All language subtitles for Highway to Heaven S04E14 Country Doctor_Subtitles01.ENG

[theme music]

You're awful quiet tonight.

Just thinking.

Hm.

You're right.

About what?

About what you were thinking.

Jonathan, I wasn't
thinking about anything

to be right about.

I was just thinking, you know?

I mean, you don't
know everything.

What were you thinking about?

All right.

You're so smart, you tell me.

Old radio shows.

All right.

So I was thinking
about old radio shows.

What's the big deal in that?

Well, if you're going
to get mad about it,

let's just forget it.
- I am not mad.

And I do not want
to forget about it.

All right.

I was thinking about
old radio shows.

How I used to listen to
them when I was a kid.

You know, "The Shadow,"
"Fibber McGee and Molly,"

"The Masked Rider,"
and how they--

Yeah, it was.

It really was.

There you go again.

It was what?

It was fun to use your
imagination on the radio.

It was fun.
- All right.

All right.
So you got that.

Jonathan, will you
do me one favor?

If you are going
to read my mind,

will you wait at least until I
finish a thought before jumping

ahead of me like that?

Fine, I'm sorry.

You'd better slow down.

Why, I'm not going too fast.

But we're going to
have to stop pretty soon

and I know how you hate
it when I do that for you.

Jonathan, I was a cop.

I was a cop.

I have perfect night
vision, instant reflexes.

I was going to stop.

I really hate it
when you do that.

Rotten.

Hey, you need--

You ought to watch the
way you're driving, bub.

The way you were barreling
down this road, I'm lucky

you saw me.

Well, yeah, um.

Give you a hand there, mister?

Doctor.

You want us to
get you a doctor?

No, you blamed fool.

I'm a doctor.

I'm not a mister.

I have an emergency at a
farmhouse down the road here.

I'd appreciate a lift.

Yeah, sure.

Hop in.

Probably I'm taking
my life in my hands.

But it beats walking.

What happened back there?

Car crashed, or
didn't you see it?

Yeah, I saw it.

Couldn't tell by the
way you were driving.

MARK GORDON: How'd it happen?

How'd it happen?

I'll tell you how it happened.

I'm too old to be
driving around at night.

That's how it happened.

I couldn't see.

Age is my excuse.

What's yours?

Probably yapping away, or
listening to punk rock music.

My name is Dr. Hudsbeth.

What's yours?

Mark Gordon.

Keep your eye
on the road, son.

One crash tonight
is about my limit.

I used to know an old
lady named Fiona Gordon.

You any relation?
- No, no.

I'm from--

Well, she's the only
one with that name

that lived around here.

Nice old lady.

How about you?

I'm Smith.

Jonathan Smith.

I'm not from around here either.

Just passing through, eh?

Well, you don't
look like criminals.

If you're looking for work, it's
worth 15 bucks and food to me

if you drive me around
the rest of the night.

I've got some calls to make.

What do you say?

Well--

JONATHAN SMITH: It
sounds good to me.

DR. HUDSBETH: First
farmhouse on the right.

And slow down for Pete's sake.

There's a dip.

[doorbell rings]

Oh.

Thanks for coming out here, doc.

Don't thank me
until you see my bill.

These fellows are my
two new drivers, Maggie.

Pay them no mind.

Come on, boys.

Follow me.

You may learn something.

How bad has he been wheezing?

Awful bad, doc.

It just came on all of a sudden.

Poor little guy, I don't
know what to do for him.

Well, the first thing you
can do is look less scared.

A little boy sees his
momma looking like that,

figures he must be real sick.

He doesn't have any infection.

And it's not pneumonia.

I'm going to give
him some epinephrine.

And Maggie, I want
you to get a sheet.

And these two fellows here are
going to help you rig up a tent

right here on Robbie's bed.

Now Robbie, roll over
on your other side.

That a boy, now, Robbie, I'm
going to give you a shot.

Just a little shot.

And it's going to hurt a little.

But the instant you feel the
hurt, the worst is over, OK?

That's it.

The worst is over.

Everything is
downhill from here.

Now Robbie, it's going to make
your heart go a little fast.

But it's nothing to worry about.

And if you like crying,
you go right ahead and cry.

Because most folks do
when they get this shot.

I've got the sheet.

DR. HUDSBETH: All right.

[baby crying]

Oh, that's the little one.

She's feeling poorly too.

Well, let's look
in on her too.

Now, would you
fellows build the tent

right here on Robbie's bed?

Put the vaporizer
inside the tent.

All the steam should
be inside the tent.

I want a London fog.

Now Maggie, do you have that
other vaporizer I gave you?

Yes.

Give it to Mark here and
we'll get that one going too.

I want a London
fog in this tent.

Thanks for all
your help, mister.

He kept asking for his dad.

Something about he promised
to make him a spaceship.

I know.

His father was drowned
in a fishing accident

about three months ago.

I'm sorry.

And they never found his body.

And Robbie just won't
accept the fact he's gone.

How far apart
are they, Gloria?

All right.

Now where's Cleavon?

OK.

Gloria, be calm.

I'll be right there.

And we'll take you
to the hospital.

No, no, don't you worry.

That baby won't dare poke his
head out until I get there.

OK?

Bye.
OK.

Let's go.

Doc.

I, uh--

I don't have any
money to pay you.

You don't, eh?

I guess you'll have to
make me one of those pies.

I don't work for
nothing, you know.

Thanks, doc.

Call me first thing
in the morning, Maggie.

Let me know how he's doing.

[music playing]

Doc?

You all right?

Doc?

Of course I'm all right.

I'm not having the baby, she is.

There.

There, you're doing it.

That's a girl, that a girl.

Ease up.

Ease up.

Ease up.

There.

I told you this
fellow wouldn't come

down the pipe until I got here.

Are we going to
the hospital, doc?

Not tonight.

We're going to do
this the same way

your great grandmother did it.

Wouldn't it be
safer in the hospital?

Gloria, you can have your baby
here, or in this fellow's car.

Take your pick.

I hoped by now
Cleavon would be back.

GLORIA: I tried to reach him.

He's on duty.

They got a big fire
over in Harley County

and they got paramedics from
three counties down there.

Well, we're going to have
to have a surprise for him

when he gets home.

Mark?

Prop her up.

That's it.

Easy does it.
Easy does it.

Come on.

A little more.

OK?

All right.

That's a good one, missy.

Gloria, if you get
one more like that,

I want you to bear down and
help this little fellow.

[music playing]

Doc.

You're the one that needs
to get to a hospital.

Either one of you fellows
delivered a baby before?

I was a cop.

I've done it twice.

Well, tonight going
to make three times.

Look.

I've got to get
him to a hospital.

I'm going to use the
stuff to get him there.

You go ahead.

Go ahead?

I don't even know you.

Lady, before the
night's out, we're going

to be on a first name basis.

Oh.

Heaven, help me.

Yeah, you got that right.

[music playing]

All right, Gloria.
Push down.

Push down.
Come on.

The baby needs your help.

Here it comes again.

Gloria, push down.

Come on.

I can't push.

It hurts.

Come on, Gloria.

Push.

Boy, I'm going to need
some help with this one.

You?

What about me?

Come on, Gloria.
Push down.

Come on.
Come on.

You can do it.

Where am I?

Harley County General.

I've got to get
back to my patient.

Be quiet, Doc.

Don't you tell me to be quiet.

I brought you into this world.

And I'll take you out
of it, sassing me.

Dr. Hudsbeth,
you are my patient.

And you will kindly shut up.

Now, you haven't
had a heart attack.

Of course not.

If I passed out, it
was from arrhythmia.

DR. SIMS: Well, that's
exactly what happened.

But you need rest.

And you need to be quiet.

I was practicing
medicine for 20 years when

you were still playing jacks.

Now don't aggravate me.

I'm a sick man.

Just hand me a phone so
I can call my patient.

All right.

You are the stubbornest
old man that ever lived.

Here.

Turn over.

I want to see your best side.

Push down, Gloria.
Come on.

Push down.

Good, good, effort.

Outstanding.

[phone ringing]

I'd better get that.

They may have
reached your husband.

Don't mind me.

Just make yourself
at home, you know.

Hello?

Yeah, just a minute.

It's for you.

Hello?

What?

Oh, yeah, they're real
close together now, doc.

Here comes another one.

MARK GORDON: Push.

Push.

What?

I said, push.

Push.
MARK GORDON: Come on, Gloria.

Bear down.

Bear down.
That's it.

That's it.

I can see him.

Come on, darling.

Push.

Help that child.

Help him, Gloria.

Come on.

Come on.

[baby crying]

That's the first one I've
ever done long distance.

[music playing]

Here we go.

Well, we did it.

We sure did.

I'm going to name
you, little baby,

after the man who made
your birth possible.

You're going to call him Mark?

Alexander Graham Bell Johnson.

[music playing]

I don't need this wheelchair.

It's hospital policy
and you know it.

You talk pretty
big for an intern.

Well, I had this
strict teacher

when I was a little boy.

Taught me with the end
of a hickory switch

when I stole some melons.

You're not too big for me to
take that switch to you again.

See if you fellas can
keep him off his feet

as much as possible.

Should have been in here for
more than three days, as it is.

These fellows aren't going
to keep me from a thing.

They're nothing but itinerants.

Probably escaped convicts.

Probably the biggest
mistake I made

was to hire them
to drive me around.

Well, I felt sorry for them.

Doc.

Your driving days are through.

I know.

I know.

But I have to see
these patients.

And they're too poor
to drive 40 miles down

to this fancy hospital,
just to see a smart aleck

young intern like you.

Now, if you want to
consider coming back home

and being a simple
country doctor,

it'd take a load off me.

Doc, you're one of a kind.

The rest of us can't afford
to take payments in baskets

of fruit and corn bread.

I'll go get the car.

OK.

Hey, doc.

I want to thank
you for everything.

Oh, no need to
thank me for a thing.

He's the reason I
went to med school.

Corn bread and fruit.

Mighty fine diet.

High in fiber content.

Probably a darn sight healthier
than what you're eating now.

I want to see you back here
in two days for some more tests.

All right, all right.

Because I feel sorry for you,
I'll let you have the body

of an old man to experiment on.

I'll drop that medicine
off to Robbie's mom.

Thank you, Jonathan.

You got it.

What are we doing here?

What do you think
we're doing here?

It's my office, you blamed fool.

Well, it says market.

You can read, but
you can't drive.

Morning, Minnie.

Oh, morning, doc.

Hear you've been feeling poorly.

You heard wrong.

Oh, good.

But when you have
some time, my bunions

have been acting up again.

Let me deal with the little
emergencies first, Minnie.

And then we'll get to
the life-threatening

ones like yours.

This fellow is with me.

He's a brain surgeon.

Well.

How are we doing, Gloria?

And how's little Alexander?

That is what you
call him, isn't it?

Oh, he's doing fine.

He's no trouble at all.

Mark Gordon, my
husband, Cleavon.

- How are you doing?
- Hi.

Good.

Look at this young
man all puffed up

because he got him a son
first shot out of the gate.

I want to thank you
both for what you did.

Here.

I made two of these,
one for each of you.

Oh.

Sweet potato pie.

Oh.

We don't have to report this to
the Infernal Revenue Service.

How's the job going?

It's not going.

It's gone.

What are you talking about?

You're the best
paramedic they've got.

Hell, you should be.

I taught you
everything you know.

The county instituted
some cutbacks.

And I was new on the job.

It's a damn shame.

What are you going to do?

Well, I'm going to stop
dreaming about med school,

that's for sure.
- No, no.

You can't do that.

That's what you love.

You know it.

There's no way to save any
money on an orderly's salary.

An orderly?

Hey, doc.

You got to take
what you can get.

Yeah, well.

Let's go on inside and have
a look at the little fella.

It was nice to meet you.

Thanks again.

Hey, I'm glad I could help.

Oh, boy.

I shouldn't.

But I will.

Thanks again for bringing
the medicine out here.

Oh, it's my pleasure.

You really shouldn't have
gone to all this trouble.

Oh, no trouble at all.

You take care.

Hey, how are
you doing, Robbie?

Hi.

How are you feeling
today, a little bit better?

Yes.

Kinda hard, giving up
on a sickness, isn't it?

What do you mean?

Well, I know,
when I was little,

it used to be kind
of fun to be sick.

I mean, after you're over
being real, real sick,

and you're just a
little bit sick.

And everybody pays attention
to you, real nice to you.

My dad always reads me
stories whenever I'm sick.

Oh, yeah.

That's fun.

You know, I remember one
time, when I was a kid,

I wanted attention so bad,
I actually made myself sick.

Man, I'm not kidding you.

I ran a fever and everything.

If my dad knew I was sick,
I figured he'd get here.

He just didn't know, I guess.

Or else he would have come.

He would have.

Somebody should have called him.

Yeah, only if they
knew his number.

You know, Robbie, the only
time people can know what's

going on with the
ones they love,

when they're far,
far away and there's

no phones or letters or anything
is when they're in heaven.

My daddy ain't in heaven.

Because my daddy ain't dead.

Maybe he's living with
pirates or something.

My daddy wouldn't
have gone off and died

without keeping his promise
to me about that spaceship.

My daddy never broke a
promise to me ever, ever.

So he ain't dead.

[music playing]

Hey, Minnie.

Oh, why, Charlie
Sims, look at you.

I mean, Dr. Sims.

Whoo.

Hey, is the doc through
seeing patients for the day?

Well, I reckon he's
in there cleaning up.

Well, maybe I'll just poke
my head in and say hello.

Hi, Mark.

Doc in there?

Yeah.

You want some of this
sweet potato pie?

It's really good.

No, no.

I'll just say hello
to doc for a second.

DR. HUDSBETH: Unless you're
dying, come back tomorrow.

It's me, doc.

Can I come in?

DR. HUDSBETH: Sure, why not.

Minnie, what are you doing?

I'm eavesdropping.

What does it look like?

You know, for a
brain surgeon, you're

pretty slow on the uptake.

You shouldn't be doing that.

Now you listen to me.

Charlie Sims would not
have come all the way

out here to see doc if he didn't
have some very important news.

The problem isn't
just one thing, doc.

It's all the things together.

The problem is you've
got a very old heart.

It's a weak muscle.

It's not going to
get any stronger.

You need to rest.

And now's the time to take it.

Rest?

All I own in the world
is a little piece

of land with a fat mortgage.

Why do you think I work so hard?

You've had that
place for 30 years.

It has to be paid for by now.

And how do you
think I kept body

and soul together for 30 years?

By refinancing that place.

I now owe more than
when I bought it.

That place is all I
have in the world.

And I owe 100,000 bucks on it.

If I quit working, where
am I going to live?

Doc.

If you don't give
up your practice,

you won't have to worry
about where you live.

The only piece of land you'll
need will be six feet deep.

And we both know
that's true, don't we?

Don't we?

Oh, Jonathan.

Thank goodness you're back.

Look, I got to talk fast
before the doc comes out.

I know.

Look, Jonathan,
it's about the doc.

He--
- Mark, I just told you.

I know.

Mark.

Can you help me with some
of these boxes out here?

Oh, yeah.

Sure.

I guess.

It's all right.

Look, I'll take the doc home
and I'll meet you later.

It just doesn't seem fair.

I mean, he's given the
people his whole life

and he can't even
afford to retire.

MINNIE: Mark.

Master's voice.

[music playing]

You feel like a cup of coffee?

Sure, if you'd
like the company.

Right.

[music playing]

DR. HUDSBETH: I hope you like
your coffee with chicory.

That's how I drink it.

It's the way my mother made it.

Hot and strong.

It keeps you regular.

You can raise the
dead with this stuff.

That's good.

I see you were looking
at the collection.

And quite a collection it is.

What about you, doc?

You have a family?

No.

Never had a family of my own.

Never seemed to have time.

You know, I must have
brought over 1,000 babies

into the world.

I wouldn't mind having a
little grandchild of my own

to bounce on my knee,
make funny faces at.

Well, I guess it's too late
to do anything about that now.

It's too late for
everything, except dying.

Not if you slow down.

That's what
young Charlie said.

He knows his medicine.

But he has a little bit
more to learn about people.

You know, doc.

I'm just passing through.

So if you want to
talk, I can listen.

It won't go any further.

It better not.

You'd better keep a tight lip
on what I'm saying, you hear?

I've heard about
your hickory stick.

I wouldn't dream
of crossing you.

What's going to happen to
them without me, Jonathan?

A town without a doctor
falls apart, dies.

Young people don't want to
stay here, and why should they?

The nearest one is
in the emergency

ward at Harley County General.

And that's 40 miles
away for most folks.

50 for some.

And they don't take them
sweet potato pies for payment.

I was praying I could
keep going until Cleavon

finished his internship,
but that's all over now.

Where are they going
to go, Jonathan?

What are they going to do?

The question is, what
are you going to do?

About what?

About what Dr. Sims told
you, about slowing down.

Oh, I've got to keep working
to keep a roof over my head.

Oh.

And that's the only reason, huh?

Well.

They're not just my
patients, Jonathan.

They're my family.

And they don't have
anybody but me.

The way things look, I
won't be here very long.

You ever think about
finding a replacement?

DR. HUDSBETH: Where?

Harley County General
is a teaching hospital.

Maybe there's a country doctor
in that graduating class.

Not a chance.

All the young ones today
want to be specialists.

Maybe.

You can't be sure
unless you try.

There you go.

That's all of them, I hope.

Yeah.

I'm sorry.

I had no idea there
was so much back there.

Of course you didn't.

That's the sad
thing about old doc.

The poor guy's just
working himself to death,

trying to pay off his mortgage.

Why don't you do
something to try to help?

Like what?

Well, with all the
pictures in doc's office,

I'd say he's delivered
hundreds of babies in his life.

I know that.

Well, the way I
figured, I mean,

the man has been giving
to people around here

for almost 50 years.

About time he got
something back.

Let them know he's in
trouble, that he needs help.

I thought that's what
country folks were all about.

Yeah.

Yeah.

You're right.

I'm the mail carrier
in this county.

And I could slip letters
in everybody's mailbox,

asking them to pitch in.

Now you're talking, Minnie.

Would you help
me with the letter?

You got it.

[music playing]

Morning, Minnie.

You didn't have
to bring the mail

all the way up to the door.

Yeah, I know that, Harold.

I hear your business
is doing real well.

Couldn't be better.

Well, I'm glad to hear it.

I need to talk to you.

Well, I'm kind
of busy, actually.

This won't take long.

It's about Dr. Hudsbeth.

Yes, I would be more
comfortable talking inside.

Yeah, come on.

Nice of you to ask me.

Floyd, this is Jonathan
Smith, a young friend of mine.

Jonathan, this is Doc Gleason.

Pleasure to meet you.

Pleased to meet you.

How are you doing, Will?

I'm ambulating.

How's yourself?

Just wrapping things
up here so I can retire.

I put in my time with
administrative headaches.

Well, I've got them all
assembled and waiting for you.

Shall we give it a go?

Might as well.

Good luck.

Thank you.

[music playing]

You see, little guys like
me, we're not just doctors.

I believe that at
times, we're healers.

We don't do heart transplants.

We do bunions, and
babies, and broken limbs.

We bring a lot of folks into
this world, and we bury some.

And though it may not
be the strictly kosher,

medically-detached way
of looking at things,

we cry with our friends.

Because that's what they
are, as well as patients.

And we laugh with them too.

Maybe that like the small family
farmer, we're a dying breed.

Maybe that our time has passed.

And if that's true,
this whole country

will be the poorer for it.

I'm hoping that
one of you doctors

will leave the transplants,
and the plastic surgery

and the like, to somebody else.

Leave all that and be a
small-town, family doctor.

It's long hours.

And it's low pay.

But it's life.

It's right smack down
in the middle of it.

And the closer I get to
leaving it all behind,

the sweeter it looks.

Hey, excuse me.

Aren't you Cleavon
Johnson, Gloria's husband?

Yeah.

Do I know you?

I'm Jonathan Smith.

- Oh, Mark's friend.
- Right.

How are you?

I'm fine.

Mark told me about
your being laid

off from your paramedic job.

Yeah, well.

You know, I used to dream
of going to med school here.

I guess I'll have
to be satisfied

with just emptying bedpans.

I'm really sorry.

Yeah, me too.

Me too.

But I'll survive, God willing.

I guess I'd better
get back to work.

Tell Mark I said hi, OK?

Will do.

Take care.

You too.

DR. HUDSBETH: Detached
way of looking at things,

because that's what they are.

Is the doc having
any luck in there?

No.

I think he switched to
his preacher mode now.

Trying to find a convert.

But is he getting
anybody to answer the call?

Afraid not.

And I can't blame them.

You know, it's hard
for a young person

to weigh financial
security in the balance

with a chance to practice
medicine the way my father did.

The way Will did
all these years.

You mean dealing
with people instead

of budgets and paperwork?

Yeah.

My father was a country doctor.

That's why I went into medicine.

I used to tag along with him
when he made house calls.

The way people looked
at my dad, such love.

And he loved them.

Loved his work.

Loved healing.

I take it they
don't look at hospital

administrators that way.

They look at me
like I'm from the IRS.

Let me ask you, doc.

What are you going to do
now that you're retiring?

I'm not sure, really.

Thing is, I don't feel old.

But county policy,
mandatory retirement.

Ain't that a crock?

Yeah.

Dr. Gleason, when's
the last time you

had some really good cornbread?

Cornbread?

Mhm.

I'm not talking about
the store-bought variety.

I'm talking about
the real McCoy,

like your Aunt
Clara used to make.

Now how did you know
I had an Aunt Clara?

Come on, doesn't everybody?

Now how long has it been?

It's been a long time.

Well, Doc, I think it's time
we did something about that.

Well, I hope there's not too
many sick farmers this morning.

I've got to head
out to the hospital

to see if there are any
takers among Floyd's

new crop of doctors.

But I doubt it.

You never know.

And Mark, I've got
to stop at the bank.

They called last night
and made an appointment.

Trouble?

No.

Just a few days late with
your payment and they

get their bowels in an uproar.

That's why they all
live on antacid pills.

Ed, got to make this quick.

Because I have a
busy schedule today.

I know I'm late, but you'll get
your payment by next Wednesday.

Well, I'm sorry, doc.

But next Wednesday is too late.

What?

Some papers here
for you to sign.

I can't believe you're
going to do this to me.

Just because I'm
a few days late?

Business is business, doc.

DR. HUDSBETH: Oh, really?

Well, let me tell you
something about being late.

When your mama was carrying
you, she was two weeks late.

And I never gave up on her.

I was at her place every
day during those two weeks.

Just sign at the bottom.

You know, Ed, in all my
years of delivering babies,

you are the only one I regret.

What is this?

What is this?

This says--

Paid in full?

PEOPLE: Surprise!

For he's a jolly
good fellow, for he's

a jolly good fellow, for
he's a jolly good fellow,

that nobody can deny.

Doc, doc.

There isn't a
person for 50 miles

around in any direction
who doesn't owe you.

And some of them even
owe you their lives.

And well, everybody knows that
you could have done much better

for yourself in a big city.

Or something.

And, uh, well, we
figured that it

was time that you got more out
of this than just baked goods.

So we--

Doc, what this
poor, unfortunate,

tongue-tied soul is trying
to say, is that we love you.

Yeah.

And this is just
a tangible way

of saying those three words.

We love you, doc.

What is this thing?

It's a check, doc.

For enough money to
pay off your mortgage.

So you can take it easy, doc.

You can stop working
and take it easy.

Stop working?

But who's going to take
care of you if I do?

Who's going to tend your
bunions, or set your bones,

or deliver your
babies if I quit?

I won't take this check.

I won't have it.

Doc, we only meant--

I know what you meant.

That I'm some kind
of charity case,

too feeble to be
of use to anyone.

So you're going to ease
me into golden retirement.

When there's got to be
somebody to take care of you.

There is, Will.

Will, for 50 years, every
once in a while, I'd envy you.

I retire in a month.

I've been everything but a
country doctor in my career.

I'd like to give it a try.

You've envied me?

Take a look around, Will.

Take a look at the faces
of the people in this room.

What man wouldn't
envy the kind of love

so many people have for you?

You want to lance boils
on somebody's backside,

in the back room
of a market, Floyd?

I must say, your
friend Jonathan

made a mighty persuasive
argument the other day.

How about it?

Yeah, sure.

But--

But what?

Well, you're an old
duffer yourself, Floyd.

I was kind of hoping we'd
get some young fellow,

or some young gal who'd
stick around a while.

Before you know it, you'd be
feeble-minded or dead yourself.

Tact was never your
strong suit, Will.

What are you getting at?

What I'm talking at is this.

Half of this money would be
enough to make my payments

for the rest of my life.

So if you'll give me
just a few minutes,

I'd like to talk over
something with you.

[music playing]

You all right, doc?

Of course I'm all right.

Just keep your eyes on the road.

[music playing]

Hi.

What brings you all out here?

Oh, we just wanted
to talk with Cleavon.

He's out back.

Is something wrong?

Not a thing.

Afternoon, Cleavon.

Oh, hi.

What are you doing out here?

Well, Cleavon, I got
some bad news for you.

They just told me down
at the hospital they

can't keep you on in that job.

That's just great.

Did they say why?

Well, it has to do
with some silly rule

about it interfering
with your work

in med school or something.

What are you talking about?

Cleavon, it gives me great
pleasure to inform you that you

have been awarded
the first William F.

Hudsbeth Pre-Memorial
Scholarship that will cover

the full tuition at med school.

Doc, is this a joke?

Does it sound like
my sense of humor?

Full tuition?

DR. HUDSBETH: You heard right.

Cleavon.

But I mean, it
just won't work.

I still have to have a job.

What are you talking about?

I'll get a job.

What about the baby?

I'll take care of
the little fella.

I know a thing or
two about babies.

Well, I got nothing else to do.

And if we're lucky, old Floyd
will ward off feeble-mindedness

until you get out of school.

That is, if you still want
to be a country doctor.

Doc, I don't know what to say.

If you don't want to
feel the business end

of a hickory switch, say yes.

Yes.

Yes.

I'll get it.

You just finish that arithmetic.

- Hi.
- Hi.

Come on in.

Thanks.

We're just on our
way out of town.

We thought we'd stop
and say goodbye.

Well, that's
mighty nice of you.

Can I get you a cup of coffee?

Oh, no, thanks.

We've got to be going.

Got another job waiting for us.

Minnie asked if we could drop
off this package and letter.

She said she was sorry.

She should have delivered
it a long time ago.

It probably got
misplaced, or something.

Oh, Minnie'd misplace her
head if it wasn't stuck on.

Maggie, the letter
is from your husband.

He must have mailed it
before the accident.

A letter from my daddy?

See, mama, see.
I told you.

Robbie, it's not--

my hands are just
shaking like a leaf.

Would you read it?

[music playing]

Dear Maggie, Robbie, and baby
Rachel, it's nighttime now.

It was the most beautiful
sunset I've ever seen.

And I just wanted to
get this letter off

before we go fishing tomorrow.

I've never seen a day end
with so much peace and beauty

all around.

It made me think what a lucky
guy I am to have all of you.

If I never knew another
day on God's good Earth,

I could say I've had it all
because of loving you, Maggie.

And because of you, sweet
boy, and your baby sister.

I guess you have to get
away from things sometimes

in order to see
them more clearly.

I feel so at peace
tonight, holding all of you

here in my heart.

And though I'm a long way away,
I've never felt closer to you.

I hope you can feel
me with you there now.

You be a good boy, Robbie,
and take care of mom,

and your baby sister
while daddy's gone.

I love you all.

PS, Robbie, I'm sending
you something just

to keep my record
clear about never

breaking a promise to you.

Love, daddy.

[music playing]

My daddy didn't send
this before any accident.

You know what I think?

I think my daddy found a way
to send something from heaven.

What do you think, Mr. Smith?

Maybe you're right, son.

Maybe you're right.

I've got to go take care of
my mom now, like my dad said.

[music playing]

[theme music]