For Richer or Poorer Page #6

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That's not easy

when you're facing prison, Samuel.

Marriage is hardly

a prison sentence, Jacob.

Marriage?

My marriage?

Prison was too strong a word.

I meant sometimes

it makes me feel... claustrophobic.

Huh?

Well, all husbands and wives have

periods of disagreement and heartache.

But the harsh words. The evil looks.

You don't want to live like that

the rest of your days, do you?

Oh, Levinia, do we have to do this?

The vow of marriage. The love.

These aren't just words, Cousin.

It's the commitment we live by

and hold second only to God.

So that would make God first, right?

Remember, you wrote

about your picnics by the lake,

mating in the barn with wild abandon.

[laughs]

I'm afraid our barn-mating days

are long gone.

It's been a long time since

she opened her barn for me, Samuel.

But every day can be a new beginning.

That's the beauty of marriage.

Look inside your heart, Jacob.

And put hers above your own.

Once you've settled in,

you won't have time to be sad.

Now. Let's go scrub the kitchen floor.

Oh, could we? Gee!

Samuel, thanks for the talk. I feel

better now it's all out in the open.

You got a heck of a grip on you, Samuel.

[Hall] Big John, "The Chameleon". Dead.

Big John, "The Cockroach".

Turned state's evidence.

Big Johnny, "Cool Oat".

Serving nine life sentences.

Not so cool any more. Stick with it,

son. I will not be made a fool of.

- Too late.

- How's that?

- I said I'll be working late.

- Good man.

[Thunder]

- [Banging]

- Morning.

Uh...

Oh, God! Don't these people

believe in shock absorbers?

Just try to enjoy the ride!

Look at this carriage. 100 years old.

Looks brand-new. You don't see

quality like this any more.

God. You've crossed over.

You're one of them now.

Every day's a reminder

that I don't know how to do anything.

- You're feeling sorry for yourself.

- No, I'm not.

These women know how to do everything.

Hell, I can't even cook or sew.

- I'm domestically challenged.

- [laughs]

That's funny!

No, it's not. It's not funny at all.

I feel so useless here.

We can do this.

Do you still know how

to work a party?

Yes.

- All right. Fine. Let's go.

- All right.

[Brad] Come on. Here we go.

[Country music]

Having fun, Emma?

They're all dressed alike

and they're still having a good time.

You didn't all

wear the same thing back home?

Liberal Ordnung.

[Both] Liberal Ordnung.

Back in Missouri,

you probably wore many colours.

- Perhaps even different styles?

- Yeah.

Your Ordnung and so many others have

become much less rigid in that area.

But here, we're still very limited.

Our Leadership Council has taken

the colour issue under consideration.

They always vote no. They say

these are colours. The only colours.

Well, I'm sorry,

but I think it's ridiculous.

Black is the timeless classic,

but what's wrong with wearing pastels

and soft earth tones?

We wear colour

and still maintain group conformity.

Emma, this is the first moment

since you arrived that...

Well, the subject seems

to bring out a fire in you.

I have to admit, clothes are my passion.

After the Lord, of course.

We all share your feeling. Colour is

present in everything else God touches.

So why not what we wear?

The Council meets next week.

Perhaps you could help the elders

to change their minds.

No. Me? Next week?

Do you think I could make

a good impression on them?

Oh, ja.

Oh!

Well, that was fun.

We'll have to do that again soon.

I told you he was funny.

- Emma. Emma?

- Mm.

- I made this for you.

- Oh, no. Thank you.

No. Chocolate and I just aren't...

I have an addiction.

Oh, all right.

Mm. Oh, Lord.

- Emma, are you praying?

- Mm-hm.

I'm praying that I can stop eating this.

Thank you.

- Hello.

- [Screams]

Hm.

- I think she likes you.

- Mm.

- I think you like her.

- No, no.

She's just enamoured with me.

She's never met

a chain-smoking chocoholic before.

Wait a minute. Something's gonna happen.

[Whispers] Something wonderful.

I would like to marry your daughter.

[Gasps]

Friends! Friends!

I have an announcement.

I would like to make known

that as of today, my daughter Rebecca...

is engaged to wed Mr Henner Lapp.

[Excited murmurs]

God bless them both.

That is all.

Well, I hope they'll be really happy.

Why did we get married?

I don't know. I guess we thought

it was a smart thing to do at the time.

- You were working at Saks.

- Mm-hm.

You came in and you were gonna buy

these really stupid-looking socks.

I sold you a suit instead.

I still have that suit.

But you're right about those socks.

So I went to Saks looking for socks

and I got a suit and some sex.

You were really handsome.

- I was really handsome?

- Are.

But did you ever really love me?

You mean like that?

Did you ever love me like that?

- It was a long time ago.

- Yeah.

- Well, we were different people then.

- Yeah.

These people sure know how to cut a rug.

Yeah. Out a rug. Weave a rug.

Beat a rug.

[High voice] What if...

What if Jacob thought

he should want to dance with Emma?

You mean, for appearance' sake?

- Yeah.

- Oh. OK. Sure.

- OK. Good.

- Sure. OK.

Well, just start running,

I'll chase you.

[Music stops]

[Slow music]

- Whoa.

- You guys taking the day off?

No, we're going to make a transaction

with the English.

Samuel is going to help me

buy that 20 acres across from him.

A real estate transaction.

Did you get a geological on it?

Check the water and mineral content?

You might want to look at

the grade of that.

Any liens on the property?

You would maybe like to come with us?

Oh. Yeah,

I got a lot of sh*t to do around here.

Yeah, I would like to go, though.

[Brad] Phil, you don't

believe this sh*t, do you?

I've heard this before.

You're wasting my time.

- Listen.

- [Woman speaks German]

- It's German.

- [Woman continues]

- "Ordnung"?

- Yes.

It refers to the closed communities

of the Mennonites, or the Amish.

Of course. They don't pay taxes.

Joint's probably lousy with cheaters.

Let's go. I'll drive.

Colour?! What is next?

Leave behind the horse and buggy?

Where will it end?

With all due respect, I hardly think

that our wearing colourful dresses

is going to lead to tattoos

or monster truck rallies.

ln the Bible, it is written,

"Women shall adorn themselves

with modesty and sobriety,

without braided hair or costly array."

But this isn't about vanity.

Or violating your... our beliefs.

This is simply...

May I approach the bench?

Our quilts, our blankets,

are vibrant and joyful.

And yet we are forced to wear

these little black, drab numbers.

Aren't there mornings

when you wake up and you think,

"Oh, I am just so in the mood

to wear pink"?

lf you would excuse us

for just a moment, please.

Oh, yes, sure. Go ahead. Discuss.

- Thank you.

- Yeah.

[Murmuring]

Could you perhaps gather for us

some samples of which you speak?

- Yes, sirs.

- The Council will meet again in a week,

at which time we will make our decision.

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