All language subtitles for The.Waltons.S04E16.The.Secret.WEBRip.x264-ION10

There comes a time
in a young man's life,

when he begins to wonder how he
fits into the world around him.

When that time came
for my brother Jim-Bob,

it brought the unfolding
of a long-kept secret.

Hey, Jim-Bob.

I can't believe it.

Ever since Grandpa made him that
yo-yo, it's all he's been doing.

I think it's grown
onto his fingers.

Mrs. Fordwick had to take
it from him at school today

-I know.
-Stop teasing him.

He has to practice
for The Yo-Yo King.

I don't know
who The Yo-Yo King is,

but as far as I'm concerned,
Jim-Bob's king of the yo-yos!

You think you're so smart,
Ben Walton.

I don't know how
to explain him to my friends.

It's embarrassing.

I don't know. I'll tell
them he's no kin to me.

He doesn't belong to me, either.

Jim-Bob belongs to all of us.
He's our brother.

I wonder about that.

What if Mama found him
under a cabbage leaf?

Maybe he was left
by some gypsies.

Why not? A lot of them
did pass through here.

- Tell us our fortunes, Jim-Bob.
- Dance for us, Jim-Bob.

I'll go jump in the lake.

Watch out!
He may cast a spell on us!

Jim-Bob couldn't be a gypsy.
He doesn't even look like one.

He doesn't look like
a Walton, either.

Jim-Bob, wouldn't it be
exciting if gypsies or somebody

did leave you? Just like
in the book I'm reading.

Forget it, Elizabeth.

It was about a girl named
Daphne. She was abandoned.

Elizabeth.

Her parents were too poor
to keep her,

so they left her on the beach.

I don't want to hear
any of your dumb story.

Then a lighthouse
keeper found her

just before the tide came in.

Jim-Bob, don't you want
to be a gypsy?

Right now, all I want to be
is an only child.

Hey! Maybe you are!

Yeah, that's fine.

Wish we could afford
to buy new curtains.

Well, they don't look like
they shrunk any.

We've washed the shrink
right out of them.

Elizabeth, that door's only got
so many slams in it,

and you've used up most of them.

-Sorry, Mama.
-Chores done?

All except for
gathering the eggs.

Mama, if you and Daddy
were too poor to keep me,

who would you abandon me to?

-Mrs. Fordwick, I suppose.
-Why her?

Well, you'd be brought up
in a good Christian home.

She'd see that you become
a proper young lady.

I'd rather be abandoned
to a circus.

Good Lord, where did she
ever get an idea like that?

I guess I ought to be stricter
with Elizabeth. And Jim-Bob.

He's driving everybody crazy
with that yo-yo.

Well, they're the last
of your babies.

Nobody can blame you for...

Well, for making them special.

See, Mary Ellen,
just look at him.

What's he doing up there?

Ben and Erin were teasing him.

Mary Ellen, do you think
Jim-Bob was abandoned?

Oh, yeah.
He was left on the doorstep.

Where do you think
we got the basket?

Ready to go, John-Boy?

Yeah. There's nothing more
I can do with this mess.

-You sure got a lot of junk.
-Yeah.

Don't complain about it.
Some of this is yours.

My junk?

Here's the essay you asked me
to write for Mrs. Breckenridge.

-You wrote it?
-That's what you wanted.

What did you think
I was gonna do?

That's great. Thank you.

This is really good.

You did it so fast
and it's so professional.

-I don't know how you do it.
-Just a garden-variety genius.

Well, when Mrs. Breckenridge
reads this to the ladies

at the Historical Society,
they're gonna be bowled over.

Of course. Come on, let's go.

Do you remember
those days when we actually

hated going to school?

Sure do.

In spring. The first warm days.

That time we decided
to cross the creek

without using the bridge.

Like Tarzan
swinging from a tree.

I will never forget
the teacher's face

when we walked in dripping wet
all over the place.

You sure looked funny.

Yeah, you should've
seen yourself.

We had fun, though.

You gonna put all that
stuff into your novel?

Every bit of it.

It's gonna be something,
you know.

When it finally gets published

and we're all reading
about ourselves.

You'd probably come
after me with a stick.

Probably, I can just see
the whole family now

chasing old
John-Boy down the road.

Well, a big laugh for you, sure,

but for me it might
not be so much fun.

Hey, I gotta get this essay
over to Mrs. Breckenridge.

Think we got time to stop?

Well, I'm late, but, yeah,
we'll take it over there. Okay.

Great.

This looks lovely, Jason.

You will thank John-Boy
on behalf of all the ladies

in the Historical Society,
won't you?

Oh, yes, ma'am.
Surely. He enjoyed it.

Well, perhaps he'll
do another one for us.

You see, Professor Breckenridge
was enchanted

with the early settlers
on the Rockfish River.

He was born and he was buried
at Crabtree Falls, you know.

Here are all his notes.

If John-Boy could sort
of weave them together.

Well, I don't know, ma'am.

You see, he's been
awfully busy lately and, uh..

-Well, I'll ask him.
-There's no hurry.

There would be ample time
if I had it by Saturday.

Saturday. Alright.

Oh, is your music going well?

Oh, Yes, ma'am.
Just fine. Thank you.

I'm so proud of you, Jason.

The scholarship at the
conservatory

couldn't have gone to a more

deserving and talented
young man.

Well, I'm mighty grateful
to you, Mrs. Breckenridge.

I expect a front row seat
at your first concert.

Well, I'd surely
want you to be there.

I really have to hurry. John-Boy
is in the car waiting for me.

By the way,

I wonder if John-Boy
has carbon paper.

I reckon so. Why?

It would be so convenient if
the essay on the early settlers

could be done with three copies.

One for me, one for the library,
and one for the file.

Alright. Three copies it is.

You're a dear boy, Jason.

-Bye-bye.
-Bye-bye.

Elizabeth, I'm in the bathroom.

I know.
But you're just washing up.

Will you quit staring at me?

I was just noticing,
you even look like Skeezix.

Skeezix?

You know, in the funny papers.

Uncle Walt found him on the
front porch in a basket.

So?

Mary Ellen says that's
where they found you.

In the egg basket.

Well, she was just kidding you.

You sure don't
look like the rest of us.

Your eyes are different
and so is your hair.

That doesn't mean anything.

And you got nobody's nose.

Well, of course not.
It's my nose.

Elizabeth! Jim-Bob!

Elizabeth, now, when I sent
you after your brother,

I didn't mean for
you to disappear.

Now, hurry up, you two.
Supper's on the table.

Grandma, was Jim-Bob
left on the doorstep?

Now, what kind
of a question is that?

Mary Ellen said I was.

Jim-Bob, now, wouldn't
your mama's feelings be hurt

if she knew that you
believed such nonsense?

At your age, too.
Come on, everybody's waiting.

Well, whose nose does he have?

You see, that proves it.

They wouldn't admit
it to Daphne, either.

You just can't ask grown-ups.

-Let's get out of here!
-Let's get out...

I'm gonna beat you!

Jason! Jason!

You got yourself a late
passenger, huh?

Yes, I certainly do.

Whoever said professors were
absent-minded

never lived with a musician.

We got it.
Just don't get in a dither.

Grandpa,
I've got a week's work.

I've got two days to do it.
Deadlines I'll never make.

Deadline. At least you won't
get yourself shot.

-What?
-Deadline.

That's what it used to mean

before you writing
fellas took over.

There's a line drawn outside
of a military prison.

Anyone who stepped across
that line got shot, dead.

Well, it's not that bad,
but it seems like it.

-Are you ready?
-Yeah.

You sure you didn't forget
something like the piano maybe?

-We'll see you later, Grandpa.
-Yeah.

Hop in, son. We gotta move.

Jim-Bob?

-Thanks, Mama.
-Getting too grownup for a kiss?

-Bye, Mama.
-Have a good day at school.

That boy seems
more quiet than usual.

Yeah. He's a deep one.

I'm just never sure
what he's thinking lately.

Oh, Airplanes, trading cards,
that fool yo-yo.

Yeah, I suppose.

Surprise!

What are you doing here?

Waiting for you.

Why didn't you come
with the rest of us?

Didn't feel like it.

Are you still
mad at Ben and Erin

for saying that you were
brought here by gypsies?

I kind of forgot about it.

If I thought
I was left on a doorstep,

I wouldn't forget about it.

I'd probably look for clues
like Daphne did in my book.

Elizabeth,
don't start that again.

What kind of clues?

Oh, old letters.

My picture in the family album.
Hers wasn't in it.

Well, I'm in ours. Come on.
We're gonna be late for school.

Wait up!

Jim-Bob.

Son, you get the notion that a
pair of ladies are trying to

force
us back to work?

This is the quickest
midday meal we ever had.

-Pa, did we eat?
-Hush, you two.

Livie and I have to cut out
some baby things

for Rosemary Fordwick and
this table has to be spotless.

Right, Ma.

Sorry to rush you, John,

I've been putting
it off for too long.

They had their baby already?

No. But Rosemary's getting
everything ready,

and I promised
I'd do some sewing for her.

I smell a sewing spell
coming on.

We'd better stage a retreat.

Once Livie gets that sewing look
in her left eyeball,

she's like a high-stepping mare
heading for the barn.

A mare!

A thing of joy, beauty to behold
but don't get in my way!

You don't know the first thing
about sewing.

-Now go on. Go on.
-Alright, Pa. Let's go to work.

We can work
on the furniture tonight.

We're not gonna get
anything out of those two.

Like father, like son.

And two like those
is about all anybody can take.

I took a vote today
during recess.

I asked everybody
if they thought

that you looked like a Walton.
You know what they said?

No, I don't.

Well, only two says you do.

That new girl who
wears glasses and Mary Ellen.

-Elizabeth, this is dumb.
-Four said you don't.

Jenny Marie says you look like

her cousin Norbert
who lives in Richmond.

-Bumper...
-She's always talking about him.

Bumper O'Donnell says
you look like a dill pickle.

Well, who cares what he thinks?

Rowena says you look
like Nelson Eddy.

-Nelson Eddy?
-I think she likes you.

Don't you ever
tell that to anybody! Never!

Okay, well,
that makes two to seven.

Somebody didn't vote.

I didn't have
time to ask everybody.

The bell rang.
I'll ask them tomorrow.

Forget it, Elizabeth.
Just forget it!

-Hi, Jim-Bob.
-Hi, Grandpa.

Hey, pot of gold.

For a boy who did nothing but
play with his yo-yo yesterday,

you're having a nice
change of pace.

I'm gonna buy a new
one from The Yo-Yo King.

The one I made for you
wasn't good enough?

Well, I have to buy one
to enter the contest.

That figures.
Nothing's free these days.

Glad to see you're reading.
Learn a poem everyday .

Well, that's the
family photograph album, huh?

Well, I was looking at some
pictures when we were little.

There you are. You didn't
have much hair on your head,

but you were cute
as a button everywhere else.

Are all the family
pictures in here?

As far as I know, yeah.

Seems like some
of them are missing.

Well, your grandma was always
mooning over the photographs.

Here, press this one for her.

No, I think they're all there.

I just wouldn't know, Jim-Bob.

Mary Ellen. Mary Ellen.

Mary Ellen. Ben.

You see, there aren't
many pictures of you in here.

Well, that doesn't prove
anything.

It did for Daphne.

I'm gonna go look
somewhere else.

-Look for what?
-Your missing pictures.

Elizabeth.

Pa, I'd rather
send you out here.

It hasn't got any
handles in there.

-Looks to me...
-Well, now...

It's the same way
it will save us some money.

-Yellow poplar...
-Run it straight down.

Straight down here, we got it.

I mean, I've already written one
essay for Mrs. Breckenridge.

I like her.
She's a nice lady.

But she must think I have
nothing else in the world to do.

Well, I reckon she liked
the first one you did so much,

that it just made her head spin.

Jason, how can I stop everything

and write an essay
on the Rockfish settlers?

Look at that desk over there.
Look how much stuff I've to do.

-Yeah. You are up to your neck.
-Up to my neck?

-I'm over my head.
-It's all my fault.

I never should've told her you'd
do it without asking you first.

That's true.

I guess she'll just
have to get someone else.

Well, that's the trouble.

She doesn't want anybody
else to do it.

I'm sorry, Jason.

Well, I can't say that
I blame her.

I mean, you have a way
of saying things

about this country
and the people that...

Well, it just makes
them come to life.

I appreciate that. Thank you.

I really wish I could help you.

Well, I guess it was a dumb
idea me asking her anyway.

Reckon it was just because I
could never write and

and I was proud
of my brother who can.

Just have to go back and tell
her she's out of luck.

Jason, wait a minute.
I can write the thing for you.

No. You don't have time.

No, I'll make time.
I can make time.

That sure takes a load
off my mind.

I want you to know that
there's no hurry,

just as long as
it's done by Saturday.

-Which Saturday? This Saturday?
-Yeah.

And if it is not
too much trouble

and if you have
some carbon paper,

Mrs. Breckenridge
would like three copies.

Thanks a million.

Look, Jim-Bob, I found
a bunch of old snapshots.

Come on. Help.

We'll have to use Virginia pine
here for the side pieces.

Good idea, Pa.

Or yellow poplar.

What's going on upstairs?

It's late and they're
still milling around.

I'll go take a look, Ma.

I'd go myself,
but the iron's just right

and I hate it to cool down.

Well, they should
be getting ready for bed.

I'll tell them, Ma.

I wish somebody'd
tell me to go to bed.

Go to bed.

You gonna tuck me in, Esther?

Don't I always?

What's going on up here?

We're just looking
for some pictures.

What brought this on?

You know, there aren't many of
Jim-Bob in the album downstairs.

Is that so?
Are there many of you, honey?

I guess there aren't.
How come, Daddy?

There are lots of pictures of
John-Boy and the others.

I guess with
the first few children

we had more time for pictures
and things like that.

We should have been born sooner.

I wish we'd taken more pictures
of all our children.

Except for you two.

You both are so ugly you'll
probably break the camera.

Daddy.

Can we go downstairs
and paste them in the album now?

You can paste them in the album,
but not now. It's bedtime.

-Please, Daddy.
-Come on, scoot.

Let's go, son.

Jim-Bob. Goodnight.

Goodnight, Daddy.

Wherever did this come from?

Jim-Bob and Elizabeth found
those up the attic tonight.

It's hard to believe
Jim-Bob was ever this small.

Yeah, he's grown 6 inches
this year alone.

Now he's got a voice like a man.

Grandpa says he was looking
in the album this afternoon.

All the children do that
from time to time, Liv.

The others have,
but never Jim-Bob.

He's been so quiet.

Now, Liv,
don't let it upset you.

Tomorrow, he'll be playing
with his airplanes

and his yo-yo again.

Liv?

Liv.

Come on. Let's get some sleep.

Come on. Come on, give me a hug.

Alright. Make the yo-yo
loop once around.

Alright!

Alright.
You want to see it sleep.

Alright, here we go.
Just going to sleep.

There he is. Wake up. Now.

Now, we're gonna take
the dog for a walk.

Okay, walk the dog.
There he goes.

Okay. Now I'm gonna
show you another one.

In case you get hungry, a yo-yo
is always good for eating.

Watch. This is called spaghetti.

Okay, now we're gonna take the
baby and put him in the cradle.

And there's the baby
in his cradle.

Now, this one's really tough.
Watch this one close.

This one is called a handcuff.

Throw it down and you get
it right in your hand

and they take you away.
That's it.

Alright, kids, so all you have
to do is practice. That's good.

Jim-Bob,
I wanna go get some gum.

Pretty good.
Alright, now tomorrow,

we're gonna have a big yo-yo
contest right here.

Every one can win a prize.

Some kind of a prize.
Don't worry.

All you have to do is buy a
genuine professional yo-yo.

Step right up. Get your yo-yo.
Come on, kids. Easy now.

Okay, which kind do you want?
You want this one? Okay.

Put your money right here.
You want a red one?

Little girl,
there's one red one left.

Elizabeth, gum is gum.

Ike, but there are gumdrops,
and bubblegum, and stick gum,

and peppermint gum,
and licorice gum.

I know that, but why don't you
chew them all at once?

I only have a nickel, but I'd
try it if you give it to me.

Jim-Bob, hey, how is that
new yo-yo working out?

It's not as good as the one
grandpa made for me.

I don't know.
The Yo-Yo King says

that's the best
yo-yo made in the world.

They should've made it out of
good Virginia pine like grandpa.

Don't you worry about it. It'll
work out. You'll get used to it.

-Besides, it's not that serious.
-It's not that, Ike.

He's mad at me because
of a vote I'm taking at school.

Come on, Elizabeth, hurry up.

Okay, I'll take this and this.

Those are excellent choices.
What vote are you taking?

To see whether or not
he looks like a Walton.

You mean, you need to take
a vote to tell you that?

-He thinks he was abandoned.
-I do not.

Child, what kind
of nonsense is that?

You know, left on the doorstep.

You don't have
to worry about that,

I can remember the very
day you were born.

You do?

Your daddy came
with all the kids

and took them all over
to Mrs. Brimmer's.

What for?

He was taking your mama into
Charlottesville to the hospital.

-Didn't you know that?
-No.

Why Charlottesville?

It seems to me that we were
fresh out of babies that day,

and so John and Olivia
went into town

so that they could
shop for one there.

Come on, Ike.
Don't you really know why?

No, It's been quite a while
and I don't rightly remember.

-Thanks.
-Yeah.

-Bye, kids.
-Bye.

Jim-Bob certainly is
full of questions.

Yeah.

But I think it's just his age.

Hurry.

Charlottesville.
Isn't that exciting?

Yeah, you go on home.
I got to see somebody, okay?

Where are my keys?

John-Boy,
is that the way you ask?

I'm sorry. Mama, please,
where are my car keys?

I've seen Jason's ocarina
and Elizabeth's coloring book,

and a lipstick Erin doesn't
know I know she's using.

I realize that you have to clean
up after all the children.

I'm sorry about that. Could you
just tell me if you saw my keys?

Are you mad at me
or something,

or do I just happen to be handy?

No, I am not angry with you.

-I'm just angry.
-Why?

I've got too many things
going at the same time.

Things I can possibly do.
I'm doing this for this person,

that for that person.

Everybody's pulling me
in a different direction.

I don't know what to do.

Did it ever occur
to you to say no?

Your keys are on the rail of the
front porch where you left them.

Thank you.

Well, I don't know
how they got here.

Hey, John-Boy. Wait.

Your paper
on the Rockfish settlers

made a hit
with Mrs. Breckenridge.

-I'm glad she liked it.
-Yeah. Not only that.

She liked it so much,

she's sending a copy
to the library in Richmond.

Oh, really? That's wonderful.

She's picked you
to write a paper

on the life
of Professor Breckenridge.

What do you mean
she's picked me?

Well, it just shows you
how much she thinks of you.

-What did you tell her?
-Well, what can I say?

It's such an honor for you.
I couldn't turn her down.

She says you'll
record a notable chapter

in the academic
history of Virginia.

She wouldn't trust
it to anybody else.

She's got the material it's just
the kinda thing you're great at.

Jason, you've been
handing me a lot of soft-soap

about what a good writer I am so
you can get me to do this?

-But you are.
-Jason, I can't do it.

Why not?

Because I have work of my own
that I can't even take care of.

-But I promised her.
-You shouldn't have promised.

-I know, but I'm obligated.
-Why?

-The Conservatory. Scholarship.
-Wait a minute. Wait a minute.

She got you that scholarship
because you have talent,

because you deserved it, not
because she wanted anything.

You're not beholden
to her because of that.

Well, I guess so.

-What am I gonna say?
-Be honest with her.

Tell her I'm sorry but I'm too
busy and I can't possibly do it.

I don't know.

Maybe she ought to write
the life of the Professor.

She probably knew him
better than anybody else did.

Alright. That's what I'll do.

I gotta go.

...The old gentleman signals.

Well, be sure to be listening
tomorrow to Backstage Wife,

the story of Mary Noble
and her husband Larry Noble.

Oh, Jim-Bob! Come on in.

Alright. Come on.

Mary Noble and I
were just having a good cry.

Those soap opera people
do have a hard time of it.

How come you listen to it?

Because there's nothing like
a good cry to cheer a body up.

As a matter of fact, you look
like you need some cheering up.

Here, sit down. Have a cookie.
Oatmeal, applesauce.

Just feel around in there
and get what you want.

No, thanks, Mrs. Brimmer.

Don't you want to grow up

and be a strapping man
like your grandpa?

Maybe just one.

Well, that's better.

I remember when John-Boy
used to come by for cookies.

And now, look at you.
You're all grown up, too.

Mrs. Brimmer,
do you remember when I was born?

I sure do.

John-Boy and all the others
came over to stay here.

Ben and Erin had tonsillitis
at the time. They came, too.

Why didn't Grandma and Grandpa
take care of them?

Well, now, as I recall,
your grandpa had influenza,

and your grandma was busy
with your mama.

It was your daddy that brought
them over here and they

stayed the whole night.

My, Mr. Brimmer did
enjoy those children.

That Mary Ellen used to put her
hand on her little hip and say

"Hello, hello, hello!"
It was so cute.

Mrs. Brimmer, Ike says Mama went
to Charlottesville for me.

Why wasn't I born at home?

Your mama had a little trouble

they had to take
her to the hospital.

How come nobody
ever talks about it?

Perhaps there's no need for it.

What's the difference
where you were born

as long as you're here?

Come on. Have another cookie.

No, thanks, Mrs. Brimmer.

-Oh, Come in, Jason.
-Thank you.

May I fix you some tea?

Yes. Thank you.
That would be very nice.

Good.

Sit down, Jason.
I'll just get another cup.

-Here we are.
-Thank you.

I hope you told John-Boy
how delighted we all were

with his lovely paper
on the early settlers.

-Thank you. Yes, ma'am, I did.
-Good.

I'm so looking forward
to showing him

all the letters and records
in the Professor's file.

You see,
the life of the Professor

was crowded
with people and events,

just the sort
of thing that John-Boy

writes about so beautifully.

Mrs. Breckenridge, that's what
I wanted to talk to you about.

John-Boy and I were wondering

if maybe you shouldn't
be the one

to write about
the Professor's life.

Me? Good gracious, no!
I'm not a writer.

No, Jason,
that's John-Boy's field.

I wouldn't think
of taking it away from him.

Well, I really don't think
he would mind that much.

Well...
Does John-Boy not want to do it?

Well...

We just thought
that it would be more personal

if you wrote it.

You knew the Professor
better than anyone else.

I wouldn't know where to begin.

You just put it down
the way you told me about him.

Now, those stories about your
husband were wonderful.

The thing that
made them special

was the way
you put the words together.

Not even John-Boy could come
close to the way you do it.

I'd never thought about it.

Talking is one thing,
but writing...

Think how much it would mean to
your friends, coming from you.

I know we'd be
proud to have a copy.

Jason, I'm gonna think about it.

I'm really going
to think about it.

Hey, what are you doing
out here?

Uh, Nothing.

That's pretty much
what I've been doing.

-No, you're writing.
-Thinking, mostly.

What's going on with you?

Nothing.

-Are you sure about that?
-Yeah.

Jim-Bob, what's on your mind?

-You won't laugh?
-Of course I won't laugh.

-I don't think I'm a Walton.
-What?

I don't think I'm born a Walton.

What makes you say
something like that?

Well, I don't look
like a Walton.

Oh, you don't look like a
Walton. Do I look like a Walton?

I don't know. I always thought
you and me looked a lot alike.

Anyway, what about your mama?

She wasn't a Walton
before she married your daddy.

If you look at it, every one
of us, we're a bit different.

I guess you're right.

I sure hope that settles that.

Ike says Mama went to
Charlottesville when I was born.

Me and the rest of the children
stayed over at Mrs. Brimmer's.

I went over there
today and she wouldn't tell me

why they went to
Charlottesville.

Why don't you ask your mama
about it, Jim-Bob?

Well, if I am a Walton,
I'd feel stupid if I asked.

-It might make them feel bad.
-And what?

Suppose it's true, John-Boy.
I couldn't stand that.

You are a Walton, Jim-Bob!

Is there someplace
where it's written down?

Well, of course, there's some
place where it's written down.

-Come on.
-Where are we going?

The County Courthouse. They'll
have it on record down there.

Here it is, right there. January
13, 1923, the day you were born.

Michael Paul Allister, boy.

It's A, B, C...

There you are. Right there.
James Robert Walton, boy.

There's another name.

Joseph Zebulon Walton,
died at birth.

What does it mean, John-Boy?

I don't know.

It means I had a twin brother,
doesn't it?

It could have been
another family.

Excuse me, sir. Thank you.
We're finished.

Jim-Bob.

I swear to you. I didn't know
anything about this.

How come they never told me?

I don't know.

Here you go, sweetie pie.

-Afternoon, Corabeth, Ike.
-Good afternoon, Esther.

Good to see you, Esther.
What brings you here?

A pile of shirts
that need mending.

I'm down to my last
couple of buttons.

How many do you need?

A dozen ought
to hold me for a while.

And a dozen of those
little baby buttons.

You know, we don't
see you very often anymore.

How come you didn't send
one of the kids over?

-Now we...
-Thirty cents, Esther.

-Will that be all?
-Yes, thank you.

Livie sent Jim-Bob
in here the other day

for a spool of green thread
and some coffee beans.

He was gone a whole hour

and he came home
with a pound of green beans.

I think we can understand
why a boy of Jim-Bob's age

would have a spell
of absentmindedness.

It could be
a little more than that.

Elizabeth told us he feels
that he's a foundling.

A foundling?
Now, that's the second...

I think that, that was just
Elizabeth's idea of a joke.

I don't know. He seemed to me
to be awfully interested in

where he came from.

I mean,
have you explained to him...

-Well, you know, about...
-About what?

Well, boys of that age
begin to be curious

in regard to certain things.

I mean, why else
would he be wondering

about the details of his birth?

Corabeth, I think that
Esther's in a hurry.

John and Livie don't beat around
the bush with their children.

They come right...

Unless that boy was asking
for other reasons that...

Esther, have you heard
the story about

the traveling button salesman

that wrote all
his business on his cuff!

I'll tell you, Esther, a good
tonic wouldn't hurt that boy.

Thank you, Corabeth.

Esther! Esther Walton?

-I need a word with you.
-Hello, Flossie, I'm in hurry.

This won't take but a minute.
This won't take but a minute.

I think you should
know that, well,

Jim-Bob dropped
by after school today.

He was asking
some troubling questions.

What kind of questions?

About the time he was born.

It's alright, Flossie.
It's alright.

He'll get his answers.

-John?
-Hi, Ma. What's for supper?

You're gonna have some hungry
men on your hands soon.

It'll be on the table
at the usual time.

Will you hold up
with what you're doing?

Go ahead, I'm listening.

Now, would you pay
attention to me?

Ma, I can pay attention
while I'm working.

John, it's time
you and Livie told Jim-Bob

what happened
the night he was born.

-What brought this on, Ma?
-Well, he's asking questions.

He's worried and he's going
to keep asking questions

till he gets some answers.

I think the answers
should come from you.

You haven't said anything
to Livie about this, have you?

Of course not.

Alright, Ma.
I'll take care of it.

I understand how you feel.

I sure would have expected
them to tell me about it.

-What I can't figure out is why.
-I can't answer that.

You think they blame me
'cause my brother died?

Oh, that's crazy.

Are they ashamed of me?

Jim-Bob, you're getting yourself
all mixed up about this thing.

Whatever the reason is
that they haven't told you,

it's not because
they're ashamed of you

or they blame you
or anything like that.

How would you feel?

I don't know.
Probably about the same as you.

John-Boy, I never told this
to anybody before,

but sometimes I wake up at night

and I feel there's
somebody else just like me.

I don't know who he is or where.

Maybe you should've
mentioned that.

I don't know. They think
I'm crazy enough as it is.

Will supper be ready soon,
Grandma?

About as soon
as you can get that table set.

Where's Mama?

She's upstairs trying
to find some baby ribbons.

Well, John-Boy's not here

and I haven't seen
Jim-Bob all afternoon.

Maybe the gypsies took him.

Now, you leave Jim-Bob alone,
and you stop that kind of talk.

Mary Ellen, will you get
our good tablecloth out, please?

I'll help you.

Company coming?

No, I just want the place
to look nice tonight.

What's going
on around here anyway?

How should I know?
They never tell me anything.

Thank you, Ben.

I don't know why Jim-Bob
couldn't do his own chores.

Well, he didn't, so there's
no sense in complaining.

There's a lot of people around
here that get by with murder!

Hi, Grandpa.

Incense.

What heavenly odor pervades
our humble kitchen?

What's cooking?
Nectar or ambrosia?

-What's ambrosia?
-Ambrosia's food for the gods.

Makes an ordinary
human immortal.

I suggest you go
wash that mortal face.

Go on.

Oh, you big baby.

Daddy?

Son, where you been?

Jim-Bob and I went over
to the Hall of Records.

-Is that so?
-Yeah.

He wanted to see some
kind of written proof

he was a real Walton.

You know, so we went over there
and took a look in the book.

I didn't know what to tell him.

I was just as surprised
about it as he was.

I think you got some kind
of a problem on your hands.

He's pretty confused.

Why didn't you ever tell us
about that? It's not like you.

I know it's not, son.

It's been bothering
me all these years.

Listen, John-Boy.

That time was
so bad for your mama.

When I first brought her home
from the hospital

I wanted to protect her.
So we didn't talk about it.

Over the years
it's some how gotten easier

not to talk about it, you know.

Even today, I can see a hurt
look come into her eyes,

I know she's
thinking about that time.

It just isn't
easy to talk about.

I understand that.

But I don't know about that
little fella over there.

Son.

Listen, Jim-Bob,
I know you're upset.

I never meant to keep
it a big secret,

it just happened that way.

I could have handled it.

I know you could, Son.

You see, the point is, I don't
think your mama could've.

You see,

the doctor wanted her to go
to the hospital back then,

but all your brothers and
sisters were born here

in the house and your mama
wanted you to be born here, too.

It was only toward the last

when we knew there
was a real problem

that we rushed her to the
hospital in Charlottesville.

Well, how come he died
and I got to live?

Son, I guess he just wasn't
strong enough and you were.

You see, your mama could
never accept that.

She kind of blamed herself.

Rather than bring back
all that grief,

we just never talked about it.

I suppose we should have,
but we didn't.

I'll tell you this, though.

Because of what happened,

you've always been
especially dear to your mama.

Here they come. Let's eat.

It looks better if you
put it here.

It goes here.

Jim-Bob,
would you say grace, please?

We thank you for the food
on the table

and for making
today special in many ways.

Like Mrs. Fordwick didn't call
on me in spelling for once.

I saw an airplane after school.

I think it
was a De Havilland biplane,

but it might
have been just an old Jenny.

-Amen.
-Amen.

-The chicken here's hot.
-Chicken.

Chicken, chicken, chicken!

Where's the bread? Can you pass
me the bread, Grandma?

The most valuable truth
that all of us learned

when that secret
was finally revealed,

is that belonging to a family
has less to do with being born

than being loved.

And with all the hurts
and fears and wants,

we might remember
from those Depression years,

being loved is what
we remember the best.

I told you Jim-Bob
would win the yo-yo contest.

Who are you talking to,
Elizabeth?

Anybody that's still awake.

I think I'm the only one
and I never said he wouldn't.

Well, he did
and he's a real Walton!

Sounds to me like
you're feeling sorry

about trying to convince
him he wasn't.

I told him I was sorry. So did
Ben and Erin, for teasing him.

-Then just forget about it.
-Good idea.

-John-Boy?
-Yes, Elizabeth?

Do you think I could have been
left by the gypsies?

Red-haired ones?

-Goodnight, Elizabeth.
-Goodnight, John-Boy.