The Waltons (1971) s07e08 Episode Script

- Mama, wake up.
- Is she all right? I can't tell.
- You have to get us home fast.
- I can't see the road.
Look out! In the autumn of 1941, the harsher realities of the world beyond Jefferson County seemed remote from the ebb and flow of our daily lives.
Although our isolation would soon be shattered, my family, particularly my sister Elizabeth, would find the small joys and sorrows of life on Walton's Mountain, reality enough.
- Hey, Elizabeth.
- What's going on out here? Elizabeth wants to learn how to drive.
Elizabeth, driving's pretty serious business.
I think maybe you're a little young.
It's my patriotic duty.
- Civil defense.
- Please.
Think you can handle it? I don't want you getting into any accidents.
Daddy, with me as copilot, what could possibly happen? All right, if you think you're ready, I'll give you a chance.
Change places.
Take her out on the back road and be very careful.
- Yes, Daddy.
Go ahead.
And, Elizabeth, I want you to promise you'll never drive with anybody unless you're with your brothers or sisters.
You understand? Yes, sir.
Okay, this is the ignition starter.
You pull that out when you want to turn on the battery.
You're fighting it, Elizabeth! You got to think of yourself as part of the machine.
I can't do that and change gears at the same time.
- Oh, swell - What did I do wrong? You popped the clutch first, you missed second gear completely, you left the hand brake on, and you weren't going fast enough to be in third gear.
Well, you never said anything about how fast you were going.
- Isn't it obvious? - No, it's not! Start the car.
Push the gas.
Do you need to pull that thing up? Elizabeth, there's a car coming.
Why don't you get over to the side of the road? Did you see how fast he was going? Elizabeth, how do you expect me to teach you to drive if you chicken out every time a car comes down the road? - I'm not doing bad for a beginner.
- You're a menace.
I'll walk home.
Creep! Ha! All new equipment.
We can remove this wall, put a patio, and a small fountain, and then a skylight.
Mama had a skylight back home in Doe Hill and she used to raise ornamental orange trees from seed.
Oh! Permeated with the odor of orange blossoms, that room was one of the Seven Wonders of the World! Oh, just a moment, young ladies.
Where are you going? What is this you're wearing? - A kind of uniform? - It's what everyone wears at school.
Well, it is very unladylike.
Now, Aimee, change into your plaid skirt and your black patent leather shoes.
Patent leathers? Oh, but they're so creepy.
- They're what? Creepy.
What a peculiarly unpleasant expression.
Well, that's how everybody talks.
Aren't you gonna change? No, in 10 minutes she'll forget all about it.
- It's kind of weird, isn't it? - Oh, she's been acting strange lately.
One minute she's happy, then the next she's sad, and she forgets things.
And Doe Hill, it's coming out of my ears.
Sounds like "the change.
" Mama had it last year.
What is it? Women reach a certain age and, well, they go kind of crazy.
It's because they can't have babies anymore.
Maybe that's it.
Well, my mama already can't have babies.
I thought she was younger than your mama.
Really? I thought they were about the same age.
Everybody over 18 looks the same to me.
She has been acting a little more unusual than usual.
I don't think you young ladies understand the proper importance of these formative years in preparing yourself for your debut.
- What debut? - It's when you're presented to society.
And for that auspicious occasion, you must cultivate the tastes of a lady.
In music, in art, in the dance.
That first tall, handsome young man to come courting is not many years away.
There is much to learn.
You must work on your needlepoint, your sewing, your piano lessons.
Yes, there's much to learn if you are to find the proper tall, handsome young man.
When I was a girl, back in Doe Hill, I used to paint on pieces of silk.
Horses.
I almost always painted horses.
Their proud heads, their fine, strong, muscular bodies.
Oh, they were so beautiful.
Does anyone still paint on silk? Oh.
The world has squandered so much of grace and beauty.
How was your driving lesson, Elizabeth? - Ask Jim-Bob.
- You wouldn't listen.
Well, Jim-Bob, you have to be patient.
I'd rather do this geometry than teach her to drive.
Jim-Bob, if you do geometry as well as you teach driving, you'll flunk.
- I'll give you a lesson, Elizabeth.
- We, who are about to die, salute you.
Somebody better warn the countryside.
Don't listen to them.
I'll teach you how to drive.
- I could use a little excitement.
- Thank you.
- Drips.
- Can you believe that? Are you all right, Mama? I'm feeling unwell, but it will pass.
Oh, tell your father that I'm indisposed.
- Hi, Aimee.
- Hi.
Is supper ready? Well, Mama's not feeling well, so I'm making supper.
That's a big girl! - Mama's sick, huh? - Well, she's sleeping.
So we better not bother her.
We'll bring her supper later.
Okay, we'll let her sleep then.
Mama, is Corabeth too young to have "the change"? What a strange question.
Why do you ask? She's been acting kind of weird, like something's wrong.
Well, she's a very high-strung lady who keeps a lot of things inside.
If you feel uncomfortable, maybe you and Aimee ought to play here for a while.
- We don't have a pool table.
- And we never will.
Great news, Mr.
Godsey, I have decided to strike out on my own.
I shall no longer be a financial burden to you.
Well, you're feeling better.
Aimee made you some soup.
I'm going to become a woman of means.
What is it that every home in Jefferson County cries out for? - A refrigerator.
- An interior decorator.
Uh, you know about interior decorating? Why, in my family, a sense of taste and style was a requirement.
Well, listen, Corabeth, you know, we can't afford any extra expense at this time.
Well, I will just need a little minor financial assistance initially, but once we're underway, I have no doubt that the possibilities will be limitless.
We're gonna have to discuss this later because I gotta go to a civil defense meeting in just a few minutes.
- Well, couldn't you be late, just this once? - Well, I couldn't set a bad example.
Oh, but can't we just talk? I so long to share my plans and my ideas.
Tomorrow, first thing.
- I won't wake up.
- Well, that's all right, I'll wake you up.
Come on, Elizabeth.
Could we go a little faster, please? I'm not ready to go fast yet.
You're never going to learn if you stay in second gear.
And I have to get to Rockfish sometime today.
Don't yell at me! Well, look, will you please step on it? At least put it into third gear.
Good.
There's a curve.
All right, just go on your You're going too fast now! Hit the brakes! Elizabeth, hit the brakes! You can drop me off at Ike's store.
Elizabeth, I'm sorry for yelling.
I didn't mean to.
Well, I have to go.
Please say something.
You're making me feel real bad.
Suffer.
- Where are you going all dressed up? - We're going over to the Baldwin's.
Mama's going to redecorate.
- Well, what's the matter? - Beats me.
And no more credit to Maude Gormley.
Mr.
Godsey ought to be back soon.
Are there any more questions? - Yeah, you got anymore molasses cookies? - Yes, they're in the pantry.
Oh, no.
Perhaps you'd better not go in there.
I sprayed for insects this morning.
Come along, Aimee.
We are beginning a brand new enterprise.
And you shall be my trusted assistant.
Hey, you got done early today.
- Ben had to go somewhere.
- Who's your next victim? Jason gives me a lesson as soon as he gets home.
I hope it works, you're running out of family.
Take two, dear.
It's so nice to have you here.
Well, now we have a full decanter.
Are you sure you won't have a touch of the Recipe? Oh, no, no.
It seems to do so much for tea.
Oh, I prefer it to lemon, myself.
Oh, no, really.
Oh, Sister and I find ourselves quite relaxed after a cup.
Indeed we do.
Well, I usually drink my tea plain, but since you insist, it would be most ungracious of me to refuse.
Well, now, this is quite an occasion.
Sister, this is the first time that Corabeth has joined us in a sip of the Recipe.
Papa would be so pleased.
Now, as to the point of my visit.
I have just had the most wonderful idea.
What this little community is in desperate need of are the services of an interior decorator.
I did not know there was a demand.
Oh, well, a successful business creates its own demand.
What is required is someone with a cultivated sense of taste and style.
- And that's why you came to see us? - Precisely.
Well, that might be diverting, don't you think, Sister? Well, yes, if there's a need.
Imagine, Sister, becoming interior decorators at our age? Oh, no.
No, I'm afraid you misunderstand.
keep our suggestions modest, of course.
They're making the most wonderful reproductions now.
Queen Anne, Chippendale, don't you know? Well, now, let's see.
What did we do with our books? Let me see, I was pressing violets in them last spring.
Why won't anyone listen to me? I am so sorry.
- Is there something you want, Corabeth? - We're neglecting our guest.
Corabeth's cup is empty already.
Would you like a little tea with some of the Recipe? This time I will have the Recipe without the tea.
Elizabeth, you know I love you, and I think you're a real neat person.
And what you're trying to do, learning to drive at 13, I think it's real spunky.
You're angry.
- I'm not angry.
It's really okay if you want to take me home.
I mean, today's just not my day.
- What happened? - I drove the car into the lake.
Well, maybe you'll do better next time.
There's nobody left.
Jason was my last chance.
What are you doing outside? I thought you were the trusted assistant.
No, we have tarried too long.
We really must return to the world of General Merchandise.
Are you going to redecorate their house? Oh, really.
How children can misunderstand the affairs of adults.
- We really must go.
- You're very welcome to stay.
Oh, no.
No, I don't want to keep you from your pursuits.
Sister and I are much too old for pursuits.
Actually I have pressing business in Rockfish.
But what about Elizabeth? I thought we were going to take her home.
Perhaps Elizabeth can make other arrangements.
- We could driver her, couldn't we, Sister? - Oh, that's a lovely idea.
Elizabeth's been taking driving lessons.
Really? Well, then you can drive us.
Would you like that, Elizabeth? - Yes.
Thank you.
- Oh, good! That was a nasty one.
The best thing to do is to stay in the middle of the road.
- It's smoothest in the center.
- Sister feels it's safer.
What do you do about oncoming cars? Oh, they usually get right over whenever they see us coming.
See, part of my problem is I'm never in the same car twice.
I like this car, though.
It changes gears really easily.
I hardly ever use the clutch.
Elizabeth! Elizabeth! Elizabeth! Elizabeth! Put on the brakes, Elizabeth! - Everybody all right? Oh, just fine.
That was quite exciting, don't you think? Elizabeth, why are you driving the Baldwin's car? - We insisted, didn't we, Sister? - I do believe it was your idea, dear.
Lucky nobody was hurt.
You know better than to drive without being supervised.
Oh, but Sister was giving her the full benefit of her advice.
And she was doing very well, too, right up until this last part.
Elizabeth, you should have known better than that.
I think you've had enough driving lessons for a while.
Don't worry, Daddy.
Jim-Bob was right, I'm a menace.
Well, at least you didn't hit the house.
Daddy, I think I've changed my mind about learning how to drive.
I don't think there's any damage to the car.
Oh, ladies, ladies.
Come on out.
- We'll back this car out of here for you.
- We'd be most grateful.
We must get home and start studying swatches.
Corabeth wants us to redecorate her house.
Well, I think maybe you ladies got that backwards.
It's Corabeth who wants to go into interior decorating.
Oh, could we have misunderstood, Sister? Well, with Corabeth, that isn't too difficult.
I do hope we haven't offended Mrs.
Godsey.
Oh, I don't think so.
I distinctly remember her saying she was going to Rockfish on some other business.
That's right, I believe she intends to open a dancing school.
A dancing school? Well, all right ladies.
Just step aside here.
We'll have your car out of here in no time.
Corabeth, open this door! You just can't simply announce that you're opening a dancing school and then walk out the door! I intend to open a school of the dance, Mr.
Godsey, and that is final! Well then why don't you use Godsey Hall? Because the students are in Rockfish! I signed the lease today! It is a fait accompli.
Corabeth, we cannot afford that! Yes, we could.
I am drowning in this Virginia backwater! Corabeth, I hate it when you talk like that! - Open this door! - Leave me alone! - Ben, get me some more of these! - Okay! Olivia said that I might find you here.
John, I don't believe I've ever been here before.
My, you have certainly risen in the world.
As a relative, no matter how distant, I want to tell you how proud I am of your achievements.
Thank you, Corabeth.
What can I do for you? Oh, well, no doubt you've heard of my dancing studio? Yes, I heard you signed a lease over in Rockfish.
Ike was telling me about it.
I'm going to put in an entire wall of mirrors.
- Sure sounds like a lot of work, isn't it? - Precisely, that's why I've come to you.
You see, I believe that the reluctance on the part of the mothers to enroll their daughters, is partially due to the dressing facilities.
The little girls are having to dress in the In the powder room, one at a time.
Well, you can see the difficulty as enrollment increases.
I could see that would be a difficulty.
How many girls do you have now enrolled? Three, oh, possibly five.
But, as I said, we've only just opened.
Um I wanted to prevail upon you to possibly build me a small dressing room.
And maybe a partition for a waiting room.
Corabeth, I don't think I can take on any extra work right now.
Well, this will take very little of your time.
But, of course, if you are behind in your schedule, I wouldn't want to impose on a family member.
- All right.
Why don't I drop by Saturday? - Perfect.
Oh.
That's the day the sign goes up.
Well, I I really must go.
- See you Saturday.
- Bye, Corabeth.
John.
Corabeth? Oh, John! You're just in time.
And, Olivia, how kind of you to come.
The Corabeth Walton School of Dancing? Of the Dance.
And, John, even a modest man like yourself must understand how well respected the name Walton is in this community.
And, of course, my maiden name is Walton, you know.
- Everybody thinks of you as Godsey.
- My point exactly.
I was kind of hoping I'd get to see you teach your class.
Oh, well, the dressing room facilities have proven to be more of a problem than I anticipated.
So, John, you are here not a moment too soon.
- Any way I can help, Corabeth.
Corabeth, I got to talk to you.
- Olivia, John.
- Ike.
Well then, talk.
I got a bill this morning for a phonograph record machine.
It is getting to the point where I'm afraid to open the mail, you know.
Oh, well, really, I can't teach dancing without music.
How do you expect me to pay for it? The tuition from 20 students will more than make up for the expenses! - Well, how many do you have now? - I haven't even opened yet! - Would you answer my question? - Nor do I intend to, until John sees to it that the dressing rooms are finished! Now, perhaps you would like show him what it is I have in mind.
John, I think that this area over here is where Corabeth wants to put the dressing facilities.
Well, Ike, looks like you got a school of the dance on your hands.
I used to dream of being a dancer.
Guess every young girl does.
I plan to enroll Aimee in our advanced class.
I do hope that you will enroll Elizabeth.
Well, she is at that awkward age.
Maybe some ballet lessons might do her some good.
Annual tuition is $50.
That tuition might be the reason why you only have one student.
I always thought dancing schools charged by the lesson.
Oh, but for you, Olivia, payable in two installments.
I'm sorry.
That's more than we can afford for dancing lessons just now.
It never dawned on me that I would not receive full support from my family.
Are you sure you're up to this? You look worn out.
Perhaps it's the pressure of a new enterprise.
Are you in some kind of trouble? Olivia, I would not tell another soul this, but Mr.
Godsey is very difficult to live with.
He is not romantically satisfactory.
You're not gonna solve that problem by getting yourself into another one.
I need this.
So badly.
What's it going to run me, John? Arm and a leg? Oh, Ike, maybe Elizabeth wants to take some lessons.
I'll swap you the lumber for lessons, and I won't charge you for my time.
- I can't let you do that, John.
- Come on, Ike.
Don't you remember all the favors you've done for me over the years? Well, I really do appreciate it.
But What I'm afraid of, is going bankrupt before she gets this out of her system.
Maybe she'll surprise you and do real good at it.
She just keeps going from one thing to the other.
- You got any idea what's bothering her? - I don't know.
But if it doesn't turn around pretty quick, I'm going to wind up a crazy man.
Are you sure nothing's bothering you? You hardly said a word all the way home.
Liv, this sounds crazy, but have you ever seen Corabeth take a drink? You mean liquor? No, never.
You know how she is.
Well, I saw an empty liquor bottle in that trash can of hers over there.
Of course, it could have been one of the workmen.
Now that you mention it, I thought I smelled something funny when I was talking to her.
I tell you, Liv, something is going on over there.
Corabeth's got a lot of weaknesses but I can't believe that drinking is one of them.
If she's got a drinking problem, it doesn't mean she's got a weakness.
It may be something she can't help.
If that's true, there must be something we can do for her.
If it's true, there's nothing we can do at all.
And third position, and remember to point your toes No, no, no.
Now, we shall begin again.
And little girls, I want you to remember that you are not common chorus girls, but young ladies, reaching for the heights of poetic movement.
Now remember to let your extremities flow.
Now, we shall begin again.
And If you would learn to tie a proper knot, we could get on with the business at hand much, much quicker.
Now, we shall begin again, and we shall start with the left foot, Judy.
The left foot.
Learn to tell them apart.
You put that child on point, and in less than 10 years you will be lucky if she can walk, let alone dance! Miss Walton, since you obviously don't know anything about running a dancing school, I will find a teacher who does! - Where did everybody go? - Mama? Where did the children go? No one gave them permission to leave.
The first rule of a dancer is discipline.
They have no discipline.
- Mama.
- Are you all right, Corabeth? It won't work.
They won't pay my tuition.
We'll fail, just as everyone thought.
It's a failure, isn't it? - I don't know.
- Oh, well.
It doesn't matter.
You're just a child.
Oh.
I wish I were in Doe Hill.
A place of serenity and repose.
Sometimes I wish I were a child again.
If you're an adult, you can do anything you want.
Anything you want? Oh, well.
Run along.
I'll be with you in a moment.
We'll be waiting for you in the car.
Oh, Mama, where is that tall young man you said would come and find me? She shouldn't drive like this.
Well, she's done this a lot of times and she always manages to make it.
Corabeth, maybe Ike should come and drive us.
- No! - No, certainly not.
I am perfectly capable of driving.
Corabeth, you're going the wrong way.
Mama, you're supposed to go left.
Mama, wake up! - Mama? - Corabeth? She's passed out.
- We have to get help.
- There will be someone along.
We'll be out here all night.
You have to drive us.
- I can't! You know I I told you.
- You have to.
No sign of them, Ike.
Well, it's not like Corabeth to be late like this.
Tell you what, I'll go into town look around for them.
- You want to come with me? - No.
I think I'll stay here by the phone.
All right, Ike.
I'll talk to you later.
Ike! - Hello, Daddy.
- Corabeth! What happened? - Is everybody all right? Aimee? - We were worried about you all.
Corabeth, I want to know what happened.
Corabeth wasn't feeling well, Ike.
You all know what happened, why are you pretending? Mama was drunk.
She wrecked the car and passed out because she was drunk.
Corabeth, aren't you going to say anything? You could have killed everybody.
Why don't you just take a gun and shoot me, Mr.
Godsey? Lke, I guess we'll be getting on.
John, please.
Would you come in for a minute? I got to talk to you.
Corabeth? Daddy, are you mad at me for driving Corabeth's car? Not this time, honey.
It's amazing what you can do when you have to.
Hmm.
It's been quite a night.
What will happen now? Will they get a divorce? No, I don't think so.
They got some things to work through.
It's gonna take a lot of understanding on both their parts.
I seems the older I get the less I understand.
Me, too.
John, she wants to see you.
Ike, this is really none of my affair.
- She's your wife.
- She won't talk to me.
- Maybe if you give her a little time.
- She blames me, you know.
I haven't made her happy.
- Ike - Please, John? Remember the wedding? You were my best man.
You wait here, honey.
All right, Ike.
I'll go see her.
Corabeth? I need your help, John.
Please help me to get away from here.
Corabeth, I think you've got a problem that you can't run away from.
What could you possibly know of my problems? Corabeth, I know that you have a feeling your life is out of control.
I know you're feeling trapped.
I know you're afraid of everything all the time.
And that you keep taking a drink just to get through it, but it doesn't work for you anymore.
What makes you such an expert? I had a friend once, during the war.
Yes? A lot of fellas drink when they're under fire, Corabeth, but this fella found himself staying drunk for weeks at a time.
Never even realized how much he was drinking, till one night, drunk, he almost got himself and a whole bunch of his friends killed.
You see, Corabeth, most alcoholics will tell you, they're lucky if they get scared enough to go look for help.
We both know what could have happened tonight.
Maybe it's time you got some help.
An alcoholic? Is that what you think I am? Why don't you just think about it for a while? Please help me, John.
I'll help you.
But remember, you got a lot of help right here.
You got a husband and a daughter who love you.
They don't love me, they tolerate me.
Why don't we find out about that? Right now.
Aimee, let's go see your mother.
Mama, I was so scared.
Are you all right? I'm sorry if I disappointed you.
Oh.
You didn't disappoint me.
You have never disappointed me.
I'll be anything you want me to be.
Anything.
Just don't be sad.
Oh, no, baby, no.
No.
All I want is for you to be happy.
Corabeth, Ike's waiting in the store.
Why don't we take Aimee home, she can stay with Elizabeth.
All right, Aimee? You'll be all right? Good night, Mama.
Good night, chérie.
John? That friend of yours in the Army? That was you, wasn't it? Good night, Corabeth.
Thank you, John.
Ike, it's time to talk to her.
Aimee will stay with us tonight.
Why don't you just go out to the car, you two? Lke, you've known about Corabeth's drinking all along, haven't you? How come you never talked to her about it? I guess I was afraid that I'm the reason she drinks.
Corabeth's got a lot of problems, she's gonna have to face them herself.
But wishing away her drinking or pretending it isn't there, Ike, that's not the way.
I paid her bills, and I went along with all her wild schemes.
I guess I thought I was doing everything I could for her.
Best thing you can do is help her face it.
Why don't you go talk to her, Ike? She's got some tough times ahead.
Oh, Mr.
Godsey, I'm just so ashamed.
And I need your help.
I cannot go through this alone.
I have loved you from the first moment I saw you.
But look at me.
Is this the woman you fell in love with? She's sad.
She's been hurt.
She hurt herself.
But she's still the same woman.
Nobody knows that better than I do.
God knows, everybody's got their weaknesses, but I've seen your strength and your courage and your spirit.
And I've seen the great love that you have for our daughter.
I know that you can't quite let it out.
And you know she loves you, you know that.
And I love her.
And you.
We'll fight this thing together.
You are loved.
You're not alone.
Mr.
Godsey.
For Corabeth Godsey, it was a battle that would last a lifetime, with a few spectacular setbacks before her ultimate success.
The weeks and months ahead would sweep us all into the World War we so feared.
And for Corabeth, they would hold an extra measure of terror.
Her newfound strength would soon be tested, as would our own, against the fury of a greater enemy.
I never noticed before how tall you really are, Mr.
Godsey.
Are you girls still awake? We can't sleep.
Try harder.
We're trying to decide what color to paint Jim-Bob's car when he goes into the air corps.
You've got plenty of time to decide.
Now, get some sleep.
Night.
Good night.
What did you say about my car? Go to sleep! Now, wait a minute.
Good night, Jim-Bob! English - SDH