Guess you're ready to
paint if the spirit moves you.
Now, who could get
that bird to stand still
and spread his feathers
in that fanciful way?
Well, I guess it would help
if you were a lady peacock.
Well, I'm not a lady peacock!
Erin, would you please
do that at the kitchen table?
- I have these accounts to work on.
- Daddy, if I go there,
I'll have Jim-Bob, Ben and Elizabeth
looking over my shoulder in no time.
- If that's all it takes...
- I won't be much longer.
You won't be any
longer, honey. Come on.
- Daddy! Daddy!
- Come on, come on...
There's somebody at the door.
- Hi, Erin.
- I knew it was you.
- How are you, Mrs. Walton?
- Very well, thank you, G.W.
- You look wonderful.
- Thank you.
- G.W. The Army's trimmed you down, son.
- Yes, sir.
- You look fine.
- Thank you.
Can I get you something?
No, thank you. I had
supper down the road.
- It sure has been a long time, Erin.
- I was just writing you a letter.
We were just going to
bed. We'll say good night.
I've these accounts to work on.
- How long you gonna be with us, G.W.?
- I have to start back tomorrow.
Guess I can work
on them upstairs.
G.W., how's the Army
treating you fellas nowadays?
Fine.
Well, good night.
- Good night.
- Good night.
Come on in.
First time I've seen this room
when it wasn't full of Waltons.
Doesn't happen very often.
I don't know how,
but I knew it was you.
When they said I could leave, I
didn't think about calling or anything.
I just pointed my car
towards Walton's Mountain.
Surprises are nice.
G.W.! I heard the car come
in, I was wondering who it was.
- How are you, sir?
- Oh, I'm just fine.
I needn't ask how you are.
You look the picture of health!
Well, now!
Those accounts can wait till
morning. You're just feeling put upon.
They could've sat
on the front porch.
- You're up here early.
- G.W. is here to see Erin.
- And don't you go down there!
- Yes, ma'am.
- Well, who drove up?
- G.W.'s home!
- Well, he must be a general by now!
- Yeah!
- Hey, G.W.! Good to see you!
- Look who's here!
- Welcome back! Got your promotion yet?
- Nope.
- How long are you staying?
- Oh, only the weekend.
Sure missed you.
Let's see, now. Oh! How
about right here, huh?
No. Not with the prunes, either.
How do you do?
I'm trying to find Rockfish,
and I do believe I'm lost.
Oh. Well, right
outside my store,
- you know where the gas pump is?
- Mmm-hmm.
Well, you go right down
that way about six miles
and you'll come to a grain elevator, and
then just turn right and you can't miss it.
Oh, thank you so much.
That's a fine primitive.
It took me all morning to do it.
- You're the artist?
- Maude Gormley.
Oh, I love your colors. So
bright and bold and clear.
The innocence of the
whole piece is captivating.
- Sentimental, but tough and gritty.
- That's me!
Is it for sale?
Oh, surely. I'll let
you have it for $3.
I'll take it.
Well! And Rockfish?
Oh, yes. Like I told
you, right outside,
and to the left and right
down. You can't miss it.
Thank you. Thank you.
Maude! We sold
our first picture!
What do you mean "our" first
picture? I made the sale all alone.
Oh, you'll get your commission,
whether you earn it or not.
Right here's fine.
I really did fry this chicken, so if
you don't like it, don't blame Mama.
Oh, I'll like it. I like
everything you do.
You don't know how I've
felt since you joined the Army.
Not unless you didn't
put it in your letters.
You never once mentioned the
Army until I said I wouldn't marry you.
I feel like I drove you
to it, and I didn't mean to.
I mean, I didn't know it would.
I didn't, either, I guess.
You've missed me, haven't you?
- Everybody has.
- I don't care about everybody.
Well, I have missed you.
More than I thought I would.
I just never thought before
about you not being around.
- I'm around now.
- But you're going right back.
You know what I'd like
more than anything?
- I'd like you to come to visit me.
- At Fort Lee? Can girls do that?
They do it all the time.
You can stay at Virginia Beach,
and I'd be with you all the time.
I don't know what Mama
and Daddy would say.
- You'd like to come over, wouldn't you?
- If I can.
- Will you talk to your folks?
- Right away.
Wish I could've
seen good old G.W.
It's not just looking at him. It's
the way he talks, what he says.
- Can we stop for a minute?
- Sure.
It's a vicious cycle. I exercise
to keep my weight down,
and that makes me hungry, so I eat
more, and then I have to exercise more.
Mary Ellen, he's
so grown-up now.
And you want to go visit
him in Virginia Beach.
I really do.
Well, good luck with
Mama and Daddy.
- Do you think they'd ever let me?
- I don't know. They have mellowed some.
Mama's not as straight-laced
as she used to be.
All they ever want is for you
to be looked after and safe.
I know that.
Enjoy yourselves.
- It's gonna look first-rate, Daddy.
- Not counting on it to look beautiful.
- So where is everybody?
- I took your Ma over to Mary Ellen's.
I dropped Erin off there, too.
They're putting their heads
together about something.
- You got any idea what it's about?
- Yeah, I do.
The girls are working on Mama,
and I'm supposed to work on you.
What are you all after?
G.W.'s a nice guy,
Daddy. I trust him.
Glad to know that, Son.
Erin's 18 now, and she's a lot
less flighty than she used to be.
I trust her, too.
You working on me now?
I think you ought to let
Erin go to Virginia Beach.
Virginia Beach? What for?
To visit G.W.
No.
A lot of girls are doing
that, Daddy. Nice girls.
No!
G.W. thinks a
lot of Erin, Daddy.
And so do I. The answer is no.
Your daddy and I are going
to have to talk about this.
I'm 18, Mama.
I was there when you
were born, remember?
Mama, Curt and I talked
about this a lot last night,
- and we think you ought to let Erin go.
- And Jason thinks it's a great idea.
I'm sure you can find a lot of support from
a lot of people for this idea of yours.
But your daddy and I have the
responsibility for this decision.
- You're ours, and we love you.
- But you will talk to him about it?
I'll talk to him.
Well, you're just gonna have
to trust me. I was in the Army!
You keep talking about the
Army. I know you were in the Army!
Liv, you don't know the kind of girls
that hang around them Army posts!
- You don't want Erin to go.
- I won't let her go!
What're you thinking?
I'm thinking about when
you were in the Army,
and those girls that hung
around the Army posts.
- That was years ago.
- I didn't think much about it then.
- I guess I must have trusted you.
- This is different.
- This is our daughter. This is Erin!
- It's still trusting!
You always said you like G.W.
I still like him. He's a
normal, healthy boy.
He's just like
one of the family.
Liv.
I guess you're right.
G.W. is like one of the family.
You trust Erin,
and you trust G.W.
What's hard to trust is two young
people all alone in Virginia Beach.
But if we let her go, that's exactly
what we're gonna have to do.
Do you think Daddy knows that
people are already getting on the bus?
The bus won't leave as long
as they're still selling tickets.
- Here.
- A letter?
It's for emergencies. Just tuck it
away in the bottom of your purse.
- Mama...
- It isn't much.
Give the top half to the driver, and
this bottom half is your ticket back home.
- All right.
- All right.
I never dreamed I'd
be taking a trip like this.
- Bye, Daddy.
- Goodbye, honey.
Mama.
There's one thing you
can do for me, both of you.
- What's that?
- Smile. Please?
What's the matter
with you, Jim-Bob?
You've done nothing but
look and listen all morning.
Well, I lost Rover. He was gone
this morning. I thought I heard him.
No great loss, if you ask me.
That bird's a terror.
He's just grouchy 'cause he's
lonesome. Grandpa says he needs a wife.
No sensible hen
would live with that bird.
I think I'm gonna stay out here
and look around for Rover, okay?
Suit yourself.
- Hi, Maude. What can I do for you?
- I've come in to settle up.
Oh, there's no need to do that. We
can do that at the end of the month.
You sold one picture?
And an agent gets 10%?
That's 30 cents. There you are.
I've decided
to have J. Wellington
Penrow sell my pictures.
He goes out and
hunts for business.
And you just sit around
and wait for it to come along.
But, Maude, I'm
just getting started.
I'll tell you what.
Five percent.
Nope. I'm decided.
Anyway, my pictures don't like
sitting around with pickles and cheese.
I'll have Jim-Bob come
in and gather them up.
You sure are temperamental.
Oh, by the way, where's that
stamp you steamed off of my letter?
You want the stamp?
- What else do you want?
- I need some glue.
- Where's Jason tonight?
- Oh, he had to go to work early.
This looks awful.
We are few in
number tonight, Livie.
We're still a family.
Grandpa, you slide over
there. Elizabeth, come on.
But this is where I always sit.
We're changing things
around tonight, honey.
There. That's better.
- Pa, would you say the blessing?
- All right.
Father in heaven, omnipotent,
with all our hearts, to thee we call.
Bless this family tonight,
those of us who are here,
and most especially, dear Lord,
bless those of us who
sit at other tables tonight.
Amen.
- Aren't you gonna eat your oysters?
- Oh, sure. I was just looking around.
- And I've never had oysters before.
- Well, you better watch him, Erin.
It just takes
practice. Like this.
Hey, soldier, I think
you've had enough.
You know, I think you're right.
- Would you care to dance?
- Sure.
Excuse us.
- They're real nice.
- Yeah.
- Is he your best friend?
- Who?
Oh, Ernie? Yeah.
He enlisted a couple of months before
I did, so he knows the ropes better.
What do you mean,
knows the ropes better?
Oh, just how to get things done.
I mean, he's from Roanoke, and
he really knows his way around.
Around what?
This sounds like great
music. We ought to dance.
I don't see Ernie and
Judy anywhere. Do you?
They'll be back.
I thought we'd walk down
along the shore tomorrow.
It's real nice down there.
- Do they always just disappear like that?
- What are you so worried about them for?
I just thought we were going
to be with them, that's all.
- They're going to get married.
- Tonight?
No. But you know,
they wanted to be alone.
Oh.
- Is Judy going to be staying here, too?
- Oh, sure.
Really?
Because if she isn't,
then I don't want to.
Well, thanks for
the nice time, G.W.
I'll take you to your room.
Should you do that?
Sure, I should.
It's what you do.
Well, it's certainly been nice.
It's a nice room.
- I wonder when Judy will be home.
- She won't.
- Where do you hide the coffee?
- It'll keep you awake.
That doesn't make much sense.
And walking around at 2:00 in the morning
with an empty coffee pot in your hand,
that makes sense?
- Liv, maybe we should have gone with her.
- Wouldn't have been the same.
I know.
Ike'd come running if she
called there, wouldn't he?
Look at us, fussing around, and you
know she's been asleep this long time.
Sure.
Sure.
I think you better go, G.W.
I've got to tell you something.
This didn't come out the
way it was supposed to.
Well, I don't think
that's my fault.
Sometimes I wish you
weren't such a nice girl.
Hey!
Hey, lover-boy! How'd it go?
Come on, Lou.
Wasn't this the big night?
Some little country girl from
that mountain, wasn't it? Huh?
Wasn't it?
She's not that kind of girl.
- Hey, Elizabeth, where's my car?
- How should I know?
Well, it was around
here, and now it's gone.
I haven't been around here.
Well, somebody stole it!
Jim-Bob, nobody in his
right mind would even
be seen in that car,
much less steal it!
- Daddy, where'd my car go?
- Grandpa took it.
- Yelling around that somebody stole it!
- Where'd he go?
Just hopped in and went
breezing down the road.
He's never done that before.
Grandpa does a lot of
things he's never done before.
Hey, Grandpa, you found Rover!
- And what's that?
- This here is Ruby, a noble peahen,
future maid of Rover, in sickness
and health, for better or for worse,
till death do them part.
Isn't that the hen from
over at Walt Biggers' place?
Yeah, you betcha. And that's where I
found Rover, over there, strutting around,
calling on her, lifting
up his tail feathers
the way they do for the ladies.
Course, she isn't gussied up
quite as much as a peacock,
but then, they
like them that way.
I now pronounce
you man and wife.
Amen. A-women.
I figured she'd catch it.
- Welcome home!
- Hi, Daddy! Thank you.
- Mama!
- Hi, honey!
- How's everybody at home?
- We're fine. How's G.W.?
Wonderful. We had such a good
time, and he is my best friend.
- Friend?
- Friend.
The peahen which Grandpa brought
home as a companion to Rover
did ease Rover's loneliness, and he
became a much better-tempered bird.
But as a pair, they remained
like Erin and G. W. Haines:
just friends.
- Mama?
- Yes, Elizabeth?
- Are the best things in life really free?
- They surely are.
- A bicycle?
- No.
A trip to the ocean?
No, but things like
good health and love...
And a good night's sleep!
- But not a bicycle?
- No. Good night, Elizabeth.
- Good night, Mama. Good night, Daddy.
- Night, honey.
Not even a trip to the ocean?
English -SDH
her as if she's 12 years old.
Sometimes I wish
she still were 12.
I know how you feel.
I had to get out of the kitchen
before I broke all the dishes.
What are we gonna tell her?
Erin's a woman now.
She knows as much about
the world as the humming birds.
She knows a lot
more than you think.
Never been more than
20 miles from home,
and you want to let
her go to an Army camp!
In 1939, when the threat of
war hung over our country,
it seemed to me that our lives
altered much in the same way
that winds moved
down Walton's Mountain,
changing sharply sometimes,
but more often
gentling us so gradually
that it took a length of time to show
that change ha d come about at all.
Are you ready, Elizabeth?
Just a sec!
Okay! Just tell me
what I'm supposed to do.
I told you! Throw up the rope!
Yeah, but do you want the
whole thing or just one end?
Well, you can't throw the end,
so why don't you just
throw up the whole thing?
All the dumb
things I have to do.
Jim-Bob, what are
you doing up there?
Trying to tie the barn down
in case of a windstorm?
I'm putting up an antenna
for my shortwave radio.
An antenna? With a rope?
I'm gonna tie the antenna
to the rope and then pull it up.
Smart boy. Takes after me.
Well, you just be careful, now.
Throw up the rope.
- Hey, watch out for Rover!
- Why don't you tie him up?
He doesn't want to be tied up!
- Hey, hey, hey.
- Get away, you stupid bird!
It's your fault. You scared him.
Don't get so excited.
He was scared that you was
gonna hit him with the rope.
He flew right at me!
Well...
Bachelors get kind of
edgy once in a while.
What he needs is another
peahen. A lady friend.
What he needs is a
good hit in the head!
Oh, and I think he's about to...
Why don't you
just throw the rope?
- I've really got to go, Mrs. Gormley.
- Don't fidget, now.
That "Mrs. Gormley"
sounds like an old lady.
Call me Maude, or
don't call me at all.
Do you know what time it is?
That's catchy.
"Call me Maude, or
don't call me at all."
I'll be late for work, Maude.
Time don't mean a
thing to us creative artists.
Let me help you
carry your things.
No, you go along. Jim-Bob'll
come for me when it's time.
- Well, can I see it?
- No! Not until I say so.
I have to add my little touches.
Well, I better be running along.
Why don't you just
walk someplace?
Don't get him mad!
He's in a bad mood. He
doesn't have any girlfriends.
G.W., how tall are you?
Five foot, eleven inches.
Could you come in here
for a minute, please?
- Can I play in your car?
- Sure.
I want you to try
something on for me.
Slip into it, will you? I
just need to get an idea.
- I was supposed to pick up Erin.
- That looks about right.
She hasn't got all the time
in the world to get there.
Work your shoulders a
little. Is it tight in there?
- Feels all right to me.
- Good!
- You're right.
- Ma'am?
About Erin. She hasn't
got all the time in the world.
G.W.! Hurry up, I'll be late!
- There she is now. Thanks!
- Sure!
- Who's it for?
- It'll start off with Jason.
Out, Elizabeth, I'm in a
hurry. Come on, get out.
- Hey, I didn't get to play too long.
- Next time you can have it all day.
Hi.
Miss Fannie's very
fussy about being on time.
- Hi!
- Oh, hi. And hurry.
- Hold it there, G.W.
- I'll be late for work, Grandpa!
- I need some help over at the smokehouse.
- Sorry, Mr. Walton.
Oh, all right. All right,
I'll get one of the boys.
Honestly, you'd think
you're one of the family.
It's not funny, G.W. If I'm late
for work, Miss Fannie has a fit!
You're a first-rate
chauffeur, Jim-Bob.
And I feel like a royal lady
driving around in one
of those fancy carriages.
Well, maybe if I got
a hat with a visor on
it, people would think
I was your chauffeur.
But what I don't understand is,
who is J. Wellington Penrow?
When did we answer
that advertisement?
About a week ago.
Oh,
here it is.
"Mr. Penrow has
worldwide contacts
"for the display of
my creative work,
"and will take the troublesome business
and contract details off my hands."
Oh!
Penrow's an agent!
Well, I suppose he does
keep something for himself.
Ten percent. Oh, I
know all about agents.
But, listen, he's in New York.
- And I'm right here.
- Well, I see you are.
I can handle your
business details,
and I can display your artistic
works right here in the store.
I mean, after all, the store is the
center of activity for the entire area.
But I've already written him.
Yeah, but you didn't mail it.
How would you like to
steam that stamp off for me?
You bet I would,
Maude. I mean, "boss"!
When was the last time
you cleaned this thing?
Well, I guess it's been a while.
It looks like a while.
Well, take it all apart and dump
the pieces in a bucket of kerosene.
Then wipe them off
and put it back together.
Well, that's not as
easy as it sounds!
Know what, I'll help you. You just
get the rags from the house, all right?
Okay. Thanks!
- I'll get started.
- Okay.
Hey, G.W.! Can you lend
me a hand with the press?
- What's wrong with it?
- Well, it's not working.
Will you let him
catch his breath?
Okay.
I don't know why you
put up with this family.
I do.
Well, thanks for the ride.
I really do appreciate it.
Sure.
I better be getting
back to work.
- Thanks again, G.W.
- Anytime I can lend a hand.
Well, I appreciate it.
Issue seems at last to have
been resolved, with the agreement
- which gives the Sudetenland to Germany.
- G.W., come on and sit down.
Chancellor Hitler has
said that now, quote,
"We have no further territorial
ambitions in Europe." Unquote.
Turning now to other
news, negotiations began...
I'd like to believe that.
They sure put a lot of
store in that Maginot Line.
I saw it in a news reel a
while back. It's sure something.
Why don't they fly over with
a whole bunch of airplanes?
They couldn't
shoot them all down.
I hope they never find that out.
My land, aren't we cozy?
Everybody's got somebody.
Except for Jim-Bob.
Better grab a hold of Rover.
I think I'll go outside.
I ought to be going. Thanks
for supper, Mrs. Walton.
- You're always welcome here, G.W.
- Well, good night.
- Good night, G.W.
- Good night, G.W.
Sure is a pretty night.
Sure is. Want to go for a ride?
It's nice right here.
- I sure like your folks.
- So do I.
- Supper was just fine.
- Mama's the best kind of cook.
Smell that honeysuckle.
- Erin?
- Mmm-hmm?
You don't want to get
married or anything, do you?
Married?
Yeah!
I never even thought about it.
I have. I sure thought about it.
I was gonna ask you
on your graduation day.
I guess that was the first time.
I think about it a lot.
- Why wouldn't I know that?
- I don't know.
- You've always been so nice to me.
- That's not very hard.
I really do like you.
Well, I just thought I'd ask.
Goodbye, Erin.
- He's been hanging around a lot lately.
- He's in love with Erin.
Well, he gets around.
Last time I looked, he was
hanging around Mary Ellen.
Erin sort of inherited him.
Well, I like G.W.
He's a lot better than that
Chad she used to go with.
She almost married
that lame brain.
You know what my
father used to call you.
- Mmm-hmm, I know.
- "That wild one."
I was not wild. I was
just a little spirited.
He said, "You'll
never tame that one."
- What, now you think you tamed me?
- You have kind of gentled down.
I have not!
I didn't mean tamed.
Tamed, gentled down,
what's the difference?
Here I was, just about
to drop off to sleep,
now you got me all upset,
making me feel like I'm over the hill.
Still feel like
you're over the hill?
Guess not.
Erin's in.
Let's go to sleep.
Erin?
- You all right, honey?
- Sure.
Sure? It's 2:30 in the morning.
I can't sleep, Daddy.
You got some kind
of test tomorrow?
Hey, honey, what's the matter?
They're not tears, Daddy.
Well, they are,
but I'm not crying.
Now, that doesn't make
a whole lot of sense.
Daddy, G.W. asked
me to marry him tonight.
I'm not going to, but...
Why does it make
me feel this way?
What kind of way
does it make you feel?
Kind of lonely and sad.
I feel like I've lost something.
Well, you haven't
lost anything, honey.
You've known G. W. a long
time. You'll still be friends.
He didn't say so.
Well, he probably feels kind of
sad and lonely himself tonight.
He'll be around, you'll see.
Daddy, can you love
somebody and not know it?
Oh, I don't know.
I guess you can.
But one thing's for sure, Erin, if you
wanted to marry G.W., you'd know it.
Now come on, you
better get some sleep.
It's almost 8:00.
- G.W. will be along.
- I wouldn't count on it, honey.
I guess Daddy told you.
If I'd turned your daddy down,
I'm not so sure he'd have
showed up the next morning.
But G.W.'s different.
We'll always be friends.
Might take a little time.
Bye, Mama.
I'm not gonna let you forget this, Pa!
Trying to burn down the smokehouse!
I have made it abundantly
clear that I am not to blame!
It was the wind
shifting that caused it.
Maybe you just built
too much fire, Pa.
I have been smoking
meat in this smokehouse
since before you was born!
You're trying to tell me I
don't know how to fire it?
You sure do know how to fire it!
Don't let me scare you off.
I am going to the barn
to talk to the animals.
They're far more capable of
conducting an intelligent conversation!
What's he so riled up about?
I was just kidding him about
burning the smokehouse.
- Erin's left for school.
- Walking or riding?
Riding. G.W. showed
up right on schedule.
Well, I'll tell you this. If
you'd turned me down,
I never would have
shown up the next morning.
You say that now.
Course, I knew the answer
before I asked the question.
There's something I've
been meaning to ask you.
Liv! What are you trying
to do, start another fire?
Now, come on, get out of
here. You're gonna get all dirty.
Come on! Get out
of here! Get out.
So when you were late this
morning, I kind of wondered.
I had some extra things
to do before I could leave.
I never got a chance
to thank you, G.W.
- For asking me to marry you.
- You don't have to thank me.
It was just kind
of nice, that's all.
I really do have
to get to school.
I'm leaving today. I don't
know when I'll be back.
I wasn't going
to tell you at first,
but you're gonna have to find a
ride to school and to Miss Fannie's.
- Well, where are you going?
- I'm joining the Army.
And that's all I'm
gonna say about it.
Excuse me, hon.
Curt says all this bending
and exercise is good for me.
Yeah, exercise is
good for a growing girl,
and for our new grand-grandbaby.
It also gets Curt
out of a lot of work.
I'm not sure I should let
him get away with that.
Women have always
been stronger than men,
especially when
men want them to be.
Well, look who's here!
- Abel!
- Hey, Erin!
I thought all you
delivered was ice!
You're looking prettier
every day, Mary Ellen.
- Thanks, Abel.
- Thanks for the ride!
- Thank you, Abel, for fetching our girl.
- My pleasure.
- Well, now.
- What you doing?
You owe us an explanation.
Why are you arriving on ice, Erin?
Oh, come on, Erin,
there's plenty to go around.
Well, I called Ike's store to see if Daddy
or somebody could come pick me up,
but the line was busy.
Then I saw Abel out the window.
Well, where's Old Faithful? G.W.
- He joined the Army.
- He what?
- He joined the Army.
- Well, why would he do that?
The Army?
Well, he didn't say
anything about it last night.
He had supper
with us, Mary Ellen.
Well, I guess it was
kind of a sudden decision.
Why the Army? He always
said that all he ever wanted
was that patch
of his daddy's land
- and to get married.
- I know.
I don't suppose it be a
case of an unrequited lover
rejected and rushing off
to join the Foreign Legion.
Grandpa!
G.W.'s nice, but you
wouldn't want to marry him.
Of course not.
- How do you really feel, Erin?
- Why, I feel fine. Why?
If your heart's breaking, you can
tell me. I'm getting older all the time.
I really do feel fine.
Maybe you're bearing up bravely.
If you're doing that,
could you please tell me?
- I suppose all this is about G.W.
- I miss him.
Well, you go right ahead.
- Go right ahead and what?
- Miss G.W.
I do, but Erin won't
admit that she does.
Elizabeth, why don't you just get off
my bed and go bug somebody else?
If she starts bearing up
bravely, will you let me know?
- How do you like my new robe?
- It's nice.
Mama says G.W.
tried it on first.
She kind of fitted it to him.
Can't we talk about something
else? All I hear is G.W. this, G.W. that.
He's just a friend
who went away!
People do do that, you know.
I'm going to Rockfish tomorrow,
in the morning, if you need a ride.
Why don't you just
come right out and say it?
"Now that G.W.'s gone, I suppose
you'll be needing a ride to school."
Well, there's one thing.
You're not bearing up bravely.
You really miss him, don't you?
I suppose I do.
- She still reading that letter?
- Seems like she's memorizing it.
- I used to do that.
- Did you really?
I was young at the time.
I still can't get over that kid just
up and joining the Army like that.
He was such a fixture here. It
seemed like he belonged to us.
I miss him.
Hey, Rover, what's the matter?
Something sure must
have scared you, Rover.
It's okay. You're all right now.
Lordy! That's a fierce bird!
Rover's kind of shy. You
must have scared him.
Shy?
If ever I need a watchdog,
I'll get me a peacock!
I thought you were
going to take the day off.
Oh, I just thought the walk
over here would do me good.
Guess you're ready to
paint if the spirit moves you.
Now, who could get
that bird to stand still
and spread his feathers
in that fanciful way?
Well, I guess it would help
if you were a lady peacock.
Well, I'm not a lady peacock!
Erin, would you please
do that at the kitchen table?
- I have these accounts to work on.
- Daddy, if I go there,
I'll have Jim-Bob, Ben and Elizabeth
looking over my shoulder in no time.
- If that's all it takes...
- I won't be much longer.
You won't be any
longer, honey. Come on.
- Daddy! Daddy!
- Come on, come on...
There's somebody at the door.
- Hi, Erin.
- I knew it was you.
- How are you, Mrs. Walton?
- Very well, thank you, G.W.
- You look wonderful.
- Thank you.
- G.W. The Army's trimmed you down, son.
- Yes, sir.
- You look fine.
- Thank you.
Can I get you something?
No, thank you. I had
supper down the road.
- It sure has been a long time, Erin.
- I was just writing you a letter.
We were just going to
bed. We'll say good night.
I've these accounts to work on.
- How long you gonna be with us, G.W.?
- I have to start back tomorrow.
Guess I can work
on them upstairs.
G.W., how's the Army
treating you fellas nowadays?
Fine.
Well, good night.
- Good night.
- Good night.
Come on in.
First time I've seen this room
when it wasn't full of Waltons.
Doesn't happen very often.
I don't know how,
but I knew it was you.
When they said I could leave, I
didn't think about calling or anything.
I just pointed my car
towards Walton's Mountain.
Surprises are nice.
G.W.! I heard the car come
in, I was wondering who it was.
- How are you, sir?
- Oh, I'm just fine.
I needn't ask how you are.
You look the picture of health!
Well, now!
Those accounts can wait till
morning. You're just feeling put upon.
They could've sat
on the front porch.
- You're up here early.
- G.W. is here to see Erin.
- And don't you go down there!
- Yes, ma'am.
- Well, who drove up?
- G.W.'s home!
- Well, he must be a general by now!
- Yeah!
- Hey, G.W.! Good to see you!
- Look who's here!
- Welcome back! Got your promotion yet?
- Nope.
- How long are you staying?
- Oh, only the weekend.
Sure missed you.
Let's see, now. Oh! How
about right here, huh?
No. Not with the prunes, either.
How do you do?
I'm trying to find Rockfish,
and I do believe I'm lost.
Oh. Well, right
outside my store,
- you know where the gas pump is?
- Mmm-hmm.
Well, you go right down
that way about six miles
and you'll come to a grain elevator, and
then just turn right and you can't miss it.
Oh, thank you so much.
That's a fine primitive.
It took me all morning to do it.
- You're the artist?
- Maude Gormley.
Oh, I love your colors. So
bright and bold and clear.
The innocence of the
whole piece is captivating.
- Sentimental, but tough and gritty.
- That's me!
Is it for sale?
Oh, surely. I'll let
you have it for $3.
I'll take it.
Well! And Rockfish?
Oh, yes. Like I told
you, right outside,
and to the left and right
down. You can't miss it.
Thank you. Thank you.
Maude! We sold
our first picture!
What do you mean "our" first
picture? I made the sale all alone.
Oh, you'll get your commission,
whether you earn it or not.
Right here's fine.
I really did fry this chicken, so if
you don't like it, don't blame Mama.
Oh, I'll like it. I like
everything you do.
You don't know how I've
felt since you joined the Army.
Not unless you didn't
put it in your letters.
You never once mentioned the
Army until I said I wouldn't marry you.
I feel like I drove you
to it, and I didn't mean to.
I mean, I didn't know it would.
I didn't, either, I guess.
You've missed me, haven't you?
- Everybody has.
- I don't care about everybody.
Well, I have missed you.
More than I thought I would.
I just never thought before
about you not being around.
- I'm around now.
- But you're going right back.
You know what I'd like
more than anything?
- I'd like you to come to visit me.
- At Fort Lee? Can girls do that?
They do it all the time.
You can stay at Virginia Beach,
and I'd be with you all the time.
I don't know what Mama
and Daddy would say.
- You'd like to come over, wouldn't you?
- If I can.
- Will you talk to your folks?
- Right away.
Wish I could've
seen good old G.W.
It's not just looking at him. It's
the way he talks, what he says.
- Can we stop for a minute?
- Sure.
It's a vicious cycle. I exercise
to keep my weight down,
and that makes me hungry, so I eat
more, and then I have to exercise more.
Mary Ellen, he's
so grown-up now.
And you want to go visit
him in Virginia Beach.
I really do.
Well, good luck with
Mama and Daddy.
- Do you think they'd ever let me?
- I don't know. They have mellowed some.
Mama's not as straight-laced
as she used to be.
All they ever want is for you
to be looked after and safe.
I know that.
Enjoy yourselves.
- It's gonna look first-rate, Daddy.
- Not counting on it to look beautiful.
- So where is everybody?
- I took your Ma over to Mary Ellen's.
I dropped Erin off there, too.
They're putting their heads
together about something.
- You got any idea what it's about?
- Yeah, I do.
The girls are working on Mama,
and I'm supposed to work on you.
What are you all after?
G.W.'s a nice guy,
Daddy. I trust him.
Glad to know that, Son.
Erin's 18 now, and she's a lot
less flighty than she used to be.
I trust her, too.
You working on me now?
I think you ought to let
Erin go to Virginia Beach.
Virginia Beach? What for?
To visit G.W.
No.
A lot of girls are doing
that, Daddy. Nice girls.
No!
G.W. thinks a
lot of Erin, Daddy.
And so do I. The answer is no.
Your daddy and I are going
to have to talk about this.
I'm 18, Mama.
I was there when you
were born, remember?
Mama, Curt and I talked
about this a lot last night,
- and we think you ought to let Erin go.
- And Jason thinks it's a great idea.
I'm sure you can find a lot of support from
a lot of people for this idea of yours.
But your daddy and I have the
responsibility for this decision.
- You're ours, and we love you.
- But you will talk to him about it?
I'll talk to him.
Well, you're just gonna have
to trust me. I was in the Army!
You keep talking about the
Army. I know you were in the Army!
Liv, you don't know the kind of girls
that hang around them Army posts!
- You don't want Erin to go.
- I won't let her go!
What're you thinking?
I'm thinking about when
you were in the Army,
and those girls that hung
around the Army posts.
- That was years ago.
- I didn't think much about it then.
- I guess I must have trusted you.
- This is different.
- This is our daughter. This is Erin!
- It's still trusting!
You always said you like G.W.
I still like him. He's a
normal, healthy boy.
He's just like
one of the family.
Liv.
I guess you're right.
G.W. is like one of the family.
You trust Erin,
and you trust G.W.
What's hard to trust is two young
people all alone in Virginia Beach.
But if we let her go, that's exactly
what we're gonna have to do.
Do you think Daddy knows that
people are already getting on the bus?
The bus won't leave as long
as they're still selling tickets.
- Here.
- A letter?
It's for emergencies. Just tuck it
away in the bottom of your purse.
- Mama...
- It isn't much.
Give the top half to the driver, and
this bottom half is your ticket back home.
- All right.
- All right.
I never dreamed I'd
be taking a trip like this.
- Bye, Daddy.
- Goodbye, honey.
Mama.
There's one thing you
can do for me, both of you.
- What's that?
- Smile. Please?
What's the matter
with you, Jim-Bob?
You've done nothing but
look and listen all morning.
Well, I lost Rover. He was gone
this morning. I thought I heard him.
No great loss, if you ask me.
That bird's a terror.
He's just grouchy 'cause he's
lonesome. Grandpa says he needs a wife.
No sensible hen
would live with that bird.
I think I'm gonna stay out here
and look around for Rover, okay?
Suit yourself.
- Hi, Maude. What can I do for you?
- I've come in to settle up.
Oh, there's no need to do that. We
can do that at the end of the month.
You sold one picture?
And an agent gets 10%?
That's 30 cents. There you are.
I've decided
to have J. Wellington
Penrow sell my pictures.
He goes out and
hunts for business.
And you just sit around
and wait for it to come along.
But, Maude, I'm
just getting started.
I'll tell you what.
Five percent.
Nope. I'm decided.
Anyway, my pictures don't like
sitting around with pickles and cheese.
I'll have Jim-Bob come
in and gather them up.
You sure are temperamental.
Oh, by the way, where's that
stamp you steamed off of my letter?
You want the stamp?
- What else do you want?
- I need some glue.
- Where's Jason tonight?
- Oh, he had to go to work early.
This looks awful.
We are few in
number tonight, Livie.
We're still a family.
Grandpa, you slide over
there. Elizabeth, come on.
But this is where I always sit.
We're changing things
around tonight, honey.
There. That's better.
- Pa, would you say the blessing?
- All right.
Father in heaven, omnipotent,
with all our hearts, to thee we call.
Bless this family tonight,
those of us who are here,
and most especially, dear Lord,
bless those of us who
sit at other tables tonight.
Amen.
- Aren't you gonna eat your oysters?
- Oh, sure. I was just looking around.
- And I've never had oysters before.
- Well, you better watch him, Erin.
It just takes
practice. Like this.
Hey, soldier, I think
you've had enough.
You know, I think you're right.
- Would you care to dance?
- Sure.
Excuse us.
- They're real nice.
- Yeah.
- Is he your best friend?
- Who?
Oh, Ernie? Yeah.
He enlisted a couple of months before
I did, so he knows the ropes better.
What do you mean,
knows the ropes better?
Oh, just how to get things done.
I mean, he's from Roanoke, and
he really knows his way around.
Around what?
This sounds like great
music. We ought to dance.
I don't see Ernie and
Judy anywhere. Do you?
They'll be back.
I thought we'd walk down
along the shore tomorrow.
It's real nice down there.
- Do they always just disappear like that?
- What are you so worried about them for?
I just thought we were going
to be with them, that's all.
- They're going to get married.
- Tonight?
No. But you know,
they wanted to be alone.
Oh.
- Is Judy going to be staying here, too?
- Oh, sure.
Really?
Because if she isn't,
then I don't want to.
Well, thanks for
the nice time, G.W.
I'll take you to your room.
Should you do that?
Sure, I should.
It's what you do.
Well, it's certainly been nice.
It's a nice room.
- I wonder when Judy will be home.
- She won't.
- Where do you hide the coffee?
- It'll keep you awake.
That doesn't make much sense.
And walking around at 2:00 in the morning
with an empty coffee pot in your hand,
that makes sense?
- Liv, maybe we should have gone with her.
- Wouldn't have been the same.
I know.
Ike'd come running if she
called there, wouldn't he?
Look at us, fussing around, and you
know she's been asleep this long time.
Sure.
Sure.
I think you better go, G.W.
I've got to tell you something.
This didn't come out the
way it was supposed to.
Well, I don't think
that's my fault.
Sometimes I wish you
weren't such a nice girl.
Hey!
Hey, lover-boy! How'd it go?
Come on, Lou.
Wasn't this the big night?
Some little country girl from
that mountain, wasn't it? Huh?
Wasn't it?
She's not that kind of girl.
- Hey, Elizabeth, where's my car?
- How should I know?
Well, it was around
here, and now it's gone.
I haven't been around here.
Well, somebody stole it!
Jim-Bob, nobody in his
right mind would even
be seen in that car,
much less steal it!
- Daddy, where'd my car go?
- Grandpa took it.
- Yelling around that somebody stole it!
- Where'd he go?
Just hopped in and went
breezing down the road.
He's never done that before.
Grandpa does a lot of
things he's never done before.
Hey, Grandpa, you found Rover!
- And what's that?
- This here is Ruby, a noble peahen,
future maid of Rover, in sickness
and health, for better or for worse,
till death do them part.
Isn't that the hen from
over at Walt Biggers' place?
Yeah, you betcha. And that's where I
found Rover, over there, strutting around,
calling on her, lifting
up his tail feathers
the way they do for the ladies.
Course, she isn't gussied up
quite as much as a peacock,
but then, they
like them that way.
I now pronounce
you man and wife.
Amen. A-women.
I figured she'd catch it.
- Welcome home!
- Hi, Daddy! Thank you.
- Mama!
- Hi, honey!
- How's everybody at home?
- We're fine. How's G.W.?
Wonderful. We had such a good
time, and he is my best friend.
- Friend?
- Friend.
The peahen which Grandpa brought
home as a companion to Rover
did ease Rover's loneliness, and he
became a much better-tempered bird.
But as a pair, they remained
like Erin and G. W. Haines:
just friends.
- Mama?
- Yes, Elizabeth?
- Are the best things in life really free?
- They surely are.
- A bicycle?
- No.
A trip to the ocean?
No, but things like
good health and love...
And a good night's sleep!
- But not a bicycle?
- No. Good night, Elizabeth.
- Good night, Mama. Good night, Daddy.
- Night, honey.
Not even a trip to the ocean?
English -SDH