The Waltons (1971–1981): Season 7, Episode 18 - The Attack - full transcript

Easy, easy!

Call the hospital. Tell
them we're on our way.

- Kind of makes you feel numb, doesn't it?
- I'm so scared.

- So is Corabeth.
- I'll call the hospital.

For as long as we
could remember,

Ike Godsey's General
Merchandise Store

had been the social
center of our community.

Friendships were forged
over loaves of bread.

The place was a clearing house for
news, rumor and, often as not, gossip.

Adventure in those days
was having a nickel to spend

and time to gaze
into the candy counter



for as long as we liked
before making a selection.

Little did we know then how much
that store and its occupants meant to us,

until one terrifying
day in 1942.

You say you didn't
get last month's report?

Oh, I don't understand. I
helped fill it out myself. Yeah.

I mailed it myself.

Hurry up, Ike! I
haven't got all day.

Look, it is not my fault.

I don't know where it is. It's probably
somewhere between here and there.

Listen, blame your
own post office.

I'm a paying customer.
Get off of that phone!

Fill out a duplicate?

Look, it took Mrs. Godsey and I
hours to fill it out in the first place.

I don't have time to do
that thing all over again



and then run a store, too.

- Terribly sorry, mister.
- You're sorry?

I swear, if they're running the
war the way they run the OPA,

the Germans are going to be
in Washington by Christmas.

- Who's first?
- I came after some sugar, again.

I'm sorry, Maude,
there is still no sugar,

and I don't have the slightest
idea when we're going to have any.

My cousin Ida says there's
plenty of sugar to be had.

I think he's just
hoarding it away

to sell it to those rich
folks in Charlottesville.

Maude, Ike wouldn't
do anything like that.

Maude, that would be dishonest.

Well, then give me a half a
cupful and I'll be on my way.

And the police won't
know a thing about it.

Maude, I swear, if I had
any sugar, I'd sell it to you,

but Corabeth and I don't even
have enough for our own sugar bowl.

Very well.

Then I'll just have to take my
business to Rockfish from now on.

- Bye, Maude.
- Bye.

- Bye, Maude.
- Oh, bye.

- I hope you are not out of friction tape.
- Not yet, but give it time.

- How much do you need, John?
- Couple of rolls.

You know, Maude is the
third customer this week

who's taking all her
shopping to Rockfish.

And the fact is that there's no more
sugar in Rockfish than there is here.

Where is it all?

It's in Cuba. The trouble is
that there aren't enough boats

to be able to go down
there and pick it up.

I swear, John, running a store is
getting rougher and rougher every week,

with the shortages and the rationing
and the OPA reports and the price freezes.

But I keep telling myself
that it's all for the war effort.

Oh, I've got a gas
customer. Talk to you later.

What are you doing there? Hey!

Go on! Go on! Go on!

- Hi, Daddy.
- That mule was out of the barn again.

He was in your
mama's flower bed.

- He's not mine.
- Well, whose is he?

- He used to be John-Boy's.
- Whose is he now?

And when was the last time
he did any work around here?

Ask Jim-Bob. Jim-Bob's
supposed to take care of him.

Nobody ever said anything to me
about it. But I feed him every day.

We can't afford an animal
who does nothing but eat.

- What are we supposed to do with him?
- I think maybe it's time to sell him.

You can't sell Blue!
He's one of the family.

I'm sorry, honey.

Nobody seems to want to take care of
him. He just wonders all over the place.

We can't afford to feed him,
and he never does any work.

You two find someone
who can put him to good use.

You can split the sales price between
you. Come on, Ben, we got work to do.

Yes, Daddy.

What are we waiting for,
Elizabeth? Let's go put up that sign.

You know something, Jim-Bob? You're
heartless. You'd sell me if you could.

Everybody wants everything
I don't seem to have...

Mr. Godsey, could you step
over here for a moment, please?

Corabeth, would you
leave me alone, please?

I'm trying to put together an order
and I need my mind to be able to think.

Mr. Godsey, need I remind you

that you are not the only
person facing a deadline?

The Office of Price Administration will
not wait one more day for these forms.

Now, first of all,
what I need to know

is how many gallons of
gasoline did we sell last month?

You got the wrong form.

I beg your pardon.

You see those three
letters there? "OPM."

We're supposed to be
making out a report to the OPA.

Well, yes, but the local
representative of the DCB

thought that it might be more helpful if
we filed an OPM report with the OPA,

which could then be forwarded to
the BEW for use in allocation planning.

Corabeth,

J.D. Pickett is the only person in
these parts that fills out an OPM report.

Now, if the OWI tells the OPA
that we're giving information

to the SPAB and not them,
well, they're gonna call in the WRA

and they're gonna put us
in jail for the rest of the war.

Well, now, I seriously
doubt that that will happen.

Now, are you going to help
me with these forms or not?

Corabeth, give me
five minutes, will you?

Very well, I will see what I can
do with them in the meantime.

- Hey, Ike. Hi, Corabeth.
- Hello, kids, what can I do for you?

Ike, is it okay if we
put this in your window?

"White mule for sale."

Why, I'd buy him myself if he
could make out government forms.

Yeah, sure, go ahead.

I'm never going to be able
to get this order together.

- Oh, I'll go pump the gas for you.
- Oh, thank you, Jim-Bob. You're a godsend.

Now, let's see, we got
the chocolate chips. Right.

And then that's the...

Do you have any sugar yet?

Is that all anybody ever
comes up and asks for is sugar?

It's just Mary Ellen's
cooking, it's awful without it.

Well, I think it's kind of
a relief not to have sugar.

I mean, you know those sauces
that Corabeth makes all the time.

It's kind of nice just to have plain
old just meat and potatoes, you know?

- Maybe we should stroke the other way.
- Why? He wouldn't like it.

Besides, it'd make him look funny,
with his hair sticking straight up.

That's what I mean. Then
nobody would buy him.

Hey, Clarence.
What you got there?

The sign you and Elizabeth
put up in Godsey's store.

What did you take it down for?

How much are you asking
for this broken-down mule?

Fifteen bucks.

- Let's have a look.
- He's the finest mule in Jefferson County.

Actually, he's old and dying,
not worth the hay to feed him.

Elizabeth!

He's got some rare disease.

Makes him foam at the
mouth and holler all night.

She just doesn't want
to sell him, that's all.

Fifteen dollars is
a right high price.

He's really easy on gas, though.
You don't need those ration coupons.

- I'll give you 13.
- We're selling our best friend.

- Fourteen.
- There's a price freeze on.

We have to freeze
the price at 15 dollars.

- Okay, 15 dollars.
- You're making a terrible mistake.

Sold!

Come on, Blue.

Hope to see you later, Blue.

What are you going to do
with your share, Elizabeth?

Buy a picture of Judas, maybe.

It seemed kind of strange,

having to set an alarm
clock to get up this morning.

I know, Blue is the best
alarm clock in the world.

The loudest mule in Virginia.

Mr. Godsey, you will have to
see to the customers this morning.

I must rearrange
the perfume display.

Change is the essence
of good salesmanship.

Corabeth, I've got
all this mail to sort.

Oh, dear! Look at those
shelves. I told you to let me do it.

- What's wrong with them?
- Well, they're in such disarray!

How can you possibly hope to maintain
the confidence of your customers?

Corabeth, what is so important about
cans of beets all in a straight row anyway?

- Oh, never mind, I'll do it.
- No! I'll do it!

I'll do it. I'll take
care of them, okay?

As if I didn't have more
important things to do.

The OPA is on my
back night and day.

My gas customers are
upset with gas rationing

and they're taking it out on me.

And I'm trying to run a
store and a post office

and a Civil Defense
headquarters all at the same time.

And I've got bills to pay.

- What is it?
- I don't know.

Get help.

I don't know how I'll ever
break the news to Aimee.

I wouldn't tell her just yet.
Let's wait and see what happens.

Yes, yes, you're right.

I shouldn't interrupt
her education unless

worse comes to worse.

There's no change.

We're going to continue to keep
him pretty heavily sedated for a while.

Maybe it's best if we left.

Well, the more rest and
quiet he gets, the better.

Oh, but I...

- I have to stay here with Mr. Godsey.
- There'll be a nurse here all night.

It's all my fault.

- That's nonsense, Corabeth.
- Come on, Corabeth.

I've never seen a heart attack case
where the spouse didn't take the blame.

If only I hadn't
pushed him so hard.

I drove him to it.

Oh, Corabeth, who knows
what makes these things happen?

Maybe he worried
about the war too much.

That's still thousands
of miles away.

How about the price freeze and
the shortages and all the paperwork?

That put pressure
on him, didn't it?

Not enough to give
him a heart attack.

Well, and all the extra business he
got from the Pickett Defense Plant.

- I mean, that was a burden, wasn't it?
- Perhaps a little.

And all his customers
he's known all his life

that go to Rockfish the
minute something goes wrong.

Or Aimee's private
school? Or the bills?

Maybe I should have
just done more to help.

Corabeth, you're not
giving yourself enough credit.

Without you, he might have
had this heart attack long ago

and I think you know it.

I don't want him to die!

Corabeth, none of us do.

I can't ever remember the
store being closed on a work day.

The place is awful lonely.

Ike's going to get
better, isn't he?

Well, with a heart attack,
you never really know.

If he does get better, it's
going to take a long time.

I just wish we'd hear
some news about him.

I thought only old
people had heart attacks.

I don't think you'll have to worry
about that for a long time, Elizabeth.

What about Daddy?
He's about Ike's age.

I guess it just
depends on the person.

Maybe we should make it
a little bit easier on Daddy.

He'd never let us
get away with that.

That's for sure. Being pampered
is the last thing he wants.

It would be for his own good if
we made him rest a little bit more.

Watch out.

- What are you all doing here?
- We're waiting for Corabeth.

Well, I came to pick
up some things for her.

She's staying in town until
Ike gets out of the hospital.

When will that be?

It's hard to say at this
point. He is pretty serious.

I guess we're going to have to do all
our shopping in Rockfish for a while.

Looks that way.

Well, enough of us go to town,
that shouldn't be any problem.

I worry about those
vegetables spoiling.

Maybe we can buy
some of the food.

It's not a bad idea. Put
some of this stuff to use.

Why does the
store have to close?

- Who's going to run it, Santa Claus?
- Well, what about us?

- Morning, you two.
- Hi, Daddy.

- You're off to the store?
- We got the first shift.

Ike always says how busy Saturday
is. We figured it'd take the both of us.

- Hi, Daddy.
- Good morning, Ben.

Here, why don't you have a seat?

- What for, Son?
- I'm going to make you some breakfast.

What do you think I'm having?

- Well, that's not a very good meal.
- Good enough for me.

- What do you want to talk to me about?
- Oh, nothing.

Why did you ask me to sit down?

I just wanted you to
feel more comfortable.

Well, I was plenty
comfortable standing up, Son.

Oh, I think I could take care
of all the mill by myself today.

- Good, I got some errands to run.
- I could do those, too, if you want.

- Ben, are you in love again?
- No. Why?

Well, 'cause you're
acting kind of sappy, Son.

You two better get going. You
got to open the store on time.

It's almost 8:00.

Come on, Elizabeth. We don't
want a reputation for being late.

- See you later, sappy.
- Goodbye.

I'll be down to check
things out in a little while.

Thank you, Ben.

You're welcome.

- Oh, hi.
- Hi, Maude.

Hi, Maude.

I've decided to give you folks
another chance before I go to Rockfish.

Can't stand cities.

- What can we do for you?
- Well, I need some sugar.

I wish we had some
to give you, Maude.

You mean Ike took it
to the hospital with him?

We just don't have any. We
might not for quite some time.

Oh, my! And I'm
such a fool over sugar.

- Maude, how are you doing?
- Well, hello!

Your children won't sell me any sugar, and
I haven't got the will to eat without it.

We feel the same way.

You're just gonna have to live
with it till the shortage is over.

You know, we
could make a fortune

if there was a way of inventing
something that would replace sugar.

You don't need to invent it. It's
growing all over the side of the mountain.

- Well, what's that?
- Sorghum.

Pa planted it years ago. He never
got around to making molasses.

Went to seed, and now
it comes back every year.

Blackstrap molasses?

That's all we had to use for sugar
in these parts when I was a little girl.

We'd have to
build a mill, though.

Well, Pa was building
some machinery for it.

Parts of it are still
out behind the mill.

- I betcha I can make it work easy.
- Now, that's the spirit!

That's the trouble with
too many young people,

they just haven't any gumption!

Well, there's plenty of wood
if you two want to give it a go.

May be some
money in it, Jim-Bob.

I'll bet you between the both
of us, we'd do pretty good.

How long would it take you
to make me some molasses?

- Oh...
- Two weeks?

Two weeks.

That long?

Well, it's off to Rockfish
before I starve to death.

- Bye, Maude.
- Bye-bye, Maude.

Good luck in Rockfish.

Bye.

"'My dear master, ' I
answered, 'I am Jane Eyre.'

"'I have found you out.
I am come back to you.'

"'In truth? In the flesh?'

"'My living Jane?' he asked."

"'You touch me, sir, '

"'you hold me, ' I replied."

Mr. Godsey?

I haven't been a very good
wife to you, have I, Ike?

Perhaps I never
should have married.

Did I ever tell you?

When I was a young girl,

I used to dream of
finding the ideal man.

Of course, I never could find the
man who'd live up to my dreams.

But would I have
lived up to his?

You're a good man, Ike.

And if I've pushed you,
it's because I've loved you.

And do you know something?

Oh, my dear,

you are everything

that young girl ever
dreamed or hoped she'd have.

Mary Ellen, I didn't
know you were there.

Why don't you get
some rest, Corabeth?

No, I...

I want to stay here, I want to
spend as much time with Ike as I can.

But he's sound asleep.

Why don't you get some
rest in the meantime?

I'm going to lose him, aren't I?

Dr. Spencer says the
worst of the danger is over.

When I was a little girl,
my father had a heart attack,

and the doctor said he'd be fine,
too. And in a month, Papa was dead.

We're all praying for Ike.
He is going to get better.

But right now, you
better get some rest.

Nurse's orders.

Here you go.

Thank you.

Boy, I'm glad you're
here. It's been a long day.

- Coming, Elizabeth?
- No, I'm going to help Erin.

- Jim-Bob, what's all this?
- Bread.

Well, I can see that. But it
looks like there's 100 loaves here.

Twelve dozen, to be exact.

- Isn't that a little much?
- I told you.

Let me look at Ike's books
and see what he usually orders.

- It's going to all turn moldy.
- How do you know, Elizabeth?

Maybe we can grind it up and sell
lifetime supplies of bread crumbs.

- Why don't you just shut up?
- These books are a mess.

I'll bet Ike would be surprised if he
came back and found them in order.

Let me see. Here it is.

On Saturdays, he usually...
He orders twelve loaves of bread.

Jim-Bob, you
ordered twelve dozen.

Anybody want a sandwich?

It's still ticking?

As far as I can tell.

I'm glad to hear it.

I think you should know that
things aren't going to be the same,

not for a long, long time.

Because of the attack,

some of the tissues around
your heart have been damaged

and you need rest so that the heart
muscle has a chance to repair itself.

- How much longer do I have to stay here?
- Well, it depends.

I'm not going to let you go anywhere
until I feel good about your progress.

Be honest with
me, will you, Doc?

- Am I going to pull through this thing?
- Well, no promises.

But with the proper amount of rest,
there's a good chance you'll fully recover.

Enough to go back to the store?

I'd just as soon you didn't
worry about that right now,

not for as long as possible.

You see, the less pressure
you're under, the better.

Sure appreciate
you coming by, John.

The Baldwin sisters
asked me to drop this off.

They said it'd brighten
up your stay in the hospital.

The Recipe.

Boy, if ever I needed
the Recipe, it's here now.

Why don't you go get a
chair and I'll give you a share?

It's your party, Ike.

Binoculars.

They have a note here.

"Dearest Ike,

"This little gift will help
you wile away the hours

"in watching birds come
and go outside your window.

"Fondly, Emily and
Mamie Baldwin."

Birds.

I don't think Dr. Spencer would want
you to have any Recipe anyway, Ike.

No, I suppose he wouldn't.

So, how are those kids of yours
doing? They watching the store?

Doing real good.

Of course, the store
misses its rightful owner.

Everybody keeps
asking about you.

Supplies coming in regular?

Yeah. Just like clockwork,
everything's available.

No sugar yet, huh?

Ike, I thought you were under strict
orders not to worry about that store.

Yeah.

Dr. Spencer almost has a heart
attack himself every time I mention it.

Are the kids sweeping up the
floor? Keeping it good and clean?

Real clean.

Mary Ellen tells me you're going
to be able to get out of bed soon.

Boy, I sure hope so.

I'm so sick of
looking at that ceiling.

You know, John, there
are 361 ceiling tiles up there

and each one has 81 holes

and that's 29,241 holes.

I never thought I'd see the day

Ike would be counting anything
but soup cans and vegetables.

I'm looking forward to
getting back to it, too.

Corabeth doesn't
want me to, though.

She's afraid of the strain.

Seems to me you might be
worrying about that, too, Ike.

Having a heart attack
is nothing to trifle with.

Oh, yeah. I bet if you had
one, you'd be just as anxious

to get up on your feet as I am,
no matter what Corabeth says.

Reach in that top drawer
over there, will you, John?

I haven't been spending
all my time counting holes.

What is it?

It's my will.

I want you to hold on
to it for safekeeping.

Be glad to, Ike.

I've named you my executor.
I hope you don't mind.

I don't mind.

Just as long as you don't make me
do anything about it for a few years.

I left everything to Corabeth,

except my guns
and fishing poles.

I want Ben and
Jim-Bob to have them.

And there's one other thing.

I don't know
quite how to say it.

But I love you, John.

Next to Corabeth, you're
the best friend I ever had.

Go on, Reckless,
you're in the way.

I don't think Chance likes the
idea of wearing this harness at all.

All set?

- I sure hope this thing works, Jim-Bob.
- Don't worry, it will.

Okay, I'm ready.

Come on! Come
on, Chance. Chance!

Come on, move, Chance.

Oh, come on! Chance!

Move it!

I don't think this is
going to work, Jim-Bob.

Maybe we better
try something else.

- Well, like what?
- Reckless?

Give me a hand here.

Come on, Chance. Come on.

- Come on, Chance.
- Come on, Chance.

Come on. Chance, come on!
- Move it.

You two are going to
end up pushing that thing.

- Where are you doing, Daddy?
- I'm taking this over to Pickett's.

Well, you don't have to
do that. I'll do it for you.

Ben, let go!

Aren't you doing a
job with Jim-Bob?

- Well, yes, sir.
- You do your job, and I'll do mine.

- Isn't it a gorgeous day, Mr. Godsey?
- Boy, it sure is great to be outside.

I feel like I've been cooped
up in that hospital for months.

Are you warm enough?

Oh, with that sun out?
Oh, sure, of course.

I can't wait until you're
released from the hospital.

Boy, you can say that again.

We'll take walks like this two
times a day, three times a day.

We'll go exploring.

You know, I don't think I
even know my own home town.

You mean the mountain?

Oh, but we couldn't
possibly take walks there.

The roads are unpaved,

so bumpy and dusty, even
when they're not muddy.

I couldn't even push you there.

Oh, you don't understand.
I'd be walking right next to you.

Dr. Spencer said that you are
to consider yourself a sick man,

even after you're
released from the hospital.

Well, I plan on taking
it easy, of course.

You know, maybe working shorter
hours or, you know, something like that.

How can you possibly
think of working at the store

when you're so weak
you can't even stand up?

You are to remain flat
on your back in bed.

Corabeth, if I remain flat on my
back any longer, I'll lose my mind.

You don't have to
remain horizontal forever.

But I was thinking of

a small cottage near the beach,
where I could look after you.

Couldn't you look
after me at the store?

Mr. Godsey, you know
how you carry on down there.

You keep yourself so busy, you
don't even know what month it is.

But that's where I belong.

Mr. Godsey,

you don't understand.

I will not allow the same thing to
happen to you that happened to Papa.

I cannot imagine what life
would be like without you.

Oh, please,

please don't make
me live in fear.

I can't lose you.

I won't!

Corabeth,

to have you say that to me

makes it almost
worth all of this.

I think we should
sell the store.

Sell the store and
leave the mountain.

Jim-Bob, I don't think
you're pulling hard enough.

- I'm pulling as hard as I can.
- Well, pull harder.

You guys, who's going to
do this when I go to the store?

Someone's got to.

Since Ben thinks he's the better
horse, he can do the turning.

That's what you think.

Ben, this isn't working.

What do you want us
to do? We can't quit.

- Hi.
- Hi, Clarence.

- Hi.
- Hey, Clarence.

I heard about
your molasses mill.

Well, this is it.

Except for it's not working.
We can't find anything to turn it.

My pa used to have one, only
a horse turned it, not people.

- Our cow doesn't want the job.
- You know, a mule could do the trick.

- Like Blue? Sure could.
- Could we borrow him?

I don't know, turning a sorghum
press would be awfully hard on him.

Might shorten his life.

Look, we'll give you
some molasses for it.

No, thanks, we have
more than enough.

You know, maybe we
should buy Blue back.

How about it, Clarence?
Would you sell him back to us?

My favorite mule?

Fifteen dollars, that's what you
paid for him. Right, Elizabeth?

Hey, not me, it's you
guys. I'm out of this one.

- Look, I'm a little short on cash.
- Oh, since when? You always have cash.

Do you want Blue or don't you?

You've got half the money
that Clarence gave you.

And we'll pay you back. And if
we can't, you can have the mill.

Okay, but I'm only doing it for Blue's
sake. I guess I'm going to be broke again.

How about it, Clarence?
Fifteen dollars?

- Eighteen dollars.
- That's highway robbery!

Not when you're selling your
best friend. Is it, Jim-Bob?

Look, we'll split the
difference. Sixteen dollars.

This is the finest mule in
Jefferson County. It's not worth it.

Wouldn't you agree, Jim-Bob?

- Seventeen dollars, not a penny higher.
- Tell him about the price freeze, Jim-Bob.

I froze the price at 18 dollars. It's
against the law for me to change it.

- Okay, 18 dollars.
- Well, you're three dollars short.

I'll look around. I'm sure I have
some stashed around somewhere.

We'll be right back
with the money.

Thanks a lot.

I'm really happy with the
way you're coming around, Ike.

I think you're going to pull
through this thing with flying colors.

- Does that mean I get to go home soon?
- Maybe sooner than you think.

I can't wait for
the day, myself.

The mountain just isn't
the same without you, Ike.

Thank you, Mary Ellen.

Well, let's not worry
about that tonight.

Ike, there's one thing that
I want you to remember.

The key to your
recovery is rest.

And you're still going to need plenty
of that long after you leave this hospital.

Shall we go finish rounds?

Bye, Corabeth.

Boy, I sure hate to think of the
day that we got to go back home

and tell those
folks we're leaving.

But it will be
wonderful, Mr. Godsey.

Being together,

sharing the sunsets,

enjoying the quiet.

But I'm going to miss them.

I certainly will.

But we have no alternative.

- You're not doing very much, Ben.
- Somebody has to tend the mill, Jim-Bob.

- Why not me?
- Look, this isn't as easy as it looks.

- How's it going?
- Ben's having fun.

There's only one problem.
This is awful thin for molasses.

Of course it is, Son. It's not
molasses, yet. You've got to boil it first.

It's going to take you the
better part of the day. I'll see you.

Well, where are you heading?

To fell some timber.
We're short of two-by-fours.

Daddy, why don't you stay here
and you could feed the sorghum

- and I'll do that?
- That's your job, Son.

Well, let me go with you,
and I'll give you a hand.

Oh, no, you don't. You have to
go get the next load of sorghum.

- I'll be just fine.
- You take it easy, okay?

What's gotten into
you lately, Ben?

I think he's afraid that you're
going to have a heart attack, like Ike.

You aren't getting
any younger, Daddy.

That thought has
entered my mind lately.

What would you want
me to do, quit everything?

No, just take it little
bit easier, that's all.

I guess I could do that, Son,
but I'm not sure it's worth it.

I'd just spend all my free time
worrying about why I wasn't busy.

Look what happened to Ike. And
you work even harder than he ever did.

Ben, I guess I could be setting myself
up for some whopper of a heart attack,

but if not working was
the only way to avoid it,

I'd rather keep
working and risk it.

Sounds like something
Grandpa would have said.

Matter of fact, he did say it.

He said it to me all the time
whenever I worried about him,

like you're worrying.

- You know something? He was right.
- He was?

He had a long life and a good one.
Now, you let me worry about my health,

and you worry about that
molasses, all right, Son?

Yes, sir.

Since you're so worried
about tired people,

why don't you take care of
Blue and I'll feed sorghum?

Come on, Blue.

- Are you sure I can't help you?
- We're just looking, thanks.

I thought you were
working at the plant today.

Oh, I'm on my lunch hour.

I thought I'd do some
more work on Ike's books.

Who are they?

I don't know. They
say they're just looking.

I don't know what
they're looking at.

- Well, what do you think?
- I think it's a little small.

Maybe for Charlottesville, but
you've got to remember where you are.

This area is going to become
another Charlottesville soon enough.

I got to take that into account.

It's a big lot. There's
always room for expansion.

Perfume! Here?

- You sell much of this stuff?
- Never.

Ten to one you get a
yes on your first offer.

- Well, thank you very much.
- Thank you.

What was that all about?

It sounds to me like
they want to buy the store.

Ike will never sell. The
mountain will go flat first.

I don't wanna see another stalk
of sorghum the rest of my life.

Me, either.

I won't mind eating some
of this molasses, though.

Yeah, it'll be worth it to get
the food around here any better.

Ha, ha, ha.

But it would be worth it if we get
some of our customers off our backs.

- I'll get it.
- I hope so.

How's the harvest?

Oh, it was fine, Daddy. We
ended up with 80 gallons of sap.

We thought we were going to be
rich, till we boiled it, like you said.

You know how much
molasses we ended up with?

- Eight gallons.
- That's about right.

But eight gallons at 30 cents
a gallon, well, that's nothing.

Sorry you feel like you
wasted your time, Son.

- Pretty good.
- Guess what?

Mary Ellen is bringing Ike
home tomorrow morning.

Hey, that's great!

- It'll be good to have him back.
- It sure will.

- Taste this, honey.
- You think it's good, Daddy?

- You did a good job, fellas.
- Well, it sure was tough.

"General Merchandise.
Ike Godsey, Proprietor."

Never thought I'd see it again.

Let's get you inside, Ike.

- Welcome home, Ike.
- Hi.

Well, the store sure
does look sharp.

Somebody forgot to rotate the produce. You
got to take the old and then put it up...

Well, you don't know that.

Listen, I want to thank you
all for keeping the store open.

Do you see how I
redid your shelves?

I redid your books with the
system I use at the business school.

It makes bookwork
a little easier.

Hey, Jim-Bob and I made some
molasses to make up for the sugar shortage.

If you ever run out, we'll
make you some more.

We really missed you,
Ike. You, too, Corabeth.

Corabeth and I thank
you for all you done.

Oh, well, don't look at me. I
don't really feel like I did my part.

- We all did what we could.
- But Elizabeth did the most of all of us.

Well, everybody helped. It's
just I've got more free time.

She ran the whole store
all by herself yesterday.

Did you hear that, Corabeth?
All by herself on a Saturday.

I think Ike and Corabeth have
something they want to tell you.

Yeah, but it's going to be kind
of hard to find the right words.

Good morning, Mrs. Godsey.

Mr. Snyder. This is the
gentleman I spoke to you about.

I called him before we left
the hospital this morning.

- Good morning.
- How do you do?

I can see you didn't
waste any time, huh?

Well, I think, under the circumstances,
that the sooner we act, the better.

What's going on, Ike?

Corabeth and me,

we're selling the store.

Well, we have Mr. Godsey's
health to consider.

We're moving to Virginia Beach.

You can't! We need you!

There's no one else
to take your place, Ike.

Who else would buy our molasses?

Ike, you've been running this
store as long as I can remember.

I've got great plans for it.
I'm going to update everything.

That wood porch out front? I'll
replace it with a brand-new cement one.

Just like the floor here.

Cement with linoleum
rolled over the top of it.

And I'll make this back
room level with the front.

No more pool table. I'll
expand the store space instead.

Store space? I haven't
had any problems with that.

Well, billiards and groceries
don't mix, believe me.

Well, believe me, they do.

Mr. Godsey, you're not
to get yourself overexcited.

Don't get me wrong.

I'm not trying to criticize the
way you run your business.

I just want to add my
own touches, that's all.

- Your own touches?
- Yes.

Like rearranging the counter,
putting up all new shelves,

moving that old desk there,
getting rid of the perfume display,

repainting the walls.

If you do that, the
store won't be the same.

The day of the Mom
and Pop store is over.

Look, it took most of my life
to make this store the way it is.

Now, Mr. Godsey, we are
negotiating a purchase price.

And as soon as the final
arrangements are made,

the mercantile is his to
do with as he pleases.

Look, I've been running
this store for 30 years

and I'm not going to allow
a stranger to come in here

and run roughshod
over everything I've done.

Mr. Godsey, we have
your health to consider.

I don't care.

I'm a storekeeper

and I'd rather lose my
life at the cash register

than sit in a rocking chair.

My offer is a generous one.
You're making a mistake.

The only mistake I made is
to put my store on the market.

If he changes his mind, I'll be at the
boarding house until this afternoon.

Goodbye.

You are a rash man, Mr. Godsey.
I beg you to reconsider.

Don't throw your life away
on a hastily-made decision.

Don't you understand,
Corabeth? Don't you see?

It's not just talking
about selling the store,

it's talking about washing everything
I've ever done or been down the drain.

This store is

my whole life.

I know every knothole
and floorboard by heart.

I can tell you where to put every
bucket when it's going to start to rain.

And all my customers
are my friends.

And all these young people here,

I watched them all grow up.

I think of them
almost as my own.

And I've grown to like when
they come by the store and drop in.

I don't know whether
they know it or not,

but I bet you they'd miss me
just as much as I'd miss them.

Corabeth,

my time will come,

whether I'm working or not.

The Good Lord
will take care of that.

But between now and then,

if I stay here, I can
work and live with dignity,

and maybe I'll leave
this earth a little sooner.

But if I go to Virginia Beach,

I'll just sit and wait to die.

Now, what would you have me do?

Because Elizabeth had
proved herself so capable

during Ike's absence, she
was hired to work in the store

while Ike continued to recuperate
under Corabeth's watchful eye.

Ike Godsey lived for many
years after his heart attack,

and his deep
commitment to his store

became an example to all of
us of courage and devotion,

a victory of the human spirit.

Ike's gone now, but the store is
still there. It's become a landmark.

How Ike would have loved
that. Good night, Mr. Godsey.

- Daddy?
- Yes, Jim-Bob?

It's hard for me to breathe.

Does your chest hurt?

Sort of. I think I'm
having a heart attack.

I think he's having
a sorghum attack.

He ate five pieces of
cornbread covered with syrup.

- Is that right, Son?
- No, sir, I had eight pieces.

Good night, Jim-Bob.

Good night, everybody.

English -SDH