Original subtitles

FOR AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER,

I NEVER WANTED TO BE ANYTHING BUT A WRITER.

NOR CAN I REMEMBER EVER THINKING OF GIVING UP WRITING.

ALTHOUGH, AT TIMES, THE AGONIES OF BEING REJECTED

WERE PAINFUL AND FRUSTRATING.

I RECALL ONE SATURDAY MORNING

WHEN I HAD GONE TO PICK UP

MY USUAL BATCH OF REJECTION SLIPS.

IT WAS A DAY WHICH WAS TO MARK THE BEGINNING

OF A NEW PLATEAU IN MY CAREER.

IT'S ALL RIGHT. YOU'RE MARRIED.

WELL, I GUESS WE'RE STILL ON OUR HONEYMOON, YOU MIGHT SAY.

HOW'S YOUR FAMILY, JOHN-BOY?

FINE, FINE. LISTEN, HOW'S THE MAIL SITUATION?

WE HAVEN'T QUITE FIGURED OUT THE DIVISION OF LABOR.

EXCUSE ME.

NOW LET'S SEE, JOHN-BOY, YOU GOT, UH,

ONE BACK HERE FROM, UH,

LIBERTY MAGAZINE. YEAH.

AND THEN YOU GOT ANOTHER

REJECT HERE FROM COLLIER'S.

COLLIER'S? AND, UH,

SATURDAY EVENING POST SENT YOU ONE BACK, TOO.

CORABETH? WH-WHAT... WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

MR. GODSEY, IF I AM TO BE YOUR HELPMATE,

I MUST KNOW THE PAPERWORK WHICH THAT REQUIRES.

UH, PLEASE LET ME HAVE THIS, IKE.

WELL, THIS ONE'S FROM THE APPALACHIAN JOURNAL.

I NEVER HEARD OF THAT ONE. YES, I KNOW.

IT IS A VERY, VERY FINE PUBLICATION.

IT PUBLISHES ONLY THE BEST IN RECENT APPALACHIAN FICTION.

AND IF YOU WILL NOTICE, IKE,

THIS IS NOT A RETURN ENVELOPE.

OH, HEY. SO THAT MEANS THEY MIGHT HAVE ACCEPTED IT, HUH?

YES.

DID THEY BUY IT?

NOT QUITE.

THEY LIKE IT.

AND THEY WOULD LIKE ME TO LENGTHEN IT.

BUT JOHN-BOY, FOR A YOUNG MAN ABOUT TO BREAK IN TO PRINT,

YOU DON'T SEEM TERRIBLY EXCITED.

COUSIN CORABETH, I ALMOST BROKE IN TO PRINT ONCE BEFORE

AND IT WAS A DISASTER.

I ALWAYS FANCIED I COULD WRITE

HAD I BEEN GIVEN THE TIME AND PLACE.

CORABETH, WOULD YOU GO FETCH ME A CUP OF COFFEE?

MR. GODSEY, IF A GENTLEMAN WANTED A LADY

TO GET HIM A CUP OF COFFEE,

I WOULD THINK THERE WOULD BE A MORE GRACIOUS WAY

OF REQUESTING IT.

CORABETH, WOULD YOU

PLEASE GET ME A CUP OF COFFEE?

OF COURSE, MR. GODSEY.

I WILL SERVE IT ON THAT SMALL TRAY

WITH THE SMALL FLOWERS THAT OLIVIA GAVE US

FOR OUR WEDDING PRESENT.

JOHN-BOY? NO, THANK YOU,

I HAVE TO HIT THE TRAIL.

JOHN-BOY, THAT STORY THAT THEY'RE ABOUT TO ACCEPT, UH,

IT'S NOT ABOUT ME, IS IT?

NO. OH.

WHO'S IT ABOUT?

WELL, IT'S SORT OF ABOUT MISS MAMIE AND MISS EMILY BALDWIN.

OH, COME ON.

WHAT COULD BE INTERESTING ABOUT THE BALDWIN SISTERS?

JUST ADD ONE ASHLEY LONGWORTH, AND YOU'VE GOT A GOOD STORY.

WELL, YOU DON'T BELIEVE THAT STORY

ABOUT MISS EMILY AND ASHLEY LONGWORTH.

MAYBE, MAYBE NOT.

BUT YOU WILL WHEN YOU READ THE STORY.

IF THEY BUY IT.

OK, ALL RIGHT.

OH, HEY. YOU GOING TO THE CHURCH RAFFLE? I DOUBT IT.

OH, YOU'RE GOING TO MISS THAT FIRST BIG PRIZE.

IT'S A DOOZY!

WELL, I'LL PROBABLY BE WORKING ON THIS, THOUGH. I'LL SEE YOU LATER, IKE.

OK.

BYE.

MAMA. JOHN-BOY.

DO YOU KNOW WHERE IT MENTIONS ANYTHING IN THE BIBLE ABOUT RAFFLES?

NO, WHY?

WELL, ACCORDING TO GRANDMA, THE BIBLE SAYS THEY'RE SINFUL

AND I SHOULDN'T LET THE CHILDREN GO.

WHY, I CAN'T REALLY SEE THE CHILDREN

GOING TO HELL FOR A CHURCH RAFFLE.

ANYWAY, THEY'VE BEEN SELLING TICKETS FOR WEEKS.

IT'S A PITY TO DISAPPOINT THEM. LISTEN, MAMA.

I THINK I MAY HAVE SOME GOOD NEWS FOR YOU.

YOU'VE HAD A STORY ACCEPTED.

MAYBE. MAYBE.

IT'S A STORY I DON'T THINK YOU'VE EVER HEARD.

I SENT IT IN TO THE APPALACHIAN JOURNAL,

WHICH IS A VERY, VERY GOOD MAGAZINE

AND THIS IS WHAT THEY SAID:

"DEAR MR. WALTON. THIS IS A SPLENDID STORY,

"AND WE WOULD LIKE TO PUBLISH IT.

"OUR REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SHORT STORY FORM

"NECESSITATES STORIES OF 5,000 WORDS OR MORE.

"WE WOULD BE MOST INTERESTED IN PUBLISHING YOUR STORY

"IF YOU CAN BRING IT UP TO THE APPROPRIATE LENGTH.

WE SUGGEST THAT YOU APPROACH LENGTHENING IT IN THE AREA OF THE..."

ETCETERA, ETCETERA.

WELL, WHAT'S THE STORY ABOUT?

WELL, UH,

IT'S ABOUT, UH, AN... AN OLD LADY WHO HAS

BUILT A FANTASY ABOUT A MAN THAT SHE FELL IN LOVE WITH

WHEN THEY WERE BOTH VERY YOUNG AND SHE SORT OF TRIES

TO KEEP HIM ALIVE IN HER IMAGINATION.

SOUNDS LIKE MISS EMILY TO ME.

WELL, I... I SORT OF DID GET THE IDEA FROM MISS EMILY.

WELL, DON'T YOU THINK IT MIGHT UPSET MISS EMILY TO... TO READ A STORY

THAT SAYS ASHLEY LONGWORTH WAS ONLY REAL IN HER IMAGINATION?

WELL, NO.

WELL, I NEVER REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT IT.

I MEAN, SHE'LL PROBABLY NEVER RECOGNIZE HERSELF. PEOPLE NEVER DO

WHEN THEY READ SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE IN.

I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT A WRITER DOES.

HE... HE TAKES THE RAW MATERIALS OF A CHARACTER OR SOMETHING

AND... AND HE MOLDS IT IN HIS OWN WAY

FROM HIS OWN IMAGINATION, INTO A DIFFERENT FORM.

SOMETHING ORIGINAL AND... AND DIFFERENT.

ALL THE SAME, IT'D BE A SHAME TO HURT MISS EMILY'S FEELINGS.

MAMA, I WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING TO HURT MISS EMILY'S FEELINGS.

AND BESIDES, SHE'LL NEVER EVEN READ IT.

THERE'S NOT MORE THAN 5 OR 6 PEOPLE SUBSCRIBED TO THIS MAGAZINE.

- SHE'LL NEVER KNOW. - I HOPE NOT.

LOOK, MAMA, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT

IF YOU WOULD NOT TELL ANYBODY ABOUT THIS STORY.

YOU CAN... YOU CAN TELL DADDY, BUT DON'T TELL THE CHILDREN

BECAUSE AFTER THAT VANITY PRESS BUSINESS

I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO KNOW UNTIL I'VE SOLD IT FOR SURE, OK?

NOT A WORD.

EVEN AS A YOUNG WOMAN,

SHE WAS ALWAYS ADDRESSED AS MISS CHARLOTTE.

AND IT WAS NOT SO MUCH OUT OF RESPECT

BUT RATHER FROM A SENSE OF HER OBVIOUS DESTINY.

HER FRIENDS WHISPERED HOW UNFORTUNATE IT WAS

THAT MISS CHARLOTTE HAD BEEN BORN TO BE A SPINSTER.

MISS CHARLOTTE HAD NO SUCH IMAGE OF HERSELF.

SHE DREAMT OF A SUITOR WHO WOULD LOVE HER

AND WHOM SHE WOULD LOVE IN RETURN.

JOHN-BOY, WHERE ARE YOU? WHAT? I'M HERE.

I AM IN NEED OF A FRIEND AND COMPANION, JOHN-BOY.

WAIT, JUST A MINUTE.

I'M COMING.

JOHN-BOY? YES?

I WANT YOU TO TAKE A STROLL WITH ME OVER TO IKE'S FOR THE CHURCH RAFFLE.

WELL, I'M A LITTLE BUSY, GRANDPA.

I'M DOIN' SOMETHING THAT'S KIND OF IMPORTANT HERE.

YOU'RE TOO BUSY TO TAKE A LOOK

AT THE MYSTERIOUS FIRST PRIZE?

THEY GOT IT ALL COVERED OVER WITH SOMETHING

SO YOU CAN'T EVEN GET A PEEK AT IT.

WHAT'S SO MYSTERIOUS ABOUT IT?

AS NEAR AS I CAN MAKE OUT,

THE BALDWIN LADIES HAVE DONATED IT AND THEY DON'T WANT

TO UNVEIL IT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE.

I WONDER IF IT'S, UH...

WELL, COME ON, IT WON'T TAKE MORE THAN A HALF-HOUR, 45 MINUTES MAYBE.

THE BALDWIN LADIES, YOU SAY?

YEAH.

UH, COME ON.

WELL, IT'S A FUNNY THING. I'M... I'M JUST, SORT OF, WORKING ON A STORY

THAT'S, SORT OF, BASED ON THE BALDWIN SISTERS.

WHAT'S THAT? I SAID I'M,

I'M, SORT OF, WRITING A STORY

THAT'S LOOSELY BASED ON THE BALDWIN LADIES.

OH, WHAT DO YOU KNOW?

WELL, YOU WANT TO BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WRITE ABOUT THEM, YOU KNOW,

IF YOU WANT TO SELL IT.

THEY'RE DELICATE LADIES, IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.

OH, I KNOW.

COME ON.

WELL, UH, SURE. OK, I'LL COME WITH YOU.

COME ON.

LET'S GO.

OK, ELIZABETH, TAKE OUT THE TICKET FOR THE BIG PRIZE.

I KNOW THIS IS THE ONE YOU'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR.

YOU'VE BEEN WONDERING WHAT IT IS.

AND YOU'RE GOING TO FIND OUT IN JUST A MINUTE.

THAT PRIZE, BY THE WAY, WAS DONATED BY MISS EMILY

AND MISS MAMIE BALDWIN.

OH, IT'S A DOOZY. NOW.

THAT, UH, NUMBER IS NUMBER 17.

WHO'S GOT LUCKY NUMBER 17?

17?

COME ON, SOMEBODY OUT THERE HAS GOT IT.

WHO'S GOT 17?

LOOK IN YOUR POCKETS. NUMBER 17?

ZEB WALTON.

COME ON UP HERE, ZEB.

IT'S ME! IT'S ME!

HEY, ZEB WALTON.

HE'S THE WINNER. COME ON UP HERE, ZEB.

COME ON OVER. OH, THAT'S WONDERFUL.

CONGRATULATIONS, GRANDPA.

CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR GOOD FORTUNE.

OK, ZEB, COME ON UP HERE.

COME ON UP HERE, ZEB,

AND TAKE THE TOP OFF OF THAT THING

SO WE CAN SEE WHAT YOU WON, HUH?

WON'T YOU SAY SOMETHING, MR. WALTON?

I'M OVERWHELMED.

I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY.

HER BEAUTY IS EXTRAORDINARY.

UH, UH, TELL HIM HER HISTORY, SISTER.

OH, YOU TELL HIM, EMILY.

WELL, AS YOU KNOW, MR. WALTON, IN 1901,

PAPA TOOK US ON THE GRAND TOUR.

WE TRAVELED THROUGH THE STATELY HOMES OF ENGLAND.

THE FJORDS OF NORWAY.

THE CATHEDRALS OF PARIS.

THE CANALS OF VENICE.

COMING AT LAST TO FLORENCE, ITALY.

WELL, YOU'VE NEGLECTED TO MENTION THAT PAPA

WAS ALWAYS ENRAPTURED

WITH MR. EDGAR ALLAN POE'S POEM

ANNABEL LEE.

OH, YES. THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT,

BECAUSE IT WAS IN FLORENCE, ITALY

THAT WE MET A YOUNG SCULPTOR, QUITE TALENTED

AND PAPA COMMISSIONED HIM TO SCULPT THIS STATUE

BASED ON THE POEM COMPOSED BY MR. POE.

ANNABEL LEE.

OH, IT'S A LOVELY STATUE, LADIES

BUT I WOULDN'T WANT TO DEPRIVE YOU

OF SUCH A BEAUTIFUL OBJECT D'ART.

WELL. WELL,

UH, WE MUST CONFESS, MR. WALTON.

OUR DEAR LATE MOTHER DIDN'T CARE FOR HER

AND, UH, SHE HAS BEEN HIDDEN AWAY ALL THESE YEARS.

AND WE JUST FELT THAT THE TIME HAD COME

FOR HER TO SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY.

IN THAT CASE, I GLADLY ACCEPT.

CONGRATULATIONS, AGAIN.

CONGRATULATIONS. I HOPE YOU ENJOY IT.

INDEED. INDEED, YES.

JOHN-BOY?

MISS EMILY, MISS... MISS MAMIE.

THAT'S A BEAUTIFUL STATUE.

WE ARE SO PLEASED TO HEAR THE NEWS. WHAT NEWS?

MR. GODSEY TOLD US ALL ABOUT THE STORY YOU'RE WRITING

ABOUT ASHLEY LONGWORTH AND ME.

INDEED, YES, AND WE ARE DEEPLY MOVED

AT THE PROSPECT... OF THE STORY FINALLY BEING TOLD.

OH, WELL, UM, GOOD, I'M GLAD.

BUT... YOU...

EXCUSE ME JUST A MINUTE, LADIES, I HAVE TO SPEAK TO SOMEBODY.

EXCUSE ME.

IKE GODSEY. YEAH?

YOU... WHAT DID YOU GO... WHAT DID YOU GO AND RUIN EVERYTHING FOR?

WHAT DID I RUIN? YOU TOLD MISS MAMIE AND MISS EMILY

ABOUT THAT STORY I WAS WRITIN'.

WELL, YOU DIDN'T TELL ME YOU DIDN'T WANT TO TELL THEM. AND YOU KNOW...

WHY, ARE THEY UNHAPPY THAT YOU ARE WRITIN' ABOUT THEM?

THAT'S NOT THE POINT, IKE. OF COURSE THEY LOVE THE IDEA. IT'S JUST...

WELL, IT'S JUST THAT I DON'T WANT THE WHOLE COUNTY KNOWING

THAT I MIGHT GET PUBLISHED. SUPPOSE SOMETHING HAPPENS AGAIN.

I'D JUST APPRECIATE IT IF YOU BE MORE PRIVATE

ABOUT MY BUSINESS IN THE FUTURE.

IF YOU DON'T MIND.

WELL, I WAS JUST SO HAPPY FOR YOU, I WANTED TO TELL SOMEBODY.

OK. JUST...

JUST TRY TO CONTAIN YOURSELF NEXT TIME, ALL RIGHT?

OK.

JOHN-BOY. I NEED YOUR HELP HERE.

WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO WITH THIS THING?

THIS IS THE SPITTING IMAGE,

THE VERY IMAGE OF MOSELLE LEWIS.

WHO IS MOSELLE LEWIS?

SHE WAS A WOMAN THAT I WAS COURTIN'

BEFORE YOUR GRANDMA COME DOWN THE TRACK.

REALLY? W-WHAT IS GRANDMA GONNA SAY ABOUT THAT?

WELL, I HOPE SHE DON'T REMEMBER MOSELLE AS WELL AS I DID.

COME ON, GIVE ME A HAND HERE. NOW WAIT A MINUTE.

THAT'S TOO HEAVY FOR YOU. LET ME GET IT. WE NEED A WHEELBARROW.

- NO, GRANDPA. - LET IT GO.

STEADY, JOHN-BOY, HERE WE GO.

A HAND, PA?

CAN I MAKE HER...

NO, NO, I WANT YOU ALL TO STAND BACK

AND BE PREPARED TO GAZE UPON A THING OF BEAUTY.

I CAN'T SEE WHAT ALL THE MYSTERY'S ABOUT.

YOU'LL LIKE IT, GRANDMA.

YEAH, WELL, I'LL MAKE UP MY OWN MIND AFTER I SEE IT.

ALL RIGHT, FOLKS,

GAZE UPON THIS GLORIOUS FIRST PRIZE.

TA-DA!

MY LORD!

WHAT'S THE MATTER, OLD WOMAN?

DON'T YOU RECOGNIZE A WORK OF ART WHEN YOU SEE ONE?

WELL, IF, UH,

THAT'S THE FIRST PRIZE, HOW BAD ARE THE OTHERS?

LIVIE?

IT'S VERY INTERESTING, GRANDPA.

JOHN, YOU HAVE NOT EXPRESSED AN OPINION.

CONGRATULATIONS, PA.

NOW, SHE LOOKS LIKE SOMEBODY,

BUT FOR THE LIFE OF ME I DON'T KNOW WHO.

WHERE ARE YOU PLANNIN' ON PUTTIN' HER, GRANDPA?

WHY, SHE'LL SIT RIGHT HERE,

SO I CAN BE UP THERE ON THE PORCH IN MY ROCKER

AND GAZE AT HER TO MY HEART'S CONTENT.

WOULDN'T THE MEADOW BE A LITTLE BIT BETTER?

THEN YOU COULD ENJOY HER

WHILE YOU'RE WORKIN' IN THE MILL.

OH, NO, NO. I WOULDN'T THINK SO.

THAT'D TAKE MY MIND FROM MY WORK.

YOU KNOW IT'S DANGEROUS WORKIN' AROUND A WOOD SAW.

WELL, THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT THAT FACE I DON'T LIKE.

SHE REMINDS ME OF SOMEBODY.

THIS STATUE WAS INSPIRED BY ANNABEL LEE.

WELL, SHE'S DISGRACEFUL WITH...

WE'LL PUT HER IN THE VEGETABLE GARDEN

AND USE HER AS A SCARECROW.

I THINK SHE'S PRETTY.

SHE STAYS RIGHT HERE.

WELL, WHEREVER SHE STAYS, SUPPER'S GETTING COLD.

COME ON INSIDE, EVERYBODY. WELL, I THINK SHE'S PRETTY.

GOODBYE, ANNABEL. I THINK SHE'S REAL PRETTY, GRANDPA.

JOHN-BOY? HMM?

YOU GOING TO STAY UP ALL NIGHT?

I MAY HAVE TO. IT'S PRETTY SLOW GOING.

YOU RUNNING OUT OF INSPIRATION?

AH!

IKE BLABBED TO THE BALDWIN LADIES

THAT I WAS WRITIN' THIS STORY ABOUT THEM.

AND NOW KNOWING THAT THEY KNOW THAT I'M WRITING A STORY

MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO WRITE IT.

WHY DON'T YOU GIVE IT A REST AND START FRESH IN THE MORNING?

YEAH, YOU'RE PROBABLY RIGHT.

GOOD NIGHT.

GOOD NIGHT.

I KNOW WHAT I HAVE TO DO. I JUST HAVE TO WRITE IT MY WAY.

I JUST HAVE TO PUT IT DOWN AS IT COMES TO ME.

JUST SOMETHING IS STOPPING THE FLOW.

COMPANY, MAMIE.

WERE WE EXPECTING COMPANY?

NO, BUT I'LL SEE WHO IT IS JUST THE SAME.

WHAT A TREAT!

SISTER, IT'S JOHN-BOY.

OH, JOHN-BOY.

JUST IN TIME FOR TEA.

DO COME IN AND SIT DOWN.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WILL YOU HAVE SOME TEA, JOHN-BOY? UH, NO, THANK YOU.

NO TEA FOR ME. I, UH,

I WANTED TO SPEAK WITH YOU ABOUT SOMETHING.

I DO HOPE YOU AND YOUR GRANDFATHER

GOT HIS PRIZE HOME SAFELY.

YES, WE DID. IT'S SITTING IN THE FRONT YARD.

DID THE REST OF THE FAMILY

ENJOY THE... HIS GOOD FORTUNE?

WELL, THEY HAD DIFFERENT OPINIONS ABOUT IT. UH,

I WANTED TO SPEAK WITH YOU

ABOUT THAT STORY THAT IKE TOLD YOU I WAS WRITING.

OH, JOHN-BOY.

YOU CAN'T KNOW THE JOY THAT THE KNOWLEDGE

THAT YOU'VE WRITTEN A STORY ABOUT US

AND ASHLEY LONGWORTH.

HAS GIVEN TO MY SISTER AND ME.

YES.

I WANT TO BE COMPLETELY HONEST IN THIS STORY. SO...

NOW, WE WOULDN'T HAVE IT ANY OTHER WAY.

NOW, WE WILL, OF COURSE, SUPPLY YOU

WITH ANY AND ALL INFORMATION YOU MAY NEED.

YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, THAT ASHLEY LONGWORTH

WAS A STUDENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA?

WELL, OF COURSE HE KNOWS THAT, SISTER.

AND HOW WOULD HE KNOW THAT?

WELL, YOU'VE TOLD THE STORY OFTEN ENOUGH.

SISTER, I DO BELIEVE YOU'RE JEALOUS.

OH!

BY WHAT RIGHT WOULD I BE JEALOUS?

I HAD BEAUS OF MY OWN.

NAME ONE.

UH, UH, OCTAVIUS FAIRWEATHER.

OH, PAPA COULD NEVER HAVE ALLOWED YOU

TO MARRY A FAIRWEATHER.

WHY, THE FAMILY HAVE ONLY BEEN IN VIRGINIA

FOR ABOUT 100 YEARS.

PRACTICALLY NEWCOMERS.

AFTER ALL, AS I RECALL, HE ONLY CAME TO SEE YOU ONCE.

BUT HE WOULD HAVE CALLED AGAIN.

BUT PAPA INTIMIDATED HIM.

YES, AND I NEVER DID UNDERSTAND WHY.

AFTER ALL, OCTAVIUS NEVER KISSED YOU.

YOU SEE, JOHN-BOY, ASHLEY DID KISS ME.

YES. MISS EMILY...

IT WAS OUT THERE UNDER THE MAPLE TREE.

AND A SHOWER OF GOLDEN LEAVES

WAS SWIRLING ABOUT IN THE AUTUMN WIND.

YES.

MISS EMILY, UM, HMM?

EVERY WRITER, UH, HAS

A DIFFERENT VERSION, HIS OWN VERSION,

OF A... OF A FAMILIAR STORY

WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT COINCIDE

WITH THE VERSIONS OF OTHER PEOPLE. UH,

I WOULDN'T WANT THE STORY TO OFFEND YOU.

OFFEND ME?

YOU SEE, UH, I, AS A... AS A WRITER

UH, WHEN... WHEN I TRANSLITERATE

OR, UM, OR FICTIONALIZE AN EVENT

WHICH HAS ACTUALLY TAKEN PLACE UM, WELL,

THE WAY IT APPEARS ON THE... ON THE PRINTED PAGE

MIGHT NOT NECESSARILY COINCIDE WITH...

WITH THE WAY A... A PERSON WHO HAD

ACTUALLY EXPERIENCED THE... THE EVENT

WOULD THINK ABOUT THE EVENT.

DO YOU SEE?

I DON'T UNDERSTAND.

WHAT I... WHAT I MEAN IS THAT... THAT

UH, THE STORY AS I TELL IT MAY NOT BE THE WAY Y-YOU REMEMBER IT.

IT'S MY INTERPRETATION OF... OF A CHARACTER.

IN OTHER WORDS, YOU MIGHT NOT EVEN RECOGNIZE

YOUR OWN CHARACTER AT ALL.

I'M DISAPPOINTED.

I'D HOPED ASHLEY MIGHT READ THE STORY WHEREVER HE IS

AND IT MIGHT PROMPT HIM

TO COME THIS WAY IN HIS TRAVELS.

FOR OLD TIMES' SAKE, DON'T YOU KNOW?

OH, HE'LL NEVER SEE IT.

AND YOU'LL PROBABLY NEVER EVEN READ IT.

IT'S... IT'S GONNA BE PUBLISHED IN A VERY OBSCURE

LITERARY MAGAZINE CALLED THE APPALACHIAN JOURNAL,

AND HARDLY ANYBODY EVER SUBSCRIBES TO IT.

WE DO.

YOU SUBSCRIBE TO THE APPALACHIAN JOURNAL?

MMM-HMM. PAPA SUBSCRIBED TO IT YEARS AGO

AND WE GET OUR COPY EVERY MONTH.

IT'S AN EXCELLENT PUBLICATION.

IT CERTAINLY IS.

JOHN-BOY,

PERHAPS WE COULD HELP IN THIS WAY.

HMM? PERHAPS YOU COULD LET US

READ IT BEFORE IT APPEARS

AND THEN IF THERE ARE ANY DETAILS

THAT ARE INCORRECT, WE COULD TELL YOU.

OH, NO. NO, NO, I...

OH, THAT'S AN EXCELLENT IDEA, SISTER.

I THINK IT IS.

HMM.

OH, JOHN-BOY. IKE.

I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I AM VERY CALM AT THIS MOMENT.

I'VE THOUGHT THIS OVER VERY CAREFULLY IN MY MIND

AND I AM IN COMPLETE CONTROL OVER MY OWN EMOTIONS.

JOHN-BOY, THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE

WHO COULD PROFIT BY YOUR EXAMPLE.

CORABETH, I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK WITH IKE PRIVATELY, PLEASE.

OH, JOHN-BOY, WHATEVER'S MR. GODSEY'S BUSINESS IS MY BUSINESS.

YOU WERE PRESENT WHEN WE WERE JOINED

IN THE HOLY STATE OF MATRIMONY.

CORABETH. PLEASE.

IKE,

I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I HAVE NEVER BEEN

AS ANGRY AT ANYONE IN MY WHOLE LIFE

AS I AM WITH YOU RIGHT NOW.

YOU DO SEEM PRETTY UPSET. UPSET!

UPSET IS NOT THE WORD FOR IT.

IKE, I TOLD YOU THE OTHER DAY THAT I WAS WRITING

A STORY ABOUT THE BALDWIN LADIES.

THIS STORY IS NOT... IS NOT

LITERALLY A BIOGRAPHY ABOUT THE BALDWIN LADIES.

IT'S JUST I GOT THE IDEA FROM THEM.

AND YOU BLABBED TO THEM AND NOW THEY THINK

THAT THE STORY IS LITERALLY ABOUT THEM.

WELL, IT IS, ISN'T IT? NO, IT'S... YES!

NO, IT'S NOT LITERALLY ABOUT THEM.

THE STORY IS MY... MY INTERPRETATION

OF AN EVENT, WHICH IS SUGGESTED BY AN EVENT IN THEIR LIVES.

IT DOES NOT NECESSARILY COINCIDE WITH THEIR OWN INTERPRETATION.

AND BECAUSE YOU CANNOT KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT ABOUT SOMETHING

WHICH IS NOT YOUR BUSINESS, I CAN'T GET MY STORY PUBLISHED.

I CAN'T EVEN WRITE IT CORRECTLY.

JOHN-BOY, I WILL NOT HAVE YOU HOLLERING AT ME LIKE THAT. WHAT?

LOOK, FIRST YOU WERE MAD BECAUSE YOU WERE A-AFRAID

THAT EVERYONE WOULD FIND OUT THAT YOU'RE BEING PUBLISHED.

NOW YOU'RE MAD BECAUSE THE BALDWIN LADIES

THINK THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE WRITING ABOUT THEM.

JOHN-BOY, WHAT'S REALLY BOTHERING YOU?

WHAT IS BOTHERING ME?

I DON'T KNOW.

"I WAS A CHILD AND SHE WAS A CHILD

"IN OUR KINGDOM BY THE SEA

"BUT WE LOVED WITH A LOVE THAT WAS MORE THAN LOVE

"I AND MY ANNABEL LEE

"WITH A LOVE THAT THE WINGED SERAPHS OF HEAVEN

"COVETED HER AND ME

OH, ANNABEL, ANNABEL, ANNABEL LEE!"

OLD MAN, YOU'LL CATCH YOUR DEATH

SITTIN' OUT HERE IN THE CHILL OF THE EVENING.

JUST TAKIN' THE NIGHT AIR, ESTHER.

AND ADMIRING THAT... THAT...

CONTEMPLATION IS A HARMLESS SPORT, ESTHER.

I KNOW WHO SHE LOOKS LIKE.

WHO IS THAT, OLD DARLING?

THAT LOOSE WOMAN THAT YOU WERE HAVIN' SUCH A FINE TIME WITH

WHEN YOU MET ME.

THAT'S MOSELLE LEWIS!

NO. NO, ESTHER. YOU'RE MISTAKEN.

MOSELLE LEWIS I REMEMBER VERY WELL.

SHE'S A FINE HIGH-STEPPING LADY.

AND I REGARDED HER VERY FAVORABLY, BUT NO,

THIS ISN'T MOSELLE,

THIS IS POE'S ANNABEL LEE.

WELL, DON'T YOU COME COMPLAINING TO ME

WHEN... WHEN THE RHEUMATISM HITS YOU

FOR SITTIN' OUT HERE IN THE NIGHT AIR WITH... WITH HER.

I BEST BE GETTIN' IN.

ESTHER'S FEATHERS APPEAR TO BE RUFFLED.

YEAH, PA, I GUESS YOU COULD SAY THAT.

IT'S RIDICULOUS.

DO YOU THINK HE'S PLANNIN' ON LETTIN' THAT THING SIT THERE FOREVER?

I DON'T KNOW, LIV.

MAYBE IT'LL START A TREND.

PEOPLE WILL START TRYIN' TO KEEP UP WITH THE WALTONS

AND PRETTY SOON EVERYBODY WILL HAVE A STATUE IN THEIR FRONT YARD.

THAT IS NO JOKE. WE'LL BE THE LAUGHINGSTOCK OF THE COUNTY.

I'LL HAVE HIM MOVE IT IF YOU WANT ME TO.

OH, I'D HATE TO DO THAT.

SEEMS TO GET SUCH PLEASURE.

HE JUST SAT THERE ALL AFTERNOON

LOOKING AT THAT SILLY THING.

YOU'RE A CHEERFUL LOOKIN' SIGHT, SON.

OH, DON'T MAKE FUN OF ME TONIGHT, DADDY.

YOU SHOULD SEE YOURSELF, SON.

I CAME PRETTY CLOSE TO HITTIN' IKE GODSEY,

AND I THINK I INSULTED CORABETH.

ARE YOU STILL MAD AT IKE FOR TELLIN' MISS MAMIE

AND MISS EMILY ABOUT YOUR STORY?

AH, LIV,

REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS LIKE BEING YOUNG?

JOHN, WHAT AN AWFUL THING TO SAY.

IT HAPPENS, LIV.

IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN TO ME.

HOW'RE YOU GOING TO STOP IT?

GETTIN' OLD?

OH, I DON'T KNOW. BUT THAT'S SOME PLACE

I DON'T WANNA GO.

MA AND PA SEEM TO MANAGE.

YOU CALL THAT MANAGING?

HER BICKERIN' AT HIM FROM DAY TO NIGHT

AND HIM SITTIN' THERE LOOKIN' AT THAT SILLY STATUE ALL DAY?

I WONDER WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE LIKE WHEN WE'RE THEIR AGE.

JUST DON'T YOU DARE CALL ME "OLD WOMAN."

YOU LIKE "OLD DARLING" ANY BETTER?

YOU SLEEPY?

OH.

I CAN HARDLY KEEP MY EYES OPEN.

OH, I'LL PROBABLY BE ASLEEP BY THE TIME YOU COME UP.

SWEET DREAMS.

YOU, TOO.

ZEB.

WHAT'S THE TROUBLE? WHAT'S THE MATTER?

SOMEBODY BREAKIN' IN?

WILL YOU WAKE UP?

I WANT TO TALK TO YOU.

OH.

ESTHER, SOMETIMES YOU ARE THE MOST EXASPERATING WOMAN.

WHY HAVE YOU AWAKENED ME?

I WANT THAT STATUE OUT OF THE FRONT YARD.

WHY?

WHY?

WELL, WELL, I JUST DON'T LIKE WHERE IT IS.

OH, DEAR, I SUPPOSE,

I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GET ANY SLEEP

UNTIL I PROMISE TO REMOVE ANNABEL IN THE MORNING.

THAT'S RIGHT.

I PROMISE, BUT ONLY UNDER PROTEST.

NIGHT, ZEB.

AH, YOU'RE WELCOME, ESTHER.

JOHN,

DID YOU HEAR STRANGE NOISES DURING THE NIGHT?

I THOUGHT I HEARD PA MOVING AROUND.

JOHN.

HOW DID THAT THING GET IN THE HOUSE?

I DON'T KNOW, IT SURE DIDN'T FLY IN.

GOOD MORNING.

THE HAT'S ALL RIGHT.

BUT GRANDMA'S APRON JUST DOESN'T WORK.

HOW DID IT GET IN HERE?

I DON'T KNOW, BUT ALL I KNOW IS IT'S NOT STAYING.

YOU TWO GET THAT THING OUT OF HERE.

WHO'S YOUR FRIEND?

DON'T BE FUNNY.

COME ON OVER HERE AND GIVE US A HAND, WILL YOU, JASON?

WE CAN CARRY THIS THING IF YOU'LL GIVE US A HAND.

COME ON, SON. WHERE CAN I GRAB AHOLD OF THIS?

JUST TAKE IT NEAR THE CORNER OVER THERE.

GRANDPA IS NOT GONNA LIKE YOU PUTTING HIS LADY IN THE CORNER.

HE'S GONNA HAVE TO FIND SOME PLACE FOR IT.

YOUR MOTHER WON'T LET HIM KEEP IT IN THE HOUSE.

WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH YOU, CHANCE?

AIN'T YOU EVER SEEN A THING OF BEAUTY BEFORE?

CAREFUL, SON, DOESN'T LOOK LIKE HE LIKES THAT THING.

WATCH OUT, WATCH OUT!

CHANCE, COME BACK HERE.

CHANCE! WATCH IT!

CHANCE!

DARN THING KICKED OVER THE MILK.

WELL, THERE'S NO USE CRYIN' OVER IT.

GRANDPA, DID YOU BRING THAT STATUE IN HERE LAST NIGHT?

I DID NOT.

WELL, IT WAS SITTING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FLOOR

FIRST THING THIS MORNING.

WHERE IS SHE NOW?

JOHN AND JOHN-BOY TOOK HER OFF SOMEWHERE.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY DID WITH HER.

WHAT HAVE YOU FELLOWS DONE WITH ANNABEL?

WE PUT HER IN THE BARN, PA.

FIRST, I AM FALSELY ACCUSED

OF DOING MISCHIEVOUS ACTS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT

THEN I COME OUT TO FIND YOU TWO MAKING MERRY

WITH MY OWN PERSONAL AND PRIVATE PROPERTY.

NOW I AM WORKED UP OVER THIS AFFAIR, MAKE NO BONES ABOUT IT.

CAN YOU THINK OF A BETTER PLACE TO PUT HER?

INDEED I CAN, AND I WILL.

ZEB, WHAT DID YOU DO WITH THAT...

THAT THING!

ESTHER, JUST WHAT HAVE YOU GOT AGAINST ANNABEL?

SHE DOESN'T BELONG HERE.

NOT IN THE YARD, NOT IN THE BARN,

AND NOT IN THE HOUSE.

JUST WHERE DO YOU THINK SHE DOES BELONG THEN?

IN A GRAVEYARD. THAT IS A TOMBSTONE.

ESTHER, YOU'RE RIGHT.

ZEBULON.

JOHN-BOY,

HAVE YOU SEEN YOUR GRANDPA AROUND?

JOHN-BOY, YOU ANSWER ME.

GRANDMA, PLEASE. I'M BUSY WRITING.

WELL, WHY COULDN'T YOU JUST TELL ME?

I DID JUST TELL YOU THAT.

OH, THERE'S NO RESPECT FROM YOUNG PEOPLE ANYMORE.

GRANDMA, I'M NOT BEING DISRESPECTFUL, I'M WORKING.

YOU JUST SAID YOU WERE WRITIN'.

GRANDMA, WRITING IS WORK.

IT'S AS BACKBREAKING AS DIGGING A DITCH.

IT... IT'S AS EXHAUSTING AS PLOWING A FIELD FROM SUNUP TO SUNDOWN.

AND IF YOU DON'T GET YOUR WORK PUBLISHED

NOBODY IN THE WORLD CARES ABOUT WHAT YOU WRITE

EXCEPT YOU YOURSELF.

WELL, THEN WHAT DID YOU TAKE IT UP FOR?

BECAUSE I LOVE IT.

HERE, HERE.

COME ON, ERIN. COME ON, ERIN.

OH, I CAN GET YOU.

OH, HE MISSED. COME ON.

ANY OF YOU CHILDREN SEEN YOUR GRANDPA?

COME ON, GET HIM.

GET HIM!

BOO!

NOW, HAVE ANY OF YOU SEEN YOUR GRANDPA?

NO, GRANDMA, WE HAVEN'T.

NOT SINCE BREAKFAST, GRANDMA.

ALL RIGHT. NOW I'VE GOT IT,

SO YOU BETTER ANSWER ME.

MAYBE HE'S LOST, GRANDMA.

COME ON, THROW IT HARDER.

GET HIM, BEN! OH!

ALL RIGHT, NOW. YOU GIVE ME THAT.

IF YOU WANT TO PLAY BALL, YOU BETTER ANSWER ME.

GRANDMA, HE'S PROBABLY WHERE HE WAS YESTERDAY

AND THE DAY BEFORE THAT.

AND WHERE WAS THAT? WHERE WAS HE YESTERDAY?

AT THE GRAVEYARD.

GRANDMA, THE BALL.

COME ON, I'M IN THE MIDDLE.

OK, BEN.

WHY, ESTHER,

WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU DOING HERE?

THIS WAS TO BE A SURPRISE FOR YOU.

IT IS.

WELL, HOW DO YOU LIKE IT?

THIS IS FOR KEEPING THINGS IN

OR KEEPING THINGS OUT?

OH, IT'S JUST A LITTLE OLD PICKET FENCE FOR OUR FINAL RESTING PLACE.

YOU ALWAYS DID SAY YOU LIKED WHITE PICKET FENCES.

THERE'S NO GATE.

WHAT DO YOU NEED A GATE FOR?

OH, I DON'T KNOW.

BUT A GATE WOULD GIVE IT MORE OF A SENSE OF FREEDOM.

WHY DO YOU NEED A GATE?

YOU STEP RIGHT OVER A LITTLE OLD PICKET FENCE LIKE THIS.

WELL, COULDN'T YOU PUT A GATE RIGHT THERE?

NO, I WILL NOT GIVE YOU A GATE.

NEXT THING YOU KNOW, YOU'LL BE WANTING A PADLOCK AND A HASP

AND HEAVEN KNOWS WHAT ELSE.

BESIDES, ONCE WE ARE IN HERE FOR KEEPS,

WHERE WOULD YOU PUT THE KEY?

WELL, COULDN'T YOU PUT A GATE WITH A SLIDE BOLT ON IT?

NO, I AM NOT GOING TO PUT A GATE HERE.

ON A COLD, WINDY NIGHT,

WHY, THE GATE WOULD BE FLAPPING BACK AND FORTH

LIKE A CHICKEN WITH ONE WING OFF.

BESIDES, THERE IS SOMETHING MUCH MORE IMPORTANT

THAT I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT, ESTHER.

ARE YOU... ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME?

I'M LISTENING.

ESTHER, WE'VE GOT TO MAKE A DECISION RIGHT HERE AND NOW.

WHO IS GONNA BE ON THE LEFT... ON THE RIGHT.

ON THE RIGHT. THAT IS WHAT I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT.

I WANT TO TELL YOU RIGHT HERE NOW.

ESTHER, LISTEN TO ME.

I'M LISTENIN'.

I HAVE NEVER BEEN COMPLETELY COMFORTABLE

SLEEPING ON THE LEFT SIDE OF OUR BED.

I ONLY LET YOU SLEEP ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BED

BECAUSE YOU SEEM TO PREFER IT.

YOU MEAN THAT ALL THESE YEARS YOU...

I HAVE NEVER SPENT

A COMPLETELY RESTFUL NIGHT. NO, ESTHER.

IT'S TRUE.

WELL, IT'S ONLY THE CHRISTIAN WAY.

ONE GOOD SACRIFICE DESERVES ANOTHER.

OH.

THEN YOU DON'T MIND?

YOU CAN BE ON THE RIGHT.

THEN IT'S ALL SETTLED.

AND THE LITTLE GATE CAN GO RIGHT THERE.

AND THE TOMBSTONE WILL SIT RIGHT UP THERE.

WHAT TOMBSTONE IS THAT?

THAT STATUE I WON AT THE CHURCH RAFFLE.

YOU YOURSELF SAID THAT

THAT'D BE THE MOST APPROPRIATE PLACE TO MAKE USE OF IT.

IF YOU PUT THAT STATUE ANYWHERE NEAR ME,

I AM GOING TO BE BURIED SOMEPLACE ELSE.

THAT'S ALL RIGHT, MOSELLE.

DON'T YOU WORRY ABOUT A THING.

ALTHOUGH IT WAS TOTALLY IMAGINARY,

SHE COULD SEE HIS FACE CLEARLY.

SHE KNEW THE CURVE OF HIS LIPS, THE SLANT OF HIS NOSE,

EACH WAVE OF HIS CORN-COLORED HAIR.

HE HAD BEEN MORE FANTASY THAN FLESH FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.

AND AS THE YEARS PASSED, THE UNREAL BECAME REAL.

UM, COME IN.

DIDN'T YOU HEAR ME CALLING YOU TO SUPPER?

WOULD IT BE ALL RIGHT IF I DIDN'T EAT NOW, MAMA?

NO, IT WOULD NOT BE ALL RIGHT.

BUT I CAN PUT A PLATE IN THE OVEN.

IT WON'T TASTE THE SAME, BUT I CAN DO IT.

THANK YOU.

LOOKS LIKE YOU'VE GOT YOUR PROBLEM WITH THE STORY SOLVED.

I DO.

THE OPPORTUNITY OF BEING PUBLISHED IN THIS MAGAZINE

IS JUST TOO IMPORTANT FOR ME TO PASS UP.

AND I HAVE TO SUBMIT THAT STORY

THE WAY I, AS A WRITER, SEE IT

OR ELSE I DON'T DESERVE TO BE PUBLISHED AT ALL.

WELL, I'M GLAD YOU GOT IT SETTLED ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.

THEN IT'S OK IF I DON'T GO DOWNSTAIRS RIGHT NOW?

AS LONG AS YOU DON'T MAKE A HABIT OF IT.

OK. THANK YOU.

YOU'RE WELCOME, JOHN-BOY.

LIV.

WE'RE GONNA START WITHOUT YOU.

JOHN-BOY WILL BE DOWN LATER.

ALL RIGHT, PA, WILL YOU SAY GRACE TONIGHT, PLEASE?

OH, NO, THANK YOU, JOHN.

I DO NOT FEEL LIKE SAYING GRACE THIS EVENING.

MA?

MAYBE ONE OF THE CHILDREN.

BEN?

GRACIOUS LORD,

WE THANK THEE FOR THY BLESSINGS AND FOR THIS FOOD.

WE PRAY THAT WE MAY LIVE TO SEE ANOTHER DAY

AND WHATEVER'S WRONG BETWEEN GRANDMA AND GRANDPA

GETS CLEARED UP SO THIS HOUSE CAN GET BACK TO NORMAL. AMEN.

AMEN. AMEN.

AMEN.

WHAT IS WRONG BETWEEN GRANDMA AND GRANDPA?

THEY AREN'T SPEAKING TO EACH OTHER.

GRANDPA, WHY ARE YOU AND GRANDMA NOT SPEAKING TO EACH OTHER?

PASS THE POTATOES PLEASE, JIM-BOB.

WHY WON'T YOU LET THE BOY SPEAK OUT?

THOUGHT MAYBE YOU AND MA WOULD LIKE TO SETTLE YOUR DIFFERENCES

SOMEWHERE BESIDES THE TABLE, PA.

I'VE HAVEN'T GOT ANY DIFFERENCE. YOUR MOTHER'S THE ONE

THAT'S CLAMMED UP LIKE A CAT THAT WON'T SAY BOO,

IF WE HAD ONE.

JOHN, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH

IF YOU WOULD GIVE YOUR FATHER A MESSAGE FOR ME.

ALL RIGHT, MA.

ALL RIGHT. YOU TELL HIM FOR ME

THAT I DON'T PLAN TO SPEND ETERNITY

WITH THAT STONE LIKENESS OF THAT FANCY WOMAN

THAT HE SOWED HIS WILD OATS WITH

LOOKING DOWN ON MY FINAL RESTING PLACE.

AND YOU TELL HIM

THAT BEFORE I WILL LET THAT STATUE OF HIS

RUIN MY FINAL RESTING PLACE,

I WILL PUT IT IN MY WILL

THAT I WILL BE BURIED OUT IN THE COW PASTURE.

UH, PA.

MA SAID THAT SHE'S GONNA...

WILL YOU TWO SETTLE THIS BETWEEN YOURSELVES, PLEASE?

ESTHER, MAY I SPEAK TO YOU ALONE?

WE'LL SETTLE THIS IN PRIVATE.

I AM TIRED TO DEATH...

ALL RIGHT, EVERYBODY, IT'S GETTING COLD. EAT UP.

I KIND OF LIKE THAT STATUE ANYWAY.

YOU WOULD.

TURN BLUE, MARY ELLEN.

ALL RIGHT, THAT'S ENOUGH.

OLD WOMAN, YOU'RE SIMPLY JEALOUS BECAUSE YOU THINK...

I SAW AN ORIOLE TODAY.

WHAT'S THAT, LIV?

I SAID I SAW AN ORIOLE TODAY.

YOU DID, HUH?

I HEARD PLENTY OF TALK...

WHAT WAS THE ORIOLE DOING?

YOU GOT A MIND OF YOUR OWN.

IT WAS EATING A WORM.

50 YEARS BEING MARRIED TO YOU...

WHERE WAS THIS?

I WARN YOU, ESTHER... IN THE GARDEN.

WELL, I DIDN'T SAY I WOULD... LOT OF WORMS THIS YEAR.

LOTS OF ORIOLES, TOO.

THERE'S NOT ROOM IN THIS HOUSE FOR THE BOTH OF US.

OH, SOMETIMES, ESTHER, I DON'T THINK

YOU'VE GOT SENSE ENOUGH...

WHAT IN THE NAME OF THE LORD IS GOING ON?

WELL, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT ORIOLES.

MAMA SAW ONE IN THE GARDEN.

IT WAS EATING A WORM.

THERE ARE LOTS OF WORMS THIS YEAR.

LOTS OF ORIOLES, TOO.

THAT'S VERY GOOD NEWS.

I MEAN, WHAT IS THAT GOING ON IN THERE?

YOUR GRANDPARENTS ARE TRYING TO SETTLE A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION.

WHY DOESN'T HE JUST LISTEN TO HER?

WHY DOESN'T SHE LISTEN TO HIM?

THEN YOU WON'T HAVE TO ANY LONGER.

IF ANYBODY WANTS ME,

I'LL BE IN THE BARN IN THE HAYMOW.

JOHN-BOY, BRING ME A BLANKET.

THAT OLD FOOL WILL CATCH HIS DEATH OUT THERE IN THE BARN.

WELL, YOU MEN, DO SOMETHING.

JUST AS SOON AS WE FINISH EATING, MA.

PA. I'M UP HERE.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING UP THERE?

BLEEDING.

YOU HURT YOURSELF, PA?

I SKUNKED THE SKIN OFF MY LEG

CLIMBING UP THE LADDER.

PA, HMM?

WE GOT TO TALK TO YOU.

WELL, YOU BETTER MAKE IT QUICK BEFORE I PASS OUT

FROM BLEEDING TO DEATH.

THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT, PA.

JOHN,

I KNOW YOU'LL INDULGE IN THE WHIMS OF AN OLD MAN.

I WOULD LIKE A REAL NICE FUNERAL.

A BIG ONE WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE.

AND A HOMEMADE COFFIN

AND WILD FLOWERS STREWN AROUND EVERYWHERE.

THAT'S FINE WITH ME, PA. WHEN?

WHEN WHAT?

WHEN ARE YOU PLANNING ON PASSING OVER,

AS THEY SAY DOWN AT THE CHURCH?

EXCUSE ME.

WELL, YOU KNOW, I'VE ALWAYS TOLD YOU, JOHN THAT I...

THAT I HAVE EVERY INTENTION OF LIVING TO BE 101.

HOW OLD ARE YOU? I AM 73 YEARS OF AGE.

YOU KNOW THAT.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BRING A THING LIKE THAT UP AT THIS TIME FOR?

THAT LEAVES YOU OVER 28 YEARS, PA.

YOU MEAN I'VE GOT OVER A QUARTER OF A CENTURY LEFT?

28 YEARS.

THAT'S A LONG TIME TO LEAVE THAT POOR STATUE OUT THERE WAITING ON YOU.

GETTING ALL WORN OUT AND WEATHER-BEATEN WHILE YOU KEEP ON LIVING.

TELL YOU THE TRUTH, BOYS, JUST BETWEEN THE 3 OF US

I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR A WAY TO DISPOSE OF THAT FIRST PRIZE.

I'VE HAD NOTHING BUT HARD LUCK

EVER SINCE I FIRST LAID EYES ON THAT STATUE OF ANNABEL LEE.

JOHN-BOY AND ME HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT, PA.

WE'VE GOT AN IDEA. YOU WANNA HEAR?

YEAH, I'LL LISTEN TO MOST ANYTHING NOW.

THE OLD WOMAN DIDN'T SEND YOU OUT HERE, DID SHE?

KIND OF.

WELL, ALL RIGHT, START TALKING.

RIGHT HERE WHERE YOU HAD IN MIND, GRANDPA?

I THINK THIS IS THE APPROPRIATE SPOT.

LIFT HER UP THERE NOW. EASY.

EASY DOES IT.

THERE WE GO.

READY, GRANDPA? OH, NO, BEN.

GIVE ME A FEW MORE MOMENTS TO ADMIRE HER BEAUTY.

"OH THE MOON NEVER BEAMS

"WITHOUT SEEING HER DREAMS

"OF THE BEAUTIFUL ANNABEL LEE

"AND THE STARS NEVER RISE,

"BUT I FEEL THE BRIGHT EYES

OF MY BEAUTIFUL ANNABEL LEE"

WELL, BEN, I THINK YOU BETTER GET IT OVER WITH.

YEAH. LET'S GO.

"IN HER SEPULCHER" BY THE SEA

IN HER TOMB BY THE SOUNDING SEA"

I'M HERE TO READ YOU THE STORY JUST AS I PROMISED I WOULD.

DO READ IT, JOHN-BOY.

OH, PLEASE DO.

ALL RIGHT.

NOW, YOU... YOU REMEMBER THAT THIS IS NOT

MEANT TO BE A STORY LITERALLY ABOUT YOU.

OK.

"MISS CHARLOTTE RANSOM'S FAMILY

"WAS AN OLD AND RESPECTED ONE IN THE TOWN.

"EVEN AS A YOUNG WOMAN, SHE WAS KNOWN

"AND ADDRESSED AS MISS CHARLOTTE.

"AND IT WAS NOT SO MUCH OUT OF RESPECT,

"BUT RATHER OUT OF HER OBVIOUS DESTINY.

"HER FRIENDS WHISPERED HOW SAD IT WAS

"THAT MISS CHARLOTTE HAD BEEN BORN TO BE A SPINSTER.

"SHE WALKED FROM QUIET ROOM TO QUIET ROOM

"AND THE ONLY SOUNDS THAT CAME TO HER

"WERE THE TICKING OF CLOCKS

"AND THE BEATING OF HER OWN HEART.

"THE REALIZATION THAT SHE WAS TO BE ALONE

"LOVELESS," FOR THE REST OF HER LIFE

"CROWDED INTO HER MIND.

"SHE FELT THE RISE OF PANIC

"AS SHE STOOD "TREMBLING AT THE WINDOW,

"WHICH OVERLOOKED...

"SHE STOOD TREMBLING AT THE WINDOW,

"WHICH OVERLOOKED A MAPLE TREE.

"AND THERE CAME TO HER MIND A MEMORY

"OF A DAY WHEN SHE HAD MET SOMEONE THERE.

"HE WAS A YOUNG UNIVERSITY STUDENT

"HANDSOME AND DEBONAIR.

"AND HE AND MISS CHARLOTTE HAD LOVED ONE ANOTHER

"FROM THE MOMENT THEY FIRST MET.

"AND AS SHE STOOD THERE AT THE WINDOW IN MEMORY

"SHE WAS ONCE MORE THE YOUNG GIRL THAT SHE HAD BEEN

"HELD IN THE ARMS "OF HER ONE TRUE LOVE

"WHILE HE KISSED HER

"AMID THE SWIRLING GOLD AND RUSSET AUTUMN LEAVES.

"CRUEL FATE WAS TO STAND BETWEEN THEIR UNION.

"BUT SHE KNEW THAT WHEREVER HE TRAVELED IN THE WORLD,

"HE CHERISHED HER MEMORY, AS SHE CHERISHED HIS

"AND THAT SOME DAY "IN THE FUTURE

THEY WOULD BE TOGETHER AGAIN."

JOHN-BOY, YOU'VE...

YOU'VE TOUCHED ME VERY DEEPLY.

MISS EMILY?

MISS EMILY.

I DO NOT KNOW WHY

YOU EVER THOUGHT YOUR STORY WOULD NOT PLEASE ME, JOHN-BOY.

YOU HAVE CAPTURED THE VERY ESSENCE

OF MY FEELING FOR ASHLEY AND HIS FOR ME.

I WAS ALWAYS CERTAIN THAT A PERSON OF YOUR SENSITIVITY

WOULD REALIZE THE DEPTHS OF OUR LOVE.

I THINK OF HIM OFTEN.

SOMETIMES,

I FANCY HIM WALKING ALONG A BRIDGE IN VENICE

WITH THE SUN SETTING ACROSS THE SCARLET CANAL

AND HIM REMEMBERING A MAPLE TREE.

OH.

MY DECISION NOT TO SUBMIT MY STORY

ABOUT MISS EMILY WAS DIFFICULT TO MAKE.

BUT LATER, I WAS GLAD I DIDN'T SEND IT TO THE MAGAZINE.

I DID SEND THEM A NEW STORY CALLED THE STATUE.

IT WAS PUBLISHED AND JUST ABOUT EVERYBODY

WHO READ IT ENJOYED IT VERY MUCH.

GOOD NIGHT, GRANDMA.

GOOD NIGHT, GRANDPA.

MAMA.

MAMA, GOOD NIGHT.

EVERYBODY ASLEEP ALREADY?

NO, SON, BUT NO ONE HAS MUCH TO SAY TO YOU

SINCE THEY READ THAT STORY ABOUT THE STATUE.

TELLING EVERYONE I WAS JEALOUS OVER MOSELLE LEWIS.

IT'S NOBODY'S BUSINESS BUT MINE

WHAT COLOR MY NIGHTSHIRT IS.

I HAVE NEVER SAID A SWEAR WORD IN MY LIFE.

AND I DO NOT PRACTICE KISSING ON THE MIRROR OVER MY DRESSER.

AND YOU DIDN'T EVEN MENTION ME AT ALL.

IS THERE ANY CHANCE WE CAN TALK THIS OVER?

I THINK WE OUGHT TO SLEEP ON IT, SON.

GOOD NIGHT.

GOOD NIGHT.