The Waltons (1971–1981): Season 7, Episode 9 - The Beau - full transcript

I can't stand him!

Marcus Dane? I
think he's kind of cute.

You should have heard
the way he was talking.

"You were the
prettiest girl in school.

"I'll never forget that long hair.
All the boys were in love with you."

That's probably true.

It's sickening. Why did he
have to come here anyway?

Elizabeth, he's
just being friendly.

But it's more than that.
He acts like a boyfriend.

It's good for a girl to
feel like she's desirable.

Not when the girl's
your grandmother!



It is always a special moment

when you find something
you thought you had lost.

But my grandmother had mixed
feelings when she rediscovered

a childhood friend she hadn't
seen for almost 50 years.

Mmm, something smells good.

It's corn bread.
Dinner's almost ready.

- Anything in the mail?
- Mostly bills.

Mary Ellen was hoping
for a letter from Curt.

Maybe he's waiting till he gets to
Hawaii before he writes her the news.

Hey, Ma, who do you
know in Richmond?

Here's a letter
from Marcus Dane.

What?

Did you bring the
starch I wanted?

Aw, I knew there was
something I forgot.



Losing your memory
in your old age.

Maybe you ought to
write me a list next time.

It's a newspaper clip
from the Richmond paper.

It's all about the
pioneers in Virginia.

How Pa's family came here
from just before the Revolution.

I'd like to put that aside for John
Curtis, if you don't mind, Grandma.

Oh, my.

- Want me to read this, Ma?
- Yes.

All right.

"My dear Esther. I read
about Zeb's passing,

"and wanted to offer my sincere
and deep sympathy to you.

"I know these are belated
condolences, but to tell the truth,

"I wasn't sure if you'd
remember that boy

"that used to live on that
next farm down the road."

Yeah.

"But I still remember the
prettiest girl in Buckingham

"and the man who
married her away,

"and wanted you to know how
sorry I am that Zeb has left us.

"Sincerely, Marcus Dane."

You never said anything about a Marcus
Dane, Grandma. Was he a good friend?

Yes.

Would you like to write him back while
his letter's still fresh in your mind?

I'll get you a pen and paper.

No.

No, you don't want to do that. Don't
want to spoil a good memory, do you, Ma?

Might do you good
to have a friend.

We're her friends.

What do I smell burning?

The corn bread.

She's talking to me about
a bad memory, Ma, huh?

Oh, one moment, please.

It's all right, Corabeth.
We'll take care of it.

Just need a dollar's worth.

Mr. Godsey has gone into Charlottesville
to see about felt and buckram,

and he has left me
with explicit directions

that I am to sell no more
than three gallons at one time.

How come?

Yeah, he's usually trying
to get us to buy more.

Well, it seems that
the oil company says

that they are not going to send
the truck to Walton's Mountain,

except once a month now.

That means they are going
to start rationing, Jim-Bob.

Yeah, that ruins my love life.
I got a new girl in Westham.

Well, that means you'll have to find a
girl a little bit closer to home, Romeo.

I wish I had built
myself an electric car.

I'll get your change.

By the way, Corabeth,
who's Felt and Buckram?

I beg your pardon?

Well, isn't that who
Ike's seeing today?

Oh.

Felt and buckram are supplies
used in the making of hats.

I'm going in the
millinery business.

Hats?

- Hey, Yance.
- Hey.

Heard on the radio they're
stepping up the conscription.

You don't have to
worry about that, Yancy.

Yeah, but a lot of them old
boys way back in the hills,

they're bound to get called off.

Might open up opportunities
for a man who's staying behind.

I been giving a little thought and I
just may go in business for myself.

Yancy, go to work?

A man's got to better himself.

Become something.
Come on over here.

Right. Come on, Jim-Bob.

What's this now?

No, thanks.

What is that stuff, Yancy?

It ain't had a chance to season proper,
but I figured I could sell it anyway.

You know, the government
might buy it as aviation fuel.

You sure can't drink it.

Yancy, why don't you
try another business?

I don't think there's too
much promise in that stuff.

Yeah, well.

I guess the formula needs
a little more adjusting.

- Hello.
- Hello there.

Is this where Mrs.
Esther Walton lives?

Yeah. She's my grandmother.

- And you are?
- Elizabeth.

Well, Elizabeth, will you tell your
grandma that Marcus Dane has come to call?

Sure. She's been sick, you know.

Yes, I know. May I see her?

Thank you.

Grandma, somebody to see you.

Esther, you're still as pretty
as the day I last saw you.

Don't you know better than to sneak
up on a man who's tending to business?

Sorry, Yancy, I didn't
mean to sneak up on you.

How'd you find me anyway? It
took me weeks to find this hideout.

You know, Yancy, you can't hide
anything from a Walton on this mountain.

Besides, I wanted to talk to
you where nobody could hear us.

You had second thoughts
about my makings.

I got a fresh batch right
here. Take a taste of that.

That smells worse than
the other one did, Yancy.

Yeah, I guess you're right,
Jim-Bob. I just ain't got the product.

Yancy, I need to
borrow your still.

I'd be proud to be partners.

Well, it's for a scientific
research project.

Well, I don't know much
about no research, Jim-Bob.

I never had much call for that.

Well, it could help the government,
the war effort and everybody. If it works.

Making moonshine?

I remembered you
like roses, Esther.

This came from my garden.

It's called Blue Girl.

When it blooms it looks like
it captured a bit of the sky.

I'd be honored
if you'd accept it.

I hope you don't mind my
dropping by unannounced.

I've thought of you often
over the past 50 years.

You were right
about me, you know.

Remember when you told me

I was meant to be better than
a cotton chopper all my life?

Well,

I went to work on a construction
gang, paid my way through college,

and got my engineering degree.

J.D. Pickett wants me to
look at his defense plant

and see if I can
make it more efficient.

I'll be coming up here quite often
on business from time to time.

Fifty years.

The last time I saw
you, do you remember?

Zeb had cut in on practically
every dance I tried to dance with you

and the next thing I knew, you
two were engaged to be married.

It was a long time before
I could find a woman

who was any match
for you, Esther.

But I finally did meet the
right girl and settled down.

I lost her two years ago.

Well, where shall we plant this?

- Over there?
- Yes.

I don't see why she had to get all
dressed up in her Sunday clothes.

Don't you like to dress
up for your friends?

Yeah, but Grandma's too
old to care how she looks.

Elizabeth, you've got a lot
to learn about growing older.

Liv, I drove up just in
time to see Grandma

going around the corner of
the house with a strange man.

The one and only Marcus Dane.

Did he just show up
without calling first?

Yeah, Grandma wasn't
too pleased about it either.

- She upset?
- Yeah, at first.

The way he kept looking at her, you'd
have thought she was 18 years old.

It was icky.

Maybe she ought to be flattered.

School chum coming all
the way up from Richmond.

I know I would be.

You know what I'm
gonna do the first time

one of your school
chums turns up, don't you?

- Go crazy with jealousy?
- No, I'm gonna run and hide.

I don't want to listen to
all those old stories again.

Why, John Walton, I thought you
liked to hear about my school days.

First 100 times, I did.

Did I ever tell you about my
boyfriend in the third grade?

His name was Douglas Pinebird.

Oh, grownups can be so immature.

There we are.

You like it, Esther?

Yes, I know, I understand.

I do know. You're
trying to say something,

knowing in your mind what you want
to say and the words won't come out.

Sometimes, I know, it
makes you want to scream.

I know because five
years ago I had a stroke.

Quite as disabling
as yours, at first.

A lot of people wonder
why we bother, at our age.

Well, I always tell them as long
as there's a spark of life left in me,

I'm going to fight to be useful.

Me, too.

I've probably overstayed my
welcome. I'll be starting back now.

Stay.

You want me to stay?

Stay!

For supper?

I'd be delighted.

See. MARCUS DANE: Yeah.

I remember that one.

- And those.
- Right, right. Oh, yeah.

I'd almost forgotten some of
these names in this old scrapbook.

Our senior year in high school
we all had calling cards printed

and went around trading them.

And promised undying
friendship, I imagine.

A few of them I've kept
track of. Like Esther.

Someone I knew would get a postcard,
or I'd run into a friend of a friend.

You don't know how badly
I wanted to come see you

when I heard you
were in the hospital.

Ma sure kept you a
secret all these years.

She probably was worried that I'd tell you
what a mischief-maker she was back then.

That doesn't
surprise me one bit.

She won't allow any
misbehaving around here.

Can I tell them how you took the
clapper out of the teacher's bell,

so recess would be longer?

No.

And remember what you wrote
in Ollie Wetzel's autograph book?

No. Oh, my.

Now, Mr. Dane, you
have an unfair advantage.

Grandma can't tell us
about your escapades.

Well, I still can't believe
that a rascal like Esther

could grow up to be such
a prim and proper lady.

Maybe there's hope for
Elizabeth there, hmm?

I'm finished here. I'm going to
go upstairs and do my homework.

You've been so busy cleaning
up, you haven't had any dessert.

Why don't you take
some pie up with you?

- I'm not hungry.
- You feeling all right?

Just a little tired. Night, Daddy.
Night, Mama. Night, Grandma.

Good night, Elizabeth.

Happy to have met you.

Good night.

Well, I should be
getting along myself.

Esther, it's been
a wonderful day.

Would it be all right if
I come calling again?

Yes!

- Thank you.
- I'll see you to the door.

He seems like a nice
gentleman, Grandma.

And you certainly seem
to enjoy his company.

What?

All the same, you've
got roses in your cheeks.

That's no more than
100 proof at best.

That's not high enough
for what I had in mind.

The still just isn't right.

I think we need
to build a new one.

What's the matter with this one?

Well, it's geared
for making liquor.

Besides, we need to make
more of it faster, higher capacity.

Look, I can go along with that
second part about making more faster,

but if you don't use a
still to make moonshine,

what on Earth do
you plan to do with it?

I think we can make alcohol
powerful enough to run a car off of.

That way, we won't need any gas.

That is impossible, Jim-Bob.

I mean, if that would work, somebody
would have thought of it by now.

Nobody ever did because
we've always had plenty of gas.

Now, we need it.

It should work if we can make
it with a high enough proof.

It sounds crazy,
but I'll go along.

Grandma? You napping?

No.

I hung your quilt out on the line for some
air. It's still warm from the sunshine.

Oh, yes.

What's all this?

- It's all right to open it?
- Yeah.

Oh, it's a baby curl.

Whose is it? Mary Ellen's?
No. It's too light to be Jason's.

It's not red enough to be Ben's.

John's?

Yes.

It's hard to believe that
his hair was this curly

and you've kept
it all these years.

Yes.

Don't worry. I won't tell him.

Oh, I remember these.

- John-Boy's baby booties.
- Yes.

What put you in such a
sentimental mood all of a sudden?

Your dance card.

Buckingham High
School, June, 1888.

Every dance filled.

You certainly weren't
a wallflower, were you?

Let's see, Paul Culver,
Fred Bassett, Marcus Dane,

and you saved the last
dance for Zeb Walton.

- I bet he was handsome.
- Yes.

Poor old Marcus Dane
didn't stand a chance.

I'm surprised you haven't
heard from him again.

I thought we'd be
seeing him before now.

It's the best.

It's best.

I guess it's kind of hard to pick
up a friendship after all these years.

Yeah.

- You want me to put this away for you?
- Oh, no, no.

I'll leave you
alone with it then.

Hey, Corabeth!

- Bonjour.
- Same to you.

Going someplace?

Unfortunately, no.

Since I am confined to a
life removed from the world,

I must be content to
bring the world into my life.

If it gets to bothering you, I'll
be happy to stomp on it for you.

You may make as
many jokes as you like,

but this hat is every
bit as stylish as those

featured in the latest
fashion magazines.

You may pass that word
along to your mother.

Mama's not very stylish.
She's more homey.

Any mail for us today, Corabeth?

Oh, yes. I believe there's
a letter here for Mary Ellen.

With a Hawaiian
postmark, I hope.

A letter from Curt always
puts her in a good mood.

Ah, from Honolulu.

That ought to put her on
the heights of euphoria.

Good.

A bill, and another bill.

It's just shocking to me, you know, the
way everything is going up these days.

And who is Marcus Dane?

Oh, that's somebody
Grandma went to school with.

He came to see her a while back.

A swain? At her age?

And what is a Blue Girl?

It's a rose bush. He gave it to
her and all she does is water it.

Elizabeth thinks
grandmothers are supposed to

sit around knitting
all the time.

Well, I'm not
sure I don't agree.

Still, a woman is likely to welcome at
any time of her life une affaire de coeur.

A what?

A romance, my child!

Thanks for the mail, Corabeth.

No, Elizabeth, here the verb takes
the place of a noun. It's called a gerund.

English makes me so confused, I
think I'm gonna forget how to speak it.

That's two out
of three, Jim-Bob.

Try for three out of five?

Sure, but you're
looking for failure.

That's probably Aimee,
just as confused as I am.

- Hello?
- Is it for me?

It's for Grandma.

I'm going upstairs.

Hello? No.

No.

No.

Yes.

John, what do you think
about me getting my hair cut?

Huh?

I'm getting too
old to wear it long.

That's right, Liv.

I was thinking about getting
it cut like Claudette Colbert.

John, do you like
being married or not?

Well, sure I do, Liv, to you.

Of course, I never
met Claudette Colbert.

She wouldn't give
you a second glance.

Oh, no?

Come in.

Mama, Daddy, guess what?

Mr. Dane called and asked
Grandma out on a date.

Oh, Olivia, how nice to see you.

- What can I do for you today?
- I heard you have some new hats.

Ah, my millinery
department. Right this way.

I don't have my
winter line ready yet.

I'm sorry it's not large
enough to be called a salon,

but I have all the
very latest fashions.

Now, is there something
special you had in mind today?

Well, Grandma's wardrobe
needs sprucing up,

so I thought I'd
get her a new hat.

Ah, you have come
to the right place.

This is a copy of something from
one of the latest fashion magazines

for a lady of mature years.

Perfect for Esther
to wear to church.

What I had in mind was something
for her to wear to a fancy restaurant.

Oh, my. Something
special. A birthday?

An occasion of some sort?

She's having dinner
with an old friend.

Oh, Mr. Dane, I presume?

Word sure gets around.

I think it's just
the sweetest thing.

Two people, in the
sunset of their lives,

having dinner together
just as though they were...

How about that one?

Well, you'll have to
admit it is a bit unusual.

A tête-à-tête at their age?

Well, don't you think
that this is a bit youthful?

So's Grandma.

I'll take it.

I've been a moonshiner
for 20 long years

I've spent all my money
on whiskey and beers

Way back in some
holler I'll put up my still

And I'll make you
one gallon for a $2 bill

I'll go to some tavern
and drink with my friends

No ladies to follow
to see what I spend

God bless those fair
ladies I wish they were mine

Their breath smells as
sweet as the dew on the vine

I'll eat when I'm hungry
I drink when I'm dry

If moonshine don't
kill me I'll live till I die

God bless those moonshiners
I wish they were mine

Their breath smells as sweet
as the good old moonshine

Is Grandma almost ready?

First she wanted me
to fix her hair for her.

Then she made me
change it three times.

Now she says she hates
it and she's not going at all.

- I'll go talk to her.
- Well, good luck.

I barely escaped with my life.

Going somewhere, Daddy?

No, I just thought I'd wait
to see your grandma's friend.

I hear you're having
second thoughts about going.

Oh, boy.

It's been a long time since a
gentleman came to take you out.

I don't blame you for
feeling a little self-conscious.

You have a right to have
a good time, you know.

Now, just because you've
passed a certain birthday

doesn't mean that you can't try
new things and meet other people.

Remember when you first
came home from the hospital?

How we all tried to keep you from
doing things that you knew you could do?

Remember how you resented that?

Well, you're doing the
same thing right now.

You're holding yourself
back from doing something

that might make you feel needed.

Mr. Dane strikes me
as a very lonely man.

I brought you something I thought
might give you a little courage.

Oh, my.

Oh, my.

How are things at
the Pickett plant?

Looking better since I
made my recommendations.

How is business?

Keeping busy.

Am I mistaken, or are we having
a hard time talking to each other?

Well, I was just
thinking that myself.

I feel like a teenager
coming to call for his first date.

Yeah, well, I know
what you mean, I...

I'm not used to having people
come take my mother out.

Would you like to ask
me about my intentions?

No, we'll do that later.

Glad to hear it. I'm
nervous enough as it is.

Esther, you're lovely.

Thank you.

This is for you.

Oh, my.

Oh, my.

- You want me to pin it on for you?
- Yes.

- So, where are you two going?
- Ready?

Don't you worry.

We don't want anyone
checking up on us. Right, Esther?

Yeah.

- Ready?
- Have a good time.

Well, be careful driving.

We will.

Watch those stairs.

Where did she get that hat?

I got it at the Godseys. It's
one of Corabeth's creations.

Looks so pretty.

Sort of reminds me of what she
looked like when I was a little boy.

I guess Mr. Dane thinks so, too.

Now, Liv, you don't think
he came courting, do you?

I don't know what
else you'd call it.

I don't know when I've
enjoyed a movie more.

Even after that big dinner
we had, I only fell asleep once.

My wife would have enjoyed it.

She used to love Gary Cooper.

Gloria was a good woman, Esther.

After so many years of sharing
my life with someone else,

I feel a terrible emptiness.

I know.

The best part of the whole
movie was that pie fight.

I know.

Grandma.

Evening, Jim-Bob.
Been to the show?

What are you doing here?

Same thing you are, I imagine.
Having a soda after the movie.

This is Tanya. Tanya Bowman.

- I'd like you to meet my grandmother.
- Hello.

How do you do?

And this is Mr. Dane.
My grandmother's, uh...

Beau.

Your grandmother's beau.

John?

It's all right, Liv.

What's bothering you?

It's after midnight.
Ma's not back yet.

She's of age.

I know that. But it's
been almost seven hours.

Marcus Dane's not a
young man, you know.

Anything could have happened.
Could have had a car accident.

I seem to remember you
saying that about Mary Ellen

when she was running
around with Curt,

and he was a young man.

I feel just as much responsibility
for Ma as I did for Mary Ellen.

Go to sleep, John.

I just don't like her
being out so late.

Hey, there's a car.

John.

John.

It's them.

- Good evening, John.
- More like good morning.

We got to talking
and lost track of time.

But I brought her
back safe and sound.

It's just that I don't like to see
her get too wore out, you know.

Oh, it's good for her to
get tired enjoying herself.

Good night.

Good night, Esther.

Good night, John.

Good night.

I was just paying you back for
all the times you waited up for me.

Have a good time?

Yes.

You ready?

Well, I think we
can give it a try.

If this lights slow, you've
got about 100 proof.

It if lights fast...

- Oh!
- Good?

Good? That is 190 proof alcohol!

Yahoo! We did it!

We did it, Yancy!

What's going on?

We've got a surprise
for you, Daddy.

Son, wait a minute. Now you
better explain before you do that.

Don't worry, this is
not gonna hurt the car.

I figured out a way to
make a high-proof alcohol

that makes a car run,
as good as it does on gas.

- What?
- It works, John.

It really works.

Jim-Bob and me is
going into business on it.

Well, all right. If you're wrong,
you're going to ruin the car, Jim-Bob.

My car's running on it.

I know, your car runs on
things mechanics never seen.

Little gas left
in the fuel line.

See what I tell you?
You did it this time, Son.

It just needs an adjustment
on the carburetor, Daddy.

It's going to revolutionize
the automobile industry, John.

Better to have drunk
cars than drunk drivers.

Sounds pretty good to me.

I told you it'd work, Daddy. Just
think of the gas we're going to save.

And we can buy surplus grain
from the farmers on the flats,

trade some of
the alcohol for it.

Bet you can even run a
tractor or the sawmill generator.

You say something
about surplus grain.

That's how you make alcohol,
you know, by distilling it.

Sure. Yancy helped me
build a still big enough.

It's a sweet-looking
thing, John.

I'm sure you're both aware the government
doesn't look with favor on stills.

Yeah, but it's to run engines
on. Nobody's going to drink it.

You know that son and
Yancy knows that and I know it.

But does the government know it?

I think you better get down to Ep's office
and find out how to handle this thing.

Yes, sir.

I knew this wasn't going to
be as easy as I thought it was.

Hey, Jim-Bob, will you
pass the milk, please?

- Trade you for the potatoes.
- It's a deal.

I thought we were always
supposed to say "please."

Little Miss Perfect.

Guess it doesn't matter
if Grandma's not here.

Well, she's hardly here anyway.

Good manners are
important all the time.

And it's not good manners to point
out other people's bad manners.

I don't think Elizabeth particularly
approves of Grandma's social life.

Sure was weird running
into her at the Kandy Kitchen.

I would've been so embarrassed.

You ought to be proud
that your grandma

is young and pretty enough to
attract a man like Marcus Dane.

Yeah, Erin. Maybe one of
these years you'll get a boyfriend.

I don't care. It's
just not dignified.

What's dignified about staying home alone
when you could be out having a good time?

She can have a good
enough time here with us.

I've never heard such
narrow-minded talk.

I thought it was we older people who
were supposed to be stuck in our ways.

I hope I have as much spirit
as Grandma when I'm her age.

Can I be excused,
Daddy? I'm meeting Tanya

at the bowling alley in Westham.

All right, Son.

Hey, Jim-Bob, where are you getting
all this gas for your car these days?

I got my sources.

Anybody got any messages in case I
meet Grandma at the Bowling Alley?

Well, good morning, Elizabeth.

Hello.

That's a very nice color
you're putting on there.

You can hardly even see it.
Mama won't let me wear red yet.

I like the pink.

It reminds me of shells I've seen
down along the beach at low tide.

Elizabeth, I get the feeling
you don't think very highly of me.

Grandma does.

Oh, I'd like it if you and I
could be friends as well.

Nobody's going to ever take
the place of my grandfather.

Is that what you
think I'm trying to do?

Honey, I'd be crazy ever
to think I could fill his shoes.

Why, he was the most
irreplaceable man I ever met in my life.

There was nobody who could out-talk,
out-work, or out-dance Zeb Walton.

I remember once I tried
to beat him in a foot race.

Now, I was pretty wiry and fast, and
I figured I'd have an easy time of it.

Sure enough, I held
the lead all along,

Zeb just loping along behind me,

but the minute that finish line
came into sight, he shot ahead

like a hawk homing
in on a sparrow.

Oh, yeah.

I learned way early that
wherever there was a finish line,

your grandpa was
likely to cross it first.

Grandma's inside.

Do you want me to
tell her you're here?

Thanks, I know
where to find her.

Shells, huh?

Would you like to have
me help you open it?

Oh, no.

I'm hoping it will pave the
way for what I'm about to ask.

You've been very kind letting me get
to know your family and how you live.

I'd like to return the favor.

Ask you to...

If I could take you to Richmond
tomorrow for the weekend.

No, it's perfectly
proper, Esther.

My housekeeper will see to that.

I'd like to show you my place,
introduce you to some of my friends,

maybe take in a concert or two.

I'll have you home safe
and sound Sunday evening.

What do you say?

Okay.

Fine, fine.

You admired one of those
in a store window long ago.

I wanted to buy it for you then.

Do you remember?

I thought it might
make a nice keepsake.

Now, now. You don't
have to thank me.

I'm just a sentimental old
idiot who hangs onto memories.

I'll be getting along now,
and I'll pick you up tomorrow.

And you be sure and
wear that new hat.

Bye.

That's right. All
right. Bye now.

What is it, Son?
Another project?

I got a letter from the
Treasury Department,

Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms
and Tobacco. Something like that.

Go on.

"Dear Mr. Walton. Regarding your inquiry
about the distillation of grain products

"into alcohol capable of operating
personal vehicles and small farm machinery,

"we have consulted with two
major petroleum companies

"and our own
research corporation.

"It is the unanimous
opinion of these experts

"that it is impossible to derive a strong
enough fuel to propel these vehicles

"from a distillation of
common grain mash."

It's signed by the department
head in Washington.

I knew it, I knew it.

A still is a still and
they can't see past that.

I'm sorry, Son.

Daddy, I've been thinking.

It isn't illegal to make something the
government says doesn't exist, is it?

No, I don't suppose it is.

Then why can't we keep on
making this non-existent fuel

so we won't have to use
as much as the real stuff?

I've sent in the forms so
it's still registered proper.

Well, maybe you
got a point there, Son.

I don't understand all this.

Are we still partners?

You still get half of everything
we make. Which doesn't exist.

I wonder where I'll put my half.

I see Liv's got
you all packed, Ma.

You're going to have
yourself quite a time.

You deserve it.

We'll miss you, Ma,
but we'll be all right.

You know, I don't mind telling
you, I've been a little jealous

of the way Marcus has
been getting all your attention.

Not that I blame
you, Ma, it's just...

He's a fine looking gentleman, I
can see how he'd turn a lady's head.

Ma, I don't know how
all this is going to turn out.

But I hope you're thinking
about what's best for you.

All your life, you've
taken care of other people.

Now maybe it's time
somebody took care of you.

Now, if you've got a
chance to be taken care of,

I hope you won't pass it
up on account of all of us.

Remember how Pa always wanted to
take you to Richmond, show you a fine time?

He'd be happy for you, Ma.

He shoot me!

Oh, he would not, Ma,
he'd be happy for you.

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

No.

- Want to sit up for a while longer?
- Yeah.

Now don't stay up late now.

You've got to get your
beauty rest. Good night, Ma.

Hi there, Jason!

Good morning.

Grandma's around
the side of the house.

Where is her bag?
I'll put it in the car.

We tried to call this
morning but you'd already left.

She's changed her
mind about going.

Oh.

Hmm, it bloomed.

I'd call that a promising
sign, wouldn't you?

I understand you
decided to call off our date.

Any special reason?

"Dear Marcus, forgive me
for letting you down this way.

"I cannot go to Richmond with
you, not even for a weekend.

"My heart is here on this mountain,
and to let you think otherwise

"would not be fair.

"I am grateful for the
friendship you've brought me,

"the affection, hope, and
laughter, but I am returning your gift.

"I remember that the day we
first saw a little egg like this one,

"you asked me to marry you and I
had to tell you I was going to marry Zeb.

"I know you have been lonely since
Gloria died. I've been lonely, too.

"Losing a husband or a wife
leaves a blank space in your life.

"But you can't fill it with someone
else just because you are lonely.

"That is not love.

"And love is what I believe you were saying
to me when you gave me the little egg."

You were right, Esther.

Don't you believe
I can love you?

Yes.

Still Zeb?

Always.

Always.

Friends can be always, too.

Marcus Dane came to
our home many times

as the years went by.

He always brought with him
a warm affection for all of us,

but especially for
my grandmother.

And they remained friends
for the rest of their lives.

What's the matter with Chance?
- Ask Jim-Bob.

What's wrong with
Chance, Jim-Bob?

Well, I staked her out in
the south pasture today.

Right on the creek
where the big oak is.

Only I forgot about
the alcohol still.

It's upstream and, uh...

She's drunk is what's wrong.

Good night, Chance.