How to Make an American Quilt Page #4

For me,

love resides in Chickie's garden.

You could have put some pink and blue flowers

in Chickie's garden.

Chickie's roses were yellow.

Constance, there are a lot of colors

we all like to use...

...but we have to respect Anna's opinion.

Why are we being so strict?

It's a love quilt, for God's sake.

It's for Finn, Mama.

It's not for competition.

I don't care if it's for the First Lady

or a whore in the street.

We will follow the rules of design.

Sometimes you have to break the rules

to keep the work alive.

Une couleur laide, a n'existe pas.

Don't give me that French crap.

I live with someone

who's been breaking the rules for 30 years.

And I don't come here

to have it rubbed in my face.

I show up here...

...and I sew.

You know, Constance...

... Em has been a part of our group...

...longer than you have, and we're in a rather...

...uncomfortable situation here.

That's fine.

I'll leave.

I really don't care.

I think the hardest part about being a woman

is having women friends.

I think the hardest part about being a woman

is not being able to just be friends with a man.

That's true.

If Howell wasn't buried here

I'd leave in a minute.

I meant to write you last year

when he died. I'm so sorry.

That's okay.

I hate those condolence notes.

Here.

You can do what you like with it.

I call it Chickie's Garden.

When we were moving around a lot...

...Howell got me Chickie to keep me company

while he was on the road.

She was a wonderful dog,

and very smart and elegant.

Wasn't a yapper.

When Howell was home the three of us

would go out for walks...

...and all the kids in the neighborhood

kept us company.

Chickie made us popular.

And then the damn dog ate some snail bait

in somebody's yard...

... and Howell buried her

under a yellow rose bush in my garden.

Why isn't this going in my quilt?

Because I've been spending time

with somebody else's husband.

And it's absolute nonsense...

...because Howell was the love of my life.

Is it going?

Yeah.

Now, sweetheart,

tell the folks the secret of our marriage.

The real secret of our marriage

is that I haven't seen you 'cause...

... you've been on the road since we got married.

- Tell the folks the secret of our marriage.

- That is the secret.

Turn it off.

Start again.

Do it again. Do it again.

Hi. Em told me about Howell.

I'm really sorry.

Thank you.

You all right? Anything I can do?

- You can take me dancing.

- What?

Look, I'm sorry.

Howell was a good man, and I loved him.

But he's gone now and I don't believe in grief.

How can you not believe in grief?

Either you grieve, or you don't.

Yeah.

You want me to drive you home?

No, thanks. I feel like walking.

Excuse me.

Hi. Just thought I'd drop by.

See if you needed anything done.

No, I don't think so, but come in.

The hair's still in his shaver.

I don't know what to do with it.

Do you want me to take it away for you?

- Yes, would you?

- Sure.

If you go in the bedroom,

there's some jackets and some ties.

They're laid out on the bed.

Please, take whatever you want.

I don't want to give it to the Goodwill.

Okay.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

With Howell gone,

I was thinking maybe I'd move back East.

I miss the seasons.

Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night...

...and I wonder how exactly I got here.

Why don't you go?

Why don't you just go?

Why don't we both go?

Ain't dead yet.

It's getting late.

I'm kicking you out.

Good night, Dean.

God damn it.

Hi. Forgot my tool box.

Dean, are you trying to have an affair with me?

Well, I guess I am.

If Howell were alive, I might be tempted.

What do you mean?

Because I'd have him to go home to

when I came to my senses.

I guess you just saved us both

a whole lot of trouble.

You still want Howell's jacket?

Yeah, sure.

- It's on the chair in there.

- Okay.

It's 7:
45 in the evening...

... and as the sun goes down outside,

here's an old favorite.

It fits you.

Come on. It's all right.

It's okay. It's all right.

Look...

... just so you know...

...Im engaged to be married.

So, you just want a friendship thing?

You look very pretty, honey.

Is there a special occasion?

I thought I'd go into town, see a movie.

Anna was gonna bring over her quilts

to show you.

She'll be here in about 20 minutes.

- She doesn't take them out for everybody.

- That's right.

I had to twist her arm to bring them out.

I'll get it.

Hello.

Yes, Sam, she's right here. Just a minute.

Thanks.

Hello.

Fine.

Yeah, I tried to call you again.

Where were you?

It was nothing.

He ended up spending the night

at his brother's...

...because he had taken all the plumbing apart.

You see, I told you it wasn't anything.

Yeah.

Who was the girl?

Wrong number.

He said I dialed a wrong number.

I'll get that.

- Hi.

- Hi.

You look very pretty.

Thank you.

Look, I'm gonna have to meet you

somewhere later.

Okay.

I don't take these quilts out

for everybody, as you know.

I just don't do it.

I know.

Are you looking a little different tonight?

My Aunt Pauline

passed this quilt down to me.

It was made by my great-great-grandmother.

She called it "The Life Before."

It's a story quilt. It's meant to be read.

When I was a little girl...

... my Aunt Pauline would tell me

the story from the quilt.

How my great-grandparents met.

My great-grandmother was just a young woman

when slavery was ending.

And when she was finally free,

she set out to look for her parents...

... who had been sold off years before.

One day...

... after many months of travel, she saw a crow...

... sitting on a fence.

Something told her, "Follow that crow."

The crow led her to a young man

working his acres...

... and my great-grandmother,

she knew in her heart...

... that she was supposed to stop right there.

It seems that the search for her parents

had led her to the man...

... God had intended for her to marry.

Every night, I'd listen to my Aunt Pauline

tell that story.

And I'd think to myself:

"Okay, I'm gonna keep my eyes out

for that crow.

"One day, he'll lead me to my own true love."

During the Depression, we had no money...

... to pay for shoes or schoolbooks,

so my Aunt Pauline sold off the quilt...

... to the woman she worked for.

The woman paid Aunt Pauline $12,

and hung our quilt on her wall.

Where did you get

this marvelous piece?

Pauline sold it to me 10 years ago.

I got it for a steal.

I felt like whatever I knew

of the life before was now gone.

Anna, would you serve the next course?

Don't let that son of mine

just laze around here all summer.

I expect him to do some honest work.

Don't worry.

We'll have him cleaning out the stables.

Come on now.

We'll think of something for him to do.

Hello, Anna.

It's okay, we can talk as equals.

I don't believe

in that servant-master sort of thing.

You think I thought you were my master?

No, I...

Maybe I just didn't answer you

because I wanted to be left alone.

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