Original subtitles

Mama?

Wake up, little girl.

I'm afraid we have to go now.

Can you help me, Mama?

James, honey, wake up.

I need you to get up right now and come to the kitchen, okay?

What time is it?

Sammy, honey, wake up.

Come on, Mr. Sandman. Time to get up now.

Scylla, Milgan.

Okay.

And then it's 1724.

One, seven.

That's seven, two, four.

Ocean Drive.

We lived with our mom in a little house all by itself out in the dunes.

I guess we were poor, but we had the ocean, and that was better than any

house.

Mom said we were going to Aunt Stella's, but driving off in the middle of the

night just didn't make any sense.

For one thing, we never took a trip.

And here we were, heading all the way down to Bridgeport.

You'll be good now, you hear?

You little ones mind what Dicey tells you. You hear me?

Yes, Mama. Yes, Mama.

It's all right, then.

She was always doing that.

Leaving everything up to me.

Where are we?

Why did we stop?

I don't know.

You heard everything she said, same as I did. You tell me.

All she says, we gotta stop here. She didn't say why.

What time is it?

I don't know.

I've been asleep a long time.

And I'm hungry.

Where's Mama?

I don't know.

I'm hungry.

You're always hungry.

Me too, and I'm going to eat.

What do you want me to do, go look for her?

No. Sammy, give Mamette the sandwich too. Let her choose for herself.

I'm going to go see what time it is.

Don't you go away, too.

Find her?

Uh,

come what?

I'll be right there.

Stomach feels weird.

Why'd she do this? What's wrong with her? James.

If she isn't back by morning, I think we should go into Bridgeport.

How are we going to get there?

We can't drive. Mom took the keys.

I think we should go to the police and ask for help.

We can't.

If we go to the police, they're just going to split us up and put us in

homes.

You remember the lady who came to our house?

The social worker?

Okay, then, you know it's true.

I see D .C. Fulmer meant to leave us here.

I think she meant to take us to Bridgeport.

Mama loves us.

That's all I know.

The mall is now closed.

What was that name again, please? In Bridgeport.

Stella Logan on Ocean Drive.

Well, it's an emergency.

Well, I'm sorry, kid, but we're not allowed to give you that information.

Can I help you with another call?

We're closing up, kid.

You know anything about that broken window over there at Record City?

You look familiar.

What's your name?

Kathy. Kathy, huh? Where do you live, Kathy?

Over there.

Why don't we take a little trip together? Sound good, huh? Well, look

mister.

Stop it, you kid! Hey, you stop right there, kid!

You stop right there!

Come on, James, we gotta go. Sammy made us wake up. What happened?

Tell you later. Get everybody to go.

Where are we going? Now, James!

James? You awake?

It's still true.

You see, this is where we are in Pewocket. We're going to walk along

Highway 1, until we get to Bridgeport.

What about Mama?

Mama will know we went on to Aunt Phyllis, and that's where she'll come to

us. Okay, but why aren't we taking the bus?

Because we've only got $9 altogether.

$9?

We should have had supper last night.

But we did, so it's no good thinking if we didn't.

We can't go back, and we've got to go somewhere.

We're going to have to walk.

May I, Beth?

That's fine, Daisy.

How far is it? I don't know for sure.

It'll be hard.

We have to carry as little as possible, just one bag for all of us. Can I bring

my book? No.

Everybody put on clean socks.

Why? It's harder with socks on. Because you'll get blisters. I'm not going.

What are you going to do?

Wait here for Mama.

Not here exactly.

In the car.

Mama's not coming back here.

That's what I think.

I think maybe she's forgotten.

Mama wouldn't forget me.

No, she wouldn't.

But she's forgotten where we are, I think.

So if we're going to Aunt Cilla's, that's where she'll probably be.

We have to go find her. I don't want to. I don't want to either, but we have to.

No, we don't. Then I'll carry you. I'll get you. Don't you understand? She's not

coming back, not here.

Do you think they're looking for us? What are we doing, Daisy?

We gotta go.

Sammy right now.

Marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah.

The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah.

The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah.

Maybe we could live here.

It's a bed.

It's better than a bed.

It's a cloud.

Sammy, don't burn it. I like it that way.

What's this onzilla gonna be like?

I don't know.

But she lives in a big mansion right next to the ocean.

How do you know?

Mama said.

But she's never even been there. Just that dumb Christmas card every year.

You're done.

I wish we had ketchup and mustard.

watermelon dessert.

Yeah. Chocolate sundae with whipped cream and a cherry on top.

Yeah, me too. I wish I had that.

I wish we had mom.

We can't walk the bridge.

Police could pick us up. Could we take a boat?

We never stole a thing. Don't have to steal.

Not steal it.

Just borrow it.

Come on, hurry. Get to the back.

Get in. Come on.

Thank you for watching.

What are the kind of people go off from?

First your father and now mom.

What do you think, Desi? Is something wrong with us?

I don't know.

I don't care.

Desi, do you think mama's dead?

I don't know.

How could I know that?

She just got kidnapped.

That happens to Richie.

Some kids at school said things about Mama.

Bad things.

About not being married.

Did they say things to Sammy?

Yeah, I don't think they really got it at school.

Some kids said Mama was crazy.

Not to me, they didn't.

That's because you can fight.

Craziness can run in families, you know.

It's hereditary.

No matter what, we're all gonna die.

It doesn't matter what we do.

Does it?

How much money do we have?

Not much.

Twenty -six cents.

Well, what are we going to eat? I don't know. We'll find something.

Dicey, we can't do this anymore. It's not fair to the little kids. It'll get

better. No, it won't.

We've got to get help.

It's hard to know who to trust, and I can't take any chances.

Do you understand?

We're just kids.

We should have got help from the very beginning. That's really stupid, James.

You know we can't.

would be better than this.

Even a foster home.

We'll make it.

I'll think of something.

My stomach hurts.

Mine too.

I don't die if I don't eat.

You won't die. Not in one day.

Salvation takes days and days.

Good job, kid.

Come back any time, huh?

You looked like you were crying.

Can I help?

You lost?

Can you walk home from here?

Can I tell you what I think?

I think you don't have a place to sleep, and you're probably hungry and

frightened, and you don't want to tell me anything.

So far, am I right?

I've been in your kind of jam myself.

More than once.

Why don't you come with me, and we'll get you something to eat.

I don't have any money.

I do.

It's a great spot, right close by.

Do you have your mind to trust me yet?

I'm afraid so.

But I'm not alone.

Is that okay?

Yeah. Yeah, whatever.

Wait here, please.

Maybe. Come on.

We're going to get something to eat.

1688.

1690. 1692.

1694. Is Mama going to be there?

Let's hope, Sammy.

Let's hope really hard.

I hope, I hope, I hope.

1720.

1724.

You guys got my numbers, right?

Zip code, birthday, football jersey.

And you're going to call me if Ancilla doesn't show, right?

Okay.

I'm out of here.

Organic chem in a half hour.

Good man, James.

Thank you, Wendy.

Thanks for everything.

What are you doing here?

What do you want?

We're the telemo.

We're hoping you're our aunt.

Our great -aunt, Mrs. Phil Logan.

Oh, that is mother.

Not me.

I'm her daughter.

That is, I was her daughter. Mother passed on this last March.

But you come in.

No need to wait her on the front.

Let's do it.

This way.

I found Mother sitting right there. The Wednesday.

Her heart was weak.

But she never, never complained.

We're sorry.

Yes, well...

It was a great shock.

In fact, I've not been quite the same since Mother went away.

People have said that to me.

So now, tell me again, precisely who you are?

Our mother is your mother's niece.

She sent us a Christmas card every year.

That's how I knew about Aunt Phil and her address.

But I don't even know your name.

Eunice.

Eunice Logan.

Does that make us second cousins?

I don't know.

So where are your parents?

How long are you visiting in Bridgeport?

Sam and Mom is not here.

You don't know where your mother is?

And your father?

Oh, dear, you poor sweet things.

Will you excuse me while I make a phone call?

Lest I forget, I went ahead and called up the Peawocket and...

The police there did impound a Plymouth Volare registered to Liza Tilleman. I

explained your situation, and they were good enough to wire me $150 against the

future sale of the vehicle to police auction.

Uh, Eunice, why don't you look after this just for the meantime?

Okay with you, Dyson?

Okay, yeah.

Let's get back to the description.

Do you remember what your mother was wearing?

Blue jeans.

A sweater.

A big red sweater with holes in the elbows.

Sandals and a purse.

Any jewelry?

Rings? A watch?

A wedding ring?

No.

Had you the same father, would you know that?

What a bastard!

It's all right, Eunice. They would know and we wouldn't.

Okay, uh... Uh, Dicey, uh...

Can you think of any place else your mother might have gone? Friends,

Oh, I should tell you my mother had one sister, Abigail,

who would be the children's grandmother.

Abigail was much younger than my mother, and they never got along.

Later, we heard she married a dirt farmer by the name of Bellarmine.

Which one's our grandmother?

The little girl with the wild hair.

I wrote her of Mother's passing, but received no reply.

We phoned our church down there, and I asked the pastor to make a visitation.

Apparently, she has something of a reputation.

Okay.

We'll check on it.

What was that location, Father?

Oh, Maryland, the town of Crisfield.

Dicey, you think it's possible your mother may have gone there?

I don't think so.

She never talked about her.

Okay.

Well, we'll do the best we can, kids.

Hang in there, kiddo.

In the meantime, can I assume the Tillemans are staying here?

Oh, dear. We're checking on some possible arrangements. This whole

just been so stressful.

I'm just not sure yet. I hope you understand.

Tell me about it. I got four on my own.

Your little sister barely uttered a word all evening.

Is there something wrong with her?

I know it can't be easy for you.

Here, now.

There are a few things I feel obligated to tell you.

Firstly, I go to Mass every morning at 6 .30.

And I was hoping that tomorrow you all might join me.

Okay. Good.

Secondly, I'm planning to take the day off tomorrow.

It's my first in seven years.

You don't have to. We'll be okay.

Yes, what you see.

Aftermath will be going to the rectory.

What for?

Well, your father Joseph has arranged for several of the parish families to

with your brothers.

Why?

Because I am simply not equipped to harbor four active children under this

roof.

But we girls, God willing, will manage somehow.

But, Cousin Eunice, I promise then that we stay together.

You know, Father Joseph said I was a saint to take you in.

He said anybody else would turn you over to social services.

But I said, I can't do that.

They're my flesh and blood.

But you don't understand.

Oh, but I do.

We are family, after all.

There. I feel so relieved now we've had this little chat. Don't you?

By the time Cousin New York wakes up, we've passed New York and on the way to

Crisfield.

You think they're going to try to catch us?

Anyway, they know we're going.

I'd like to know.

Dicey, you've ruined it. We can't be running away if they know where we're

going.

Will we run away? We're not running away.

We're just going to stay.

I'm running away.

Before, we were always the ones people ran away from.

Somebody wants us to do it. Yeah, me too. We'll run over this.

You scared?

Oh, my.

Something wrong?

I was looking for the telephone number for Abigail Tillerman.

Why would you do that?

I was going to call her up and see if she needs some help on her farm.

Hab won't hire you.

Besides, she hadn't had a phone since the day she came into town, threw it

through the big plate glass window down at the phone company.

You don't want to work for her.

Where is her farm, anyway?

Landon Neck.

It's off South Main, maybe a mile.

There's a bend out there. There's a new little house right on it. The next

mailbox is Ab's.

But it's about seven miles.

I wouldn't go out there crazy as a coot. That's my opinion.

We leave her alone. You should, too.

Maybe you're right.

No maybes about it.

You know what this is like?

It's like Provincetown, isn't it?

Smells like it.

Yeah, so what about our grandmother?

She lives seven miles out of town on Landon Neck Road.

How did we get there?

Listen, James.

I want to go out there alone, just in case.

Why don't you just stay here with the little kids, and I'll come back for you

when I know.

Do you know why?

If it's okay for us then.

I don't like that, Dicey. What if you get in trouble?

It's better just me than all of us, right?

Well, here's the money for lunch and anything.

Okay, but I don't like it.

I'm in charge, James, remember?

You little ones, you do what James says, you hear?

That's all right then.

Mrs. Tellerman?

You're trespassing.

Well, I thought I heard when I knocked.

Well, I didn't know if... Well, the fact is, I wondered if you

hired me to work for you. The fact is, you're trespassing.

Who told you to come here?

Nobody.

Heard you were alone, so I thought I'd try I Don't know you doing We're new

here. Why aren't you in school?

It's summer

I didn't think I'd come in.

You never said if you wanted me to work.

How do I know you're not going to rob me?

I'm not.

And it doesn't look like you have much to tell anyone.

Where do you live?

In town.

I can work hard.

Your barn needs to be painted and the grass needs to be cut.

I'm not too old to do that.

Well, I can pick and weed.

So can I.

So can anybody.

I will get down a bowl, now that you've invited yourself to lunch.

You know what I sometimes think?

I sometimes think people might be good to eat.

You know, cows and chickens eat corn and grass and turn it into good meat. So

when people eat cows and chickens, they might turn it into something even

better.

Ever think about that?

Especially babies.

Or children.

More tender.

You got any brothers or sisters?

No.

Who told you I was alone?

The lady in the grocery store.

Really?

She's the butcher. Can you imagine that? A lady butcher.

Why not?

What'd she tell you about me?

Nothing much.

Did she tell you I was crazy?

My husband's been dead these four years in the war.

I'm sorry.

I'm not.

I've been happy since you died.

Why? He kept wanting his shoes polished.

And he did polish his own shoes.

My children did.

But they died too.

All three of them.

That was a relief.

What do you think about death?

What don't you think?

I think it's a quiet place at the end where you can rest and you don't have to

fight anymore.

Not quite.

Not for the mag of the world.

I wouldn't care about that if I was dead.

Where are you going?

You didn't even offer to help with the dishes.

Don't you even want to know if I want you to work for me?

Well, I don't.

I know who you are.

You hear me?

I know who you are and you can't stay here.

Then who am I?

I knew the minute you knocked at the door.

That's why I went out back. A polite person would have gone away.

You're the oldest.

Remember your name?

I don't know who I am.

Eliza's daughter.

Someone's godly name she gave you. Her name's Frances.

Who told you?

An etiquette. What's her name?

Like a mother. More than Cooper and Boo.

Cousin unit?

Yeah.

And the cops around here looking for you.

They said one's retarded.

Never says Boo.

You see?

No.

Not that it concerns you.

My name's Daithi.

I remember.

I'm going.

Suit yourself.

Where are you all planning on sleeping tonight?

We're moving on.

We don't need a place to stay.

Don't lie to me, girl. You're runaways.

There's no point in staying here.

I said sleep, not stay.

No reason for you not to sleep here, is there?

Yes. I think there is.

You'll sleep here because you've got nowhere else to go. We do, too.

Then why'd you come traipsing down here 500 miles just to find me?

Huh? Answer me that.

Well?

Okay.

But... But what?

Be nice to them?

Nicer than I was to you?

Yeah.

I'm not making any promises.

Let's get going.

Yeah, long time no see.

James!

I don't know. I left them right here.

and we should have all gone together.

See, he said I had to do what he said.

But I said no.

He said you said to.

I said you said to stay here and do what he said. Not go off because he said to.

So he took Maybeth.

He thinks he's so smart.

And he is smart.

But I told him to stay here. I told him.

Are you the grandmother?

Am I supposed to call you?

Let's get back.

What about James and Maybeth?

I can't just leave them.

You already did. We'll find our own way.

What's it like?

I run down.

All you want to say?

Just tonight.

She's not friendly.

Neither am I.

Sammy's alone downtown.

We'll go back and get him if everything's okay. Everything's not

Sammy's here.

She doesn't have a car. She uses a boat.

That wasn't very smart, James.

Yeah, well, I thought it was when we were starting out. Well, don't worry.

doesn't want us to stay.

But we can sleep here tonight.

Then where do we go? I don't know yet.

Anyway, this is where Mama lives.

Beautiful.

It's a wreck.

She hasn't taken care of it.

But it's big.

Big enough for all of us. Who cares? We won't be staying.

True enough.

He'll be here for supper, so there's work to be done.

I see you found them.

James?

Maybe.

I've got crab pots set down by the dock. We'll fetch the crabs.

I will. Me too.

James and Sammy will.

There's a basket out by the back steps All right,

I eat early and so will you You two come with me show you where sleep

That's

my bedroom And that's my bathroom.

There's a bathroom at the far end.

Some of your sheets in one of the bureaus. I can't recollect which.

Go on.

It drives it like a ghost house.

Look at this for me, Patty.

It's only for one night.

We can do that.

And so can I.

You're coming in too fast. I always do this time of year.

Gotta start counting.

Can she pick beans?

Can you?

Sure, I guess so.

Okay, over there, then.

And, uh, bring them back here to me.

And take the biggest.

You, go into the barn.

Up against the far wall, there's a bin of potatoes.

Get what we need.

And keep your shoes on.

I don't know what all is on that floor.

Oh, man, how do we get them out of there?

I think they might.

Here they come.

Get those two to clean. They don't have to be scrubbed.

Did you take the ends off beans?

Sure.

There's a boat in the barn.

I know that. Been there for years.

Whose boat is it?

Mine.

Well, I know that, but whose?

One of my boys built it.

He built it and he sailed it.

Where are the sails?

Still float?

I don't know if it's... still seem worthy. It's no concern of yours.

I can hear what you're thinking.

Maybe you can't.

Here's the deal. They looked at the door and they looked at us and gone. I

didn't know things could go sideways so fast. Boy, are they smart.

We closed the doors and sent the traps back where they were.

Is that right?

Right enough. We'll use the bait.

What should we use?

Fish.

We've got to catch the fish.

Can I go down after dinner? Do you have any lime?

There's no point to it.

So what?

I'll go with it, Danny.

Where's your mother?

We don't know.

We can't find her? Not yet.

So you ran off when somebody was trying to help you. Why'd you do that?

It wasn't right for us then.

You think other people have to just jump up and down because you say so?

What about your father? He run away too?

Yeah, right after Sammy was born.

He said he'd come back a year when he ran out on her.

I want to.

How do you know?

I can't remember, but it made her cry.

What the matter, anyway?

Mama matters to me.

She went off and left you.

She wanted to come back.

How do you know that?

Because she loved me.

Didn't she, Daisy?

Yes, she did.

She loved us all.

Good night.

Good night.

What are we going to do tomorrow?

She doesn't want us to stay.

She said so. Well, neither do I, even if it is fun.

What about you, James?

Well, I'd be okay here.

Maybeth?

You want to, don't you?

In the morning.

I say we get started on something youthful before she wakes up.

That way she'll have to keep us here for the day.

If she tells us to go, we can say we will as soon as we finish the job.

What if she means it?

She does mean it.

That's the trouble, isn't it?

Look, we'll pretend that we're not even thinking about staying.

But every day we do some work that needs to be done. So it's worth a while to

keep us.

If we get her to put it off...

Maybe she'll get used to us and forget that she wants us to go away.

I don't think she likes me. That doesn't matter, Sammy.

It's not her I'm thinking about.

It's us.

This was our mama's house.

Okay?

Well, that's okay, then.

Let's do it.

I see you don't make your own beds.

I'll do that.

No.

You'll each do your own.

Honeysuckle's been there for years.

It's kind of a tenacious plant I have to respect.

Honeysuckle as a person can be trained to tip back, but if it proliferates

without being controlled, it chokes out other growth.

It's bad.

Where'd you learn a word like proliferate?

The honey truck will take you all day at least.

You can't just let the vines pile up.

You have to go out on the marsh.

Go help her.

Runt must be clear by the size of that pile in the marsh.

There's more in the boat.

When you're done, you better rub down those tools with a tack cloth or they'll

rust.

I got groceries to put away.

Did

a

good day's work?

I suppose you'll be moving on tomorrow.

There's still honeysuckle to be pulled.

Move. I don't know why you carried it so far into the mar.

Leave it at the front end.

We're at my thing.

James, you look like you could use two feet. Going to the ocean,

going to the beach.

Gonna walk upon the sand with my bare feet. I'm going shallow walking, going

shallow walking.

I'll give you this much.

Mama taught you how to sing.

Did you ever sing to our mama?

I don't recall.

If you want to wash any clothes tonight's the time. I'll be using this

can it tomorrow.

Where'd you hear that song?

A friend taught it to us.

Someone we met along the way. Wendy.

Wendy who?

I don't know. It was out of college.

What were you doing out of college?

Well, we were just coming into New Haven.

It was late.

It was raining.

I finally found a place to sleep behind the thick gums.

Good night.

Will you be moving on tomorrow?

Your mailbox needs bracing, and there's some packing to be done in the barn.

You have one there, don't you?

It's going to rain.

There's storms brewing.

I guess everybody knows I got a letter from your cousin.

Apparently she feels it's her God -given duty to look after you. She's making

arrangements, I don't know what all, something about you girls with her and

boys with... with a family not too far away.

But... No buts, girl.

What happens in life isn't always up to us.

And there's news about your mother.

But I'm afraid it's not good.

They found her.

Who did?

Where?

The police.

Up around Boston.

They got her in some state hospital.

The mental ward.

She's... You know what catatonic means?

It means she won't respond to anything.

That's right.

Your mother.

Well, she... doesn't speak.

Doesn't seem to hear what's said to her.

Won't feed herself.

Won't move at all.

Nothing.

Are they sure it's Mama?

They cut her hair.

Is she gonna get better?

They don't think so.

She'll get better, maybe.

I don't care what they say.

I won't believe them.

Sorry, Dicey.

Me too.

I'm sorry too.

You can help me.

I need the right tomatoes picked.

Squashes and cukes are along the ground.

Drainage is so bad, they'll rot if we don't get them in.

Do you even feed yourself?

Pop it up.

What's the matter with you?

Answer me!

Or is this the way she usually is and it's all been an act up until now?

Something's wrong with her arm.

What's wrong?

I don't know. She says it hurts.

How long has it hurt?

Since yesterday morning.

Why don't you say something?

Come on.

Come on. Come with me.

Come on.

Come with me.

Most likely just a pull tendon.

You'd really be yelling if you broke it.

Unless you yell as much as you talk.

Stand still when somebody's trying to help you.

You ain't came on that honeysuckle. It doesn't surprise me.

Why you were out there at all this morning is beyond me.

And you don't say anything, do you?

She does, if you listen.

Don't you see I'm trying to get your sister to speak for herself?

Why don't you just let me do it?

Let's keep at it.

Your cousin in Bridgeport, she thinks you're retarded.

Is it true?

I'm asking me, Beth.

I'm asking you.

Is it true?

I don't think I am.

I don't know just what it means.

But if it's such a bad thing to be, what do you want to know?

You'll have to take it easy for a couple of weeks, okay?

Me, myself, I shut up more times than I care to remember.

Mostly just afraid I can.

If you don't speak up when you should, you might never get the chance to make

right.

Did you love our mama?

It's okay, Dicey. I'm better now.

What are your plans for the day?

Clean out the barn.

Not without sunlight.

It's as dark as a tomb in there.

We'll wash windows.

In the rain?

It's not raining inside.

I can use some help in the kitchen.

Thank you.

Have you seen Sammy?

He ran through a while back.

We're in an hour.

Didn't he say where he was going?

What are you doing? You're supposed to be washing windows.

We're finished.

We'll do them again.

We gotta look busy.

Where's Sammy?

So you just go running off without telling anybody where you're going?

Your sister was worried about you.

You weren't, were you?

No. Why are you yelling at me about it? Don't be rude, Sammy.

But it's the truth.

I'm sorry, Daisy.

I got tired of windows.

So I built other boats so the motor won't get cut with water.

Then I took the crab parts.

Next time, tell me where you're going, okay?

Okay. Now go get out some dry clothes.

Hang up the towel.

Doesn't he get punished?

No. Why should he?

He was just trying to help.

You'll ruin him.

He's willful, needs to learn.

No, he doesn't need to learn to give in and give up.

That's what you mean, isn't it?

The way Sammy is, he's not perfect, but he's all right.

Stubbornness isn't bad.

He fights.

So do I.

I'm glad he knows how.

If you didn't know it already, we can't be working a six -year -old all day

long.

In the barn, I think there's a bike somewhere near his side.

At least the majority of us made it on time.

Your children saved the vegetables for me today.

And for that, I give you thanks.

You're welcome.

Let's eat, folks, before it gets cold.

How come you don't have a phone?

Took it out years ago.

Why would you do that?

You're young. You wouldn't understand.

At least I used to understand.

You see, my boy Bullet, he was in the army.

What kind of name is Bullet?

It was a nickname.

What was his real name?

Sam.

Samuel.

Oh, like Sammy.

Mama must have named him after her brother.

Was he like Sammy is?

Do you want this story or not?

Yeah.

Okay.

Bullet was in the army, and I guess somebody somewhere thought it was

that he go fight in some foolish war.

Vietnam?

Yeah.

They called me up on that telephone to tell me he was killed.

I had to do something.

And what I did was, I went downtown and I threw it right through the phone

company window.

They were surprised.

Didn't do any good, of course.

But it was better than doing nothing.

Dittos are pretty bad this time of year.

Might be a good idea to patch those up for their screens.

And James and I can do that tomorrow.

Wash your hands.

When you've done that, go to your room.

But I'm hungry.

Well, that'll help you to remember.

Get me?

Did he tell you, sister, where you were going?

Did he tell you?

Did he have your permission?

Sort of.

Sort of?

How do you sort of give permission to go gallivanting all day long and then miss

supper? Do you say, okay, Sammy, go sort of run wild and then sort of let people

worry?

What are you, a stupid girl?

It's not her fault. Don't yell at Daisy.

I will yell at whom I please, and I've told you to go to your room.

No.

Daisy.

It's not right, James.

It's not right to send him to bed hungry.

I can't let it happen.

Sit down, Sammy.

You don't understand.

Not what it is to be hungry.

It doesn't serve any purpose to punish him that way.

Sit down, Sammy.

But you're not tried your buck again until I say so.

I'm dicey. I mean it.

No matter what, will you obey?

You have to say when you're going off.

I know I will. I'm sorry, dicey. I'm sorry to you too, but it's my fault, not

dicey's.

You're a child.

So is Dicey.

Whose house is this?

Whose food? Whose table?

You're right.

It's not our house, and that's what you said from the very beginning.

But we're not your family.

You meant that too, didn't you?

I will not have this talking back.

But it's not talking back. It's explaining. It's just trying to get to

truth.

You're in my home.

My home!

Not yours.

Are you expecting us to stay, then?

No.

Couldn't sleep, so I was writing that silly cousin of yours.

What are you staring at, girl?

You.

You're pretty.

I never noticed.

Sit down.

Get a glass of milk first.

I've got something I should say to you.

It's okay.

I'm not going to argue about staying.

Wouldn't do you any good.

I want to explain.

I've never explained before.

Anyone.

But I have to now because in a way I do want to keep you here.

But I can't.

I'm old.

Not very old yet.

I'm getting older.

When my husband died, he left some insurance money enough for me to go on

live carefully.

But with the grocery bill this week, I'm already going to have to die a month

sooner than I planned.

That's crazy.

It's a joke, girl.

What I mean to explain is I don't have the money to raise more kids.

But with a farm, there must be lots of ways to get money.

James said you could grow Christmas trees.

Everybody buys a Christmas tree.

There's more.

Which, if you can't understand now, there's always later.

I was married for 38 years.

When you marry someone, you make promises.

I kept those promises. Love, honor, and obey.

Even when they didn't want to, I kept them.

I always went his way.

It's hard to believe.

It is, isn't it?

My husband was a man always sure he was right and you were wrong. I guess I

learned early on how to give up, give in.

Since he died, I've been different.

It's my own life I'm living now.

No standing back quiet when I want to fight.

It's okay.

I understand.

I never got the chance to show that to you, Mom.

She stuck around here for a long time just because she felt sorry for me. Did

you know that?

No.

She never talked about you.

You know what I said to her just before she left that house?

She was 21 and pregnant with you.

I said, we don't want to hear anything from you till we hear you've been

married.

My husband was right beside me, and I knew that's what he would say.

But I was the one to say it.

You know what she said?

She said, I'll never get married.

She wasn't angry.

She said it gentle.

Like me, Beth.

Why didn't she want to get married?

Because she'd seen what happens.

They all left.

Derry, one of my children.

They ran as fast and as far as they could.

My Sammy, he died of it.

And that was hard.

And then John, and then your poor mama.

I failed them.

I was responsible.

I can't have that responsibility again.

No, not to fail again.

But we'll help you this time.

No.

You help your cousin instead.

But she's only taking us because she thinks it's her duty.

Her job or something.

Maybe this letter will straighten her out on a few things.

Make it a little easier for you.

You best get to bed now. You can take this with you in the morning.

But we haven't finished the barn yet.

The bus leaves at 8 o 'clock sharp.

We leave here at 7 .30.

Run out the lights for me.

You should let us stay, you know.

You should.

Don't you listen, girl.

I said no.

And there's an end to it.

How many eggs does everybody want?

We're not hungry Suit yourselves

Millie. Hold on.

I'd like you to meet my grandchildren.

This is Dicey, James, Maybach, and this one's Sammy.

Well, pleasure is mine, I'm sure.

Okay, Torrance.

Let's keep it going. Can't be growing old in a damn grocery store.

Lily, do you ever buy a Christmas tree?

Yeah, every year.

Why?

You like us, don't you?

No matter what you say, I know.

Never said I didn't.

Ready to go home?

Ready

When Sammy asked her what we should call her, she said, Call me Graham.

I guess you never know where roads will end.

You just know that they do.

So...