Follow That Dream Page #2

"Oh, I'm not the marrying kind"

Come on, Ariadne.

The governor is scheduled to start

from the Coast Highway at 11:00.

I'd hate to miss the dedication.

You certainly got a right to be mighty proud

of this project, Mr King.

Not a tin can or a gum wrapper

along the whole 30 miles.

Stop. Stop, quick!

What in the name of...

What's going on here?

I reckon you're from the government

and I will say it's about time.

I am the State Supervisor of Highways

and I wanna know what you're doing here?

You see, we ran out of gas

here on this road.

Don't give me that stuff.

You've been camping here.

Well, we couldn't camp nowhere else,

because this is where we ran out of gas.

I think you're within 50 feet

of the centre line of that road.

That means that legally speaking,

you're on the thoroughfare.

You could be arrested

for obstructing traffic.

- I don't see any jam up here.

- That doesn't matter.

You can't just camp

on a public thoroughfare as if you owned it.

The way you're talking about it,

you'd think you owned it.

I am ordering you to pack your junk

in that jalopy and clear out.

On foot, huh?

- You claim you're out of gas, do you?

- Yes, sir.

And I'm mighty near out of patience

with this kind of government.

Joe, break out that spare can of gas.

I want your name and address.

You're gonna be billed for it.

We're the Kwimpers from Cranberry County,

just over the state line.

Just care of the county,

they always know where to find us.

- You're his son?

- That's right.

And she is your wife

and those are your children?

No, sir. Me and Pop, we're the Kwimpers.

Teddy and Eddy,

sitting over there on that car...

...they're some sort of fourth cousins

or something.

After their folks died,

we just sort of took them in.

They don't cost us much, though...

...on account of we collect aid

for dependent children.

That teenager there, she's Holly Jones.

She used to be our babysitter.

Her folks got killed in an auto accident.

She just stayed with us ever since.

And that little girl,

she was orphaned just last year.

She's just three years old

and her name's Ariadne.

All right, all right.

You're a self-appointed orphanage.

- Now, will you kindly get this mess loaded?

- Yes, sir. I was just trying to...

Now, wait a minute. Wait a minute.

He can't load nothing.

He's on total disability for a bad back.

- Oh, Pop.

- Total disability?

What do you collect?

Unemployment compensation?

- Well, relief is a...

- Lately, he's been favouring relief.

All wards of the government?

Well, look here, in 15 minutes

the Governor of this state...

...is gonna drive along this road

and dedicate it.

And he's not going to be looking

at any mess like this.

Yes, sir.

I don't know

why I should explain anything to you.

But this road...

This road is part

of a big public betterment programme.

Over there, we'll have a bird sanctuary.

- That'll be nice.

- Yeah.

- Back there, a wildlife preserve.

- That'll be nice, too.

Mr King...

...here come a bunch of cars,

it must be the governor.

Oh, no! He's early.

- Well, I got the gasoline.

- Never mind about the gas...

- ...let's get this place cleaned up.

- Just a moment.

You must be insane.

You said yourself, the public thoroughfare

is 50 feet from the centre line.

Well, the 50 feet ends right there.

Teddy and Eddy just measured it.

- Right, boys?

- Right!

Back! Back! Back!

What's it matter where it ends?

This is State property, you idiot.

This is private property.

Oh, no. He's stopping.

Mr King, what seems to be the trouble here?

Governor, Your Excellency, I'm very sorry...

...but these people are obstructing

a public thoroughfare.

We'll get rid of them right away,

Your Excellency.

Trooper... Sergeant, arrest these people.

- Good morning, Governor.

- Yes, sir.

Morning, sir. Mr Governor,

if you appointed this man...

...I think it best you get out of the car

right now and put him straight.

A man like you has got to know the law,

and it's on the record now.

You'll witness his violation

of a citizen's rights.

- Are you a student of the law, sir?

- A student? Why...

Well, I know that the police can't come

on private property...

unless they's got a warrant

or is chasing people.

Now, nobody can chase us.

On account of we ain't running.

So it's best they get off that

private property, right, Governor? Right?

- Well...

- Sir, it's not private property...

...it's filled land.

Put there by the Highway Division.

Well, you know what the law states

about homesteading, don't you, Governor?

Well, we're homesteading from the end of

the thoroughfare to the edge of the river.

Oh, homesteaders, eh?

Homesteaders!

Any public land can be homesteaded,

can't it?

Yes, sir. If they put up a roof and

stay on it for six months, they own it.

The boy's right, Governor.

Well, there's the roof.

They're on private property.

Would you get back a mite?

- They're trespassing.

- All right, officers, get off.

Respect private property at all times,

gentlemen, that's the law.

Well, justice has been rendered.

I'll see you later, Mr King.

Let's move along.

- Take care of yourself, Governor.

- Thank you, sir.

Nice parade.

He's a nice fellow.

Give three cheers for Pop.

Hurray! Hurray! Hurray!

Stop that, you brats.

- Brats.

- Who you calling brats?

I'll take care of it.

Run along and play, kids.

You gonna stand on our property and you're

gonna give orders like you're entitled to?

That's a good idea.

Play it up while you've got the chance.

Oh, yes, there's a homestead law,

and you've taken good advantage of it.

But there's other laws, Kwimper...

...laws that might cause you

a lot of unpleasantness.

Such as? Go ahead, quote them.

One, for instance, provides

that none of you...

...receive any more welfare benefits

from your home state.

You're residents here now.

- I shall so notify the proper authorities.

- Pop.

Pop, do you want me

to throw this fellow off our property?

No, no, no, just leave him be.

We'll listen and we'll learn.

Learn this, too, then.

That well is probably unhygienic.

That lean-to doesn't conform

to any zoning restriction I know of.

Kwimper, I am proud of my job

and of my responsibility to the people.

I owe them my best efforts

to run your sort out of this area.

You'll be hearing from me shortly.

Come along, Joe.

Funny thing. I was just about to give him

back his land when he turned nasty.

Now, I don't know what to do.

Pop, didn't you mean what you said

about homesteading and all?

But, damn it, I ought to stay here.

But it's an awful lot of bother just

to take that uppity hyena down a peg.

- I gotta think it over, Tob.

- Well, Pop...

...I gotta think it over, Tob.

Toby. Cross your fingers and pray.

- Pray for what, Holly?

- To homestead!

To stay here. To stay here for always.

Why, that don't make a bit of sense to me.

What's wrong with our own home?

- After Gertrude Patterson leaves, that is.

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