The Waltons (1971–1981): Season 8, Episode 13 - The Spirit - full transcript

He's gone. And so are the
muffins and Papa's sweater!

Okay, buddy, you're
in the wrong car.

Come on, pal! Wake up!

You're sleeping in the wrong
bed! Come on, wake up!

Just relax. It's all right.

Hey, Jim-Bob, this is
my new friend, Paul!

Hi.

What'd you do that for?

O Christmas tree,
O Christmas tree

How true you stand unchanging

- Paul! You came!
- I wanted to bring you something.



- Jeffrey, you better keep this door...
- This is my friend, Paul, Uncle John.

My own memories of that Christmas
in 1943 are vague and clouded.

But those of m y family remain vivid
in the extreme. For the first time ever,

m y mother would not be home
for that most special holida y.

She, who taught all of us the
meaning and spirit of Christmas,

would spend it at
the hospital with me.

And though they all
agreed her place was there,

it put the season
in a strange light.

How strange, how unique
and unreal it would become,

no one could even imagine.

Wish he'd bring that
fire down here. I'm cold.

- Me too. I wonder who's up there.
- I don't know.

Come on, you two.
Don't you have anything

better to do than
stand in the cold?



Somebody's got a
fire up on the mountain.

- I'd do the same thing if I were up there.
- I wonder who it is.

Come on, Cindy,
get in where it's warm.

Just seemed like someone should
be down here to kiss you goodbye.

I'm only going
to Charlottesville.

She'll also kiss you hello when
you get back. Cindy's kind of kissy.

Oh, and it just
makes him furious!

Daddy, would you
do an errand for me?

- What kind of errand?
- Well, it's not in Rockfish,

but it's in that fine department
store in Charlottesville.

- It's called Nights of Love.
- What is?

Perfume for Cindy's Christmas.

You're going to be in Charlottesville
soon. You can get it, Son.

But you're going
to be there today.

Oh, I couldn't ask for anything
like that. Nights of Love? No.

But...

Nights of Love?

- Hi, John.
- Morning, Ike.

- You see that smoke up there?
- Yeah.

Good day for a fire. Hope
it doesn't get any bigger.

Well, I'll keep my eye
on it. You want some gas?

Yeah. I've got enough coupons
for two dollars' worth, Ike.

Yeah.

- You hear any shots up there?
- No, you?

No. I guess it must not
be hunters then, huh?

Not unless they're using darts.

Darts? That's a good one.

I see you got a suitcase there.

Yeah, I'm going to Charlottesville.
Probably be overnight.

Well, what I wouldn't
give to go with you.

Well, come on.

Nah, nah, I better
not. I'm too busy.

You know what though? You
could do a big favor for me.

How big?

When I was last in Charlottesville,
I saw something I wanted to buy.

But I didn't have enough money. Corabeth
wasn't about to let me go into town.

I'm not going to have
much time for shopping.

Well, it's blue and I guess
you call it a baby blue.

It's got little rosettes
that are here and here.

Whatever it is, I'm not
going to have the time.

Whatever it is?
It's a nightgown.

Ben has to go to town on that kind of an
errand. I'll tell him you want to go along.

John, it'll only
take five minutes.

Ike, Corabeth isn't going to
want me seeing her nightgown.

Watch out, we don't want to
break the ornaments, Elizabeth.

- Funny.
- Turn.

Serena, would you hand
me those other scissors, dear?

Here we go. Look, let's
see if they're broken.

You know, I still don't know what
to get everybody for Christmas.

We could tell you.

It would take all the fun out of
it, but it would make it simple.

Usually by this time, Mama's
stealing into my room saying,

"I'm knitting a
sweater for Elizabeth,

"why don't you buy her
a nice scarf to go with it?"

I remember all John-Boy ever
wanted were pencils and notebooks

and, of course, applesauce cake.

Mama will make sure John-Boy
gets anything he wants this year.

I just wish he could be with us.

We should just be grateful
that he's getting better every day.

You know, I wish you guys would
help me find something for Ben.

I mean, something really special
for our first Christmas together.

You're about to give him
something very special.

I know, but I want something just for him.
The baby really isn't a Christmas present.

Well, he usually
hints pretty well.

He also usually sneaks into
every cupboard and drawer

and anything he finds,
he shakes it and feels it.

You haven't written your letter
to Santa yet, have you, Jeffrey?

- I've been awful busy, Nana.
- I bet he's got a fever.

He usually starts that
right after the Fourth of July.

If I did write one, I'd ask him
to trade you in for a brother!

- Oh, what a thing to say!
- It won't work, Jeffrey.

I tried to make a deal with Santa
Claus about getting rid of Jim-Bob.

Now, I'm kind of
glad I have him.

You'd better be good, Jeffrey,
or Santa won't come at all.

That's just an excuse
to make me act right.

Now, you go write your letter, and
I'll mail it first thing in the morning.

I keep forgetting he's still young
enough to believe in Santa Claus.

And I'd like to keep him
there a long, long time.

You don't mean that, Rose.
- I do, indeed.

When that child is too old to believe in
Santa Claus, I won't be able to bear it.

I won't!

Psst!

You're a little jumpy,
aren't you, Jim-Bob?

- Chance wake you, too?
- Yeah.

- I wonder what's the matter with her.
- I don't know.

- I guess we should go find out, huh?
- I guess so.

Hey!

Don't bother, Ben. You'll
never catch him now.

Now, you can shut up, Chance,
whoever it was is gone now.

Potatoes.

Hey, those potatoes are
supposed to be in a sack.

Well, that's crazy.
The sack's gone.

Who'd ever steal a gunny sack?

Corabeth, where on Earth
are you going with that thing?

Now, as any person can
plainly see, Mr. Godsey,

I am going to try and fill
up that hole in the window.

Well, if you just wait until I finish
cleaning up, I'll take care of it.

- Will you just relax, huh?
- In the meantime,

I shall catch my death! Now,
that is a raw wind, Mr. Godsey.

Well, now, be careful there
and don't shove too hard.

If it is to serve its purpose,
it must fill the entire...

Don't dawdle, Mr. Godsey. We
desperately need a new window.

Corabeth, if you would
just have patience.

Time is of the essence.

When emergency
strikes, one acts.

Well, good morning, Miss Chance.

I haven't had a minute
to thank you personally.

Now, I know you've been fed, but
you deserve an extra little reward

for sounding that alarm
last night. Believe you me.

Ohh!

Just wait till I write my
friends in Baltimore about you.

The whole world
could use a watch-cow.

- A potato?
- Yeah.

He must have been gnawing on it when
he saw all that food in the store window.

Ben and Jim-Bob saw
somebody in the barn last night.

All that was missing was a gunny
sack we keep our potatoes in.

And one potato to
eat, don't forget that.

I say that's the only
motive we're going to have.

There's somebody out
there that's about half-starved.

Still, there's something
strange about that gunny sack.

- You got any putty, Ike?
- Yeah, I got plenty.

You know what? He never
touched that cash register at all.

And Corabeth had some
very nice displays nearby.

You know, watches, pen
and pencil sets, things like that.

Well, somebody is
really starving, I guess.

Still it's strange
they'd be stealing food,

what with all the work
there is around here.

- Here, give me a hand with this, Ike.
- Sure.

It was exactly one year ago today
that we held our annual meeting

to discuss the
Christmas pageant.

Now, my notes reveal that a
lively discussion was held by all.

Everyone having her say
and so it shall be today.

Except for poor Sister. The
doctor's confined her to her room.

She's highly contagious,
don't you know.

Yes, Miss Emily, we are all well
aware of Miss Mamie's condition.

And we are all deeply
concerned. However, we feel that

she will be well represented
here today, by you.

I think Miss Emily
should have two votes,

in case any close
decisions have to be made.

Oh, my! Then I must
be twice as attentive.

Well, it's all new to me, but if
anybody should have two votes, then...

Actually, Sister and I have
definite thoughts concerning

- our Christmas program this year.
- Mary Ellen and I have some thoughts, too.

We talked them
over with the family.

Well, while my own thoughts are
still fresh, if you'll permit me, please.

Envision, if you will, an
altar in total darkness.

While back here...
One moment please.

Just watch, it'll be
three kings of Orient.

- I don't understand.
- You will.

- Oh, my, she's doing it again.
- Ladies, ladies, please.

Now, back here, the
three kings of the Orient.

Suitably lighted, of course.

Mr. Godsey, possibly
Ben, Jim-Bob.

We three kings of Orient are

Bearing gifts, we tra verse afar

Etcetera, and so on, so on.

Corabeth, Sister and I feel keenly
that pageantry is not called for this year.

Sadly, this is our third
wartime Christmas.

Oh, all the more reason.

You do the same thing
every year, Corabeth.

Everyone will want to mark
the holy days, but quietly.

Oh, I just love the Christmas
story read from the Scripture

and the traditional hymns sung,
it just chokes me up every time.

- It has a special meaning for all of us.
- Prayers for peace.

To the Prince of Peace.
Exactly, Elizabeth.

Well, I can see that a subsequent
meeting will have to be called.

You will all be informed
of the time, of course.

I asked you not to wash it, remember?
But you were bound you were going to.

It was cotton flannel,
all soft and warm.

It was the best shirt I
ever had. Where is it?

- I don't know.
- Come on, Rose!

Now wait a minute,
it was in the wash.

I remember, because
it had a button missing

and I made a note to put
one on. That's odd, isn't it?

How does a guy get women
to listen to him around here?

Don't worry,
Jim-Bob. It'll turn up.

Yeah, but I need it now.

Well, for pity's sakes, I
wouldn't put it in the rag bag.

I don't know. Mama and Grandma used to
put a lot of my favorite clothes in here.

Something about that shirt. It
was there and then it wasn't there.

Till I come marching home

Don't go walking down Lover's
Lane with anyone else but me

Anyone else but me With
anyone else but me, no, no, no

Don't go walking down Lover's
Lane with anyone else but me

Till I come marching home

I just got word from a guy who
heard from the guy next door to me

The girl he met just loves
to pet and fits you to a "T"

So don't sit under the apple
tree with anyone else but me

Till I come marching home

I don't suppose you'd like to let
the piano player take a little break?

- No, no. Don't stop. Keep on playing.
- You're a pack of slave-drivers!

- Well, how about Silent Night?
- Yeah.

I was thinking of
something a little more lively,

you know, to help get
the decorating done.

Back to work, Callie.

- How about Deck the Halls?
- Yeah.

Deck the halls
with boughs of holly

Come on, join us.

'Tis the season to be
jolly Fa la la la la, la la la la

Don we now our ga y
apparel Fa la la, la la la, la la la

Troll the ancient Yuletide
carol Fa la la la la, la la la la

See the blazing Yule before
us Fa la la la la, la la la la

- Nana? Wake up. Nana.
- Jeffrey? Jeffrey? What on Earth?

- What's wrong, child?
- I can't sleep.

Do you feel sick?

Not like a cold or as if
I ate something wrong.

- I'm worried.
- Well, you just get under these covers,

and tell me about it. I
can't have you worried.

I'm going to break your
heart and I don't want to.

I've been thinking about this a
long time and every kid has to do it.

- Jeffrey, has to do what?
- Grow up. All kids do.

I know. I know.

You want me to believe
in Santa Claus and I don't.

Well, then I'll just have to
be brave for you, won't I?

But no more Santa? Oh, Jeffrey!

- See? I knew I'd break your heart.
- No, child, no.

- Really no?
- Really no.

It had to happen sometime.

Gee, that was easy, maybe
I'll be able to sleep now.

It's too bad about me and Santa.

If I still believed in him, I could
have wrote him a letter about a puppy.

All right, I will. See
you later. Good night.

Okay, buddy, you're
in the wrong car.

Come on, pal! Wake up!

You're sleeping in the wrong
bed! Come on, wake up!

Just relax. It's all right.

Hey, where you going?
You don't have to run!

Yes, Sister. I know it's cold
in here. I'm about to go out

and get some more
wood for the fireplaces.

John Walton has promised
to come by this morning

and check the furnace,
so please be patient!

Sister can be such a
bear, when she can't talk.

A blessing in disguise, perhaps.

Pardon me. Please,
don't be alarmed.

I was just looking for my dog.

Oh? What kind of dog
is it, in case I see him?

He's just a little one.
He's a little brown one.

Well, I'm afraid I haven't seen him.
You must be cold, without your coat.

Oh, yes, I am. Well, I didn't have time
to put one on. Well, my dog, he ran away.

Well, you must come inside and get
warm. I just came out for some wood.

Oh, please, let
me get it for you.

Oh!

Thank you, young
man! How very nice.

It would be good to
get warm for a moment.

Of course. Please, do come in.

If you put it by the fireplace in
the parlor, I would be most grateful.

Right in there.

You simply must take this old
sweater of Papa's, young man,

- you'll be chilled to the bone.
- Oh, is your papa here?

Oh, dear, no. Papa's been
gone these many years.

- Oh! Are there others in your family?
- Just my sister, poor soul.

She's up there now.
Sleeping peacefully, I pray.

- Sorry to hear that.
- It's this cold weather.

And our broken furnace, don't you know.
Well, I was about to have some breakfast.

Would you like some
coffee, and perhaps a muffin?

Oh, thank you.

- You may sit right here, young man.
- Thank you.

You must eat your fill.

Christmastime is not the season

to turn a cold and hungry
man away from one's door.

Do you come from around here?

No, ma'am. I used to live in
Milwaukee. That's in Wisconsin.

Oh, so it is.

My, you are hungry. Here,
have my eggs and bacon.

I can't eat all this, and
I'm sure Sister won't.

Oh, that must be John Walton.

You just keep on
eating, young man.

- Good morning, John.
- Miss Emily.

- Cold spell is still with us.
- Yes.

- Too bad your furnace is acting up.
- Oh, it isn't acting up.

It isn't doing anything.
Especially, it isn't furnacing.

We'll fix that.
How's Miss Mamie?

Still highly contagious,
I fear. Maybe

you'd like some coffee
first to warm you up.

Yes. It's a good idea.

I'd like you to meet
a nice, young...

- How strange.
- Something wrong?

He's gone. And so are the
muffins and Papa's sweater.

A nice, young man, John.

He came to the door half
frozen and ravenously hungry.

My! He certainly
did like my muffins!

- Come along, Jeffrey.
- Can't I stay out here, please, Nana?

It's so cold, Jeffrey.

Elizabeth can stay out
here and play ball with me.

I might have a couple of years ago,
but I'm working on being a young lady.

Besides, it's too cold.

Please, Nana?

Well, you come
inside if you feel chilled.

He's never going to
admit to being chilled.

Grandmothers have to say
things like that. I don't know why!

Go on, fetch! Get it, boy.

Go get it, boy. Come
on, fetch. Bring it back.

- Who are you?
- Here. It's no good to play ball alone.

- What's your dog's name?
- I don't have a really dog.

I was almost related to
one. She was my cousin's.

- But she had to die.
- Well, Christmas is coming.

Does your family know
how much you want a dog?

I sure have tried to tell them.

Well, I hope they hear you.

Me, too.

This, of course, has taken a great
deal of soul-searching, as it were.

As you know, this is our
third wartime Christmas.

As I said to Mr. Godsey,

we must do something
in keeping with that idea.

Something simple. Something tasteful.
Jason, I'm sure, will play beautifully.

And the congregation will
join in the singing of hymns

appropriate to the season.

Oh Come All Ye Faithful, from
the original Latin, A deste Fidelis.

Silent Night, Holy Night.
O, Little Town of Bethlehem.

I'm sure we can leave
the selections up to Jason.

I'm partial to Hark the
Herald Angels Sing.

I, too, Rose and The First Noel.

I like the Three
Kings of Orient.

Just the song.

Ladies, ladies, we digress. Although
I do appreciate your lively interest.

Now, we come to the
reading of the scripture.

And, perhaps, the Reverend
Bradshaw will do that.

He is the minister, Corabeth.

Well, he or someone
blessed by birth

and training with the gift of
beautiful speech and diction.

I could gather boughs to
decorate the church with.

That would be most appreciated.

Now, for the conclusion,

I thought that we might have prayers
of peace for the Prince of Peace.

- It sounds lovely, Corabeth.
- Oh, I'm so glad.

Because, you see,

I felt that we should steer away
from bizarre pageantry this year.

- How come you walk just right?
- Just right?

Well, I don't have to keep
on running to keep up to you.

- See, we're right even.
- How old are you? Seven?

- Eight, maybe?
- Eight.

So is my brother. And we've
walked many roads together.

Where?

Where have you and
your brother walked?

Everywhere. Country roads,
through woods like these.

A forest, a great black forest.

Jeffrey!

Come along, Jeffrey!

Where has that child got to?

- Jeffrey!
- Rose.

He's not back there.
Maybe he went home.

Or maybe he wandered off
anywhere. He does that more and more.

Well, boys his
age tend to do that.

- Here.
- Thanks.

You know, I think I would
like to be eight again.

Such a gentle time.
And so full of innocence.

I think I would like
to be eight forever.

- You can't do that, can you?
- No.

You know, all you can do is
keep a little corner of your heart,

just a little corner, that
never quite grows up.

- Do you believe in Santa Claus?
- Do you?

I had to give him up. Like you said,
you can't be eight years old forever.

But Santa's such a nice idea.
He's generous. And giving.

If I still believed in him, I could
write him that letter about the puppy.

Well, I'll tell you,
there is St. Nicholas.

- You might think about him.
- Isn't he just like Santa?

Oh, no.

No, he is a saint. He is much
more than the idea of giving.

Hey, could you tell
my nana about him?

It'll make her feel a lot better
and we just live right over there.

No. I think your nana will
like it better coming from you.

I'll tell you about St. Nicholas,
if you will play a game with me.

We will be secret
friends, you and I.

We will know we are friends,
but nobody else will know.

- And we can meet some secret place.
- Sure.

Right here. It's a
fine place to meet.

I think you're gonna like St. Nicholas.
He's, in many ways, a lot like Santa Claus.

Uncle John. Anyone ever
tell you about St. Nicholas?

It's another name for
Santa Claus, isn't it?

It is not.

He is a saint. And
he's got his own day.

- That so?
- I never heard of St. Nicholas Day.

It's true. So I'm gonna
keep St. Nicholas,

and let anybody who
wants to have Santa Claus.

You learn that in
Sunday School, did you?

See, the way it works is he
knows if you're a good boy

and if you are, he'll bring
you a gift from the Christ Child.

What if you're bad?

- He brings you switches.
- Where you getting all this stuff, anyway?

It's not stuff. It's true.
And you can write to him,

- but I forgot to ask where.
- Who'd you forget to ask?

A guy I know.

This is generous
of you, Jeffrey.

You shared with me
yesterday. I made it myself.

- Oh, I believe you.
- I never made one before.

I believe that, too.

- Paul?
- Yes?

You forgot to tell me where
to write to St. Nicholas.

Oh, you don't write to him.

You just leave a letter
at the church, maybe.

Or under your
pillow. He'll find it.

I sure hope so. I
really want that puppy.

What would you name him?

Nick.

Nick? Good. That's
a perfect name.

I wish you could come to
our house for Christmas.

But I guess you'll be at
your house, with your brother.

No. I'm not going home.

You can come to our
house for Christmas!

We're gonna have lots of people.
Uncle John won't mind one more.

Thank you, Jeffrey.

It smells so nice.

If it smells real good, you're
cutting too close to the resin.

You're right. It's so
sticky. How do I get it off?

Gasoline would probably work.
But that'd take your nose off, too.

- Are brothers ever nice and helpful?
- Only when they're a lot older.

I figure we'll have to have a nice bank
of them along the front of the church.

Then maybe we can lay
them down each pew aisle.

What do you think, Jim-Bob?
Think we got enough?

Don't ask me. I'm not old
enough to be nice and helpful.

Well, we better get
some more, just in case.

Maybe I will, maybe I won't.

Brother!

How come you can
do that so good?

Oh, you should learn
how to do this. It isn't hard.

See. It's a whistle.

I can never learn how to
do it as well as you can.

That's what my little
brother used to say.

But I taught him
how well enough.

Maybe I could teach you.

- For me?
- Try it out.

Hey, Jim-Bob, this is
my new friend, Paul!

Hi.

What'd you do that for?

Hey. Whoa! Slow down.
You're not going anywhere.

- Who is he, Jeffrey?
- He was my friend.

I never had one like him before.

- Then you had to come along.
- Hey! Wait a minute.

Darn you, Jim-Bob!

And the guy's got my shirt on.
He had to steal it off our clothesline.

- You never saw him before?
- Well, he's not from around here.

Did Jeffrey say how they
got to be such good friends?

- What did he look like, Jim-Bob?
- Kind of tall and skinny, with dark hair.

It's hard to say. He
took off real quick.

Sounds like the guy I found in my car
the other night outside the Dew Drop.

He was sleeping in it when I
came out. He took off like a shot, too.

Sounds like the guy
that we saw in the barn.

Also the one that
broke Ike's window.

The Baldwins had a visitor, too.

Miss Emily said he looked cold and
starved. He took off when I got there.

Did you see him?

He's beginning to sound like
one person all the way through.

Beginning to sound
like something else, too.

Like he's running.
Maybe from the law.

Or maybe a deserter
from the Army.

Jeffrey say anything
to you about him?

Just that he was his friend.
That I made him run away.

- You hiding from someone?
- If I am, it's Jim-Bob.

Yeah. He told me you didn't
want much truck with him.

You wanna tell me
about your new friend?

We're secret friends.

- Whose idea was that?
- Paul's.

He's the one who
gave you that whistle?

There's nothing wrong
with having new friends.

It's just that those who love you
would like to know about him, too.

Kind of hard if we're secret.

He tell you that story
about St. Nicholas?

It's a mighty nice story.
How come he told you that?

He has a brother just my age.

He was telling me about him and
Christmas, all of a sudden, popped up.

- I think he misses his brother.
- I bet he does.

He can't go home for
Christmas. I invited him here.

Well, I'm glad you did.

He won't come now that
Jim-Bob made him go away.

Well, let's see. Maybe he will.

Paul!

Paul! Paul, you over here?

- Hi, Daddy.
- Jason.

I checked. Camp Rockfish
doesn't list any deserters.

Maybe he's from somewhere else.

Could be, but I don't think so.

The MPs and law officers
exchange that kind of information

all the time with other
camps and bases.

Jeffrey's invited
him for Christmas.

And when he
comes, we'll ask him.

Paul? I'm alone. You
don't have to be afraid.

Joy to the world,
the Lord is come

Let earth receive her King

Let every heart prepare Him room

And hea ven and nature sing
And hea ven and nature sing

And hea ven, and hea
ven, and nature sing

He rules the world
with truth and grace

And makes the nations prove

The glories of His righteousness

And wonders of His love
And wonders of His love

And wonders, and
wonders, of His love

Oh, how spirited. How appropriate that
we should all be together for this wassail!

Is that what it is, Corabeth?

I thought it was just
good friends and family

getting together
on Christmas Eve.

- I should like to propose a toast.
- With coffee, Ike?

Well, since Miss Mamie
is still highly contagious,

we're not about to
have any of the Recipe.

So, I toast John-Boy,
Olivia and Esther

and the Baldwin sisters, and I
wish them all a merry Christmas.

And all of us, too.

- Hear, hear.
- Merry Christmas, Ike.

- That was nice, Ike.
- It was, Mr. Godsey!

It really was.

I think there might be a bottle
of pop in the refrigerator, son.

I don't want it.

He hasn't gone near that tree.

I'm beginning to wish I'd
never seen Jeffrey's friend.

John Curtis, this is an honor
reserved for the youngest Walton.

Now, put this up on the tree.
Jim-Bob. Give it to Jim-Bob.

O Christmas tree,
O Christmas tree

How true you stand unchanging

O Christmas tree,
O Christmas tree

How true you stand unchanging

Your boughs so
green in summertime

Remain so green in wintertime

O Christmas tree,
O Christmas tree

How true you stand unchanging

O Christmas tree,
O Christmas tree

How true you stand unchanging

O Christmas tree,
O Christmas tree

How true you stand unchanging

Your boughs so
green in summertime

Remain so green in wintertime

- Paul! You came!
- I wanted to bring you something.

- Jeffrey, you better keep this door...
- This is my friend, Paul, Uncle John.

Come in. Any friend of
Jeffrey's is a friend of ours.

Hey, everybody!
This is my friend, Paul.

- Hello, Paul.
- Hello, Paul.

- Nice to meet you.
- Merry Christmas.

This is like the first
Christmas tree, Jeffrey.

It had no ornaments on it.

It was small and growing
out in a snow-covered forest

one bright Christmas
Eve hundreds of years ago.

Really?

When Martin Luther was walking through
that forest on the way home to his family,

the stars seemed to glisten
on the snow, on its boughs,

and so he took it
home to his children.

And to recreate the beauty
he saw, he added candles

to light the tree like stars.

I've never heard
that before. It's lovely.

Tell them about St. Nicholas.

There's so much
to tell, Jeffrey.

Well, just about the part
where if you're good, he...

Ah, he brings you a
gift from the Christkind...

- From the Christ Child.
- And if you're bad?

You would never be bad, Jeffrey.

I must tell you something.

- We do have some questions.
- I should not be here,

but I am tired of running.
And it is Christmas Eve.

I am homesick. It's nice to see
the faces of a family on this night.

Do you have a family?

Oh, yes. A mother and a father
and a brother so like Jeffrey.

Then you should stay!

No, Jeffrey.

I have escaped from a prisoner
of war camp in South Carolina.

- You're a Nazi?
- No, I am a German, and an American.

I was born in
Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

When I was 10, my father decided to
take us back to the land of his father.

And he is still there.

You are a soldier. I
turn myself in to you.

I could not think of
Jeffrey as the enemy.

As you would find it hard
to think that of my brother.

My son was gunned down by
Germans. We don't know if he'll recover.

I'm sorry.

I would like you to know
I have never killed a man.

Daddy,

I think we have to remember
that it was a German fishing boat

that found John-Boy
and helped him to safety.

This is a special
evening in our home.

And Jeffrey wants you to stay.

So, you're welcome here.

- Merry Christmas, Paul.
- Merry Christmas.

- Merry Christmas.
- Thank you.

- What's her name?
- Merry Christmas, Jeffrey.

It was a Christmas Eve long
remembered in our home.

An escaped prisoner of war brought
the spirit of Christmas to Jeffrey

and to all those gathered who longed
for peace on Earth, good will toward men.

You really gonna let that
dog sleep with you, Jeffrey?

His name's Nick.

If he keeps me
awake, his name's mud.

He'll be quiet. I'll
hold him real close.

Okay. Good night, Jeffrey.

Good night, Jim-Bob.
Go to sleep now, Nick.

Uh-oh! Jim-Bob, you know when
you told me to take Nick outside?

Uh-huh.

I forgot. Can I get
in bed with you?

- No! Good night.
- Merry Christmas, Jim-Bob.

Good night, boys.
Merry Christmas!

English -SDH