Baby the Rain Must Fall

Lord, ain't it warm.

I almost fried standing out on

that highway waiting for the bus.

And when it did come,

I thought for sure it didn't see me.

I'm Mrs. T.V.,

like in "television," Smith.

- That sweet little girl yours?

- Yes, ma'am.

Either the bus was late or I was early.

I been standing out there for an hour.

I've been visiting friends.

Now I'm going to see my daughter

that lives the other side of Houston.

You been riding the bus long?

Oh, about two hours.

- Where are you going?

- We're going to Columbus.

Well, where's that?

I've never heard of it.

It's between Houston and Corpus.

We're going there to meet my daddy.

I have never seen him before.

- Where's he been? In the Army?

- No. No, he's been away on a trip.

- It must have been a pretty far trip.

- Yes'm, it was.

Well, excuse us. I'm gonna get

my little girl to take a nap.

Why, certainly.

They ought to nickname you

"Miss Wiggle-Tail," honey.

You all, look out the window

to your right.

That's the start

of the Salado Prison Farm.

There are some of them convicts

working away.

- Mama, what's a prison farm?

- Well...

It's where convicts are put

to pay for their sins, honey.

What's a convict?

A convict is somebody who's broken

the law and has to be punished.

A friend I used to visit

lives near the farm.

And she says she never draws

a peaceful breath, summer or winter...

...for fear of one of them convicts will

escape some night and cut her throat.

- Is that a convict?

- No, honey.

- How do you know?

- I just know.

Mama, I'm hungry.

I have a sandwich

right here in my bag.

If it was a convict,

would he try to kill us?

No, darling.

There you are.

Miss Kate still say

she don't want to see you.

Did you tell her

I was here twice yesterday?

Yes, sir.

Well, Catherine, you go upstairs

right now and you tell her I'm here.

And you tell her I wanna know

if I've done anything wrong.

Because if I have, I'd like to know

what it is that I've done wrong.

She said you never

would have got drunk...

...stabbed that man

and wound up in the pen...

...if you hadn't

been playing in a honky-tonk.

- Just a minute!

- Catherine.

- Will you give her this letter?

- No, sir. That ain't gonna do any good.

You listen to me.

This letter's important.

I want you to try to get her

to read it.

If there was anybody else...

Nobody else in the world

can get to her except you.

Now, will you please give it to her?

Well, all right.

I'll try, but I ain't gonna

guarantee nothing.

Coming!

Coming!

- How you like that singing, boy?

- Fine.

I could sing all night.

Man, I feel good.

Buy you a drink?

Come on. I ain't gonna tell

Judge Ewing on you.

I can't. I'm on duty.

When you get off duty, I got

a little friend sitting over here.

And she's got a

lonesome friend at home.

Why don't you let me

fix up a date with you...

...and we could have a

very good time.

No, thanks.

When are you gonna start

having some fun?

You know, I'm beginning

to worry about you.

Thanks, Henry, but I'm all right.

He's a good old boy.

If it had been him

instead of his wife that died...

...she'd be in here the next night

trying to pick up some man.

Could you tell me where I could look

for a place to rent, please?

No, ma'am, I sure can't.

Slim, can you help this lady

find a place to rent?

What are you looking for?

A house, a room, apartment?

Oh, a room.

Excuse me, I gotta sit down.

- Can I have a piece of chewing gum?

- Sure you can, honey.

I'd think your jaws would be tired.

She chewed up two packages

since we left Tyler.

Oh, honey, the gum's all gone.

Come on, we'll buy some.

- Will you come with me?

- Yes, ma'am.

"Sir," Margaret Rose.

You "ma'am" your mama

and you "sir" this gentleman.

Yes, sir.

- Take a nickel, Margaret Rose.

- The treat's on me.

No, no. I have it right here.

Thank you. There you go.

- What kind do you want?

- Juicy Fruit.

It's a real nice little girl

you got there.

Thank you.

She's just the sunshine of my life.

Do you want a room

by the week or the month?

By the week.

You see, I'm meeting

my husband here.

I don't rightly know just when.

I mean, not down to the exact minute.

But I look for him

early part of next week.

Don't you and your little girl

want something to eat first, Mrs?...

Thomas. No, thank you, not for me.

What about you, Margaret Rose?

I guess we're both

just too excited to eat.

You see, I just decided yesterday.

I was working in Tyler

and I got laid off...

...because things were slow

at the drive-in.

So I just wrote to Henry...

...and I said,

"I'm sick unto death of Tyler. "

What'd you say your husband's

first name was?

Henry.

Henry Thomas.

He was born and raised here.

- Do you know him?

- We grew up together.

Well, my goodness.

He's here now, Mrs. Thomas.

He's here?

Yes, ma'am.

Did you hear that, Margaret Rose?

Your daddy's here already.

Do you know where he's living, so

my little girl and I can go over there?

I'll take you myself.

It's just down the street.

Oh, thank you.

Come on, honey.

Mrs. Tillman.

Mrs. Till...

Slim, you almost scared me

out of my wits.

Sorry. Is Henry up yet?

No. What's wrong?

Well, a woman and a little girl came

into the bus station a little while ago.

She said she's married to him.

They're out in the yard.

My goodness! He never mentioned

he had a wife to me.

- Did he to you?

- No, ma'am.

Well, I think we'd just better

wake him up.

Henry?

Do you know where he could be?

No. There's been a couple of nights

he hasn't been here.

He hasn't been drinking though, Slim,

except for one night.

He was so mortified the next day.

He begged me not to tell Miss Kate,

which I didn't.

Miss Kate told him in front of me that

if he took another drop of whiskey...

...she was through with him forever

and would ask the sheriff...

...to send him back to the pen,

which she might.

Yes, ma'am.

Well, we see every day

where whiskey leads.

I told Mr. Tillman

when he was drinking:

"You might as well blow your brains

out as to keep on this way. "

Yes, ma'am.

He was one of those

with character enough to stop.

One morning he said,

"Mrs. Tillman, I'm quitting. "

And he did.

He took the whiskey bottles...

...and threw them in the yard

and busted them against a tree.

Yes, ma'am. I'm gonna take

Mrs. Thomas, see if I can find Henry.

Yes, Slim.

Hello, Georgette.

How'd you?... How'd you get here?

Well, I just came in on the bus.

I just heard you were here.

I met Mr. Slim, and he told us.

- You're looking good, Georgette.

- Thank you, Henry.

You're looking just fine too.

I guess you're surprised

to see me here in town.

- Yes, I am.

- I wrote you a letter yesterday.

Let you know I got out a bit early.

Did you get it?

No.

Yeah, well, it probably went

on ahead to Tyler today.

Excuse me. Margaret Rose.

Henry, this is Margaret Rose.

She's just tired

from that long bus ride.

Yeah, well, come on and meet

the people I work for.

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