The Waltons (1971–1981): Season 9, Episode 12 - The Hot Rod - full transcript

You might be able to talk
me into giving you a beer.

But this friend of
yours, I ain't serving him.

Jim-Bob, let's get out of here.

He fought in the war, too. Is
that not good enough for you?

He still ain't getting served.

It's not funny, Elizabeth.

Oh, come on, Ben. It's not like
he's robbed a bank or anything.

Besides, I'd feel the same way
he does if I'd been treated like that.

The point is Jim-Bob
has been in jail.

Why don't we take
this car for a real spin?

Sounds like a good idea to me.



Now, come on, Air Force, put
it into the wild, blue yonder...

Jodie! Jodie?
Jodie, are you okay?

The end of World War Il
brought a period of readjustment

for the men who had
served in the armed forces.

Restless soldiers returned home

to towns that looked smaller
than they remembered.

And families found their sons
to be different from the boys

who had marched off to war.

Some of them were eager to
assume the responsibilities of life,

while others floundered, determined
to make up for the years they had lost.

Show me the way to go home

I don't think people on this
bus appreciate good singing.

That's all right.
I'm beat, anyway.

Reminds me of the time we
knocked over Buck Vernon's outhouse.



- Yeah, with...
- Buck in it.

Boy, the first thing I'll do when
I get home is ditch this uniform

- in the closet once and for all.
- I know what you mean.

If I never have to look at
another uniform again...

It'll be too soon.

I just want to sleep late, eat
home cooking and have some fun.

Mmm. Amen to that.

You know, I was thinking about souping
up my old car. You wanna help me?

In between sleeping,
eating and having fun?

Well, I promise it
won't interfere with that.

Then you got yourself a deal.

I figure a couple of
ex-service mechanics like us

can fix that car up like
nobody's ever seen.

And how.

Sister, I...

Sister, where are you?

Come out, come out, wherever
you are. Olly, olly, oxen free!

You didn't tell me we
were playing hide and seek.

Boo!

- Hey, Jodie.
- Hey.

- How you doing?
- All right.

- Jim-Bob.
- Hey, John-Boy. How are you?

I'm fine, just fine. Jodie,
what are you doing here?

I ran into Jim-Bob on the
bus over in Charlottesville.

Hey, John-Boy, I promised
him we'd give him a ride home.

- His folks don't know he's back yet.
- You didn't tell them?

Nope, wanted to surprise them.

Well, it's good to have
you home, both of you.

- I see you brought my car with you.
- Elizabeth says it's her car.

- Oh, I just loaned it to her.
- I'll let you two settle that.

I don't know how this could happen. I
haven't even been back a whole minute.

That's what you get for taking
off like The Green Hornet.

- Oh, Jim-Bob.
- Hey, Walt.

- Hi, John-Boy.
- Hi, Walt.

- Looks like Jodie Foster.
- Hello, Sheriff.

Wow. Where's the fire?

I'm sorry, Walt. I guess I
got a little carried away.

- You home for good this time?
- Yes, sir.

- How about you, Jodie?
- Oh, yes, I'm just out of the Navy.

Well, it's good to
have you fellows back.

I'll tell you what. I'm
gonna let you go this time.

But if it happens again,
I'll have to give you a ticket.

So just drive nice and peaceful.

Yeah. Thanks, Walt. I
really appreciate this.

You can come out now.

I give up. You win.

Mamie? Where can you be?

Mamie?

Where can you be?

Jodie!

Jodie?

- Oh, Jodie! Hello, Jim-Bob.
- Hey, Verdie.

John-Boy. Why don't you two get out of
the car, and I'll make us some lemonade.

Thanks, Verdie. But we
ought to be getting home.

- Thanks for the ride.
- You bet.

Oh!

Why didn't you let us know
you were coming home?

I wanted to surprise you, Mama.

Hey, Josh. Did you keep
up things while I was away?

- Sure did. Especially your fishing tackle.
- I figured you'd keep an eye on that.

I caught a three-pound
bass over in Rockfish River.

- You weigh that fish, Mama?
- No, we ate it.

Still looks like the same
old place. Where's Daddy?

He had to go to Detroit
for a couple of weeks.

Your uncle Jessie busted his leg,
and your Aunt Sarah is having a baby.

- They needed a man around.
- And Daddy just couldn't say no, could he?

You know your father.

I know Aunt Sarah, too.

If she wants him there,
she'll get him there.

I sure am glad you're home.

We need a man around here, too.

With your papa away,
I worry about Josh.

Oh, Mama! What do
you worry about me for?

'Cause you're such a pretty thing,
I'm afraid somebody will steal you.

Now, take your brother's
stuff into the bedroom.

Okay.

J.D. Pickett's switching from defense
work to making farm equipment.

Doing just as fine as
he did during the war.

He's already hired some Negro veterans.
Bet he could use a good mechanic.

I don't think so, Mama. I just want
to take it easy for a while, you know?

Don't know how
long I'll be around.

Are you planning
on going someplace?

Mama, I've been all over the
world, saw things I never dreamed of.

Seaports in the South Pacific, the
Hawaiian Islands, the west coast.

But you always said you
wanted to live right here.

Oh, Mama, the South isn't for me. I'll
never amount to nothing if I stay here.

I don't wanna be somebody else's
mechanic for the rest of my life.

Well, you're here now. And
J.D. Pickett needs workers.

Maybe you could sign on with him
just until you decide what you want to do.

Mama, I've been in
uniform for four years.

Every time I turned around,
it was, "Do this," or, "Do that."

I'm tired of taking orders. I
don't know what I wanna do,

but I don't want to
work for J.D. Pickett.

That's fine for right now.

I hope it's fine, because
that's how I plan to do things.

Ike, she'll kill herself!

Miss Emily, stop!

- Help! I've forgotten how to stop!
- Miss Emily, use the brake.

- Where is it?
- Miss Emily!

Use the brake. Miss Emily, stop!

Stop! Use the
brake! Use the brake!

- Use the brake.
- Help, Ike!

- Like that?
- Yes. No, the other side.

- Yeah, that's it, Miss Emily.
- I got it!

- Are you okay?
- Miss Emily, are you all right?

I drive so seldom,
don't you know?

Sister usually drives, but she's
vanished from the face of the Earth.

- I'm terrified!
- Now, calm down, Miss Emily.

- And tell us what happened.
- Mamie is missing.

I looked all over for her, I looked all
over the house, all over the grounds,

under the furniture, up the
chimney. She's simply not there.

Well, perhaps she swooned.

Oh, Corabeth, you don't
suppose she's fallen ill.

- Oh, I certainly hope not.
- Oh, I hope she's not been abducted.

I don't know how
I'd pay the ransom.

Mr. Tomkins at the bank refuses to send
the check before the first of the month.

- I think I'd better drive you home.
- Oh, yes.

- We'll find out what's going on up there.
- Yes.

Here, take that.
Move over, Miss Emily.

- This is not right.
- Yeah.

- This one over here?
- Thanks, Elizabeth.

Here, let me hand this to you.

Hey, everybody.

Oh, hi. ERIN: Hi, Jim-Bob.

John-Boy, did you remember
to pick up some butter?

Oh, Rose, I'm sorry.
It slipped my mind.

Well, don't worry about it. We'll
just have lard on the biscuits.

I'll go get some butter. I
need stockings anyhow.

Here, give my car keys.

- Here they are, and it's my car.
- But you gave it to me.

Only while I was away.

Oh, I see. Well, do I get
to use it now and again?

Sure, as long as
I'm not working on it.

I'm thinking about
turning it into a hot rod.

How's it feel to be out
of the service, Jim-Bob?

Great.

This sure isn't the hero's
welcome I expected.

Where's the hero?

We've seen you
almost every weekend

since you've been at Langley.

Hey, Jim-Bob, you think you can
give me a hand in the mill tomorrow?

I would like to take some time
off, get used to civilian life again.

While you're at it, do you think
you could squeeze in a tune-up?

My van's running terrible.

Why don't you ask
me in about a month?

What's gotten into him?

All this newfound
freedom's gone to his head.

I give up. I don't
know where she is.

I guess we'd better
call the Sheriff.

And the FBI.

Help! Help! Help me!

Mamie, what are
you doing in the wall?

Oh, Emily! Don't be such
a ninny! Do something!

Miss Mamie, this is Ike
Godsey. I'm out here.

Oh, Ike! Thank heavens!
Please get me out of here.

Well, I'll try. But first I gotta
know how did you get in there?

I was waiting for Emily in the entry
when I suddenly felt a spell coming on.

I leaned against a panel
and a door sprang open.

I stepped inside. I
guess I must have fainted.

Start pressing on the panels.
I'll take the bottom ones.

You can take the top ones.

Okay, let's try this other wall.

Oh, what an ordeal.

Hey, Jim-Bob, we thought it was
about time for a little celebration!

And since John-Boy was the
first one out of the service...

- What?
- I'm gonna let him do the honors.

- Oh, some Recipe.
- You guessed it.

- Oh, careful there.
- Drink up.

Now, this is more like the
welcome home I expected.

John-Boy started this
tradition, didn't you?

But when I came home, I didn't
have any brothers to drink it with.

Easy with that stuff.

Yeah, but do you think
it ever stopped him?

- No.
- I can't think of anything that would.

Not when it comes to
having a taste of the Recipe.

Except for maybe Mama.

Yeah, Jim-Bob, besides
resting, what's your plans?

Well, Ben, I don't have
any plans, at least not yet.

Don't lounge around too long. You
wouldn't want to turn it into a habit.

I don't know, I kind of
like having all this time off.

Besides, I worked my fingers
to the bone in the Air Force.

Yeah, why don't you
try the battlefront?

Yeah, why don't you big war
heroes tell me about it sometime?

Oh, Jim-Bob, I wasn't
meaning anything by it.

- Yeah, sure you didn't, Ben.
- Hey, where you going?

Stick around. The
party hasn't started yet.

Look, I'll do what I want
to do when I want to do it.

That's ingenious.

Ladies?

- No.
- You go first.

We'd have never found
this in a million years.

Well, it's taken us the
better part of a century.

We were told about it
when we were children.

But we were told a lot of things.
The tooth fairy, and the Easter bunny...

And the secret room.

We were beginning to
believe it never really existed.

Papa carried the secret
with him to his grave.

Oh, look, Sister.

A Recipe machine.

Oh. It must be the one
the Colonel erected.

We supposed it had
been destroyed years ago.

This room should be
declared a national monument.

Mmm.

This must be Grandfather's
vintage Recipe.

Just think, Sister,

every generation of Baldwins
has had its Recipe machine.

- A noble tradition.
- This calls for a celebration.

Mr. Godsey, would you join us in a
bit of Grandfather's vintage Recipe

to help us celebrate
this joyous occasion?

Just the thing to cut
the dust, don't you know?

- Yeah.
- Look at this.

Jim-Bob, here is a list of
things I need from Godsey's.

I can't go right now. I
was going into Rockfish.

- Well, I don't know how.
- Cindy said she'd lend me her car.

Oh, good. Well, then, you can pick
these things up on your way back.

- I am in a hurry, Rose.
- And I have to fix dinner.

You've been home a whole week
and all you've done is work on this car.

I'm resting up from the war.

What in the world do you have to
rest up from? Now, here, take this.

And when you get back from the
store, the screen door needs fixing.

Hey, Rose, why can't
somebody else do that?

- Hey, Jodie.
- Hey, Jim-Bob. What's up?

I was on my way into
Rockfish to look for a carburetor.

Stopped by to get
some groceries for Rose.

Yeah, I'm here on errands, too.

I thought you said you were gonna
stop by and help me work on the car.

I wanted to start rebuilding the
engine, change the body around,

give it a paint job, maybe.

I wanted to, but my Mama
had some other ideas.

Sounds like my family.

I haven't had a minute's
peace since I've been back.

You know, if I had some money,
I'd buy that old building over there

and move into it.

That isn't even a house.

- It's just an old barn.
- I don't feel like I live in a house.

It's like moving from
one barracks to another

when I left the service
and came home.

Amen to that.

My mother thinks she's a CPO.

- So, you wanna go into Rockfish with me?
- What about your groceries and mine?

Well, what about
them? Come on, let's go.

Hey, move over!

- Pass him.
- Hang on.

Well, Jim-Bob, I didn't expect
to see you again so soon.

Neither did I, Walt.

- Hello, Jodie.
- Sheriff.

- Remember what I told you last week?
- How could I forget?

It looks to me like you plan
on making a habit of this.

You just bought yourself a ticket,
son. You almost bought the farm.

I'm really sorry, Walt. I
promise I won't do it again.

I'm sure you won't, after you find
out how much this fine is gonna be.

Can I see your license, please?

- Is this the Baldwin residence?
- Yes, it is.

My name is Winthrop.
Fred Winthrop.

I'm Mamie Baldwin, and
this is my sister, Emily.

- How do you do?
- How do you do?

I'm here representing
the federal government

as an agent of
the alcohol tax unit.

Oh, the ATU. Papa
spoke of it often.

- Yes, won't you come in, Mr. Winthrop?
- Thank you.

It's a pleasure.

We have many
friends in Washington.

We used visit there quite
often before Papa passed on.

- May I have your hat?
- Why, thank you.

How is Mr. Truman?

He has carried on so bravely
since Mr. Roosevelt died.

Mr. Truman is fine. Now,
ladies, I'll get right to the point.

I'm here investigating the rumors
about the production of bootleg whiskey.

It has come to our attention that
you two are making moonshine.

Oh, the only thing we've been
known to manufacture is papa's Recipe.

And it's much more like
sunshine than moonshine.

You must be exhausted after
your long trip, Mr. Winthrop.

Perhaps a glass of the
Recipe would restore your vigor.

- That'd be a very good idea.
- We'll receive you in the Recipe Room.

Papa's Recipe Machine
is truly a thing of beauty.

Papa would be so proud to know that
the renown of his Recipe had reached

all the way to the
government in Washington.

- He was a judge, don't you know?
- That's a fine still.

Oh, that's not a still, Mr. Winthrop.
That's the Recipe Machine.

That's the best moonshine...
Pardon me. Recipe I've ever tasted.

- But I'm afraid it is illegal.
- Illegal?

Yes, very. I ought to arrest both of
you and cart you off to jail right now.

Oh, you can't put us
in jail, Mr. Winthrop.

We're Daughters of
the American Revolution.

And of the Confederacy!

You're both too
charming to be in jail,

especially when you didn't even
know you were breaking the law.

How can it be against the law?

The Recipe is medicinal.

It leaves one with the
most exhilarated feeling.

We've been making it
ever since Papa died.

Nonetheless, it is illegal,
and you're gonna have to stop.

Now, I'll be back here with some
help to cart away the Recipe Machine.

Don't worry. You won't
even have to watch.

- What will we do without the Recipe?
- Make apple juice. Good day.

Do you think all this
work was worth it?

If it runs good, it was
worth a month's work.

I can't see why it shouldn't.

Shaving that cylinder head ought
to give it a lot more power, too.

The hotter wires and new
plugs are gonna help, too.

When do you wanna take her out?

- How about right now?
- Sounds great.

- Runs like a charm.
- Sure, does.

- Boy, I was right.
- About what?

You repairing ships
and me fixing airplanes,

souping up this car
was a piece of cake.

I think we deserve a reward.

Hey, you think we can get
them to serve us beers in here?

- We can try.
- Let's go.

- What do you two want?
- A couple of beers.

A little young to be running
around this late, aren't you?

Well, how old do
you think we are?

Not old enough
to be drinking beer.

Well, we're veterans. We
just got out of the service.

Oh, I imagine you could
talk me into giving you a beer.

But this friend of
yours, I ain't serving him.

- Well, why not?
- You blind?

Take a look at him.

Jim-Bob, let's get out of here.

He fought in the war, too. Is
that not good enough for you?

He still ain't getting served.

- Problem, Matt?
- No, I got it under control.

Jim-Bob, come on.

You two are going to be
awful sorry you done that.

- Good morning, Verdie.
- Good morning.

- Jason.
- Walt.

We came for our boys.

Took you a little
while, didn't it?

We decided a night in jail
might do them some good.

I hope you're right.

- Jodie.
- Yes, sir.

- Jim-Bob.
- Yes, Sheriff.

Your liberation is at hand.

They've agreed to pay for
the damages they caused,

and they promised me they
would take it easy from now on.

We'll see to it that they do.

Well, they're both just
back from the service,

and they're a little wound up.

But they've got to learn

that being veterans does not
give them license to make trouble.

We don't like this anymore than
you do, but we can't tie them down.

I can and I will.

Sorry about bringing you
in here like this, Jason.

We'll talk later.

- I'm sorry, too, Mama.
- You should be.

- Both of you.
- Here are the keys to your car.

- Thanks.
- Thanks, nothing.

If you don't settle down, son, I'm
gonna take your driver's license away.

- So long, Walt.
- See you.

Whatever are we to do?

Life won't be worth
living without the Recipe.

Thank you.

Well,

we could garden.

And it'll give us more
time for bird-watching.

What'll we do in the wintertime

when the garden's covered with
snow and the birds have all flown south?

We could quilt.

And knit.

And sew.

There are many books in
Papa's library we haven't read.

Quilting, knitting,
sewing, reading.

I shall be consumed
with boredom.

Or perhaps we could
seek employment.

Now, Sister, get
control of yourself,

or you're going to
have me crying again.

I can't help it.

Thank you, Jason, for the ride.
I'm sorry about all the trouble.

Don't worry about it,
Verdie. See you later.

Hey, Jodie. Are you all right?

Yeah, I'm fine.

Josh, go in the house.

- I want to have words with your brother.
- Yes, ma'am.

- Mama, I'm really sorry.
- I'll bet you are.

- What kind of behavior was that?
- Mama, I apologized.

- What more do you want me to say?
- I don't want you to say anything.

I expect you to stop fooling
around and start acting like a man.

What kind of example do you
think you're setting for Josh?

Well, he wouldn't have known
I'd been picked up by the Sheriff

if you came and
got me last night.

I set such store by
having you home.

With your Papa away, I
thought I'd have some help.

And now, what I've
got is two children.

If you plan on staying around here,
I expect you out, looking for a job!

Jim-Bob, that is the dumbest
stunt you've ever pulled in your life.

- I guess I just wasn't thinking.
- That's obvious, Jim-Bob.

Well, listen to you, Ben. You
stayed out all night when you eloped

- and had the family worried sick.
- Ha, ha!

It's not funny, Elizabeth.

Oh, come on, Ben. It's not like
he's robbed a bank or anything.

Besides, I'd feel the same way
he does if I'd been treated like that.

The point is Jim-Bob
has been in jail.

And you had us
all worried to death.

With your mother and father away, I
feel partly responsible for what happened.

I just thought that you were
old enough to know better.

- He's old enough to know better.
- He just doesn't act it.

Jim-Bob, you have done nothing but
fool around ever since you got home.

While the rest of us have been
working to keep things up around here,

you haven't done a thing.

Except forget to
bring the groceries.

What am I supposed to do?

You can start by taking
some responsibility for yourself.

You could look for a job.

- Life was better in the air corps.
- Is that what you think?

Yes, that is what I think.

Jim-Bob, where are you going?

Are you my drill
sergeant, Mary Ellen?

Do I have to tell you where
I'm going every minute of the day

like I was some
kind of criminal?

Oh, Mr. Godsey,

I have been thinking about the secret
room that Miss Mamie discovered.

What about it?

Could it be possible, Mr. Godsey,
that you have overlooked

a significant detail
which might give us a clue

to the notorious
purpose of such a room?

Notorious?

The only thing notorious about
that house was the Recipe.

I beg to differ with
you, Mr. Godsey.

Well, then, you know
something that I don't.

Cousins, Mr. Godsey, cousins!

I refer to that
constant array of ladies

privately entertained
by old Judge Baldwin.

Why, even Miss Mamie
implies they were not all cousins.

Well, then, what were they?

Really, Mr. Godsey, must I
spell out everything for you?

Corabeth, the Recipe room was
used by the Colonel to make the Recipe.

Mr. Godsey, now, really. Now,
there is the difference between us.

You have no sense of
romance, of intrigue...

- Oh, good morning, Miss Mamie.
- Good morning.

- How are you today?
- Oh, just fine.

Miss Mamie, Mr. Godsey and I were
discussing the remarkable discovery

of the secret room in your home.

Yes, it was a most
joyous occasion.

Sister and I were very
happy about it for a while.

Well, I was just saying to Mr. Godsey,
who has very little imagination,

that the room very possibly
could have been used for...

Miss Mamie, is there
something I could get for you?

- Yes, I came to get smelling salts.
- Smelling salts coming right up.

As I was saying, we were speculating
that the room could have been used for...

Here you go, Miss Mamie. I
hope this will take care of you.

Thank you. These
will come in very handy.

So, how is Miss Emily?

Emily has taken to her bed.

I'm afraid we have been
dealt an enormous blow.

And I myself have been
having fainting spells.

Oh, dear, that sounds serious.

I am afraid that we have suffered a
tragedy of enormous consequence.

What is that?

A man from the government came
to the house the other day and told us

that it is illegal to
make the Recipe.

Oh, no.

And he's coming to dismantle
Papa's Recipe Machine,

and there's nothing
that we can do about it.

Well, perhaps now you can devote your
energies to more enriching endeavors.

Without the Recipe,
Sister and I feel that

there's really no
point in going on at all.

How about the machine
in the secret room?

Maybe you could use that.

We discussed the possibility of using
it, but it's in such dreadful condition,

we thought we
couldn't hope to repair it.

Maybe I could come
by and take a look at it,

and you and I could put
it back together again.

Mr. Godsey!

- Could you?
- Well, I'll sure give it a try.

I'll tell you what. I'll come
by just as soon as I can.

Oh, thank you!

- Perhaps I won't need these after all.
- Bye, Miss Mamie.

Mr. Godsey, I am appalled!

You are aiding and
abetting in a criminal activity!

- Boy, what a lousy day.
- You're telling me.

They didn't even want to let
me out of the house tonight.

I didn't even bother going home.

I spent all afternoon at Pickett
Metal, filling out job applications.

They want to put me
on the assembly line.

Hey, maybe if I talked to Erin,
she could find you something better.

Better? That's the best
job they've got to offer.

I tell you, Jim-Bob, I ain't
long for Walton's Mountain.

I wouldn't mind getting
out of here myself.

You've got it made
here. You're white!

You come from the right
family. How can you go wrong?

Sure. I can become a
successful lumberjack,

out cutting trees for my older
brother for the rest of my life.

That sounds great, doesn't it?

Yeah, well.

I'm thinking about heading north,
working in one of them shipping yards.

That's about the only
place I'll have a chance.

Hmm.

- Did you see much action in the Navy?
- Sure did.

- I was at Pearl Harbor, the Midway.
- Yeah, what was it like?

You were better off at Langley.

I don't know sometimes.

Hey, you know John-Boy, Jason
and Ben? They were all in the thick of it.

My family really
worried about them.

Boy, and then when they got
home, roll out the red carpet.

I didn't get a red carpet.

Yeah, well, at least
you deserved one.

Hey,

why don't we take
this car for a real spin?

Sounds like a good idea to me.

Hey, sure you want to sit up
there? This road's pretty curvy.

I was in Pearl Harbor,
remember? I think I can manage.

- What's going on, Jim-Bob?
- Hang on, Jodie.

Hey, Jodie, I don't
want you falling off.

Now, come on, Air Force, put
it into the wild, blue yonder...

Jodie! Jodie, are you all right?

Jodie?

Jodie!

Oh, God. Jodie!

- He's resting.
- He's going to all right, isn't he?

He has a broken arm
and a mild concussion.

The doctor wants to keep
him here for a couple of days.

I just got done with the
accident report. How's Jodie?

He's fine. I'm more
worried about you.

I'm okay.

I'm really sorry about all
this, Verdie. It's all my fault.

I shouldn't have
been so hard on him.

Well, there's nothing any
of us can do about that now.

I think we should all
try and get some rest.

I'm going to stay
right here, Mary Ellen.

- Come on.
- I'd rather stay with Verdie, John-Boy.

Jim-Bob, it's almost 2:00 a.m. You
need some rest, and so does Jodie.

Verdie, I'm really
sorry about all this.

Found one of old
Mama's scrapbooks.

We've been wondering
where you were hiding.

Did you guys know Daddy
was an old war hero?

I know, he didn't like
talking about it much.

Didn't you hear us call you?

Oh, I did, but I didn't
feel like answering.

I didn't feel like facing the family
after what happened last night.

You're gonna have to
face them sometime.

The sooner you get
it over with, the better.

Why did Mama have to get sick?

I don't think there's a single
person in the whole world

who could give you a
straight answer to that.

Everything sure is rotten.

Why don't you go downstairs
and try to turn it around?

I guess I have to.

All right, okay, I'll tell
them. Bye-bye now.

Was that Mary Ellen
calling about Jodie?

Yeah, she wanted me
to tell you not to worry,

and that he's gonna be
okay, and he's awake.

Oh, thank heavens for that.

I've got an announcement to make.
I thought a lot about what happened.

Not just last night, but
ever since I got back home.

I've decided to re-enlist.

- Jim-Bob, you're not serious.
- Yes, I am.

I'm gonna go to the
recruiting office today.

Why on earth would you
want to do a thing like that?

They still need an Air
Force even with the war over.

But we need you here, Jim-Bob.

I think you'd be
better off without me.

You're wrong. You don't know how
much we missed you when you were gone.

It was my fault Jodie
nearly got killed last night.

You can't go back into the service
just because of a car accident.

I've thought about it a lot.

Ever since I got back, all
I've done is make trouble.

At least in the air
corps, I did things right.

Jim-Bob, you've
just gotten back.

Why don't you give
yourself some more time?

Don't you think you
should wait awhile?

Sounds like you're making a
decision you would regret later on.

There's no use in discussing
it, Rose. My mind's made up.

Jim-Bob, wait a minute.

I don't feel like talking
right now, Elizabeth.

You can talk to me. It's
not like talking to the others.

Well, there's
nothing to talk about.

It's not fair to turn your
back on people who love you.

You're acting like a child.

You wouldn't be acting like
this if Mom and Daddy were here.

The only reason you want
to go back into the service is

because you want to turn your
back on your responsibilities.

You're running away,
and I'm ashamed of you.

It's Mr. Winthrop.
Prepare yourself.

- I'm going to take to my bed.
- Sister, we must be brave.

Remember, fortitude.

Hello, ladies.

I want you to meet my assistants,
Mr. Carr and Mr. Corwell.

- How do you do? May I take your hats?
- Thank you.

Now, I trust you ladies are not
gonna put up a fight of any sort.

Well, what must be
done, must be done.

Very good. Gentlemen, this way.

This will only take
a minute, ladies.

Oh, Mamie, this is too
terrible. I cannot bear to watch.

Just a minute.

Gentlemen, this Recipe Machine was
used by our dear Papa before he passed on.

He built it with his very
own hands, and it's...

It's all we have left
to remind us of him.

Would it be too much to ask

if we might have
just one piece intact

as a fond memento
of better days?

All right. I don't see
why not. Go ahead.

Well, how about this?

Why not? Sure, go ahead.

Oh, thank you for
being such gentlemen.

- Thank you.
- Go ahead, Sister.

- That's it.
- There. You got it, I think.

There, it's all set. Okay,
now, bring it around.

- Oh, good.
- And put that in right there.

- There we go.
- Set that down.

This calls for a toast.

- Oh, yes.
- Sounds like a good idea.

A little Recipe
sounds good, huh?

Like Corabeth would say,
the little pièce de résistance.

We have 1894, 1895 or 1896.

1894. Sounds like a good year.

1894, here's one right here.

Oh, be careful.

Good?

- Be careful, don't spill it on the rug.
- Oh, well, it's good for the moths.

Thank you, Sister.

Ready, ladies? Down the hatch.

To Papa.

Well, let's not
forget the Colonel.

Are you sure you don't
wanna lie down back here?

I can move up front with
Mary Ellen and John-Boy.

- Mama, I'm fine.
- Headache's gone?

I feel like a new man.

I hope you don't mind if we make
a little detour before I drop you off.

I wanted to get Jodie home and in
bed as soon as possible, John-Boy.

Mama, all the doctor said was
not to put any strain on this arm.

That doesn't mean I
have to stay in bed.

It's pretty important,
Verdie. Jodie's right.

He can move around
as much as he wants to.

If you say so.

I guess I have been trying to
run his life too much anyway.

No, Mama, none of this ever would
have happened if I had listened to you.

As soon as this cast comes
off, I'm heading for J.D. Pickett's.

I don't think so.

Oh, John-Boy, don't
try and talk him out of it.

I won't have to.

- Hey, Jodie.
- Hey, Jim-Bob.

Oh, I'm sorry.

What's this all about?

See that sign right there?

- Yeah, but I don't get it.
- We're going into business.

I bought the barn
with my separation pay.

We're opening a garage.

And you want me to
come to work for you?

I want you to be my partner.

I was thinking about
re-enlisting after the accident,

but then Elizabeth talked to me.

And I figured we did
such a good job on that car

we might as well
make a little money at it.

- Well, what do you say, Jodie?
- I don't know what to say.

Well, before you say anything, I
think I better tell you something else.

It took all my separation
pay to buy this.

It's probably gonna take all yours
to buy the equipment we need.

Does that mean my van
finally gets that tune-up?

It sure does, but we
don't give discounts.

- Partners?
- Partners.

Jim-Bob and Jodie
opened their garage.

Their partnership provided them
with a way to make the final transition

back into civilian life.

Both families
breathed a sigh of relief

to see them settle down and
become responsible young men.

And Miss Emily and Miss Mamie,

when asked about the loss of
their papa's Recipe Machine,

would smile and say, "Don't worry,
we saved enough for everybody."

Jim-Bob, if I came
to your garage,

would you teach me how
to change the oil in a car?

Why do you want to know
how to do that, Elizabeth?

I was just thinking it might
be fun to be a mechanic.

Okay, I'll teach you, but you'll have to
wear old clothes, so you won't get dirty.

I don't want to touch the oil.
I just want to watch you do it.

Good night, Elizabeth.

English -SDH