Original subtitles

I hope that you don't think I'm lying to you.

He changed his last name,

but Curtis Packer is the same man that you married.

The man I married would have come home to me.

Who are you?

Don't you know who I am?

Never seen you in my life.

It's me. Mary Ellen. I'm your wife.

(CHUCKLING) If I'd married you, I'm sure I'd remember it.

Curt? Curt!

- Get up! - Curt, what is it?

I said get up. I'm gonna take you back to Betty's.

You can pack your things and leave.

Get out of that chair and get out to that...

Why don't you two do your arguing somewhere else?

- Butt out of this! - All right, Curt.

I've about had it with you. You're nothing but trouble!

Just leave me alone!

JOHN-BOY: A chill settled on Walton's Mountain that first autumn

after the conclusion of the Second World War.

Mary Ellen ha d been caught up in a whirlwind love affair

that seemed certain to a dd a new member to the family.

But a storm was brewing to the south, a storm that ended her romance

and called her to a distant part of the country

in search of a man she believed to be dea d.

BETTY: You're going to love Larksburg, Mary Ellen.

Doesn't have mountains quite like this place, but it's just as nice.

Don't worry, everything's going to work out just fine.

I just said goodbye to the only man I've loved since Curt,

I might be going on a wild goose chase,

and you're telling me everything's gonna be fine.

Mary Ellen, it's not a wild goose chase. Curt's alive.

I wish you'd let me go with you.

I'll be all right, Jason. Don't worry.

I don't like the idea of you going off alone to a strange place,

not knowing what to expect.

I'd go down there with you if I hadn't promised my mother

I'd spend a couple of days in Raleigh.

(SIGHING) I'm sure Larksburg is nothing to be afraid of.

Larksburg is not what I'm worried about.

I'll stay in touch.

Good luck.

The bus is on time for a change.

MARY ELLEN: Goodbye, Jason. Be sure you give John Curtis my love.

JASON: I'll do that.

I'll take ten more chances. Pour me another beer.

I thought you'd be in Ohio by now.

This isn't Cincinnati?

Nope.

And you're not in any condition to be going anywhere.

Fix him some coffee.

- You got Mary Ellen on the bus yet? - She just left.

Can you imagine that? Running off to Florida on our wedding day?

She didn't have any choice.

Jonesy, listen to me! If Curt's really been alive since Pearl Harbor,

something is terribly wrong.

If you walk out now, you'll be leaving Mary Ellen when she needs you the most.

Mary Ellen tried to talk me into teaching at Boatwright University.

Professor of Geology just sounds too permanent for my taste.

Then try Pickett Metal.

Look, I've had too much beer to make a decision like that right now.

I think you've made your decision already.

What was Curt like before the war?

He was abrupt, quick-tempered, affectionate.

He was a good husband and father and a fine doctor.

Last year he had the influenza so bad.

He wouldn't have anything to do with doctors or medicine,

I thought he was gonna die.

He just said if he died, he died.

That doesn't sound like Curt at all.

I hope that you don't think I'm lying to you.

He changed his last name,

but Curtis Packer is the same man that you married.

The man I married would have come home to me.

Erin, you knew well and good that that bid for the McKenna Tractor Company

was due first thing this morning.

Well I'm sorry, J.D., but it's going to have to wait.

I'm already behind on the Heartland Farm Equipment bid.

Well It wasn't my idea to make shovels and hoes for Heartland.

That's all your fault!

We'll make a lot more money on the Heartland contract

than we ever would've making canteens for the Army.

Don't you dare say anything against our Army contracts, Erin.

Remember our motto: Guns, tanks and Pickett canteens

turn fighting men into fighting machines.

You ought to fire whoever wrote that.

I wrote it!

J.D., I want a raise.

A raise? You're lucky to be earning anything at all.

Girls your age ought to be out making babies, not money.

Not only do I want a raise,

but I want a cut in profits of every future contract I win for you.

What do you think I am? A dimwit?

I'd like to see you run this place without me.

I'm sick and tired of doing the work of two

people and only getting the salary of one.

I have had it, J.D.!

If you're coming in here asking for a raise, you can just forget it.

I don't even work here.

Well in that case a raise is out of the question!

What are you doing here? I thought you left town.

Uh, I took a room at the boarding house last night

but don't say anything if Mary Ellen calls.

It'll make it easier if she thinks I'm gone.

Erin, you know the rules. No visitors during work hours.

I came here looking for a job.

Yeah? Well, if you came on Erin's recommendation, you can just forget it,

because whatever she said I was paying, I'm not.

JONESY: Well, I'm not looking to make much money.

Just enough to pay for my room at the boarding house.

What's your name?

Arlington Westcott Jones III, but everybody calls me Jonesy.

You had any experience?

I was in Marine procurement in San Diego before they shipped me to the Pacific.

Procurement? That's right up our alley, ain't it, Erin?

Why don't you come on into the office?

Well, this is where I leave you.

Will I see you in Larksburg?

Oh, I imagine so. I'm only gonna be here for a couple of days.

You know, Mary Ellen, there's really no reason why you should have

to stay in that awful boarding house down there.

Oh, I'm sure it'll be fine.

I want you to stay at my place.

I can't let you do that.

Sure you can. Besides, I've got a couple of houseplants that need tending to.

When you get there just ask anybody for directions.

Everybody knows me.

Thanks.

- Bye. - Bye.

(J.D. AND JONESY CHATTERING)

Well, did you get the job?

I sure did.

- See you tomorrow, bright and early. - Thank you. Thank you very much.

- Bye bye, Jonesy. - Bye.

- Coffee? - Mmm.

I think we should put him on the loading docks.

The people we have out there just aren't getting the job done.

Oh, he's much too talented for that.

Besides I've got something else in mind for him.

Like what?

Oh, I don't know.

First Assistant Manager.

And where does that leave me?

Second Assistant Manager.

Quit staring at me like that. You make me nervous.

I'd like to do more than that. I'd like to wring your neck.

Well, Erin, this just means that you're going to have to move to another office.

Of course, you'll have to take a small cut in pay.

J.D., I can't believe this.

I'm sorry, Erin, but I've got my business to think of.

You girls were all right in a pinch, but now the men are back.

The first team is moving in!

I quit!

- You can't. You didn't give me notice. - Ha!

Erin! Erin, come back here!

- Excuse me. - You lost?

I'm a friend of Betty Howell's.

Betty's in North Carolina this week.

Meantime, I'm covering for her in the store and doing my waitressing,

and I'll tell you right now, I don't like it one bit.

Well, I'm gonna be staying at Betty's until she gets back.

Could you tell me where that is?

Her place is right down the road there, about half a mile.

Her name's on the mailbox. That way.

Do you where can I find Curt Packer?

You a friend of his, too?

I guess you could say that.

Right past Betty's house. You can't miss it.

Just look for the first junk heap you come to.

Well, thank you.

(GRUNTS)

MARY ELLEN: Curt?

Who are you?

Don't you know who I am?

Never seen you in my life.

It's me. Mary Ellen. I'm your wife.

(CHUCKLING) If I'd married you, I'm sure I'd remember it.

Betty Howell came to see me.

She told me about a letter you wrote me.

Betty wouldn't have done anything like that.

Your name is Curtis Willard. You're a doctor.

We were married for three years before you went overseas.

I got a telegram saying you were killed on December 7th, 1941.

(PANTING)

I don't know who you are, and I don't know what you want,

but If you'll excuse me, I'm busy.

I've come over five hundred miles to see you.

Would you please talk to me?

(SIGHING) I'm sorry, there's nothing to talk about.

We can talk about your son.

(ELIZABETH LAUGHING)

Erin, the whole time I've known you, I've never seen you so down in the dumps.

What's seems to be the matter?

I've quit my job and I'm trying to find a new one.

You'll be working in no time.

Every place I tried today is looking for men, returned veterans.

I can't believe they would ignore ability like yours.

You know, Erin, you have managed to acquire a good number of invaluable skills

while working for J.D. Pickett.

They could be a great asset to me in my real estate business.

ROSE: That's not a bad idea.

(SIGHING) I don't know, Corabeth. I'm just so upset about this whole thing.

I bet you'd make a lot of money.

(KNOCKING ON DOOR)

I'll get it.

- Hi. - JONESY: Hi.

We're having dinner but I guess you could come on in.

JONESY: Thank you.

Hello.

Any word from Mary Ellen?

She hasn't called.

(EXCLAIMS)

Well, I'm obviously interrupting. I'll just step outside,

say the alphabet backwards and forwards five times and knock again.

Don't be funny with me. Not after what you did!

What did I do?

I was in the office today while you were talking to J.D.

Jason said it would be a good place to look for work.

Don't bring me into this.

ROSE: J.D. hired you to replace Erin.

He didn't tell me that.

Well, it doesn't matter because I wouldn't go back to work for him anyway.

Besides I'm thinking of selling real estate with Corabeth.

Erin, I had no idea. I'll quit tomorrow.

- Don't bother, Jonesy. - Erin.

And don't come running back to me when you find out the job is too hard to handle.

Look, I bought and sold war materials for the Marines.

Now, do you honestly think I'm gonna have a tough time

working for some two-bit shovelmaker?

You won't last a week.

(SIGHING) I can do any job I set my mind to.

I'd like to see you try. J.D. will eat you alive.

I'll do a lot better job working at Picketts

than you will trying to sell real estate.

- Oh yeah? - Yeah!

(CREAKING)

Curt? Curt!

You know it seems like you ladies are spending as much money on

cleaning materials as you do on food.

We have a very large house, Ike.

It was fine when Papa was alive. He was constantly entertaining.

But most of his guests are dead now.

MISS EMILY: And their names have been removed from the guest list.

However, we are obliged to keep the house as Papa would have wanted it kept.

Or perhaps you two ladies should consider obtaining domestic help.

Oh, we have considered that, but we decided that

Papa wouldn't want strangers touching his things, don't you know?

(MISS EMILY CHUCKLING)

Thank you for the supplies, Ike. Good day, Corabeth.

- Goodbye. - Bye, ladies.

I do wish I could persuade those two dear ladies to purchase a smaller house,

something more suitable to their needs.

You know Erin is pretty close to the Baldwins.

Maybe she could talk them into moving.

And she is in my employ, isn't she?

That is a very interesting idea, Mr. Godsey.

Where on God's green earth could Erin have put that file?

Mr. Greenley, could you hold on a second,

we're looking, we're looking for it now.

We'll call you back.

Here it is!

I hung up on him.

What? You hung up on Wallace Greenley?

Oh, what kind of a nincompoop thing was that to do?

Look out now, you've got me all tangled up here, gimme that.

(PHONE RINGING)

I'll get it. I'll get it. Hello. Hello!

(JONESY MUMBLING)

Hello.

Yes, yes, yes. Yes, Mr. McKenna. Certainly will.

We'll have that bid ready for you day after tomorrow. Thank you.

Won't we?

Sure we will if you'll show me where the file is.

You're the Assistant Manager. Go and find it!

I'll call Wallace Greenley and apologize for you.

Looks like you're planning on staying for a while.

I saw you last night. What were you doing out there?

Betty asked me to look after the place.

I think you were there because you knew I was there.

I don't know you, lady.

Tell me you don't love me but don't tell me you don't even know me.

It's just not true.

My name is Curt Packer. I was born in a little town not too far from here,

and I've never been outside the state of Florida.

You have a little boy, you know. I've told him all about you.

Why don't you just get out of here and go back to Virginia?

How do you know I'm from Virginia?

You know me, Curt.

You once told me that you loved me,

and you promised we'd build a life together.

You shared a bed with me and then you abandoned me.

And what's even worse, you abandoned your son.

Your own flesh and blood!

Mary Ellen. If I'd have wanted you here, don't you think I would have let you know?

Well, I'm here, Curt, whether you like it or not.

And I think you owe me an explanation.

I don't know what got into Betty. Going all the way to Virginia.

Just to make my life miserable and yours, too.

- MARY ELLEN: Where are you going? - I came for a drink.

MARY ELLEN: You mind if I join you?

I know you're not suppose to begin until tomorrow,

but I thought perhaps you'd like to get a headstart.

I'll start looking at these tonight.

Aggression is one of the more important aspects of the real estate business.

More often than not, people are totally unaware of their own needs.

Therefore, it is our duty to enlighten them.

I'll try to remember that.

Now the Baldwins sisters are a classic example.

They live in a house that is entirely too large for them.

Now once we convince them of that they will be eternally grateful.

And we'll split a big commission.

Oh, Erin, there is more involved here than money.

I would hate to be the one to talk them into selling that wonderful old house.

But Miss Mamie and Miss Emily are not getting any younger.

That house is ice-cold in the winter,

and the responsibility of maintaining it has become a burden to them.

All we need to do is to relieve them of that burden.

But it's the only home they've ever known.

Perhaps I overestimated your ambition.

Oh, no. I want to be successful at this. I really do.

Demonstrate it. Be at the mercantile the very first thing in the morning.

And, Erin, be prepared to talk the Baldwin sisters into being sensible.

What can I get you?

A bottle of whiskey and a couple of glasses.

- One glass. - Fine. One glass.

If we're gonna talk we might as well relax.

If you think you can relax, go ahead.

Curt, you gotta understand, I'm confused and hurt.

Still a nurse?

I'm studying to be a doctor.

Quit while you're ahead.

I used to think I knew you better than anybody in the world.

I guess I was wrong.

No.

(SIGHING) Thank you.

All right.

The morning of the bombing...

(CURTIS SIGHS)

I was in my civilian clothes, I was nowhere near the barracks.

There was a white flash.

And I don't remember anything at all after that.

When I finally woke up four months later, I was in a hospital.

I couldn't remember my own name.

You sure you don't want a drink?

Positive.

Well, the pieces finally started falling back into place for me.

I remembered who I was, and where I was from.

And I thought about you and John Curtis,

but I knew you thought I was dead, and as far as I was concerned,

that was for the best.

You've even given up medicine?

I don't want ever to have anything to do with it again.

And what about John Curtis?

Don't you ever want to have anything to do with him again, either?

I picked up the phone to call him. A couple of times even I let it ring once.

Elizabeth answered it, at least I think it was Elizabeth.

I hung up.

What are you hiding from?

Please, I'm your wife!

- Get up! - Curt, what is it?

I said get up. I'm gonna take you back to Betty's.

You can pack your things and leave.

Get out of that chair and get out to that truck!

Why don't you two do your arguing someplace else?

- Butt out of this. - All right, Curt.

I've about had it with you. You're nothing but trouble!

Just leave me alone!

Now, the attic is also a good place to check for structural defects.

Inspect carefully for sag or rot in the rafters.

Signs of either could be an indication of serious problems.

Did you get that, John Curtis?

(CHUCKLING) I don't think he likes this part too much.

I vow and declare, I've never seen him so quiet for such a long stretch.

Perhaps I can interest you in a loan application.

No? No loan application?

(KNOCKING ON DOOR)

Evening, Erin.

(SIGHING) What do you want?

Help.

Jonesy! Come on in.

Thank you.

I thought you'd be out chumming around with J.D. by now.

Yeah, are you busy?

I start work for Corabeth tomorrow morning.

Erin, the reason I came by was because of the McKenna Tractor Company bid.

J.D's been pushing me to get it ready.

And you can't get your mind off rock formations

so you want me to give you a pep talk, huh?

I need your help.

I don't work for Pickett Metal anymore, remember?

I don't see anything wrong with giving Jonesy a hand if he needs it.

He said he could handle the job.

And it would be against my conscience to interfere.

Why, I can handle the job all right if somebody would just tell me what to do.

J.D. doesn't know the first thing about running his own company.

And you figured that out all by yourself? Congratulations.

(PHONE RINGING)

Hello? Yes, we will, Operator.

Mary Ellen?

(JONESY MOUTHING WORDS)

How's it going down there?

I don't know it's just good to hear your voice.

ERIN: Are you all right?

No, I'm not. Curt's alive.

Then it was true.

There's something very wrong with him.

Is there anything I can do to help?

I wish there was.

Have you heard from Jonesy?

Uh, no, we haven't heard from him.

But there's somebody else here who wants to talk to you.

Come here, John Curtis, say hi to your mama.

He'll be here in just a second.

Come here, say hi to your mama.

- Say hi. - Say hi.

Hi, Mama.

Oh, hi, John Curtis, how's my little boy?

JOHN CURTIS: Fine.

Do you miss me?

He's not too talkative, I'm back.

I have to stay here and I have to get to the bottom of this.

I think that's up to you.

No, I don't think it is.

Thanks, Erin. Say hello to everybody for me.

All right. Bye-bye.

- JONESY: Is she all right? - Mmm-hmm.

Well, now, let's just go up to bed, John Curtis.

Curt's alive. It wasn't a mistake.

(SIGHING) I never should have stayed here.

I should have gone to California like I planned.

Jonesy, I don't want you to lose your job at Pickett's

so why don't you let me take a look at that?

But promise me something, don't leave town. Not yet.

(SIGHING)

I thought I got rid of you yesterday.

You almost did till I talked to a friend of yours.

- Who's that? - Your son.

What am I supposed to tell him?

Tell him I'm dead.

Curt, we have got to talk.

I'll be here when you get back.

It's up to you.

You know me well enough to know I won't give up until I get some answers.

And you don't know me at all.

(SIGHING)

(DOOR OPENING)

And how is my fledgling real estate agent this morning?

I'm fine, Corabeth.

I have taken the liberty of compiling a list of reasons

why Miss Mamie and Miss Emily should sell their house.

Now, I want you to refer to it this morning when you discuss it with them.

I would be along in 30 minutes,

to make the kill.

The kill?

Finalize the agreement, if that is more euphemistic.

I have been up since dawn drawing up a contract

empowering me to sell their house.

Now you run along and prepare for my arrival.

All right.

(DOOR OPENING)

Morning, Erin. Jonesy said I could find you here.

Get away from me, J.D.! I can't stand the sight of you.

I want you to come back to work for me.

I'm about to lose that Heartland deal.

You're the only one that knows anything about it.

Forget it.

You'd only have to work a couple of hours a day

and I'll pay you your full salary.

No!

Erin, there's a lot of money at stake here.

You could be my First Assistant Manager again.

I wouldn't come back to work for you if you got down on your knees and begged.

J.D. Pickett on his knees? Hah!

Mr. Pickett, please. My trainee and I are in conference!

Get out, J.D.

After all I've done for you

then you turn around and stab me in the back like this.

It's downright criminal!

Now run along, Erin, and don't disappoint me.

(SIGHING) Whatever are we to do, sister?

I wish I knew the answer.

Everything that Corabeth has included in that list is correct.

The house is old, it's poorly ventilated.

We very nearly freeze to death here in the winter.

And we are oblige to devote most of our time to cleaning the house.

Time we could better use bird watching.

I'll simply perish if I have to go to my grave

without having seeing the Yellow-Billed Pickerel.

I think the Pickerel is a fish, sister.

That may be but it doesn't stop me from looking.

Ladies, Corabeth will be here in a few minutes.

What would you like me to tell her?

I don't know.

This is a very trying time for us, Erin.

Perhaps if you read that section again about the little cottage

beside a babbling brook.

"My dear ladies, imagine if you will,

"a quaint cottage at the edge of a forest,

"a stream babbling nearby, a warm fire licking the chimney,

"and birds nesting on the rooftops."

Corabeth does make it sound inviting, sister.

But we would never feel Papa's presence in any other house.

I do hope we'll be able to take as many of this furnishings as we possibly can.

Especially the portrait.

Sister, will Papa ever forgive us?

Maybe Corabeth is wrong.

But the arguments you have presented are most convincing.

MISS EMILY: And most disheartening.

You can fix your heater. And you can always get a maid.

But the age of the house.

According to Corabeth it will collapse at any time.

Nothing like that is going to happen, not for years.

Thank heavens! I was beginning to despair.

The most foolish thing you could do is sell this house.

(KNOCKING ON DOOR)

(SIGHS)

That's Corabeth. I'll let her in.

Sister,

this is a very important decision we have to make

and it can't be made hastily.

Erin is right, Mamie. It would be foolish to sell.

We would never be happy in any other house.

We'll just have to disappoint Corabeth.

Corabeth, we have some news for you.

You've decided to sell your house.

On the contrary. We were about to

but Erin told us it would be a very foolish mistake.

(DOOR CLOSING)

What did you do all this for?

The Health Department would have condemned the place if I hadn't.

I don't usually have time to do housework.

Betty keeps it tidy for me.

Do you love Betty?

I told you I wasn't leaving today until I got some answers.

I want them tonight.

I don't love you anymore, Mary Ellen.

I do not love you.

Well, it's fast becoming mutual.

You've just about destroyed any feelings I ever had for you.

Then why in the name of God are you doing here?

Get on the bus. Go back to Virginia. Quit wasting my time!

What about your son?

I don't love him either. Now, there's the door. Go on and use it.

You liar!

How can you sit there and tell me that you don't even care about your own son?

Leave!

The great warrior. Killed at Pearl Harbor. Decorated for heroism.

Reported in all the newspapers. Just look at you now.

Come here, I'll show you something.

See that fish? I caught it off the Florida Keys a couple of years ago.

I was at war with it for six hours.

When I got it on deck, it thrashed around like it was some kind of demon.

Now, it's a great trophy. But it's a lousy fish.

On the outside it looks the same as it always did.

But inside it's empty and lifeless.

What are you talking about?

Sit down.

The day I woke up in that hospital bed,

my back hurt like hell and my legs were numb.

They didn't know if I'd walk again.

But one thing they did know for certain,

I'd never be a man again just as sure as that fish will never swim.

I still don't understand.

Look, what do you want? A medical explanation?

I'm a dead man! I'm dead! I 'm dead!

I can never be a real husband, Mary Ellen.

I can never father another child.

I'm not a whole man, and I'm never gonna be one.

Now, you go on home. Forget you ever knew me.

It's not very nice for a cousin to fire a cousin.

Oh, I don't know, I think Corabeth would fire Ike if she could.

And sell the store.

Don't you think you're being a little unfair with Corabeth?

After all, it is her business.

Whose side are you on, anyway?

Oh, Elizabeth, Ben's right.

What good does it do to have salesmen who talk people out of selling their homes?

BEN: So, I guess it's time to start looking for another job.

Or giving up entirely.

Some fine assistant manager you turned out to be!

- What's the matter, J.D.? - Can't even do your own work.

You think I don't recognize the handwriting on that McKenna bid?

It's Erin's. I asked her to give me a hand.

I didn't hire you to go run off to Erin Walton every time you got into trouble.

You went over to Corabeth's looking for her when you were in trouble.

Well, I wouldn't have been in trouble if I'd had an assistant manager

who knew his head from his heels.

You of all people have no right accusing me of incompetence.

Say, who do you think is boss around here, anyway?

She quit, remember?

It is not lunchtime yet.

I'm getting out of this asylum before I become a permanent inmate.

I don't know how Erin put up with you for so long. She ought to be sainted.

You can't talk to me like that! You want your salary on payday, don't you?

A dios, J.D. Au revoir, goodbye and good luck.

Sit down and finish this work!

Finish it yourself or call Erin. Get her over here.

You need her, and you know it.

You're fired!

I'll be home about 5:00 tomorrow afternoon.

I gotta go, Elizabeth, I'll see you then. Bye.

Hi.

He won't have anything to do with me.

You know I spent the whole time at my mother's

praying you could get through to him.

Something happened to Curt at Pearl Harbor,

something that frightened him very much.

He hid it from me until last night.

Look, I figured that out a long time ago.

But it doesn't matter to me, Mary Ellen.

You were my last hope, what am I gonna do?

(SIGHS)

It used to be I could talk to him.

When he wasn't in one of his moods, I felt so safe around him.

Like nothing could happen to me as long as he was by my side.

I wish there was a way to get through to him.

You see these windows?

He made these shutters for me. He painted them and everything.

I mean, it took him the better part of a week and I kept saying to him,

"Why are you going to all this trouble?"

And he just said, well, he liked working with his hands.

Then when my father died, he never left me.

We went all the way to Raleigh together.

You see, my family, they don't have too much money

and Curt helped pay for a proper funeral.

Without him I don't know what I would have done.

He's different now.

I guess that's partly my fault.

You see, one day I just up and said, "Why don't we get married?"

He turned real sour and he said,

"Don't you ever, ever say anything like that again."

I didn't know it was because he was already married.

It's all right.

Curt will never forgive me for bringing you here.

Where are you going?

I'll be back.

(DOOR CLOSING)

What are you doing here? You're supposed to be at work.

I quit. J.D.'s all yours, Erin.

(CHUCKLING) Oh, great!

It looks like neither one of us did very well at our jobs.

At least I outlasted you.

I hope you don't expect a medal for it.

- I'll settle for a free lunch. - Okay.

You know, I've been doing some pretty hard thinking.

I can't keep bouncing around from one job to another, working for people like J.D.

I don't know. Maybe it's time I tried to find something permanent.

Like Boatwright?

Mary Ellen called. She's coming home tomorrow.

Alone or with Curt?

Alone. She's been through a lot.

She's going to need you to be here for her.

I came to say good-bye. My bus leaves at three.

Good-bye.

I still have a few more hours.

I'm busy.

- Betty came home this morning. - Sorry to hear it.

She's gotten a little too nosy for me lately.

Are you just planning on living out here all alone,

with your fishing poles and your trophies?

That's right.

I suppose a man like you can't afford to have friends, anyway.

Say anything you like, if it'll make you feel better.

(SIGHS)

There's a very unhappy woman living right down the road from here

who cares more about you than you do about yourself.

She has done a lot of damage for somebody who cares so much.

She loves you. I think you love her.

You're a terrible matchmaker, Mary Ellen. You forgot what I told you already?

There are other ways to show tenderness.

Like putting shutters on a window for someone.

Or helping someone you love cope with grief.

A kiss. A touch. A smile.

(SIGHING)

Betty knows. She's known for months.

Why'd you have to come down here anyway?

Because I was crazy enough to think that if you were still alive

we could somehow makeup for the four years we lost.

A part of me still loves you, always will.

There's just no way we can ever find our way back to where we were.

I know.

I found someone else, Curt.

I may have lost him by coming down here.

At least I know there's a life out there for me and I've got to get on with it.

Well, you came to say your goodbyes, you said them.

(SIGHS)

You sure make a mean tuna sandwich.

If you think that's good, you should try my peanut butter and dill pickle special.

(KNOCKING ON DOOR)

(ERIN LAUGHS)

- Afternoon, Erin. - Get up, J.D.

You're hired.

How many times do I have to tell you, "No"?

Please?

You heard her, she's not interested.

Erin, I need you.

You should have thought of that before you forced me out.

I'll make you my vice president.

ERIN: Come on, J.D.

With your own nameplate and everything.

I think I'll let you on a little secret, J.D.

Calhoun Sheet Metal has made Erin an offer you would not believe.

I'll double your salary.

JONESY: Calhoun's a pretty big operation.

They won't have any trouble topping that.

I'll give you ten percent of the profits.

Fifteen!

Besides that, I'll introduce you to my cousin Y.W.

Is he anything like you?

Spitting image. What do you say?

I don't see how you can lose. You get a boyfriend and everything.

All right, I'll take the job under one condition.

Don't ever mention your cousin Y.W. again, J.D.

All right, it's a deal. Let's go. We've got work to do.

I'll see you on Monday.

(BOTH LAUGHING)

Thanks.

Let me know how things work out.

Thank you for coming down here, Mary Ellen.

I couldn't let you get away without giving you this first.

It's for John Curtis. Give him my love, will you?

I'm sorry.

John Curtis will love this.

I'd like to take him fishing some time.

- You know where to find us. - Yeah.

Good-bye, Curt.

- Bye, Betty. - Bye.

Got it. Hi, there!

(LAUGHS) Hi!

You're supposed to be in California.

Well, I couldn't pass up a chance to teach geology

at a fine university like Boatwright, could I?

Oh, I'm glad.

Shall we go?

JOHN-BOY: Mary Ellen leaned hea vily on Jonesy for support

during those first few months after her trip to Florida.

But her greatest source of strength was John Curtis,

the little boy she and Curt ha d brought into the world

in the waning hours of a simpler era.

MARY ELLEN: Good night, John Curtis.

JOHN CURTIS: Good night, Mama.

English -SDH