Easy Rider: The Ride Back Page #4

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Well, I won't

say things were perfect.

I'll give you that.

But for me, life was just about

as good as it's ever gonna get.

Announcer ]

When the kids were little,

they'd listened to

a thing or two you had to say.

Robinson dashes

for the plate.

It's close.

And umpire Summers

calls him safe.

Yea!

But Yogi

Berra doesn't think so.

Perseverance, boys.

Perseverance.

Jackie Robinson

is someone who has it.

He might be colored, but

you can learn a lot from him.

If you work hard

and you never give up,

eventually you'll get there.

And even if you don't,

as long as you've done your

best, that's all anybody can do.

See, Jackie was

the first colored man...

to play baseball

in the major leagues.

What's the color of his skin got

to do with how he hits a baseball?

Nothing, Son.

I guess that's the point.

That's why Jackie never gave up.

And these Dodgers,

at last, are world champions.

But that was another America...

Wyatt, now help Morgan.

Right, right.

Virgil, here.

Here's your throttle. You

wanna ease on the throttle.

When family time

was spent outdoors,

not in front of a damn TV.

And a person's wealth

was measured in happiness,

not by the size of their wallet.

And the words "God," "love,"

and "country" meant something.

Then came the '60s.

And, well,

that was the beginning of the

end for the Williams family.

You know, Wyatt marched to the beat

of a different drummer than Virgil,

and Morgan wanted

to be just like Wyatt.

Of course

Morgan turned out even worse.

A goddamn hippie...

and a gutless one at that.

But Wyatt sure loved his mama.

He was the first

to see it coming.

Say, that's one hell of a

motorcycle you got there.

Yeah, man, it's a Harley.

Chrome frame, '49 Panhead.

Modified rake.

It's all the sh*t.

Harley's the best.

F*** the rest.

Aw, yeah.

One of these days I'm gonna take this

baby somewhere far away from here.

You're leavin'?

Yeah, like, maybe head out to

California and join a club or something.

As soon as I can save up some

money, and Mama's all right.

Is your mama sick?

Well, it's not... It's not

like she has cancer or anything.

It's just...

Every since my little sister was born,

she's... she's not really the same.

Well, what does your pop

and Virgil say about it?

Not a goddamn thing.

Pops can't be bothered.

Virgil's off collecting

merit badges.

Bet he's probably on his way home

right now to help with the chores.

Ma, I'm home.

It's

okay, baby. It's okay.

Shh. Mom! Wyatt forgot to

bring the horses in again!

I know, baby.

I know. I know.

It's okay. It's okay.

Mama?

"Yea, though I walk through

the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil,

for thou art with me.

Your rod and your staff, they

comfort me. Thou preparest"...

Nobody knew

anything about postpartum depression...

in those days.

The boys loved her fiercely.

So did I.

Wyatt...

he took it the hardest.

He left home before the funeral. Hell,

none of us really knew how to handle it.

Virgil and Morgan did their best

to help me with Shane, but...

none of us were a substitute

for a good mama.

Amazing

Grace

Do-do-do

How sweet the sound

That saved a wretch

Like me

I once was lost

But now I'm found

Was blind

But now

I can see

One thing that's always

haunted me about that day.

Last thing I remember seein'

was Wyatt...

all by himself in the

cemetery before the funeral.

I knew Wyatt was gonna leave

before the funeral.

I didn't stop him.

I just let him go.

Figured he'd come back.

But he never did.

I always wondered that if I'd

stopped him right then and there...

if he'd have died the way

he did all those years later.

I blame myself sometime.

It wasn't your fault.

You did the best you could, Pop.

You turned out to be the best damn

good-lookin' tomboy I ever saw.

She got that

from her mama.

I'm gonna make us some tea.

So, uh, Virgil and Morgan hung in

there with you on the homestead.

Well, not exactly.

Virgil... his story's a bit

more complicated than that.

Bein' the oldest, Virgil was

the most serious of the bunch.

And fiercely competitive.

Ready!

Come on!

Faster, faster,

faster!

Vanessa Monteague lived in a big

mansion on the north side of town.

Her family'd made their fortune

with the railroads in the 1800s.

Ooh, look.

There's that Williams kid.

Not so loud!

I see him.

Swing,

batter, batter, batter, swing!

Strike him out. Strike him out.

Get him...

Go say something to him.

Like what?

I don't know.

Congratulate him or something.

For what?

Kicking our ass?

Hey, kid, you played a hell

of a game out there today.

Thank you, sir. Keep this up, we'll

see you in the big leagues soon.

I hope so, sir.

I like the kid.

Hey, good game, guys.

Good game.

Hi.

Hi.

Vanessa Monteague.

Uh, Virgil Williams.

So I guess North's loss

was bittersweet.

Uh, what do you mean?

I mean you should call me.

Yeah, sure.

You bet.

You bet.

When it came to any

challenge in life, the boy hated to lose.

Even in affairs of the heart.

You shouldn't be here. I know. I

know. But tonight's the big game.

I still can't believe

you're not coming.

I don't understand why you don't

just tell your old man about us.

Yeah, right.

If your parents don't have

a six-figure bank account,

then you're not exactly

courting material in their eyes.

Yeah. All that's

gonna change real soon.

Next month I'm gonna graduate.

I'm gonna sign a pro contract.

Then you and me are outta

here. Forget your parents.

I know. But until then, you've

got to keep a low profile.

Okay? That includes riding up

here on this rocket of yours.

I needed a kiss...

for good luck.

Mmm.

Look, you know I'd be there tonight if I

could. I know how much this means to you.

But I've got to go

to this dance with Winston.

It's over by 10:
00 though.

Why don't you come pick me up at midnight?

My parents will be in bed by then.

Oh, sh*t. Here comes my

mother. Get out of here.

I'll be by at midnight.

Be ready.

Hey, Mom.

Is that one of the

Williams boys? Yes, Mother.

What's he doin' here?

There are other people in the world

besides the ones at the club...

and the little socialite

dinners you have.

Don't you take

that tone of voice with me.

I am your mother, and

I have a right to be curious.

You know how your father

and I feel about white trash.

He's just a guy I know.

We're just friends.

Besides, you know

I'm dating Winston.

We're going to the dance

tonight, remember? Good.

He's from

the right kind of stock.

You know, your father

would blow a gasket...

if he thought you were consorting

with the wrong kind of element.

Hmm. Where was it you

grew up again, Mother?

- Yeah, young love.

- Yeah.

Whatever ended up

happenin' to the two of 'em?

Well, fate.

She stood him up.

Never showed.

A few weeks later

he made me a proud papa.

Joined the army right out of high

school and started a military career.

Vietnam?

Two tours.

- Ah, thank you, Shane. - I believe

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