The Waltons (1971) s07e13 Episode Script
The Boosters
- Why are you packing? - Why do people usually pack? - But where are you going? - I'm not sure.
All I know is I'm getting out of here.
I've had all I could take.
I don't understand.
From now on, I'm going to be my own boss.
Aren't you ever coming back? Maybe to visit sometime, but not to live here.
Goodbye, Elizabeth.
Goodbye, Ben.
Most of the time when strangers appeared on Walton's Mountain, they were people who had taken the wrong turn from the main highway and had gotten themselves lost.
But the coming of World War II was to bring many strangers who were actually looking for the mountain.
And while we didn't exactly have a traffic problem, we did have traffic.
And that's what gave my brother Ben the idea for the boldest venture he had ever attempted.
- He was safe.
- Here.
- I was safe.
You were out! - Well, we were starting to worry about you.
- Hi.
Yeah, we thought you'd be home hours ago.
Yeah, but traffic was slow on the Richmond road.
- Did you have a good trip? - Got more orders than we can fill.
- Any four-alarm fires around here? - Oh, a few, but we put them all out.
What are you staring at, Elizabeth? Well, it's just, you don't look like yourself in those clothes.
Well, I guess I better go put on my apron then.
To the mill, we got some talking to do.
Daddy, I caught up with everything so we can start the next order.
- We're in trouble at Murdock Lumber.
- Why? You gave Joe an order he can't possibly fill.
Well, he's filled bigger ones before.
Not in three days, and that's the deadline on this one.
No one told me anything about a deadline.
- They didn't tell me till I got to Richmond.
- Well, why didn't you call me? I didn't think you'd subcontract on your own, Son.
- But I've done that a dozen times at least.
- Not without checking with me first.
I thought I was in charge when you weren't around.
You're supposed to hold down the fort, Son.
Well, how am I supposed to do that and not make any decisions, huh? I work like a man over there, and he treats me like a kid.
Well, maybe, most of it's just in your mind, Ben.
No, 'cause I'm his son.
If I was just anybody who worked for him, he'd show some respect.
Yeah.
Well, you're a little low on oil.
- I'd put a quart in next time you gassed.
- Well, you better do it in now, Ike.
I gotta take good care of this heap.
It's gotta last me till the war's over.
That's for sure.
You know, now that the cost on new cars is frozen, the price of used ones is gonna go way up.
There's sure been a lot of cars going up and down this road lately.
It's all the comings and goings at the Pickett plant.
It's going to be a regular 42nd Street and Broadway around here.
Well, Zuleika says she can use twice as many rooms at the boarding house.
You know, I got a notion to open up a defense plant myself.
Probably it'd only cost maybe, oh, two, three million.
- Here, Ike.
- I'll get your change.
Thank you.
Ike, I'll tell you something you could invest in, an auto court.
Here I am talking about millions, and you come up with a penny ante idea like that.
Now wait a second, think about it.
The one at Rockfish is always full.
Yeah, I guess that is the only auto court within 30 miles of the Pickett plant, isn't it? You'd clean up.
Well, how about you? A little business of your own? - It would make daddy sit up.
- Think your daddy'd come in on it? - What about Corabeth? - What about Corabeth? Oh, honey, we were just talking about opening up an auto court.
It wouldn't take much cash, I mean, we could borrow most of it from the bank.
An auto court? One of those dreadful things with cabins? There was one near Doe Hill.
It attracted the most undesirable elements.
Well, Corabeth, the times have changed.
The finest people stay in auto courts nowadays.
The finest people stay in hotels where they can live graciously.
Elegant appointments, continental cuisine, a string quartet playing a Strauss waltz.
I was thinking we could make money two ways.
People would stay in the auto court, and then they'd buy their groceries in the store.
I will not have that riff-raff drifting in and out of this store.
Two ways? Well Of course, if it were done in good taste it might attract the discriminating.
I was thinking we could call it Corabeth's.
Corabeth's Guest Cottages.
That does have a nice ring to it.
I knew she'd be all for it.
I think I'm gonna mention it to daddy.
See you later, Ike.
Yeah.
I tell you, it'd be a gold mine.
All those people driving through to meetings at the Pickett defense plant.
What happens when the war ends and Pickett closes? Oh, we're less than six miles from Route 29.
Heavy traffic day and night going from Florida to New York.
We'll put up a couple of road signs, and we'll be full-up all the time.
Son, lumber's my business.
I don't know anything about running an auto court.
Ike and Corabeth are ready to put in with us.
Us? Well, sure.
I'd like to go in on it too.
I could borrow on my land.
That land was left for you to build a home on some day, Son, not to gamble away.
It's not a gamble, it's a sure thing.
Sounds like a hare-brained scheme to me.
Now run along, I've got paperwork to do.
- Hey there, Ben! - Hi, Yancy.
Hey, how're you doing, Ben? Hey, Ben, wait a minute.
Wait a minute, Ben.
- What's the matter with Ben? - I don't know.
I wanted to talk to him about something, but you'll do.
I got big news.
I lined up a job in Rockfish.
I start just as soon as I get my diploma.
- What kind of diploma? - I'm going to college.
Barber college.
- That's great, Yancy.
- Yeah.
It's a correspondence school.
I saw this ad in Grit magazine.
If you buy a full set of scissors, combs, and razors, like I done, then you get the course for half price.
They can teach you to be a barber by mail? Yeah, they send you textbooks that teach you everything a barber needs to know.
Haircutting, shaving, first-aid, chair-side manner, how to talk customers into high-priced treatments, the works.
Even a useful little book of jokes.
Like, the customer comes in and he says, "How can I save my hair?" And you say, "In a cigar box.
" I've been getting straight As in everything.
Well, how can they grade you on haircutting unless they watch you cut hair? You send in before-and-after pictures.
I take a picture of you, and believe me, you could use a haircut.
Then I cut your hair, then I take a picture after to show how it turned out.
You know, Jason, you sure would look terrific in a clipper-edge flat top.
- You want one? - No, thanks.
No charge.
I like it long, Yancy.
I'll pay you.
How about if I let you know when I want one? How about a shave? Well, I have kind of sensitive skin, I have to do it myself.
- Mud-pack facial? Egg shampoo? - I'll wait till you get your diploma.
- Hey, how do you avoid falling hair? - I don't know, Jason.
- You don't? - No.
You just step out from under it.
Huh? - You like that? - I like that.
Why don't you write it down then.
- It goes in the book.
- Okay.
Hi.
What's wrong, Ben? What makes you think anything is wrong? You always stuff yourself when you're sore about something.
I'm sore, all right, at my boss.
You and John-Boy had the right ideas by going out on your own.
It was different with us, we had other interests, you always liked working at the mill.
Well, I do, but I don't like being treated like a kid.
Did you take the last piece of pie that was left? I'll share it with you.
You look a little tired.
It used to be fun working at the Dew Drop.
Now it's crowded every night with people from Pickett's plant, everybody yelling for requests.
I hardly get a chance to take a break.
- And it's going to get worse.
- Why? I heard that Franklin Steel plant is going to open a factory near here, too.
You sure of that? A couple of big shots came in tonight wearing gray flannel suits.
I heard them talking.
Well, what do you know about that? Jason said they're just about ready to start building.
We've kicked this around long enough, Son, and I'm not interested, that's that.
You're not interested because it's my idea! I mean, how would a kid know a good investment from a bad one? Don't start twisting things around, let's just drop it.
Well, I'm not gonna go drop it.
I'm going to the bank right now and applying for a loan.
Hold on, Son, you can't take out a loan till you're 21, unless I sign for it.
Would you stand in my way by not signing? I need a foreman who keeps his mind on the job, not some moonlighter thinking of other things.
Then I think the best thing is for me to quit.
That's your privilege.
- I'll stay on until you replace me.
- I'll find somebody today.
You're going to sign? All right, Son, I guess you're old enough to make your own mistakes.
Thanks.
Hello? Oh, yes, he is.
One minute please, he's right here.
Ben, it's for you.
Thank you.
I'll be in the kitchen, you come on in, we'll talk about it.
Okay, thank you.
- Hello? - Ben.
The bank just phoned to say they've approved your loan.
Well, that's great! I'll go right on over.
- Did you get a nice room? - Just fine, Mama.
You're sure you know what you're doing? You know how your daddy feels about this.
Mama, I'm old enough to make up my own mind.
- Good luck, Ben.
- Thanks, Mama.
Say it, Liv.
Tell me I ought to beg him to come home, go back on the job, and moonlight if he wants to.
That's not what I had in mind at all.
I just hate to see this trouble between the two of you.
Liv, if I give him special treatment because he's the boss's son, he'll never shape up.
- I agree.
- What do you want me to tell him then? Don't you think if he really believes in something he ought to go out and do it? I'm not going to wish him well if I think it's a big mistake.
I'm gonna get dinner started, but I don't think I'm going to feel like eating it.
"The major divisions of haircutting are: One, edging, - "two, shaping the sides, and three " - Topping.
Keep your head up, Jim-Bob.
How can I do that and read the questions at the same time? Hold the book higher.
"Slithering is the process of?" Stripping with shears.
"Probably the most common fault in haircutting is " Ouch! Cutting the customer's ear.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
Most common fault? Taking off too much hair! Just make sure you don't take off too much skin.
Well, quit moving your head around.
Almost done.
Looks good, too.
- Good.
- Oh, wait a minute.
Wait a minute.
It is important to make the customer feel that he's gotten everything he's entitled to.
- Hot towel, sir? - Come on, Yancy, I haven't got all day.
Okay, almost done.
That looks great.
Looks great.
I got it.
Huh? Now we just gotta take a picture and Oh, I'm getting ahead of myself.
Golly.
Here, give me the book.
Take a picture right up here in the light.
Here in the light.
Jim-Bob, that is a class A haircut if I have ever seen one.
- Beautiful.
- You're forgetting the most important part.
I forgot, 25 cents.
You can make double of that if you let me give you a shampoo.
You've already washed my hair twice this morning, you're gonna ruin it.
Ruin it? Your hair never looked better.
But it is getting a little thinner on top, sir.
I'd best give you a treatment, or the only way you're gonna be able to save your hair is in a cigar box.
That's right! Well, of course, it does make a great deal of difference, knowing that Franklin Steel is coming here.
Yeah, I think it's going to be a regular boom town.
And as you say, Corabeth, as long as we plan it for the discriminating.
But I have a wonderful idea.
Why stop at the guest cottages? Why not make them part of a town square? With a lovely lawn and boxwood hedges and marble benches, and a bandstand Oh, no.
Better yet, instead of a bandstand, a fountain! - Sounds great to me.
- Yeah, me, too.
Except I wish your dad was going along with it.
Oh, there'll be plenty of others, Ike.
I've already sold Zuleika on it.
Yeah, but it's him not liking the idea that worries me.
I've got a lot of respect in his judgment, and I don't like going against it.
Oh, I'm sure he'll change his mind as soon as he hears about our town square.
Oh, I could just see it now.
Walton's Mountain will become a great scenic attraction.
Of course, we will need the entire community supporting this project.
Word must go out that there will be a town meeting here, tonight.
It has been unanimously decided to form a Boost Walton's Mountain Club.
And I'd like to now get to the most important part of our business, the construction of an auto court.
Mr.
Chairman, may I please have the floor? Fellow Boosters, what we are talking about here is not merely an auto court, but what we have in mind is a magnificent town square, with gorgeous landscaping and a quaint souvenir shop, and possibly a cozy tea room.
And dominating all of this, a magnificent fountain.
Thank you, Corabeth.
It has been decided that the ideal location for the auto court is right outside this hall.
That land is owned by Miss Mamie and Miss Emily Baldwin.
And I would like to ask you ladies if you would be willing to sell your land for those of us who would like to share in this investment? Sister, I like it out there just exactly the way it is.
So do I, there are so many reminders of the other days.
The first time I walked alone with dear Ashley, it was there.
And dear Mr.
Sims.
Do you know where he found that Indian arrowhead he gave me? - Right out there? - Right out there.
Oh, I understand how you ladies both feel.
But there's a war on, and it is our patriotic duty to put up an auto court for people doing business with defense plants.
That's right.
It's going to put Walton's Mountain on the map! That's right, ladies.
Everybody's getting involved, ladies, it's like the war effort.
Mr.
Chairman, my sister and I have decided not to sell our land but to give it to the Boosters' Club.
Oh, thank you, ladies.
Thank you.
Mr.
Chairman.
- Mr.
Godsey.
I understand that John Walton has been against this project from the beginning.
Well, I see he's here now, and I think we should hear from him.
- Have you changed your mind, John? - No, I haven't.
John, how could you possibly be against this magnificent plan? Tell us why you're against it, John? Would you standing up please, so we can all hear you? As most of you know, I'm not a man to meddle in other people's business.
I wasn't going to come tonight, but I just couldn't stand by and see good friends and neighbors - put their money in a bad risk.
- What do you mean by a bad risk? Well, I looked into it a little, checked with the bank and the real estate people over in Charlottesville.
I don't know if you are all aware how many auto courts went broke in the last five years.
All kinds of businesses have gone broke, but we're in a boom now.
One thing you can be sure about a boom is it's gonna be followed by a bust.
All of you remember that big Florida boom, where a lot of small people lost everything they had.
All that was totally different, that was a swindle.
It had crooked speculators that over built, they sold swamp land.
Maybe I ought to remind you folks about what happened right here in Jefferson County.
The Guthrie coal mine.
Remember how Cyrus Guthrie built this whole town for mining families? Then the mine wore out long before the experts thought it would.
Now that's a ghost town, not one family living in it.
We're not talking about a whole town, we just want to keep up with the rest of the country, just take one little step forward.
He's right, John.
I mean, you've expanded your business to keep up with the times.
I don't know why we can't.
Yeah.
Take me, for instance.
Now, I've had this little general store at this country corner for years, this is my chance to make it big, and I don't want to be left out.
Nor do I.
Now, John, as much as I respect your opinion Let's take it to a vote.
I was just getting to that.
I vote that we proceed with our plans for a town square.
I second the motion.
- All those in favor? Aye.
Opposed? The ayes won.
- I sure hope Ben knows what he's doing.
- I just wish he hadn't gone against Daddy.
He has a right to his own opinion.
I think that we should put most of the guest cottages right here by the rocks.
Mmm, but I think we ought to put that unit with the office right here, right next to the store, huh? That's a good idea, that way we have enough room over on the other side of the town square for some shops.
Mr.
Godsey! Ben! Just wait until you hear what they have to say about us in the Charlottesville Progress.
Oh, yeah? "Social Notes from Walton's Mountain by Corabeth Walton Godsey.
"A Boosters' Club has been formed "and will sponsor the construction of a town square.
"In addition to an attractive group of guest cottages, "there will be a tea room and a number of shops.
"The pièce de résistance would be a lovely fountain.
"And in the future, it is hoped "there will be a library, a music hall and other centers of culture.
" - Have you seen this paper? - Yeah.
I think you should call Ben.
- He'd think I was saying, "I told you so.
" - He needs your support.
Out to prove to the world he's independent, he's still got you doing his laundry.
I think I'd be doing John-Boy's if he weren't in London.
I'm surprised he doesn't send it to me.
You do want Ben back on the job, don't you? He's anxious to prove himself, maybe it's better this way.
And maybe it isn't.
Why don't you try it again and find out? It's up to him if he wants it back, he's gonna have to ask me.
Who is it? Zuleika.
- Come on in.
- Last call for breakfast.
I already had coffee this morning.
That's all I want.
Hotcakes and sausages, Ben.
I'm not hungry.
Oh, come on, Ben.
Perk up.
- It's not the end of the world.
- It just seems that way, huh? - You know what you ought to do? - What? You ought to call your father and ask him to make up.
Zuleika, thanks for the vote of confidence.
Oh, no, no, no, Benjamin, don't take it the wrong way.
Anyone with half a brain could see you were cut out to make your mark in this world.
If it's not the auto court it'll be something else.
Just play it safe, right? Well, I always thought you loved doing mill work, Ben.
I do, but I also like being my own boss.
Well, what are your plans? I've given up on this idea of the town square, that's for sure.
But, Ben, it said in the paper there was a ban on all new construction unless it's essential.
I know that, Zuleika.
But that auto court and all the other buildings that we build are for people that are working over at the defense plant.
And the way I see that, that's essential construction.
Benjamin, I think you might have a point there.
I made the call over to War Production Board, and the man's gonna call me back when they get the ruling.
Well, I'm certainly gonna keep my fingers crossed.
- Thank you.
- Good luck, Ben.
Good luck.
I need it.
The best shampoo for cleansing the hair and scalp, without losing the natural oils or glossiness, is the egg shampoo.
- Egg shampoo.
- Don't move your head, please.
Yancy, do you know anything about washing a girl's hair? Hair is hair.
- Yeah, but girl's hair is longer.
- I'm only gonna wash yours down till there.
"Beat eggs thoroughly into a mixture.
" I'll tell you what, you let me give you a facial - and I'll throw in an extra two bits.
- You can just forget about that.
You didn't tell me there was going to be egg in the shampoo.
Elizabeth, you made a deal.
Okay, but hurry up.
I've got homework to do.
"Put bowl in one hand, "with thumb and the second finger of other hand, separate strands of hair.
" Excuse me, sir, is that dandruff I see? - Stop fooling around, Yancy.
- I'm not fooling around.
I need practice in salesmanship.
Yes, I'm sorry to say, sir, that is dandruff.
I'll give you a tonic after your shampoo, and then we'll put you under the ultraviolet ray lamp for awhile.
The shop at Rockfish gets $2 a shot for that.
- Get started, will you? - Very well.
Okay.
- Ow! You got it in my eye! - I got a towel.
Here, here.
I've got some stuff to wash your eye out with.
You're not washing anything for me.
Elizabeth, what am I gonna do with this shampoo? It's got four eggs in it.
Make an omelet.
Hello? Speaking.
Is this the War Production Board? But the man I was talking to this morning said It's you? I see.
Thank you.
That was one of the deputy directors.
The director took my query with great consideration, but he said the type of construction I'm asking for is not essential.
- So therefore it wouldn't be permitted.
- Oh, Ben, I am sorry.
- But can't the ruling be appealed? - No.
- They said there's no exceptions.
- It was the chance of a lifetime.
We could have turned this wasteland into the garden spot of Virginia, while the cash register played a merry tune.
I had ideas.
They just opened a new place in Richmond, they call it a supermarket.
They got all the merchandise lined up on shelves in rows, just like a library.
The future looked so bright.
And the people take carts, and they go up and down the aisles and just help themselves.
And then they check out the food as they go.
I'd give my right arm to own a place like that.
For once it looked as if all our dreams had come true.
We could have built a beautiful house on the hill.
You did a good job, Ben.
You tried your best.
Yeah, I guess I swung hard and struck out, huh? That was a tough break, Son.
Yeah, I guess I got the bust before the boom, huh? I'm sorry, Ben.
Why don't you tell Mom I'll come by sometime later today? She'd like it if you'd stay for dinner.
I can't, I have to go into Rockfish sometime today.
Well, you certainly could say I told you so.
Well, maybe I didn't like this scheme, but I sure didn't wish any bad luck.
All we wanted was to comfort the weary traveler.
A place to rest his head, a glorious fountain to inspire him.
It's good to dream big, Corabeth.
Come on now, you shouldn't give up so easy.
- Isn't it hopeless? - I don't know.
Ben's the determined kind.
He has a way of bouncing back from things.
Takes after his old man, I guess.
Well, Ike, I need some wood glue, about two quarts.
Need a ride, stranger? Well, if you give me a lift, lady, I'll clean your windshield.
- Best offer I've had all day.
- Okay.
Too bad about the freeze on construction.
Is there any openings over at Pickett Metal? Sure, but you'd make more money working for Daddy.
Save your breath, Erin.
I'm not going back to that mill.
- Oh, Ben, you're stupid if you don't.
- Lay off, will you? Besides, it's not the same at home without you.
Move over.
Ben, let's go.
- You go ahead, I'll see you later.
- Where are you going? I'm back in business! It's just a freeze on new construction.
Any home that's already been built, well, there's no law saying you can't move it from one place to another.
Oh, I get what you're driving at.
You're talking about that mining ghost town - that Cyrus Guthrie got stuck with, right? - That's exactly what I'm saying.
The bank in Charlottesville took it over.
And I already talked to them, and they said any place we want, we can buy.
I was looking and there are some one room and bath units just about the right size.
We haul eight to ten units up on Walton's Mountain, and we got ourselves an auto court! But I've seen those houses in Guthrieville, I mean, they're in terrible shape.
Oh, we can fix them up in no time at all! Yeah, but it'll cost you a ton to move them.
I already checked into it, it costs less than one-fourth the price of new construction.
Of course, that doesn't include the price of the old buildings.
- What does it all add up to? - We could swing it, Ike.
Can't beat that, can you? - There's only one thing.
- What's that? They need someone responsible to sign a paper guaranteeing the payments.
Now, of course I would do it, but I'm not old enough.
Well, Corabeth has got her heart set on that town square.
And that fountain, too.
- All right, I'll do it.
- That's great, Ike, we'll get everything now.
Yeah.
There it is, honey, our first one.
We moved it in at 4:00 a.
m.
- Ben and I supervised the whole thing.
- But it's just so run-down.
Oh, yeah.
But I mean, after we put some landscaping and it gets painted, then we put a board walk from the store over to the house, well, it'll look just great.
Well, what do you think, Corabeth? Well, I just didn't expect it to be so shabby.
Oh, don't you worry about that.
By the time we're ready to bring in all those other units, this one'll be all prettied up.
You know what we forgot, Ben? We got to put a traffic signal, right here.
- Now that's the ticket, Ike, think big! - You betcha! Come on, Ben, have a cup of coffee, while Corabeth fixes us some breakfast.
Ham and eggs for two hardworking cooper men, Corabeth! Mr.
Godsey, this is not a truck stop, yet.
After you.
Thank you.
I don't know, Ben, if we bit off more than we could chew.
Ah, we've got it made, Ike.
In fact, chances are there'll probably be fellow Boosters all day today, - coming by to help us.
- I don't know.
- I sure hope you're right.
- Yoo-hoo! Ben! Mr.
Godsey! You see what I mean? Oh, Zuleika, good to see you.
- Yeah, I'm glad to see you.
- You look so pretty.
Oh, thank you very kindly.
- Oh, I just love these colors! - Not bad, huh? Oh, you two industrious young men have inspired me to get busy myself.
That's what we like to hear.
The more the merrier.
I'm going right into your store, Ike, and I'm gonna buy me a gallon of that pretty paint.
- Oh, you don't have to do that, Zuleika.
- Oh, yes, I do, Benjamin! I have to keep up with the competition.
I'm going to repaint the trim on my boarding house, just to make sure I keep getting lots of business! It just looks lovely.
Keep up the good work.
- Toodle-oo.
- Toodle-oo.
Lots of Boosters coming by to help us, huh? There will be.
- How did we get talked into this? - Beats me.
Ike was sorting the mail and Ben had a phone call.
That's the last I remember.
I seem to remember reading about this somewhere.
Yeah, me too.
It's all starting to come back to me now.
Hey, here comes Yancy, maybe we can get him roped in.
This here a wide place in the road is turning into a regular big city, ain't it? Oh, hi, Yancy.
Looks like a real tough job you two got there.
No.
We feel this is an honor, part of our civic duty.
Yeah, you don't get to do this unless you're really good with a brush.
Oh, I can see you two are real good at this painting.
Of course, we might let you take over, that is if you think you're good enough.
Yeah, that way you'd have a part in boosting up the community, Yancy.
Well, now, I can see why it would be an honor, yes, sir, but, well, there's two good reasons why I can't.
One, I had just come down to see if the mail's come in.
Ike's sorting it now.
It's probably not even ready.
What's the other reason? Well, just before I left school, it was about the fifth grade, as I recall, the teacher said I had to read a book.
That's the other reason.
What kind of reason is that? - A darn good one.
The book I read was The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.
You two are doing a real good job.
Hey, Yancy, we've been waiting for you.
You got a surprise! - You mean it's here? - Just go on in and see.
Hey, guys, come here, quick! And now as postmaster of Walton's Mountain, Jefferson County, and the State of Virginia, I am the designated official to conduct this graduation ceremony.
Mr.
Yancy Tucker, having successfully completed all courses in the tonsorial arts and sciences through the United States mail, of course, is hereby granted the degree of B.
B.
, Bachelor of Barbering.
- Congratulations, Yancy.
- Speech.
Speech, Yancy! Thank you.
Since I never graduated from nowhere before, and I never got me any kind of diploma, I just don't know what to say.
Oh, Yancy, you don't have to make a speech because Corabeth and I are going to give you a graduation present.
Here you are.
- Ta-da! Congratulations, Yancy! - Yeah! Yancy! Well, who's first? Oh, I have to get back to work, Yancy.
It sure is beautiful, though.
And I've gotta finish sorting the mail.
Well, I guess we better go before we get in trouble.
- See you later, Yancy.
- It's a beautiful chair.
Corabeth? Shampoo? - Hey, Jase! - Taking a break? Oh, I'm trying to decide on what I should name this street.
Well, Main Street sounds a little small-town.
Ben? I'm thinking after I put that row of buildings in, I'm going to put a street light right in there.
Ben, there's something you should know.
Yeah, we have to keep it very convenient for those folks over at Franklin Steel.
That's what I've been trying to tell you, Ben.
There isn't going to be any Franklin Steel plant here.
- What you talking about? - I just heard it from J.
D.
Pickett.
See, there's this land speculator, he made up the rumor about the Franklin mill being here to try to raise up the price of the land he was trying to unload.
It's just a rumor.
I hate to be the one to have tell you, but I didn't want you to hear it from somebody else.
Yeah, thanks.
How about coming back to the house with me? All right, I'll think about it, I told you, Ike.
I'll talk to you later, bye.
Didn't sound too good from this end.
Ben called Franklin Steel's main office in New York, they don't know nothing about a plant down here.
Poor Ben, he was so sure it was going to work out.
Boosters' Club called a special meeting for this afternoon.
You going? They'll sure tear him to pieces for getting them into this.
I couldn't bear to watch that, anymore than I could bear the thought of him standing up to that bully in school when he was just a little boy.
I made him do that, didn't I? I explained the situation to Mr.
Gibbs at the bank.
And I tried to cancel the contract.
But he refused, that was the way I left him.
However he did call me back, and told me he changed his mind.
That all he's going to hold us to is the cost of the building, the one that's already been moved.
Do you mean just the cost of moving it here? No, that plus the amount that we already agreed upon.
- Oh, well, Mr.
Godsey signed.
- Now hold on, we are all responsible.
Says who? I think we're being sold a bill of goods! I think we've all been sold a bill of goods.
I'm pulling out of the whole deal.
No, please! I'm pulling out of here right now.
I'm pulling out.
Under the circumstances, perhaps sister and I should withdraw our offer to donate the land.
Oh, wait a minute.
You can't leave us holding the bag! We feel certain Papa wouldn't approve.
Walton, this whole thing was your idea.
Now please, let me finish, okay? I brought everyone into this situation myself, and I'm willing to take all the responsibilities! I don't see how you think you could swing that.
- You ain't got nothing.
- You're a kid, Ben.
What do you know? Hold on! Hold on now.
Hold on! I've been standing at the back listening to this and I just know that Ben won't let this be a dead loss.
You've been looking at that building, haven't you, Son? - Figuring out other ways to use it.
- Well, sure there's other ways to use it.
I mean, you don't have to use an auto court.
I mean, there's plenty of people that drive by, and I'm sure we can get them to bring in - Roadside cafe.
- Or a drive-in! An antique store that would attract people from all over.
What I'm trying to say is there's a lot of money that could be made right there in that location.
Just one question I got, Son.
Now, if you take over the payments, does that mean that you get all the profits or do you share it with the Boosters' Club? What profits? What on earth are you talking about? Well, it seems to me that if I'm gonna make all the payments that I should also get all the profits.
Well, now, I see your point.
It's a good one.
I mean, you're my son, I'd like to see you make a profit.
But as a member of this community, maybe we ought to think what's best for all.
Well, now, maybe we have been acting just a little hasty.
Well, this did start out as a joint project.
Well, now, I suggest that the investors make the payments, find suitable tenants for the buildings, and share the profits, as originally agreed upon.
I second the motion.
Well, you've all heard the motion, it's been seconded.
So all those in favor? Aye.
Thank you.
Anyone opposed? Well, we're back in business! Meeting adjourned! Have you had any luck finding someone to replace me? A couple of fellows look promising.
Well, whoever it is, make sure you check them out on the old saw, it could play tricks on you.
Guess you'll be spending all your time with the Boosters, huh? Oh, the Boosters have a lot of organizing to do, that's for sure.
Can't think of anyone better to do it.
Of course, the Boosters won't take all my time.
I've been thinking of hiring a new manager.
- Do you have anyone special in mind? - No.
You got a mind to take on some new responsibility? Any extra money in it for me? - Room and board and $25 a week? - You got yourself a deal.
- Thanks, Daddy.
- Don't thank me, Son.
Not every day you can hire a man who's just built a new town.
The important thing about any community is not the grandeur of its buildings but the spirit of its people.
Ben and the Boosters continued to work together to help the little town through its growing pains.
Ben went back to work at our father's mill.
But he had proved he could make good on his own.
Walton's Mountain didn't become the largest town in Jefferson County, but it did prosper and expand in the years to come.
Corabeth's dream of a town square with a fountain did come true.
Though, it didn't have the splendor that she had envisioned, that cool spring water gave welcome refreshment to homefolks and strangers alike.
Come on, Ben, turn out the light.
Pretty soon, Jim-Bob.
I want to finish these plans for some more shops in town.
Don't forget a dress shop, Ben.
And I know Mary Ellen would like a place for baby clothes.
You've got a movie theater? What you'd better have is an undertaking parlor.
That's awful, Jim-Bob.
What do you want one of those for? - You, unless you turn out the light.
Goodnight, everybody.
English - SDH
All I know is I'm getting out of here.
I've had all I could take.
I don't understand.
From now on, I'm going to be my own boss.
Aren't you ever coming back? Maybe to visit sometime, but not to live here.
Goodbye, Elizabeth.
Goodbye, Ben.
Most of the time when strangers appeared on Walton's Mountain, they were people who had taken the wrong turn from the main highway and had gotten themselves lost.
But the coming of World War II was to bring many strangers who were actually looking for the mountain.
And while we didn't exactly have a traffic problem, we did have traffic.
And that's what gave my brother Ben the idea for the boldest venture he had ever attempted.
- He was safe.
- Here.
- I was safe.
You were out! - Well, we were starting to worry about you.
- Hi.
Yeah, we thought you'd be home hours ago.
Yeah, but traffic was slow on the Richmond road.
- Did you have a good trip? - Got more orders than we can fill.
- Any four-alarm fires around here? - Oh, a few, but we put them all out.
What are you staring at, Elizabeth? Well, it's just, you don't look like yourself in those clothes.
Well, I guess I better go put on my apron then.
To the mill, we got some talking to do.
Daddy, I caught up with everything so we can start the next order.
- We're in trouble at Murdock Lumber.
- Why? You gave Joe an order he can't possibly fill.
Well, he's filled bigger ones before.
Not in three days, and that's the deadline on this one.
No one told me anything about a deadline.
- They didn't tell me till I got to Richmond.
- Well, why didn't you call me? I didn't think you'd subcontract on your own, Son.
- But I've done that a dozen times at least.
- Not without checking with me first.
I thought I was in charge when you weren't around.
You're supposed to hold down the fort, Son.
Well, how am I supposed to do that and not make any decisions, huh? I work like a man over there, and he treats me like a kid.
Well, maybe, most of it's just in your mind, Ben.
No, 'cause I'm his son.
If I was just anybody who worked for him, he'd show some respect.
Yeah.
Well, you're a little low on oil.
- I'd put a quart in next time you gassed.
- Well, you better do it in now, Ike.
I gotta take good care of this heap.
It's gotta last me till the war's over.
That's for sure.
You know, now that the cost on new cars is frozen, the price of used ones is gonna go way up.
There's sure been a lot of cars going up and down this road lately.
It's all the comings and goings at the Pickett plant.
It's going to be a regular 42nd Street and Broadway around here.
Well, Zuleika says she can use twice as many rooms at the boarding house.
You know, I got a notion to open up a defense plant myself.
Probably it'd only cost maybe, oh, two, three million.
- Here, Ike.
- I'll get your change.
Thank you.
Ike, I'll tell you something you could invest in, an auto court.
Here I am talking about millions, and you come up with a penny ante idea like that.
Now wait a second, think about it.
The one at Rockfish is always full.
Yeah, I guess that is the only auto court within 30 miles of the Pickett plant, isn't it? You'd clean up.
Well, how about you? A little business of your own? - It would make daddy sit up.
- Think your daddy'd come in on it? - What about Corabeth? - What about Corabeth? Oh, honey, we were just talking about opening up an auto court.
It wouldn't take much cash, I mean, we could borrow most of it from the bank.
An auto court? One of those dreadful things with cabins? There was one near Doe Hill.
It attracted the most undesirable elements.
Well, Corabeth, the times have changed.
The finest people stay in auto courts nowadays.
The finest people stay in hotels where they can live graciously.
Elegant appointments, continental cuisine, a string quartet playing a Strauss waltz.
I was thinking we could make money two ways.
People would stay in the auto court, and then they'd buy their groceries in the store.
I will not have that riff-raff drifting in and out of this store.
Two ways? Well Of course, if it were done in good taste it might attract the discriminating.
I was thinking we could call it Corabeth's.
Corabeth's Guest Cottages.
That does have a nice ring to it.
I knew she'd be all for it.
I think I'm gonna mention it to daddy.
See you later, Ike.
Yeah.
I tell you, it'd be a gold mine.
All those people driving through to meetings at the Pickett defense plant.
What happens when the war ends and Pickett closes? Oh, we're less than six miles from Route 29.
Heavy traffic day and night going from Florida to New York.
We'll put up a couple of road signs, and we'll be full-up all the time.
Son, lumber's my business.
I don't know anything about running an auto court.
Ike and Corabeth are ready to put in with us.
Us? Well, sure.
I'd like to go in on it too.
I could borrow on my land.
That land was left for you to build a home on some day, Son, not to gamble away.
It's not a gamble, it's a sure thing.
Sounds like a hare-brained scheme to me.
Now run along, I've got paperwork to do.
- Hey there, Ben! - Hi, Yancy.
Hey, how're you doing, Ben? Hey, Ben, wait a minute.
Wait a minute, Ben.
- What's the matter with Ben? - I don't know.
I wanted to talk to him about something, but you'll do.
I got big news.
I lined up a job in Rockfish.
I start just as soon as I get my diploma.
- What kind of diploma? - I'm going to college.
Barber college.
- That's great, Yancy.
- Yeah.
It's a correspondence school.
I saw this ad in Grit magazine.
If you buy a full set of scissors, combs, and razors, like I done, then you get the course for half price.
They can teach you to be a barber by mail? Yeah, they send you textbooks that teach you everything a barber needs to know.
Haircutting, shaving, first-aid, chair-side manner, how to talk customers into high-priced treatments, the works.
Even a useful little book of jokes.
Like, the customer comes in and he says, "How can I save my hair?" And you say, "In a cigar box.
" I've been getting straight As in everything.
Well, how can they grade you on haircutting unless they watch you cut hair? You send in before-and-after pictures.
I take a picture of you, and believe me, you could use a haircut.
Then I cut your hair, then I take a picture after to show how it turned out.
You know, Jason, you sure would look terrific in a clipper-edge flat top.
- You want one? - No, thanks.
No charge.
I like it long, Yancy.
I'll pay you.
How about if I let you know when I want one? How about a shave? Well, I have kind of sensitive skin, I have to do it myself.
- Mud-pack facial? Egg shampoo? - I'll wait till you get your diploma.
- Hey, how do you avoid falling hair? - I don't know, Jason.
- You don't? - No.
You just step out from under it.
Huh? - You like that? - I like that.
Why don't you write it down then.
- It goes in the book.
- Okay.
Hi.
What's wrong, Ben? What makes you think anything is wrong? You always stuff yourself when you're sore about something.
I'm sore, all right, at my boss.
You and John-Boy had the right ideas by going out on your own.
It was different with us, we had other interests, you always liked working at the mill.
Well, I do, but I don't like being treated like a kid.
Did you take the last piece of pie that was left? I'll share it with you.
You look a little tired.
It used to be fun working at the Dew Drop.
Now it's crowded every night with people from Pickett's plant, everybody yelling for requests.
I hardly get a chance to take a break.
- And it's going to get worse.
- Why? I heard that Franklin Steel plant is going to open a factory near here, too.
You sure of that? A couple of big shots came in tonight wearing gray flannel suits.
I heard them talking.
Well, what do you know about that? Jason said they're just about ready to start building.
We've kicked this around long enough, Son, and I'm not interested, that's that.
You're not interested because it's my idea! I mean, how would a kid know a good investment from a bad one? Don't start twisting things around, let's just drop it.
Well, I'm not gonna go drop it.
I'm going to the bank right now and applying for a loan.
Hold on, Son, you can't take out a loan till you're 21, unless I sign for it.
Would you stand in my way by not signing? I need a foreman who keeps his mind on the job, not some moonlighter thinking of other things.
Then I think the best thing is for me to quit.
That's your privilege.
- I'll stay on until you replace me.
- I'll find somebody today.
You're going to sign? All right, Son, I guess you're old enough to make your own mistakes.
Thanks.
Hello? Oh, yes, he is.
One minute please, he's right here.
Ben, it's for you.
Thank you.
I'll be in the kitchen, you come on in, we'll talk about it.
Okay, thank you.
- Hello? - Ben.
The bank just phoned to say they've approved your loan.
Well, that's great! I'll go right on over.
- Did you get a nice room? - Just fine, Mama.
You're sure you know what you're doing? You know how your daddy feels about this.
Mama, I'm old enough to make up my own mind.
- Good luck, Ben.
- Thanks, Mama.
Say it, Liv.
Tell me I ought to beg him to come home, go back on the job, and moonlight if he wants to.
That's not what I had in mind at all.
I just hate to see this trouble between the two of you.
Liv, if I give him special treatment because he's the boss's son, he'll never shape up.
- I agree.
- What do you want me to tell him then? Don't you think if he really believes in something he ought to go out and do it? I'm not going to wish him well if I think it's a big mistake.
I'm gonna get dinner started, but I don't think I'm going to feel like eating it.
"The major divisions of haircutting are: One, edging, - "two, shaping the sides, and three " - Topping.
Keep your head up, Jim-Bob.
How can I do that and read the questions at the same time? Hold the book higher.
"Slithering is the process of?" Stripping with shears.
"Probably the most common fault in haircutting is " Ouch! Cutting the customer's ear.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
Most common fault? Taking off too much hair! Just make sure you don't take off too much skin.
Well, quit moving your head around.
Almost done.
Looks good, too.
- Good.
- Oh, wait a minute.
Wait a minute.
It is important to make the customer feel that he's gotten everything he's entitled to.
- Hot towel, sir? - Come on, Yancy, I haven't got all day.
Okay, almost done.
That looks great.
Looks great.
I got it.
Huh? Now we just gotta take a picture and Oh, I'm getting ahead of myself.
Golly.
Here, give me the book.
Take a picture right up here in the light.
Here in the light.
Jim-Bob, that is a class A haircut if I have ever seen one.
- Beautiful.
- You're forgetting the most important part.
I forgot, 25 cents.
You can make double of that if you let me give you a shampoo.
You've already washed my hair twice this morning, you're gonna ruin it.
Ruin it? Your hair never looked better.
But it is getting a little thinner on top, sir.
I'd best give you a treatment, or the only way you're gonna be able to save your hair is in a cigar box.
That's right! Well, of course, it does make a great deal of difference, knowing that Franklin Steel is coming here.
Yeah, I think it's going to be a regular boom town.
And as you say, Corabeth, as long as we plan it for the discriminating.
But I have a wonderful idea.
Why stop at the guest cottages? Why not make them part of a town square? With a lovely lawn and boxwood hedges and marble benches, and a bandstand Oh, no.
Better yet, instead of a bandstand, a fountain! - Sounds great to me.
- Yeah, me, too.
Except I wish your dad was going along with it.
Oh, there'll be plenty of others, Ike.
I've already sold Zuleika on it.
Yeah, but it's him not liking the idea that worries me.
I've got a lot of respect in his judgment, and I don't like going against it.
Oh, I'm sure he'll change his mind as soon as he hears about our town square.
Oh, I could just see it now.
Walton's Mountain will become a great scenic attraction.
Of course, we will need the entire community supporting this project.
Word must go out that there will be a town meeting here, tonight.
It has been unanimously decided to form a Boost Walton's Mountain Club.
And I'd like to now get to the most important part of our business, the construction of an auto court.
Mr.
Chairman, may I please have the floor? Fellow Boosters, what we are talking about here is not merely an auto court, but what we have in mind is a magnificent town square, with gorgeous landscaping and a quaint souvenir shop, and possibly a cozy tea room.
And dominating all of this, a magnificent fountain.
Thank you, Corabeth.
It has been decided that the ideal location for the auto court is right outside this hall.
That land is owned by Miss Mamie and Miss Emily Baldwin.
And I would like to ask you ladies if you would be willing to sell your land for those of us who would like to share in this investment? Sister, I like it out there just exactly the way it is.
So do I, there are so many reminders of the other days.
The first time I walked alone with dear Ashley, it was there.
And dear Mr.
Sims.
Do you know where he found that Indian arrowhead he gave me? - Right out there? - Right out there.
Oh, I understand how you ladies both feel.
But there's a war on, and it is our patriotic duty to put up an auto court for people doing business with defense plants.
That's right.
It's going to put Walton's Mountain on the map! That's right, ladies.
Everybody's getting involved, ladies, it's like the war effort.
Mr.
Chairman, my sister and I have decided not to sell our land but to give it to the Boosters' Club.
Oh, thank you, ladies.
Thank you.
Mr.
Chairman.
- Mr.
Godsey.
I understand that John Walton has been against this project from the beginning.
Well, I see he's here now, and I think we should hear from him.
- Have you changed your mind, John? - No, I haven't.
John, how could you possibly be against this magnificent plan? Tell us why you're against it, John? Would you standing up please, so we can all hear you? As most of you know, I'm not a man to meddle in other people's business.
I wasn't going to come tonight, but I just couldn't stand by and see good friends and neighbors - put their money in a bad risk.
- What do you mean by a bad risk? Well, I looked into it a little, checked with the bank and the real estate people over in Charlottesville.
I don't know if you are all aware how many auto courts went broke in the last five years.
All kinds of businesses have gone broke, but we're in a boom now.
One thing you can be sure about a boom is it's gonna be followed by a bust.
All of you remember that big Florida boom, where a lot of small people lost everything they had.
All that was totally different, that was a swindle.
It had crooked speculators that over built, they sold swamp land.
Maybe I ought to remind you folks about what happened right here in Jefferson County.
The Guthrie coal mine.
Remember how Cyrus Guthrie built this whole town for mining families? Then the mine wore out long before the experts thought it would.
Now that's a ghost town, not one family living in it.
We're not talking about a whole town, we just want to keep up with the rest of the country, just take one little step forward.
He's right, John.
I mean, you've expanded your business to keep up with the times.
I don't know why we can't.
Yeah.
Take me, for instance.
Now, I've had this little general store at this country corner for years, this is my chance to make it big, and I don't want to be left out.
Nor do I.
Now, John, as much as I respect your opinion Let's take it to a vote.
I was just getting to that.
I vote that we proceed with our plans for a town square.
I second the motion.
- All those in favor? Aye.
Opposed? The ayes won.
- I sure hope Ben knows what he's doing.
- I just wish he hadn't gone against Daddy.
He has a right to his own opinion.
I think that we should put most of the guest cottages right here by the rocks.
Mmm, but I think we ought to put that unit with the office right here, right next to the store, huh? That's a good idea, that way we have enough room over on the other side of the town square for some shops.
Mr.
Godsey! Ben! Just wait until you hear what they have to say about us in the Charlottesville Progress.
Oh, yeah? "Social Notes from Walton's Mountain by Corabeth Walton Godsey.
"A Boosters' Club has been formed "and will sponsor the construction of a town square.
"In addition to an attractive group of guest cottages, "there will be a tea room and a number of shops.
"The pièce de résistance would be a lovely fountain.
"And in the future, it is hoped "there will be a library, a music hall and other centers of culture.
" - Have you seen this paper? - Yeah.
I think you should call Ben.
- He'd think I was saying, "I told you so.
" - He needs your support.
Out to prove to the world he's independent, he's still got you doing his laundry.
I think I'd be doing John-Boy's if he weren't in London.
I'm surprised he doesn't send it to me.
You do want Ben back on the job, don't you? He's anxious to prove himself, maybe it's better this way.
And maybe it isn't.
Why don't you try it again and find out? It's up to him if he wants it back, he's gonna have to ask me.
Who is it? Zuleika.
- Come on in.
- Last call for breakfast.
I already had coffee this morning.
That's all I want.
Hotcakes and sausages, Ben.
I'm not hungry.
Oh, come on, Ben.
Perk up.
- It's not the end of the world.
- It just seems that way, huh? - You know what you ought to do? - What? You ought to call your father and ask him to make up.
Zuleika, thanks for the vote of confidence.
Oh, no, no, no, Benjamin, don't take it the wrong way.
Anyone with half a brain could see you were cut out to make your mark in this world.
If it's not the auto court it'll be something else.
Just play it safe, right? Well, I always thought you loved doing mill work, Ben.
I do, but I also like being my own boss.
Well, what are your plans? I've given up on this idea of the town square, that's for sure.
But, Ben, it said in the paper there was a ban on all new construction unless it's essential.
I know that, Zuleika.
But that auto court and all the other buildings that we build are for people that are working over at the defense plant.
And the way I see that, that's essential construction.
Benjamin, I think you might have a point there.
I made the call over to War Production Board, and the man's gonna call me back when they get the ruling.
Well, I'm certainly gonna keep my fingers crossed.
- Thank you.
- Good luck, Ben.
Good luck.
I need it.
The best shampoo for cleansing the hair and scalp, without losing the natural oils or glossiness, is the egg shampoo.
- Egg shampoo.
- Don't move your head, please.
Yancy, do you know anything about washing a girl's hair? Hair is hair.
- Yeah, but girl's hair is longer.
- I'm only gonna wash yours down till there.
"Beat eggs thoroughly into a mixture.
" I'll tell you what, you let me give you a facial - and I'll throw in an extra two bits.
- You can just forget about that.
You didn't tell me there was going to be egg in the shampoo.
Elizabeth, you made a deal.
Okay, but hurry up.
I've got homework to do.
"Put bowl in one hand, "with thumb and the second finger of other hand, separate strands of hair.
" Excuse me, sir, is that dandruff I see? - Stop fooling around, Yancy.
- I'm not fooling around.
I need practice in salesmanship.
Yes, I'm sorry to say, sir, that is dandruff.
I'll give you a tonic after your shampoo, and then we'll put you under the ultraviolet ray lamp for awhile.
The shop at Rockfish gets $2 a shot for that.
- Get started, will you? - Very well.
Okay.
- Ow! You got it in my eye! - I got a towel.
Here, here.
I've got some stuff to wash your eye out with.
You're not washing anything for me.
Elizabeth, what am I gonna do with this shampoo? It's got four eggs in it.
Make an omelet.
Hello? Speaking.
Is this the War Production Board? But the man I was talking to this morning said It's you? I see.
Thank you.
That was one of the deputy directors.
The director took my query with great consideration, but he said the type of construction I'm asking for is not essential.
- So therefore it wouldn't be permitted.
- Oh, Ben, I am sorry.
- But can't the ruling be appealed? - No.
- They said there's no exceptions.
- It was the chance of a lifetime.
We could have turned this wasteland into the garden spot of Virginia, while the cash register played a merry tune.
I had ideas.
They just opened a new place in Richmond, they call it a supermarket.
They got all the merchandise lined up on shelves in rows, just like a library.
The future looked so bright.
And the people take carts, and they go up and down the aisles and just help themselves.
And then they check out the food as they go.
I'd give my right arm to own a place like that.
For once it looked as if all our dreams had come true.
We could have built a beautiful house on the hill.
You did a good job, Ben.
You tried your best.
Yeah, I guess I swung hard and struck out, huh? That was a tough break, Son.
Yeah, I guess I got the bust before the boom, huh? I'm sorry, Ben.
Why don't you tell Mom I'll come by sometime later today? She'd like it if you'd stay for dinner.
I can't, I have to go into Rockfish sometime today.
Well, you certainly could say I told you so.
Well, maybe I didn't like this scheme, but I sure didn't wish any bad luck.
All we wanted was to comfort the weary traveler.
A place to rest his head, a glorious fountain to inspire him.
It's good to dream big, Corabeth.
Come on now, you shouldn't give up so easy.
- Isn't it hopeless? - I don't know.
Ben's the determined kind.
He has a way of bouncing back from things.
Takes after his old man, I guess.
Well, Ike, I need some wood glue, about two quarts.
Need a ride, stranger? Well, if you give me a lift, lady, I'll clean your windshield.
- Best offer I've had all day.
- Okay.
Too bad about the freeze on construction.
Is there any openings over at Pickett Metal? Sure, but you'd make more money working for Daddy.
Save your breath, Erin.
I'm not going back to that mill.
- Oh, Ben, you're stupid if you don't.
- Lay off, will you? Besides, it's not the same at home without you.
Move over.
Ben, let's go.
- You go ahead, I'll see you later.
- Where are you going? I'm back in business! It's just a freeze on new construction.
Any home that's already been built, well, there's no law saying you can't move it from one place to another.
Oh, I get what you're driving at.
You're talking about that mining ghost town - that Cyrus Guthrie got stuck with, right? - That's exactly what I'm saying.
The bank in Charlottesville took it over.
And I already talked to them, and they said any place we want, we can buy.
I was looking and there are some one room and bath units just about the right size.
We haul eight to ten units up on Walton's Mountain, and we got ourselves an auto court! But I've seen those houses in Guthrieville, I mean, they're in terrible shape.
Oh, we can fix them up in no time at all! Yeah, but it'll cost you a ton to move them.
I already checked into it, it costs less than one-fourth the price of new construction.
Of course, that doesn't include the price of the old buildings.
- What does it all add up to? - We could swing it, Ike.
Can't beat that, can you? - There's only one thing.
- What's that? They need someone responsible to sign a paper guaranteeing the payments.
Now, of course I would do it, but I'm not old enough.
Well, Corabeth has got her heart set on that town square.
And that fountain, too.
- All right, I'll do it.
- That's great, Ike, we'll get everything now.
Yeah.
There it is, honey, our first one.
We moved it in at 4:00 a.
m.
- Ben and I supervised the whole thing.
- But it's just so run-down.
Oh, yeah.
But I mean, after we put some landscaping and it gets painted, then we put a board walk from the store over to the house, well, it'll look just great.
Well, what do you think, Corabeth? Well, I just didn't expect it to be so shabby.
Oh, don't you worry about that.
By the time we're ready to bring in all those other units, this one'll be all prettied up.
You know what we forgot, Ben? We got to put a traffic signal, right here.
- Now that's the ticket, Ike, think big! - You betcha! Come on, Ben, have a cup of coffee, while Corabeth fixes us some breakfast.
Ham and eggs for two hardworking cooper men, Corabeth! Mr.
Godsey, this is not a truck stop, yet.
After you.
Thank you.
I don't know, Ben, if we bit off more than we could chew.
Ah, we've got it made, Ike.
In fact, chances are there'll probably be fellow Boosters all day today, - coming by to help us.
- I don't know.
- I sure hope you're right.
- Yoo-hoo! Ben! Mr.
Godsey! You see what I mean? Oh, Zuleika, good to see you.
- Yeah, I'm glad to see you.
- You look so pretty.
Oh, thank you very kindly.
- Oh, I just love these colors! - Not bad, huh? Oh, you two industrious young men have inspired me to get busy myself.
That's what we like to hear.
The more the merrier.
I'm going right into your store, Ike, and I'm gonna buy me a gallon of that pretty paint.
- Oh, you don't have to do that, Zuleika.
- Oh, yes, I do, Benjamin! I have to keep up with the competition.
I'm going to repaint the trim on my boarding house, just to make sure I keep getting lots of business! It just looks lovely.
Keep up the good work.
- Toodle-oo.
- Toodle-oo.
Lots of Boosters coming by to help us, huh? There will be.
- How did we get talked into this? - Beats me.
Ike was sorting the mail and Ben had a phone call.
That's the last I remember.
I seem to remember reading about this somewhere.
Yeah, me too.
It's all starting to come back to me now.
Hey, here comes Yancy, maybe we can get him roped in.
This here a wide place in the road is turning into a regular big city, ain't it? Oh, hi, Yancy.
Looks like a real tough job you two got there.
No.
We feel this is an honor, part of our civic duty.
Yeah, you don't get to do this unless you're really good with a brush.
Oh, I can see you two are real good at this painting.
Of course, we might let you take over, that is if you think you're good enough.
Yeah, that way you'd have a part in boosting up the community, Yancy.
Well, now, I can see why it would be an honor, yes, sir, but, well, there's two good reasons why I can't.
One, I had just come down to see if the mail's come in.
Ike's sorting it now.
It's probably not even ready.
What's the other reason? Well, just before I left school, it was about the fifth grade, as I recall, the teacher said I had to read a book.
That's the other reason.
What kind of reason is that? - A darn good one.
The book I read was The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.
You two are doing a real good job.
Hey, Yancy, we've been waiting for you.
You got a surprise! - You mean it's here? - Just go on in and see.
Hey, guys, come here, quick! And now as postmaster of Walton's Mountain, Jefferson County, and the State of Virginia, I am the designated official to conduct this graduation ceremony.
Mr.
Yancy Tucker, having successfully completed all courses in the tonsorial arts and sciences through the United States mail, of course, is hereby granted the degree of B.
B.
, Bachelor of Barbering.
- Congratulations, Yancy.
- Speech.
Speech, Yancy! Thank you.
Since I never graduated from nowhere before, and I never got me any kind of diploma, I just don't know what to say.
Oh, Yancy, you don't have to make a speech because Corabeth and I are going to give you a graduation present.
Here you are.
- Ta-da! Congratulations, Yancy! - Yeah! Yancy! Well, who's first? Oh, I have to get back to work, Yancy.
It sure is beautiful, though.
And I've gotta finish sorting the mail.
Well, I guess we better go before we get in trouble.
- See you later, Yancy.
- It's a beautiful chair.
Corabeth? Shampoo? - Hey, Jase! - Taking a break? Oh, I'm trying to decide on what I should name this street.
Well, Main Street sounds a little small-town.
Ben? I'm thinking after I put that row of buildings in, I'm going to put a street light right in there.
Ben, there's something you should know.
Yeah, we have to keep it very convenient for those folks over at Franklin Steel.
That's what I've been trying to tell you, Ben.
There isn't going to be any Franklin Steel plant here.
- What you talking about? - I just heard it from J.
D.
Pickett.
See, there's this land speculator, he made up the rumor about the Franklin mill being here to try to raise up the price of the land he was trying to unload.
It's just a rumor.
I hate to be the one to have tell you, but I didn't want you to hear it from somebody else.
Yeah, thanks.
How about coming back to the house with me? All right, I'll think about it, I told you, Ike.
I'll talk to you later, bye.
Didn't sound too good from this end.
Ben called Franklin Steel's main office in New York, they don't know nothing about a plant down here.
Poor Ben, he was so sure it was going to work out.
Boosters' Club called a special meeting for this afternoon.
You going? They'll sure tear him to pieces for getting them into this.
I couldn't bear to watch that, anymore than I could bear the thought of him standing up to that bully in school when he was just a little boy.
I made him do that, didn't I? I explained the situation to Mr.
Gibbs at the bank.
And I tried to cancel the contract.
But he refused, that was the way I left him.
However he did call me back, and told me he changed his mind.
That all he's going to hold us to is the cost of the building, the one that's already been moved.
Do you mean just the cost of moving it here? No, that plus the amount that we already agreed upon.
- Oh, well, Mr.
Godsey signed.
- Now hold on, we are all responsible.
Says who? I think we're being sold a bill of goods! I think we've all been sold a bill of goods.
I'm pulling out of the whole deal.
No, please! I'm pulling out of here right now.
I'm pulling out.
Under the circumstances, perhaps sister and I should withdraw our offer to donate the land.
Oh, wait a minute.
You can't leave us holding the bag! We feel certain Papa wouldn't approve.
Walton, this whole thing was your idea.
Now please, let me finish, okay? I brought everyone into this situation myself, and I'm willing to take all the responsibilities! I don't see how you think you could swing that.
- You ain't got nothing.
- You're a kid, Ben.
What do you know? Hold on! Hold on now.
Hold on! I've been standing at the back listening to this and I just know that Ben won't let this be a dead loss.
You've been looking at that building, haven't you, Son? - Figuring out other ways to use it.
- Well, sure there's other ways to use it.
I mean, you don't have to use an auto court.
I mean, there's plenty of people that drive by, and I'm sure we can get them to bring in - Roadside cafe.
- Or a drive-in! An antique store that would attract people from all over.
What I'm trying to say is there's a lot of money that could be made right there in that location.
Just one question I got, Son.
Now, if you take over the payments, does that mean that you get all the profits or do you share it with the Boosters' Club? What profits? What on earth are you talking about? Well, it seems to me that if I'm gonna make all the payments that I should also get all the profits.
Well, now, I see your point.
It's a good one.
I mean, you're my son, I'd like to see you make a profit.
But as a member of this community, maybe we ought to think what's best for all.
Well, now, maybe we have been acting just a little hasty.
Well, this did start out as a joint project.
Well, now, I suggest that the investors make the payments, find suitable tenants for the buildings, and share the profits, as originally agreed upon.
I second the motion.
Well, you've all heard the motion, it's been seconded.
So all those in favor? Aye.
Thank you.
Anyone opposed? Well, we're back in business! Meeting adjourned! Have you had any luck finding someone to replace me? A couple of fellows look promising.
Well, whoever it is, make sure you check them out on the old saw, it could play tricks on you.
Guess you'll be spending all your time with the Boosters, huh? Oh, the Boosters have a lot of organizing to do, that's for sure.
Can't think of anyone better to do it.
Of course, the Boosters won't take all my time.
I've been thinking of hiring a new manager.
- Do you have anyone special in mind? - No.
You got a mind to take on some new responsibility? Any extra money in it for me? - Room and board and $25 a week? - You got yourself a deal.
- Thanks, Daddy.
- Don't thank me, Son.
Not every day you can hire a man who's just built a new town.
The important thing about any community is not the grandeur of its buildings but the spirit of its people.
Ben and the Boosters continued to work together to help the little town through its growing pains.
Ben went back to work at our father's mill.
But he had proved he could make good on his own.
Walton's Mountain didn't become the largest town in Jefferson County, but it did prosper and expand in the years to come.
Corabeth's dream of a town square with a fountain did come true.
Though, it didn't have the splendor that she had envisioned, that cool spring water gave welcome refreshment to homefolks and strangers alike.
Come on, Ben, turn out the light.
Pretty soon, Jim-Bob.
I want to finish these plans for some more shops in town.
Don't forget a dress shop, Ben.
And I know Mary Ellen would like a place for baby clothes.
You've got a movie theater? What you'd better have is an undertaking parlor.
That's awful, Jim-Bob.
What do you want one of those for? - You, unless you turn out the light.
Goodnight, everybody.
English - SDH