All language subtitles for Run the Wild Fields (2000).720p

These were my fields then...
Fields wild, rich

and waitin'...
Fallow since my father left.

My father's name
was Frank Miller,

and he'd been missin'
in the pacific

for almost three years
in that spring of 1945.

On those bright mornings,
my hope and I would run

those wild fields, searching
for some piece of him,

or for some other seed
left to grow wild

and untended, like me.

To me, my father was a great
and tragic hero.

In my dreams, he would return
to my mother and me,

handsome and covered in glory.

But this story isn't

about dreams.

This story is about one
growing season.

And in that season, there was
my mother, there was

the farm, and there was Tom,
who wandered into our lives

hungry, tired and hurt.

Little girl...

lookin' for peace in
a world that had

precious little to spare.

Mama!

Mama!

Mama!

Mama!

Mama!

Mama! Mama!

Mama!

Mama! Mama!

Mama!

Pug, where you been?

I need you out here, you know.

I'm out here doing your chores.

I got chores of my own, girl,
and only two hands to

do 'em with.

Mama... catch your breath, child.

You're about to have
a heart attack.

Mama, I found a dead man.

A dead man, Mama.

A what?

A dead man, Mama,
only maybe he ain't dead yet.

He called me a little girl.

His leg's all bloody.

Bloody?

Yes, Ma'am, up by the field.

Pug, if this is one of
your stories...

it ain't a story, Mama!

He's there!

Pug!

You see, Mama?

Mister?

Mama.

Don't be scared, darlin'.

Just go on up to the house
and call Doc Anderson.

Right away, Pug.

Mister?

Mister?

I'm gonna get you up

to the house.

And you gotta help me.

How'd this happen anyhow?

Dog.

Dog?

About a mile up the road,
there's a big farm

with an orchard.

That'd be Silas' place.

Well, you just lean on me
and put your weight

on the other leg.

That's mine.

I wasn't stealin' it.

Lord.

Come on.

Come on, Mister.

Keep walkin'.

He dead, Mama?

He ain't dead.

Just a poor fella who got hurt,
that's all.

What you readin'?

A book.

I can see it's a book.

What's it called?

Ranger's romance.

What's it about?

A ranger and his romance.

How'd he get hurt?

Dog bite.

Why don't you put on them
glasses instead of buryin'

your face halfway through
your hands like that?

Lord, what I paid for them
glasses, and you're intent on

makin' yourself blind anyhow.

I don't like those glasses.

Make me look like a bug.

They do not.

They do.

Can't wear them in school.

I put 'em on, sure as shootin'
Sammy Carlin's gonna come up

and say, "well, lookie here,
here comes the bug.

Pug the bug."

he will?

That's what he calls me...
Pug the bug.

That's what they all call me.

Wish I had a different name.

Well, you do.

You have a lovely name.

Opal.

That's right. Opal.

It's worse than Pug.

It's a pretty name.

Name of a gemstone...
Like mine's Ruby,

yours is Opal.

That's what your Daddy wanted.

Said his girls was jewels,
and he wanted the named

as such... a ruby and an opal.

Why didn't you just
name me Ruby like you?

'Cause you ain't a ruby,
you're an opal.

You see, a ruby's kind of hard
and bright red and you can

see right through it.

But an opal... well, an opal
is pure white, like fresh snow,

on the outside.

And inside, it's on fire.

Bright sparkles on the inside,
pure and sweet on the inside,

and that's you, sweetie.

Oh, Mama...

that's just to you.

To Sammy Carlin, I'm just
"Pug the bug",

or "Opal the bug", or any other
bug... just "bug, bug, bug".

It's all on account
of them glasses.

You go put 'em on anyway,
or you'll be Pug the bat,

'cause that's what you'll be
blind as.

Yes, Ma'am.

Go get Doc a cool glass of tea.

Extra sweet?

Yeah, extra sweet.

Thank you.

Well, it's a bad bite.

But the bone isn't broken.

So, who is he? Some hobo?

His name is Tom Walker,
gentleman of the road.

Not the first one
to come through here.

Think they jump up around the
bend before the cotton gin.

Well, I guess
I can take him with me.

Yes, sir.

I really shouldn't be
movin' him tonight, though.

He can stay here the night.

Here you are, sir.

Oh, thank you, Opal.

Here we go.

Thanks, that was just perfect.

You're welcome, sir.

Know what, Doc?

Said on the radio Russians
are in Germany.

Looks like we're gonna break
the Siegfried line.

Oh, is that a fact?

More boys comin' home every day.

War can't go on much longer.

I expect we'll be hearing
from Frank soon.

Well, you know, the whole
town's pullin' for Frank, Ruby.

We'll need him when
this is all over.

He'll be here.

I'm sure he will.

Well... that fella should be
able to walk tomorrow.

I'd send him on his way, okay?

Yes, sir, I'll do that.

Thanks, Doc.

Mister?

Go on, get down there!

Evening, Opal.

Brung you some pecans.

Evening, Mr. Green.

Those hounds of yours
took a hunk out of a hobo.

Huh?

Oh, he's okay.

Got him restin' up inside.

Can't walk, and he's not
wakin' up, even to eat.

He looks hard. He don't like
no one to touch his things.

I'm thinkin' he's mysterious.

Where's your Mama?

Inside.

Evening, Ruby.

Silas. Come on in.

I figured you could use
these pecans.

Pie.

Thank you.

Heard you had some
excitement up here

with a fella.

No trouble.

Doc had to patch him up
a little.

You ought to do something about
them dogs of yours, Silas.

Lots of men wanderin'
around these days.

Who knows what they're up to?

Where you got him?

In Pug's room.

He's asleep.

I reckon he'll sleep
for a while.

I could take him up to my place.

Doc says he shouldn't be moved.

Besides, I'm the one
took him in.

Well, I guess I could ask
Charlie or his boy to come out

and stay the night.

Strange man in the house,
don't know who he is

or what he's capable of,
you alone with a little girl.

I'll take care of him.

We'll be fine.

Fix you some tea or something?

Won't take a minute.

No.

Just brung them pecans.

My boys should start breakin'
up sign pine next week

if we're gonna get corn in
by the end of April.

I still would like to plant
that land of yours.

Land is at a premium.

I'd pay you top dollar.

Lettin' it rest.

It's been restin' three years.

That's a long time.

I'd give you a very healthy
percentage of what I bring in,

more than I'd give anyone else.

It'd be the smart thing to do.

Well... best be goin'.

Holler if you need anything.

This fella... if you have to
have him up here,

keep an eye out.

Some of these bums, you show
'em a little kindness,

and they rob you blind.

Or worse.

We'll be fine.

Well, keepin' an eye out,
just the same.

Just showin' my concern.

Appreciate it.

Bye, Mr. Green!

Bye!

You say your prayers?

Yes'm. God blessed you
and Daddy, and Mr. Green

for the pecans.

Said a "god bless the man
in my bedroom."

that's how I call him
on account of I don't know

his name.

I said, "god bless that
hard man in my bedroom."

you figure that's okay?

Well, I expect god knows
who you're referring to.

You ready to go to sleep?

Just seven times.

Why didn't Daddy take his
watch when he went away?

Well, I guess he figured
it'd be safer with us

than where he was goin'.

Think when Daddy gets back,
he'll still let me

wind his watch?

We'll talk to him.

Go to sleep, now.

Yes'm.

What have you done?

I fell, Ma'am.

What are you doin'
out of bed anyhow?

Where do you think you're goin'
like this?

Think you're goin' far?

I think not, Mister.

Don't want to be no trouble.

Well, you already is trouble.

Just lay here.

You'll be gone soon enough.

You didn't need the shotgun.

It ain't loaded anyhow.

Go to sleep.

Oh!

Hello.

Ma'am.

I better move on. I...
I feel fine.

Well, you set on goin',
I'll fix you something

before you go.

I could wait outside.

You just sit down there.

Won't take a minute.

I'm the one who found you,
Mister, up back at the field.

Remember?

You called me a little girl.

Remember?

My name's Pug.

My real name's Opal, but they
call me Pug on account of

we had a Pug dog once, and I
guess I sort of resemble him.

Or I did... on account
of he's dead now.

Opal's a gemstone.

Got milk on the outside
and fire on the inside.

How's the leg?

Fine.

Is that some sort of
school project?

No, it's just for us.

We keep track of everyone
we know who's in the war...

Boys from around here.

Red pins where they are.

This one's my Daddy's.

Black pins where people did
heroic things, like won medals

and such.

Gold pins where they died.

Let the man breathe, Pug.

Here you go.

Hope that's to your likin'.

There's more if you want it.

Pug?

What?

You need anything else,
we'll be in the back garden.

We got some chores to do.

Come on, Pug.

Pug?

Hello again.

Hello.

My stars.

Here.

What's your name?

My name's Tom.

You a rummy?

A what?

A rummy, a drunk.

We get a lot of them through
here off the train lines.

Thanks.

Hurt when the dog bit you?

I never been bit by a dog.

I don't recommend it.

You're very brave.

Didn't cry or nothin'.

Pug...

don't be botherin' the man.

I ain't botherin' him.

I'm just talkin' to him.

His name's Tom,
and he ain't a rummy.

Hush, now.

Well, I done some farmin'
time to time.

I could help you out
if you've a mind.

I'm a good worker.

I could really bust up
those acres for you.

I don't need no help
just now, thanks.

Sure.

I packed you some food.

And there's an old shirt
and a pair of trousers.

Looked like yours were
approaching retirement.

Yes, Ma'am.

And this.

This was my husband's.

Sleeve's a little torn.

He'll be needin' a new one
when he gets back anyways.

He's in the pacific?

Missin' in action...

since Bataan.

Hope to be hearin'
something soon.

When Daddy gets back,
there's gonna be a parade in

town, right down main street.

Ain't that right, Mama?

That's right, honey.

Well, I sure hope
it all works out for you.

Miss. Ma'am.

Thank you very much.

Why'd you give him
all that, Mama?

We're christian people, Pug.

Besides, someplace else,
in some other part of

the world, that might be
your Daddy.

I hope strangers treat him
as well.

Anyhow, we got a farm to run.

Let's go, Missy.

We gotta get into town
this afternoon, and chores

to do before then.

Church was a granite marker
honoring those brave sons

of Hanover who would
never return.

Not that there was
much to return to.

You see, Hanover was the
closest thing we had

to a city...
A gray fencepost of a town

that was left to weather
on its own, without a soul

who could remember its
original purpose.

Even in those days, it was
a place you came from,

not one you went to.

Thank you, Deek.

Can I give you a hand
with that, Ruby?

I'm fine.

Bye, Mr. Parson.

Bye-bye, Opal.

I'll be right back.

I'm comin' with you.

You stay here, Missy.

I'm comin'.

All right, fella,
empty your pockets.

They're about as empty
as they get, sir.

Bob?

Well, hello, Ruby.

Miss Opal.

Go sit down.

I was just gonna have
to call you.

Picked up this fella
down at the train yard

tryin' to jump a freight.

Name's Tom Walker.

I know that.

You do?

He says he got this stuff
from you.

Says you gave it to him.

Well, I did.

You did?

Weren't that Frank's jacket?

Yes, it is.

See? It's got that rip in
the sleeve where it got caught.

I believe that was Frank
helpin' you get your fool

hide untangled when you ran
smack into that barbed wire

last deer season
before he went away.

I didn't exactly run
into it. I tripped.

Anyhow, I gave it to him,
so you can let him go now.

Well, there's still the
matter of jumpin' the train

and vagrancy.

He ain't a vagrant if he's
got a job hereabouts, is he?

Well, no.

Well, he does.

He's workin' for me.

Since when?

Since now, bob.

Thank you very much.

And good day.

Come along, now.

I ain't got all day.

Can I go now?

I guess so.

Keep your nose clean, boy.

Is Tom gonna come live
with us, Mama?

Get in the truck, Pug.

I ain't got no money.

I can give you a room
in the barn and your meals

just for a while.

That'd be fine.

You can ride in the back.

I don't like it.

I got some fences need fixin'...

some things in the house.

I seen you're handy with things.

Yes, Ma'am.

Thanks for fixin' the sink.

I won't have drinkin'...

women.

You can bunk in here.

Won't be any real fieldwork.

Rich land.

Looks like 30, 35 acres.

38.

I worked for a fella
in south Carolina

a couple of years ago.

Laid in corn, cotton,
soybean, peanuts, all on

a lot less acreage than that.

We ain't workin' the land
till Daddy gets back.

We got plenty
to carry us through.

Yes, Ma'am.

Church tomorrow.

You live on my farm, Mister,
you go to church.

Yes, Ma'am.

Be havin' dinner
in a little while.

Thank you, Ma'am.

Mister?

Mister?

I wasn't snoopin'. I was...
It's about supper time.

Yes, sir. Better hurry up.

We're havin' catfish.

Bless, o Lord, this food to
our use and us to thy service.

Make us ever mindful
of the needs of others.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Sure looks like he's had
a bad time.

He does that.

Figure he's a criminal?

Why'd you say that?

I don't know.

He looks hard.

In ranger's romance,
there's a fella

came up to the house, shot.

Turned out he was a criminal
who'd just robbed a bank

and killed two people.

Well, lots of people
look hard nowadays.

Doesn't mean they're bad.

Times is hard.

When's Daddy comin' home, Mama?

Soon, baby, soon.

I remember he used to
sing to me.

I just can't remember the song.

Then you just lay here
nice and quiet and think hard,

and maybe it'll come to you.

Mama?

Yes, baby?

You think wherever Daddy is,
he's thinkin' of me?

Yes, baby.

He's thinkin' of you?

Yes, baby.

Yes, Ma'am.

You go to sleep now, you hear?

All right, Mama.

Good night.

I remembered, Mama!

Good, honey.

Mama? Who do you think
Tom is, really?

Just a fella.

Go to sleep, now.

I ask you now to bow

your heads and say a small
personal prayer to our savior

to protect our boys,
and especially those

from this community.

They have our love.

Please, Jesus, bring them
home safe and victorious.

Bless you, Jesus.

Praise Jesus.

Miss Matty.

Oh, Ruby, dear.

Don't you look pretty?

Silas.

I want that
buttermilk pie recipe.

Oh, easiest pie
in the world, child.

I'll write it down for you.

Ruby, I ain't one to keep
my mouth shut when something's

bothering me, and this
situation with this fella here

is bothering me.

You know who this fell is, Ruby?

His name's Tom.

Well, the sheriff got
kind of curious about him

right off, so we made
some calls.

You know where he comes from?

He spent time in the federal
penitentiary, and for the last

two years, he's been in
the c.p.s. camps.

Got called for the draft...

and wouldn't serve.

Civilian public service.

He's a coward, Ruby.

You and bob made the calls
without callin' me?

The man's stayin' at my place.

I figure if it don't bother me,
it ain't anyone else's

business.

The man is an ex-con, Ruby,
and a draft-dodger.

Whatever he done, I reckon
he paid his debt in prison.

And as for the war,
well, there's lots of folk

around here who didn't serve.

I would've gone in a minute,
but they pegged me as too old.

And as for these others, they
farm deferments and such.

But a healthy young man
who won't go and fight...

There's only one reason.

He's scared.

Here.

Whatever I'm sayin', Ruby,
I'm sayin' out of friendship

for you and the girl.

You know how it is, Ruby.

Well, I guess I don't.

Mornin', Silas.

Mornin', miss Thurman,
Mr. Thurman.

Mornin'.

Fine day.

Ruby, I sent off those
gloves to George.

I can't thank you enough.

It weren't nothin',
Mrs. Thurman.

I hope George will be home soon.

His division's
in the thick of it.

Don't know where.

Last letter, uh, said he was
gettin' the bronze star.

Imagine that.

Congratulations.

I want to hear all about it.

Well, seems our George
got himself into a bit

of a fix.

There were these boys in...
We'll leave that to George

when he gets back.

This one will talk
your ear off, honestly.

You'd think he won the medal.

Didn't I tell you?

Mysterious.

Ah, he don't look
all that tough.

I'd like to see you walk
right up to him and say that

to his face, Mr. Sammy Carlin.

I'd like to see you do that.

Uh-huh. Wouldn't be surprised
if he's robbed a bank

or killed a man.

You're a woman alone, Ruby.

You've got to watch out.

A single woman alone for
more than three years with

a man like that in the house...
It don't look good.

Tom ain't in the house.

He's in the barn.

And I ain't no single woman,
Silas.

I got a husband.

Ruby... you ain't heard
from Frankie in three years.

He ain't on the p.o.w. list.

That don't mean nothin'.

It means...

maybe it's time to start
thinkin' ahead.

Mr. Thurman.

Oh, George.

George!

The Lord is our shepherd...

my boy!

Get her some water!

He leads me beside

the still waters.

He restoreth my soul.

He leads me in the path...

George!

Yea, though I walk through
the valley of the shadow...

George!

For you are with me...

where was it, Mama?

Near manila, baby.

That's in the Philippines.

Gold pins where they die.

Dear god, this pin's for
George... George Thurman...

Died in service to his country.

Sleep in peace, George.

Tom?

First thing tomorrow,
we start clearin' the fields.

I'm sick of lookin' at it
the way it is.

Pug, I'll need you
right after school.

You go on upstairs and
get out of your good dress.

Yes, Ma'am.

I figure we can clear
an acre, and acre and a half

a day.

Tom...

I know about you.

I know you refused
to fight in the war.

I ain't gonna ask you
your reasons.

I just wanted to say...

I got a husband missing.

My brother Michael
died at Anzio.

Almost everybody we know
has got someone over there.

I'm just going to say this...
Everybody's got a right

to their opinions.

I don't care what you done.

I figure you got your reasons.

But I don't want you fillin'
my daughter's head with any

pacifist nonsense.

I just... I just don't want it.

I ain't no pacifist, Ma'am.

You hear?

Yes, Ma'am.

One word, and you're gone.

Yes, Ma'am.

"Tell me not, sweet, I am unkind

that from the nunnery
of thy chaste..."

what's "chaste" mean?

"Chaste"?

Like "pure".

Oh, "pure".

I thought it was "chaste"
like he was chasing her breast.

Couldn't make any sense of it.

So, her breast is pure,
like clean.

Sort of. Go on.

Okay.

"...of thy chaste breast and..."

what was that?

"Quiet..."

"...and quiet mind, in war...

And arms to war I fly."

"true..."

I got it, I got it.

"True mistress I chase..."
"a new mistress."

"a new mistress I chase..."
that's regular "chase", right?

Right.

Okay. "The first foe
in the field;

And with a stronger faith
embrace a sword,

a horse, a shield."

this is a stupid poem.

I wish I had to remember
Edna’s poem.

It's a better poem.

What makes it better?

It's shorter.

Where was I?

Last verse.

"Yet this inconstancy is such

as you too shall adore..."

"I could not love thee,
dear, so much,

loved I not honor more."

good night.

My fellow Americans

off all the America, my friends,

all our fighting men overseas
today have their appointed

stations on the far-flung
battlefronts of the world.

We at home have ours, too.

We need, we are proud of,
our fighting men

most decidedly.

But during the anxious
times ahead, let us not

forget that they need us, too.

It goes almost without saying...

Whoa, watch out.

Pug the bug.

I'll make you a farmer yet.

Tom.

President Roosevelt says
we'll be in Berlin by may.

First army crossed the Rhine
last month...

A place called Remag... Remagen...
Something like that.

That a fact?

Yes, sir. First time
since Napoleon an invading army

crossed the Rhine.

That's a river.

Yeah. Yeah, I think
I heard that.

Tom, you never talk
about the war.

Most folks I know talk about
the war all the time.

You never talk about the war.

Why is that?

I don't know. Just don't
think about it, I guess.

Don't think about it?

It's the biggest thing
that ever happened.

It's the biggest thing that
ever happened to me.

President Roosevelt says...
All right, there she is.

She's laying, but she
won't nest.

Why's that, Tom?

Turkeys... not a lot of
bacon in the brain pan.

Her nest's gotta be out back
in the strand of trees.

But you gotta follow her.

Don't let her know you're
following her, or she ain't

gonna go back to the nest.

When you get there, use this.

That'll fool her
for the time being.

She'll forget all about it.

Now, there she goes.

Right behind.

Okay.

Go behind this tree here.

Ready, set, go.

You gotta be real quiet.

Shh. We'll go in the trees.

Go, go, go, go.

Look, there it is.

You got the rock?

Yeah, right here.

I'm gonna go get it.

I got it.

I got it.

Here.

There you go.

Let's go, let's go. Ha ha!

There you go.

After a while, you'll have
yourself another turkey.

I hope it's a smart one.

I doubt it.

They're sayin'...
They're sayin' president

Roosevelt... he's dead.

The president,

stricken by a cerebral
hemorrhage, passed from

unconsciousness to death
on the 83rd day of his

fourth term, and in an hour
of high triumph.

The armies and fleets
under his direction as

commander-in-chief were at
the gates of Berlin

and the shores of
Japan's home island

as Mr. Roosevelt died.

And the cause he represented
and led was nearing the

conclusive phase of success.

Less than two hours after
the official announcement,

Harry S. Truman,
the vice president,

took the oath as
the 32nd president of

the United States.

Yeah.

She's pretty upset.

Yeah.

She idolized that man.

The only president
Pug ever really knew.

You know, we went through
so much together...

The depression and the war.

I just can't believe he's gone.

What you thinkin', Tom?

Radio waves.

Radio waves?

When I was a kid, my Daddy
and I built a crystal set.

You know, just a board,
four nails, a piece of wire

and a crystal.

Cost me ten cents.

Had to save for a solid
two months.

Had a set of old Bakelite
headphones somebody gave me.

You had a run the wire
across the crystal.

If you held it real still,
then you could get one...

Somebody's voice.

That's how I first heard him.

"The only thing to fear
is fear itself."

mm-hmm.

I remember one time he said...

"we are committed to full
support of those peoples

everywhere who are resisting
aggression."

sort of stuck with me.

It's good words.

Noble words.

They say radio waves never die.

All those voices,
all those thoughts,

ideas and songs...
Might just be bouncin' around

the stars out there...

like souls.

I keep thinkin' about his wife.

She's sleepin' now.

Tomorrow she's gonna wake up.

Just for a moment,
she won't remember.

It'll be like...

you cold?

You want my jacket?

No.

Guess I'd better go in.

Good night, Tom.

Good night, Ruby.

Nothin' was said.

But after that day,
my mother seemed to push

harder in the fields.

I've often wondered if she
was preparing a place to

plant her grief,
or moving on to face

a truth that she could not
bear to be true.

It was mighty hard work
for one broken man,

a woman, and a girl.

But as the weeks went by,
bit by bit, with Tom's help,

we took back control
of the land.

And with it began the slow
process of reclaiming

our lives.

As for me, I think I had
already moved on, allowing

Tom to move so naturally
into the place that had been

empty for so long.

Sing it to me again.

All right.

Yeah, you will.

All right, look...
I'm gonna dig here.

You go over to that shady spot.

Looks like a good place for
worms... you afraid of worms?

No, sir.

Pug?

Pug?!

Pug?!

Clean shot, boss.

Clean.

Mornin', Tom.

Mornin'.

You met my boys?

This here's Len Upshall,
his son Charlie.

Pug.

Hello, Miss Opal.

You two doin' some fishin'?

Just over yonder.

Clean kill.

One through the eye.

Best way... quick.

Well, we best get goin'.

Uh, that piece of
the lake's on my land.

Ain't good fishin'.

All right.

If Ruby needs dinner, I'll
send up some of this deer meat.

Ruby makes a wonderful
venison stew.

You had that stew, boy?

I said, you had that stew?

No, sir, not yet.

Carrots, onions,
thick gravy, cornbread.

Many's the Sunday supper
Ruby had me up for that stew.

Look forward to being
invited again.

I'll tell her.

I'd appreciate that.

This is a much better spot

anyhow.

Yeah.

Don't seem like Mr. Green
likes you much, Tom.

Well, I don't suppose
there's much I can do

about that.

I think it's on account of
he likes Mama.

Late that April,
in a little red schoolhouse

in a place called Reims,
the German army surrendered

unconditionally, and the war
in Europe ended.

It was a quiet victory for us.

The war in the pacific...
Where Daddy was...

Still dragged on.

And on the home front we had
our own battles beginning.

Honey! That is enough!

What's going on here?

I just said something
that was true, I can't help it

if Pug the bug can't
stand the truth.

It isn't the truth!

Is so! Heard they got
a hired man up at her place,

ain't nothin' but a Nazi-lover.

Everyone says so.

That is enough!

You clear out.

Inside and wash up!

The rest of you, too!

Recess is over anyhow.

I don't want to see any more
of this nonsense, understand?

And if I were you, young lady,
I'd watch what kind of person

I'd be so eager to defend hurry!

You lay down with dogs,
you get up with fleas.

Now, come along inside.

Yeah?

I came out here to look for you.

Your Mama's worried sick.

You were supposed to be home
2 1/2 hours ago.

What are you doin' out here
all alone anyhow?

Didn't want to come home.

Hidin' out.

Hidin' out?

What on earth for?

Are you a Nazi-lover, Tom?

What do you think, Pug?

Okay, then.

Come on, your Mama's
gonna be worried.

What do I do about my dress?

Don't you worry about
your dress.

I'll talk to your Mama.

Come on. She's got fried
chicken.

He moved into
our lives bit by bit.

In time, it was like he'd
always been there.

I turned 11 in June.

We had a cake, and Mama
gave me a new dress.

It was white and, to this
day, the prettiest thing

I've ever seen.

I ruined it the next day
in another fight with

Sammy Carlin.

I had a lot of fights
about Tom... fights with

with other people,
and fights with myself.

There were the things
I knew about Tom, and the

things I had heard
heard about Tom, and then

there was Tom himself.

And none of those things
seemed to go together.

But then I was 11 years old,
and it was the first time

I'd ever felt the weight
of a full-blown crush.

Hold still.

I am holding still.

Well, hold stiller.

Wouldn't have to be doin' this
if you hadn't gone and ruined

your good dress.

Ow!

I'm sorry.

Mama, you stuck me!

I'm sorry. Lord!

Now... just got this
little bit to do.

What do I do if somebody
asks me to dance?

You'll dance with them.

I don't know how.

What am I supposed to do,
just walk around out there and

flap my legs like a jackass?

Tom?

Will you teach me how to dance?

You ought to ask your Mama.

It ain't the same... she don't
know how to dance good.

I used to be
a pretty fair dancer.

Yeah, but it's different
with a boy.

When did you start worryin'
about boys?

That's who I'll be
dancin' with, ain't it?

Stop botherin' Tom, Pug.

He's already put in a full day.

I'm warnin' you,

I ain't real good at this.

I ain't any good at this,
either, so I don't see

how it matters.

Would you like to dance?

What do I say?

You say, "I would be charmed."

I would be charmed.

All right.

Now you take his hand,
and you let him lead you

out to the floor, all right?

Except you don't stomp
out there.

You sort of... glide.

It's a dance floor.

Glide?

Glide.

Like this?

Like that.

Now, these hands stay together.

This hand here goes right there.

This hand goes right here.

Now, real loose, real light.

Follow me. All right?

Here we go.

Like this?

Look at you... you're dancin'.

How do I look?

You look great, Pug.

Whoo!

It's all right.

No, that's my fault.

Oops, I'm sorry...
Got my button... ha ha!

Caught in your hair.

I'm sorry. That's all right.

We can fix that up.

We're just gettin' started.

All right.

Listen to it.

Are you gonna be
at the dance, Tom?

Mama's gonna be there.

You want to learn
to dance or not?

Sorry.

All right.

There you go, Pug.

There you go.

What are you doing?

What are you doing?

I don't know!

You're just spinnin' me
right out!

Aah! Ha ha ha!

Folks haven't made this much

fuss in a long time.

Like when I was a kid.

Where'd you grow up, Tom?

I grew up on a farm
outside of st. Louis, Missouri.

Daddy was a doctor.

A doctor?

That's right.

He inherited the farm
from my grandDaddy.

Lived on it and ran it
with his two brothers.

They're all gone now.

What was it like in prison?

Pug!

I'm just talkin' to him.

It's all right, Ruby.

Wasn't that bad, actually.

You'd wake up in the morning,
they'd feed you and you'd go

to work on the roads
out in the forest.

The dinner, the more work,
then supper, then bed.

Don't seem much different
than our place.

I remember that feeling.

Yeah.

Boys are shy at that age.

She's looking at you.

He's looking at me.

They grow out of that, do they?

Excuse me a minute.

How you doin'?

Your name's Sammy, eh?

Yes, sir.

Mine's Tom.

I'd like to have a word
with you, if you don't mind.

See, Sammy, this here's a dance.

People come here to dance.

The way I see it, a man
ought to do what he

sets out to do.

What do you say?

Pug hates me.

She'll probably say no.

Well, give it a try anyhow.

Would you like to dance?

I'd be charmed.

You would?

I'm game if you are.

Hmm?

I haven't done this

since forever.

Me, neither.

Oh, I forgot my pie tins.

I won't be a minute.

Meet you at the truck.

All right.

Leaving so soon?

I guess this ain't
your celebration.

Fourth of July is for Americans.

For real Americans.

Let me tell you what...
You say the pledge of

allegiance, we'll let you leave.

Come on.

"I pledge allegiance
to the flag..."

come on.

Maybe he's too scared to say it.

Scared of everything else.

Got called up and didn't
want to serve, huh?

I only pray this war lasts
another year so I can go.

Go on, yellow-belly.

Say it. Do it.

Come on, fight, you coward.

Tom.

Let's go, boys.

Guess he found a skirt
to hide behind.

Stinkin' animals.

Good for you, Tom, not lowerin'
yourself to their level.

You hang up your dress?

Yeah.

Good.

Okay, go to sleep, now.

He didn't even fight back.

Not one lick.

He just let 'em push him
around, make fun of him.

He wouldn't have done that
unless it was true.

What's true?

He's a coward.

Go to sleep, now.

Want some tea or something?

No, thank you.

Them Upshalls never was
any good.

He's just a boy, lookin' for
a way to prove he's a man.

My brother Buddy was like that.

Just a kid.

Wanting to grow up too fast.

Back in '36, he hitched up
with the Lincoln battalion.

He fought in Spain?

Wasn't even 19.

They buried him outside of
some... village.

I don't even remember the name.

Or maybe I never knew it.

Just stupid.

Gettin' himself killed
for people he didn't even know.

I ain't sayin' that
your husband...

Tomorrow, I'd like to start
plowing the field.

I know it's late in the season,
but I figure we can

get in soybeans.

Yeah.

That should be fine.

Pug, you got the mail there?

Yes, Ma'am.

Come on in.

You've been pretty quiet
all night.

You okay?

Yeah.

Remember... seven times.

I'm tired.

Okay.

You sleep tight, now.

And what else?

Cornmeal, please, sir.

I guess about five pounds.

I got that out in the back.

Ruby asked if we could put
this on the farm account.

She didn't think you'd mind.

Ruby hasn't used her
farm account for a while.

You'll have to sign.

Just sign there and date it.

Remember to date it.

What's goin' on?

The war's over!

Yeah! Ha!

Oh, god, it's over.

Good god! It's over!

Tom!

It's over.

It's over. The war...
It's finally over.

Sweet Jesus!

I figure we'd better get goin'.

What's wrong?

Nothin'.

All right, then. Let's go.

Your Mama's waitin' at the park.

Well...

I feel like an ass.

You look nice, Tom, real nice.

Well, Pug said maybe I should...

you look fine.

Well, I feel like an ass.

Where is Pug?

I don't know.

She went off somewhere.

Want some tea?

Yeah, sure. I'll get it.

No, no. It'll only
take a minute.

Come on, you guys.

Why'd you drag us all the
way in here, Pug the bug?

Oh, you're so smart.

You think you know so much.

You think you know Tom.

You think he's a coward?

Just take a look at this,
Mr. Sammy Carlin.

It's a ring he took off of
the finger of a man he killed.

He had to cut the finger
dead off.

Where'd you get that?

It's Tom's.

Go on.

What is this?

It ain't even English.

It's a warrant for his
arrest in some other

foreign country.

Told you he was mysterious.

We're gonna need
some more tea, Matty.

I thought you were miss Matty.

Heh.

Quite a day.

That it is.

People pretty glad to see it
all over, see everybody

come home.

It's something to be glad about.

You think so?

Of course.

No, I was just...
I'm sayin' it could get

pretty complicated now.

You get used to
a certain way of life.

I don't know what
you're talkin' about.

And I don't think I care
to find out.

What... get your hands off me!

You crazy?

Frank ain't comin' back,
Ruby, and this other guy,

he ain't no good.

But I'm here. I'm here for you.

I am here.

You're talkin' crazy.

Just get your hands off me!

Come on, Ruby.

We're havin' a private word.

Seems to me she's done talkin'.

Seems to... go on,
get out of here, you coward.

Mister, I think you just
had too much to drink.

You think I don't see how it is?

You think the whole town
don't see how it is?

You yellow-bellied snake.

You wander in here
among good folk,

this good land, good people.

What in the hell is wrong
with you, Ruby?

You already lost a husband
to the war, and you take up

with a man like this?

What kind of woman are you?

Watch it, Mister.

A woman takin' up with
a man like this is nothin'

but a tramp.

Tom!

I shouldn't have done that.

I'm sorry.

Just gets so quiet
up at my place... nights...

Since Mama died.

It just gets so quiet.

I was always gonna ask you,
Ruby... did you ever wonder

why I never took a wife?

Mama'd say, "Silas,
you got to get a wife."

and I'd smile, 'cause I was
just waitin', fixin' the place

up, makin' it nice.

She always liked you, Ruby.

But I just waited too long.

Then you took up with Frank.

What did I do wrong, Ruby?

I tried to be a good man.

I tried to be a good friend.

You didn't do
anything wrong, Silas.

It just ain't you.

I won't bother you no more.

I shouldn't have done that.

I didn't have to hit him.

He was askin' for it, Tom.

Sometimes you just gotta...
He's right.

I ain't no good.

It ain't your fault.

It is my fault.

I wanted to hit him, Ruby.

And even after I did,
I wanted to hit him more...

and more...

for all the wrong reasons.

Reasons?

Reason enough... he was...
This isn't about him.

Don't... Myra’s pushin' her

pecan pie! Ha ha!

If I take one more bite,
I'm gonna burst.

Did you get enough to eat?

Excuse me.

And this.

Let me see.

Hey!

Give me that!

What you kids got there?

Pug's got a ring that Tom
cut off the finger of

a man he killed.

Heh. That stinkin'
yellow-belly probably bought it

at some pawn shop.

He couldn't hurt a fly.

You're a liar.

Why, you little...

hey, what are you doin'?

Fire!

Get out of here!

Run!

Help!

Somebody please help me!

Fire in the livery stable!

Charlie Upshall and Pug.

They're inside.

You boys okay?

Yeah.

Help!

Somebody please help me!

Pug? Pug?!

Help!

Pug?

Please!

Pug?

Tom!

Tom!

Pug.

Tom, no!

Where's he going?

She's okay.

Just a little smoke.

What were you kids
doin' in there?

Pug had this.

Son, are you okay?

This yours?

Doc.

These are discharge papers.

Lincoln battalion...
Spanish civil war.

They're his brothers... Buddy.

No, it says "Thomas...
Thomas Walker".

Wounded twice. A war hero.

Are you finished?

Pug?

She's sleepin'.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry Pug took your things
and brought 'em into town.

Well, at least they know
the truth now.

They know you aren't a coward.

You think I care about that?

Think I care they think
I'm a coward?

You think I care if you do?

You know, Buddy didn't
want to go.

He didn't see the sense in it.

Said it was somebody
else's fight.

But to me, democracy
was a religion.

One side was Franco,
Mussolini and Hitler.

And the other side was us.

One man's fight
was every man's fight.

I believed.

Buddy just followed.

We ended up in a place
called Brunete.

About the third day in, we...
We got hit real hard.

Buddy got the worst of it.

If he'd been on the left
and I... I'd have been

on the right... it's just...

so random.

Buddy didn't think he could die.

Not like that.

When he finally understood,
he just... he just went crazy

from the truth of it.

This is all I got left of him.

Buddy didn't die for democracy.

He didn't die to keep
the world safe from fascism.

Buddy died 'cause he just
happened to be there.

And he just happened
to be there 'cause of me.

And he just happened
to be there 'cause of me.

Having you think I was
a coward... that's easy.

What's hard is having you
know the truth.

When I gave up on Frank
comin' home...

something inside me just died,
and I wanted the rest of

the world to die with it.

But... you've taught me
how to feel again.

You've given me hope, Tom.

And coming home."

you read it?

It's the worst thing
I ever done.

I know I should've showed it
to Mama, but...

I didn't want...
Didn't want Daddy to come home.

Not now.

I want you to be my Daddy.

I'd have been proud
to be your Daddy, Pug.

Did you tell Mama?

No.

Times like these,
letters get lost.

I'll trade you something...
My secret for yours.

But you gotta promise me
something.

That you're gonna hold it
in your heart

and never tell a soul.

Sometimes you gotta
lose a battle to win a war.

Go back to sleep.

Everything's gonna be fine.

Mornin'.

Mornin'.

Need a light, Buddy?

Please.

That's your last match.

Beg your pardon?

I took your last match.

It's okay.

I'm almost home.

It's good to be home.

Yeah.

Pug.

Mama?

Hey.

Goin' someplace special,
brother, or just wandering?

Home.

I'm going home.

I often find myself
turning that time over

in my mind, as one carefully
turns the pages of a

favorite and often-read book.

Tom was my friend.

He taught me to dance
and gave my mother and me

his hands, his heart
and his hope,

in a very small way
and for a very short time.

Tom Walker is always
and forever alive in me...

right next to my Daddy,
and Silas, and Mama.

Tom?

Tom?

I once read something
that said, "to travel with

hope is more important
than arriving."

through my fortunate life
since as a doctor, wife

and mother, I travel with hope.