Places in the Heart Page #2

and have something to tide you over.

But where would we live?

I believe you have a sister

that resides here.

No, Margaret couldn't take us in.

She couldn't afford it, and besides,

she hasn't got room.

Mrs. Spalding, when tragedies

like this happen...

...sometimes we have to face up

to things that are real hard.

Sometimes it's necessary

to split families up, temporarily.

I believe your husband has

some family up in Oklahoma.

I'm sure they could take one

of your children.

I can't talk about this right now.

If you'll excuse me,

you can let yourself out.

I think that just about does the trick.

That'll be...

...75 cents.

I'll see you in a couple weeks.

Right. Thank you, Ruby.

I didn't know you were busy.

That's all right. I was just leaving.

- Bye, Ruby.

- Bye-bye.

- Kids, come on in.

- Hi, Aunt Margaret.

Don't touch anything, Possum.

Watch your sister.

Don't let her touch anything.

Mrs. Parks offered to buy 5 pounds

of tomatoes from us.

So we thought we'd come by

and say hello.

Where's Rosalie?

I'm sorry. She's gone off

with her daddy.

But if you go in the kitchen,

I got some Coca-Cola in the icebox.

- Can we, Mommy?

- Yeah, you can.

- Frank, split one with your sister.

- Okay, Mom!

It's all right.

You can each have one.

- What do you say?

- Thank you, Aunt Margaret.

Margaret, I've been thinking.

Maybe I could work for you.

I don't know much about this work,

but I could learn.

I'm a real good worker.

Oh, hon.

I hardly got enough customers these

days to support me and Wayne.

I understand, Margaret.

Don't you even think about it.

Kids, come on. We got to go.

It's getting dark.

- Here, I got $28 saved.

- I don't want that.

Take it. Wayne will just

spend it on some fool thing.

I don't need it.

Come on, kids!

- Bye, Aunt Margaret.

- Goodbye, Aunt Margaret.

I swear you are just like Daddy.

You'd think he was sawing off

his leg to ask for the least thing.

I'll talk to you tomorrow.

I'm sorry to bother you so late.

We caught this n*gger with a bunch

of things I think might belong to you.

Found him down by the tracks.

He claimed he was working for you...

...but it looks like he was

leaving town.

No, he's working for me.

I needed somebody to help out

around here, and so I took on...

Moses. Moses Hadnot.

I took on Moses to do some chores

until I could get straightened away.

Mrs. Spalding, are you sure?

I mean, I found all that silver on him.

Oh, it's Mama's, and Margaret

wanted to borrow it.

If you had gone straight there and

back, you wouldn't have this trouble.

Yes, ma'am.

Mrs. Spalding, are you sure

you're all right?

Well...

...good night.

- Good night, Jack.

Ma'am, I appreciate what

you've done...

How much could I make

if I was to plant cotton?

Cotton?

Well, last year cotton fetched

6 cents a pound.

You got, say, 30 acres here,

you figure...

That's 300 and some dollars.

If you take out...

You sure you can do it?

Ma'am, I been chopping cotton since

I was 5 years old.

I know all there is to know

about cotton.

All right, you stay in

the shed beside the barn.

Ma'am, I wanted to say

that I appreciate...

If you ever steal from me again,

I'll shoot you myself.

You understand that?

Thank you. See you next week.

Good to see you.

- Good morning, Mrs. Spalding.

- Thanks.

Hello, Mrs. Spalding.

It's nice to see you again so soon.

Won't you come right in here?

Why don't you take a seat

right over there?

Mr. Denby...

...I was wondering if you would...

...show me how to fill out a check?

I never did it before,

and I'd best learn how.

Certainly, Mrs. Spalding. It's just

the simplest thing in the world.

Now up here, this is where

you put the date.

Mr. Denby...

...I'm thinking it won't be necessary

for me to sell my farm after all.

Of course it's necessary.

I explained all that to you yesterday.

- Down here...

- I was thinking...

...if I was to plant cotton...

Mrs. Spalding, you don't know

a thing about cotton farming.

- Yes, I know, but Moses says...

- Moses? Who's Moses?

He's this Negro man.

I don't know any Negro

around here named Moses.

He was just passing through, and I

gave him a job doing some chores.

You're telling me you let some Negro

hobo talk you into planting cotton?

Did you ever hear

of the Depression?

Now...

...you see these?

These are all foreclosures. And

that's just in the last three months.

White men who've cotton-farmed all

their lives and can't make a go of it.

And you listening to some

no-account n*gger.

You'll excuse me, Mrs. Spalding...

...but that's just about the most

ignorant thing I've ever heard.

Mr. Denby...

...I'm not ignorant...

...and I'm not selling my land.

And I'm not giving my children over

to anyone else to raise.

I'm going out and I'm buying

$15 worth of cottonseed.

So I'd appreciate it if you would

show me again how to write a check.

Okay, Mrs. Spalding, that's...

Let's see, 450 pound of cottonseed

at. 03 cent a pound.

That comes to...

...$13.50.

- $13.50?

- Yes, ma'am.

Load up Mrs. Spalding's wagon.

- Mrs. Spalding?

- Yes.

That ain't the seed you're paying for.

He's charging you for grade-A seed,

but that's gin-run quality.

Something wrong, ma'am?

Mr. Simmons, I think maybe you

gave us the wrong seed?

Well, so I did.

That's just an honest mistake,

isn't it, boy?

Isn't it, boy?

Yes, sir.

Now you idiots gave Mrs. Spalding

the wrong seed.

We're lucky her n*gger caught it.

That's a smart n*gger you got there.

He's a credit to his race.

Why did you have to go shoot off your

big mouth in front of that white man?

I swear, you ain't never

gonna learn nothing.

You just got yourself into

a carload of trouble.

This ain't your land.

You just passing through.

That white woman

ain't nothing to you.

These people ain't no reason

to get yourself killed.

Howdy.

Howdy.

What's your name?

Moses.

My name's Frank.

- My pa was killed.

- I heard about it. I'm sure sorry.

He was shot.

It was a n*gger killed him.

How old are you, child?

Nine, and 4 months.

You mean to tell me you got to be

9 years and 4 months old...

...and nobody told you

it's bad luck...

...to rock a rocking chair

with nobody in it?

Don't do no good now.

The damage is done.

I knew a man who rocked

a empty rocking chair.

Before nightfall, he got run over

by a cotton wagon.

Here, take this rabbit foot.

And you do what I do and

say what I say, you understand?

First thing is you turn around

three times.

One...

...two...

...three.

Next thing is you walk backwards.

Seven, six...

...five, four...

...three, two, one.

Thank you, Lord Jesus! Amen!

Thank you, Lord Jesus! Amen!

Give back my rabbit foot.

Got too much to do around here to go

around saving your life all the time.

If you're just gonna stand around,

you might as well be of some use.

Fetch me some of them nails

over there.

What are you thinking about?

I grew up in a place just like this.

Boy, I hated it.

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