There was beauty on Walton's Mountain
at any time of the year...
but looking back, the time I treasure most is spring.
When the days were growing longer
and the promise of summer was ahead.
They were the kind of days made for dreaming.
But being the oldest of seven children
during the Depression...
didn't leave much time for daydreams.
I remember a morning in the 1930s
when I had been sent to the store...
to oversee the buying of a pair of shoes
for my youngest sister, Elizabeth.
I never get to do anything.
-How's that, Elizabeth? -You pick out the shoes...
John-Boy gets to pay for them. I can't even wear them home.
Because they're for Sunday school, that's why.
Look there!
[dog barking]
-Don't let him hurt it! -Reckless!
-See the way that coon acted? -Ran right off into the woods.
First one I ever saw didn't just scoot up a tree.
Coons are night animals. What's he doing out in the daytime?
-Think he's hurt or something? -We'll see.
-Watch out for snakes. -Come on!
Go ahead, you crummy farmer. You've got the knife. Use it.
Just didn't want you to kill that coon.
Go on, take it.
-Take it easy, will you? -Leave me alone.
Let me look at it.
Not busted, anyway.
How come you were going to kill that raccoon?
I was hungry.
What are you doing?
Fixing you something to walk on.
Then, if you're hungry, we can go get something to eat.
Where?
My house.
Name's John-Boy Walton.
What kind of a name is that?
My father's name is John, and I'm John-Boy.
What's yours?
Gino.
Come on, Gino. Up.
That alright?
That's my sister Mary Ellen.
Hey, Gino.
My little sister Elizabeth is around here somewhere.
Elizabeth!
Don't get upset, she's over there behind the bush.
Elizabeth!
What're you doing with that old coon in your arms?
I think he's sick or something.
Can I take him home?
I reckon it's alright.
I can keep you. John-Boy said so.
I'm going to name you Pete,
because it's the nicest name I know.
-Where are you from, Gino? -North.
And where you heading for, young man?
South.
Should we get in touch with your folks
and tell them you're hurt?
Nobody to get in touch with. I'm a poor orphan.
You in the Army or something?
Where'd you ever get that idea?
Sort of figured from your clothes.
These?
It's a Boy Scout uniform.
Oh, yeah?
Old man, Zeb, don't forget you promised
to pick some strawberries for dessert.
So I did, I'm going to need some help. Who's going to help me?
I will.
I need a few more volunteers.
You, you, you, and you.
Can I stay and keep Gino company?
Suit yourself.
Come along, now.
You know anything about raccoons?
Never saw one until today.
I'll let you play with Pete when he's well again.
-Big deal. -Yeah!
-Where you been, Jim-Bob? -Nowhere.
Yes, you have.
"Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of man?
"The Shadow knows."
I'll tell Mama you been listening
to that scary program on the radio.
I'll tell her you been going to the Baldwins'.
You followed me!
The Shadow knows. Want to confess?
No, sir.
-Give you this if you tell. -What is it?
Genuine Indian arrowhead.
-Where'd you get it? -Over near the barn.
Grandpa says we had lots of Indians around here.
-There are any around here now? -Not many.
Want this? All you got to do is tell.
No, thanks.
We got company.
-Who are you? -Al Capone.
That's not his name. His name is Gino.
-You visiting? -No, I'm stuck here.
He isn't very friendly.
Do you want to see a genuine Indian arrowhead?
What's that?
He doesn't know anything. Never saw a coon until he saw mine.
You got one?
-Yep, want to see him? -Sure do.
-He is concealing something. -I know.
You asking him to supper?
Can't very well turn him away with that bad ankle.
You planning on letting him spend the night?
Where else could he go?
I won't get a wink of sleep.
A shifty boy, a boy we don't know anything about...
spending the night under our roof.
Hey, lady.
I wouldn't sleep in your house if you paid me.
I'm sorry, Gino.
We didn't mean to hurt your feelings.
It's just that you are a stranger...
and we haven't had a chance to get to know you.
That's okay. I'll sleep in the barn...
that is, if you don't think I'll stink up the joint too much.
-Daddy! -How are you? Hello.
Hello, baby, how are you?
-Where's your mama? -Fixing supper.
Who's this?
This is Gino. He got hurt in the woods.
Hello, Gino. Where you from?
Up around Big Meadow.
You're a far piece from home.
I've been moving around.
What were you doing in the woods?
Looking for something to eat.
Time to get washed up for supper.
Here you go.
Come on, son, have yourself something to eat.
-Corn looks pretty good. -Raccoons got most of it.
-I should be a raccoon. -Okay, here.
Elizabeth, would you say grace, please?
Thank you for the food we eat.
Thank you for the world so sweet.
Thank you for the birds that sing.
Thank you, God, for everything.
Very nice.
Here you go.
You're supposed to wait for everybody to get theirs.
It's a rule.
I didn't know.
Sometimes we forget the rule if a man's mighty hungry.
Go ahead, eat up.
-Daddy? -What, honey?
Will you build a cage for Pete?
Who's Pete?
A little raccoon she found in the woods.
Gino was about to kill it.
What were you going to do that for?
I was hungry. I was going to eat it.
Being from up Big Meadow way, it looks like you'd know...
that raccoon's about the worst eating there is.
Nobody ever told me.
Gino, what do you do up in Big Meadow?
Nothing right now.
It's awful pretty up there.
Last fall, we got in the truck and went up
just to see the autumn leaves turning.
Can't decide which is the prettiest,
the maple or the oaks.
The dogwood's the prettiest,
and the next prettiest is the persimmons.
Who asked you?
Nobody did. I was just saying what I remembered.
Somebody start those peas there. Nobody hungry in this family?
We're kind of busy this time of year...
but if you need a ride over to Big Meadow...
I might be able to in a day or two.
I wouldn't want you any trouble.
Won't your folks be anxious about you, son?
I guess not.
You don't like to talk much about yourself, do you, son?
There's nothing to tell.
Daddy, will you please build that cage for Pete?
-Sure, honey. -He's out in a box, outside.
I never did believe in bringing wild things into the family.
It doesn't help the wild thing, nor the one that brought it in.
I'll never forget the first wild thing
I ever brought into my home.
What was that?
You, sweetheart.
Eat your supper.
-How's it coming? -Alright, I guess.
Will he be alright, Daddy?
If you were going to get a coon for a pet,
why did you have to get a sick one?
Because he needed me.
Alright, baby, off to bed you go.
Just a minute, son, I want to talk to you.
Tell me what you know about this Gino.
All I know about him is he hurt his ankle
and he was awful hungry.
Looks like he's got part of a uniform on.
Did he tell you about that?
Said he was in the Boy Scouts.
Yeah, well.
Could be he's a deserter from the army.
He's not going to run very far on that hurt foot.
Tell you what...
I'll let him sleep in the barn tonight...
but I want you to keep an eye on him.
Alright.
You couldn't make it up here with that ankle.
Who says I can't?
I'll fix you a hay bed.
Nothing better to sleep on than fresh hay.
-Smells good. -Yeah.
-Any bugs in this stuff? -None I know of.
I've slept with bugs before, anyway.
Here we go. It'll have to do.
Your mama's some cook.
You're some eater.
Thanks. For the bed, I mean.
Don't mention it.
See you in the morning, Gino.
Sleep tight.
The darkness of night is around us now.
Beyond the safety of the house
the wild things with their shiny eyes...
are moving through the shadows.
There is something wild, too,
about the boy sleeping in the barn.
What he's running from we don't know...
but I think he's beginning to trust us...
and maybe tomorrow the mystery will be all cleared up.
-Keep on passing the biscuits. -Here you go, Grandpa.
Pass them on down to Grandpa.
Jim-Bob, eat slowly. Don't gulp your food.
-Ben gulps his. -I do not.
Alright, boys.
I'd speak to Mary Ellen about that.
She smacks her lips when she eats.
Just watch your step, smarty!
Girls.
Where's Gino this morning?
I expect he's still at the barn, sleeping.
Those city boys sleep late.
Never knew one that didn't.
I've heard of cases where city folk
slept until 9:00 or 10:00 in the morning.
The day's over by then.
Day's gonna be over before I get out of here.
-See you all later. -Bye, Daddy.
Daddy, Gino's not in the barn.
I guess he decided to take off.
-Morning, everybody. -Morning, Gino.
Those hens have sure been busy.
-I'll take those, Gino. -I found them!
You want to cook them?
Thank you.
I can't stay with you very long, or Pete will get lonesome.
-What are you doing? -Talking to this flower.
-Does it talk back? -Hasn't yet.
I've got a little sister not much older than you are.
She talk to flowers, too?
-No. -Why not?
There weren't any flowers where we lived.
-Where is she? -I don't know.
How come?
She got adopted out of an orphans' home.
What was she doing there?
You ask too many questions, kid.
I'm bothering you, huh?
-It's your house. -I'll leave you alone, Gino.
I have to check on Pete, anyway.
Bye, bye.
You don't come from anywhere near Big Meadow, do you?
-I come from a lot of places. -Yeah?
-Where do you really come from? -Hell's Kitchen.
-Come on! -That's what they call it.
It's in New York City.
Over near the river.
What's it like in New York City?
Crummy.
I'd sure love to see it, though.
Empire State Building, Great White Way.
There's a show there right now by Mr. Eugene O'Neill...
called Ah, Wilderness! I'd give anything to see that one.
Did you ever see a show on the Great White Way?
Sure.
The chauffeur drives me up to Broadway
once or twice a week.
Me in my white tie and tails,
my girlfriend in a long white mink coat.
Mr. First Nighter, they call me.
You can't give anybody a straight answer, can you, boy?
What do you want to know?
How you got so far from home.
I was tired of being hungry.
Jobs hard to find?
Not if you don't mind selling apples on a street corner.
Why did you head south?
I joined up with the C.C.C.
They put me in a place called Big Meadow.
I told you I was from there.
I know that camp. They're making a national park up there.
President Roosevelt's supposed to come
and dedicate it soon. Why did you leave?
I couldn't stand it.
It was too much like the army.
A bugle to tell you when to get up...
and another one to tell you when to go to bed at night.
Having to stand in line for chow.
At least you weren't hungry.
Come on, Gino, why did you leave?
Some guy took some money and they tried to pin it on me...
so I just took off.
Did you steal it?
Would I be hanging around here if I had any money on me?
I guess not.
Where's that old marble?
What is this?
What are you doing?
Found this under here. It's some kind of ad.
-Give me that. -Wait a minute.
"Kids, now you can be rich beyond your wildest dreams.
"Sell Capt. Wylly's Super Fine Blueing
to all your neighbors and clean up."
-This is yours, Jim-Bob. -What if it is?
You're going to get rich selling blueing
to all your neighbors?
I'll show you if you promise not to tell.
Okay, what is it?
Twenty cents!
Did you get that from selling blueing?
Yeah, and nobody's ever to know about it.
What's so secret about it?
I think it's sinful.
What're you going to do about it?
I don't know.
I'm still struggling with my conscience.
-Well, I'll be off. -What's your hurry, son?
I got to get over to Albemarle County.
I promised Mr. Dennis Marshall...
I'd put a day training the new bird dog he bought.
Mr. Dennis Marshall's a rich man. I hope he pays you.
Five dollars, but he won't if I don't get there.
Hello, honey.
-Daddy? -What?
Pete's sick, will you take a look?
Tonight, baby. I'm late for work already. Goodbye, all.
-Goodbye, Daddy. -Have a good day.
Hurry up, all of you. Don't want you to be late for school.
You got to get to school, and right now.
-Mama, why wouldn't he do it? -Do what, Elizabeth?
Something to make Pete feel better.
He hasn't got enough time this morning.
Daddy's got a big day ahead of him.
It's important to us all that he bring back that $5 tonight.
Why? I'd much rather have Pete than $5.
Come on, sweetheart, get ready for school.
Come on, pumpkin. Let's see if I can doctor Pete up for you.
Alright?
Come on, Gino, you come, too.
Let's let this little one go. I'll get you another.
I don't want another one. I want Pete.
-He's awful sick, honey. -Daddy could've doctored him.
I'm afraid he needs an animal doctor.
Daddy once doctored Chance
the time she ate too many green apples.
I know.
I'm think this little coon's trouble
is a lot worse than that, though.
-Let's let him go. -No.
You two better get to school.
Gino and I will take care of the raccoon.
Come on, honey.
-Bye, sweetie. -Bye, Mama, bye, Pete.
That little animal would be better off dead.
I don't think we could convince Elizabeth of that.
Hi, Daddy!
-What have you got? -Ain't this a pretty sight?
What is it?
That is a $5 bill.
Wow! We could get enough licorice
for a whole year with that.
Daddy, can we afford to get Dr. Holloway for Pete?
I'll just take that.
It's going into the shoe fund so you won't
run barefooted this winter.
Shoot!
It gets mighty cold.
You should have seen that dog....
[thunder]
Too much static.
It's time to go to bed, anyway.
I'll go to bed, but I won't close my eyes
with this storm brewing.
Only woman I ever knew that could snore with her eyes open.
Goodnight.
Tomorrow's another day.
You go on up, John. I'll get the kitchen.
Tell John-Boy to turn off his light and go to sleep.
Alright, honey.
-Goodnight, Gino. -Goodnight, Mrs. Walton.
[thunder]
Hold it.
It beats me how you can treat this family
that way after we took you in.
I didn't ask you to take me in.
No, we could've left you in the woods, hungry, lame.
That's not our way.
What are you going to do with me, mister?
I've sent for the Sheriff. It's up to him.
What were you going to do with that money
if I hadn't caught you?
There wasn't much. It was hardly $20.
I'll tell you, son, it's a lot to us.
My old man used to pay that much a week in protection money.
What's protection money?
Money that you have to pay to hoods...
else they'll bust up your store, and your head even.
You come from a pretty tough neighborhood.
Place called Hell's Kitchen in New York City.
Told me all about it.
Is that where you learned to steal?
That's where I had to steal to keep alive.
You people don't know what it's like to be poor.
You get hungry, you can go out and grow something...
in the garden or you can shoot it in the forest.
It's not like that in the city.
He's got a point there.
I had it tough all my life, so give me a break.
Want to make it any tougher on me?
No, I don't.
But I don't want to make it any easier, either.
The way I figure it, you're at a crossroads.
You can still make of your life what you want it to be.
You sound just like my old man used to.
I guess all fathers sound the same to their sons.
We want so much for them, we get kind of preachy sometimes.
Do you know your father?
You close to him? Can you talk to him?
No, I can't talk to him.
Maybe you should let him know what's happening to you.
Listen, stop telling me how to run my life, will you?
Alright, Gino. It's up to you.
-Morning, Mr. Godsey. -Jason. What can I do for you?
My daddy sent me to see if I could find Sheriff Bridges.
He's not here yet.
He usually drops by every morning
for a bottle of pop, but....
-Something wrong at your place? -Daddy wants to talk to him.
-Was that all? -Yes, sir. That's the message.
You wanted to talk to me, Jim-Bob?
I have something to confess.
Alright.
I have 20 cents that doesn't belong to me.
Want to tell me how you got the money?
-Blueing. -What?
This ad said you could make money
beyond your wildest dreams.
-And then? -I went to the Baldwin sisters.
You know I don't like you going over there.
I asked them if they wanted to buy some, and they did.
-Where'd you get the blueing? -I didn't.
They just gave me the money, and that's how I got 20 cents.
Are you going to send the money to the company?
I don't know how.
That doesn't seem like such a problem to me.
I don't even know what blueing is, anyway.
If you can sell something without even knowing what it is
you won't have to worry about money for the rest of your life.
I'll tell you what we'll do.
I'll take the money and go over to Mr. Godsey's...
and buy the blueing to give to the Baldwins.
Is 20 cents enough?
Ought to be plenty.
I figure there ought to be at least 5 cents left over.
-That can be your commission. -To keep?
To keep.
I saw Mr. Godsey, Daddy.
-Did you see the Sheriff? -No, sir.
But I left word for him. Should be here pretty soon.
Thank you, son. Now go get yourself ready for school.
Yes, sir.
Not that I enjoy getting anyone arrested.
Sometimes I think there might be a better way to settle problems.
Daddy!
-What is it, little one? -It's Pete. He's awful bad.
Let's go take a look. Maybe he's not as bad as you think.
Gino, you might just be right.
I can't tell you how to live your life.
What did your old man mean by that?
I think he's giving you a chance to run away...
if that's what you want to do.
-Gino. -What?
Remember what he just said about
your being at a crossroads?
What about it?
I reckon I'll be at mine pretty soon.
I just hope everything works out for you.
What do you care? I really don't get this family.
All of this worry over some poor little crummy animal.
And you and your father and everybody trying to...
turn me into some kind of an angel.
That's not so.
I just hate to see you have to throw your life away.
What do you care?
Why should my life matter one way or another...
to a bunch of dirt-poor hicks?
We may be a bunch of dirt-poor hicks...
but we've got something a lot of other people miss.
My mother and father happen to love each other
and they love their children.
I've done a lot of thinking about
what makes this family work.
It's because there's love enough to go around and some to spare!
When my daddy looks at you, he sees me
if I'd been born in Hell's Kitchen.
Guess, maybe we just care about life...
whether it's a wounded raccoon or a runaway boy.
Honey, don't touch.
Will he be alright?
Why don't you go get your books ready for school.
I'll keep an eye on Pete.
They're already together.
How about helping your sisters make the bed, okay?
I did. I want to stay here with Pete.
Sure, baby.
You know what might just work?
What?
Sassafras tea and honey.
How could we get him to drink it?
We could spoon-feed it to him.
Go ask your mama to brew some up.
Put lots of honey in, okay?
Are you sure it will be good for him?
It's worth a try.
I'll be back.
Is there anything I can do, Mr. Walton?
No, Gino, afraid not.
Sassafras tea and honey?
Are you sure that's what he said?
Honest, Mama. Hurry, I don't think there's much time.
I've heard of sassafras tea and honey for a lot of things...
but never for a sick raccoon.
We're going to spoon-feed it to him.
I guess it won't hurt the poor little thing.
It just might do the trick, at that.
Will it take long?
Just as long as it takes a kettle to boil.
Daddy. Is Pete alright?
I'm afraid he's dead, baby.
[crying]
[mouth organ music]
Lord God, we are gathered here to bury this little creature.
If your eye is on the sparrow, then I guess it's on Pete, too.
We ask your blessing on this family...
and keep us safe in your name. Amen.
I've baked a nice chocolate cake.
You can have the first piece.
Why'd he have to die, anyway?
It were his time to go, child.
It isn't fair.
I'm sorry that it had to come to you so early in life...
but a part of living is dying.
When a body is wore out, whether it's a creature or...
a human to let go of life can be a blessing.
I want you to understand that.
Will that bring him back?
Well, no.
You could've saved him if you wanted to.
But you were too busy and didn't care!
My God, Liv, did I do that?
You were busy, John. You tried to explain it to her.
Just don't know what to say to her.
[thunder]
Listen, kid.
Little girl.
Elizabeth?
That kind of stuff never did anybody any good.
Only sissies cry.
I'm no sissy.
I know it.
You're a tough guy, aren't you?
Right now you're feeling cheated.
You know, like it's not fair.
I'm never going to speak to Daddy again.
He could've stopped it.
Sometimes when death comes, it's welcome.
Sometimes it's the right thing to happen.
What do you know about it, anyway?
Plenty.
I saw my old man, my daddy, die.
I had a pretty good family one time.
You know, Mom, the old man, a little sister.
We didn't live grand, the way you do here...
with fresh air and good stuff to eat and everything.
We lived in what they call a tenement.
It's a dark old building with rats
running up and down the halls...
and garbage all over the place.
It's kind of hard for you to picture, huh?
First we lost my mom.
And for a while we got by...
my old man and me taking turns cooking and all that stuff.
Did your sister help?
She wasn't but five, but she did what she could.
Then one day my old man, he was working in his store...
and these hoods came in.
Hoods?
You'd call them bad guys, I guess.
Anyway, they came into the store and they told my old man...
they had to have this protection money.
He told them to get lost.
And there was a fight...
and they shot him.
Your father?
My sister and I, we heard the shots...
and we ran down there and we found him.
He was really hurt bad...
but he was still thinking of us, as bad off as he was.
I called for some help...
and my sister and I, we sat down beside him...
and we prayed to God to let him live.
After a while I couldn't stand him being in such pain.
I just stopped praying...
and he died.
I'm sorry, Gino.
You see, it was right for him to let go of life...
and it was right for us to let go of him.
What is death?
I think it's just closing your eyes...
and instead of the darkness, you see the light.
Never gonna be able to see him again, are you?
No.
I think I'd like to find my daddy.
I'm right here, baby.
Daddy, Sheriff Bridges just drove up. He wants to see you.
How good are you at hiding, son?
Pretty good.
What are you standing there for? Go on back up.
You're not going to turn me in?
Go on back up.
He's talking to Erin. She going to blab everything she knows.
You two hold him off while we stay here.
Just jawing with your daughter here.
What about?
I was just explaining about the C.C.C. camps.
How come?
Erin here wanted to know.
He was telling me about some boy
that ran away from the C.C.C. camp.
I was asking him what a C.C.C. camp was.
What was he telling you?
About how some kids grow up in the city...
and never get to climb trees
or go fishing or even play on real grass.
And sometimes when they grow up they get to be....
Delinquent. Run astray of the law.
Of course, the C.C.C.s like to get hold of them before then.
That's all we said, Daddy.
Into the house, now.
One of your boys left word with Ike that you wanted to see me.
Sorry I couldn't come before now.
That's alright, Ep. No hurry.
What did you want to see me about?
Quail season opens Saturday.
Thought maybe you'd want to get
your boys to go up and try your luck.
I'd like that fine. Where do you want to try them?
Up in the mountain, John-Boy's Meadow.
Nice covey of quail up there.
John, I'm going to see you Saturday.
-Bright and early. -Bye, Sheriff.
Goodbye, I'll be there.
Grandpa, come on in, it's alright.
Alright, Gino, we're safe. Come along.
-You got rid of him easy. -Sure did.
Told him we were going quail hunting.
Mr. Walton, Mrs. Walton, I want to thank you...
-for all you did for me. -No need for that, Gino.
I mean the way you fixed my leg and fed me...
and after what I tried to do.
I want you to know I appreciate it.
-I'll be thinking about you. -Going somewhere, Gino?
-Yeah. -Back to the city?
I thought I'd give the C.C.C. another try.
There maybe something in this nature junk after all.
Wait for this rain to stop, and I'll run you over there.
Come on in the house, Gino, and get yourself
a big piece of chocolate cake.
What're you doing, baby?
I've been fixing up Pete. See?
I tell you what.
Why don't I catch you another raccoon, a healthy one?
No, a healthy one wouldn't need me the way Pete did.
Besides, Grandma said wild things
are better off with their own kind.
Baby, I reckon they are.
For a while after he left, Gino used to write to us.
At first from the C.C.C. camp and later from New York City...
where he returned when the Depression was over.
Today where the C.C.C. camp once stood
is a national park.
In autumn, when the leaves are gold
and russet and lemon yellow and apple red...
people drive for hundreds of miles...
to refresh their souls and their spirit with beauty.
John-Boy?
-Yes, honey? -Can flowers talk?
I don't know, Elizabeth. Why?
I passed a hollyhock today and heard something whisper.
What do you think?
I think if we learned to listen
we could hear all kinds of miracles.
-Goodnight, John-Boy. -Goodnight.
[music]
In a moment, some scenes from the next episode of The Waltons