Places in the Heart Page #3

I used to run away

every chance I got.

I'd sneak out of the house...

...go out behind the barn.

Then I'd...

...head out across the pasture

and down to this grove of elm trees.

And right in the middle...

...was this little spot where I

used to go and sit all the time.

Mrs. Spalding?

Hello!

Watch your step here.

And another one.

And a little step up.

Mrs. Spalding?

Yes, Mr. Denby,

I'm in the back yard!

I'll be right there.

Now put that thing away.

This woman may not like people

smoking in her house.

Now, please, for once in your life,

try and make a good impression.

Good afternoon, Mrs. Spalding.

How are you?

I'm just fine.

I don't believe you know my

brother-in-law, Will.

How do you do?

Mind if we come in?

No. No, not at all.

Poor Will, here, lost his sight

in the big war.

It was the Battle of the Somme,

wasn't it, Will?

He was a real war hero.

Weren't you, Will?

Will, he doesn't like to talk

about these things too much.

- Do you, Will?

- No.

Will's been living with his mama

until she passed away...

...and since that time he's been

visiting with my wife and me.

Now then, Mrs. Spalding...

...in spite of the fact

that I have great doubts about...

...this misguided attempt of yours

to hold on to this place...

...as a Christian and deacon of the

church, it's my beholden duty...

...to reach out the hand of charity

to a human being in need.

And I got to thinking, now what better

way to help out this poor woman...

...than if she took in a boarder.

Someone who could move in here, and

by paying a modest rent, help her out.

What if my brother-in-law was to move

in here and rent a room from you?

- Move in here?

- Will makes a fine living...

...caning chairs and making brooms,

so don't you worry.

Oh, Mr. Denby, I'm...

I so appreciate your thoughtfulness.

This just isn't a good time.

Sit down, Will.

Will?

Mrs. Spalding...

...speaking on behalf of the bank...

...we'd take it as a sign that you're

trying to provide for your family.

When would you like

your brother-in-law to move in?

As a matter of fact, I have his things

out in the car right now.

Anything special you like to eat?

I'm not a very good cook,

but I'm willing to try.

I don't want to be here

any more than you want me to be.

I'll try not to be any trouble.

And all I'll ask in return is to be

left alone in peace and quiet.

- I thought...

- I know what you thought.

But I don't need your help, and I

don't need you to feel sorry for me.

Honey?

I'm in back, darling.

Where you been?

We're real late for the dance.

Old man Wilson ought to put that

Studebaker of his out to pasture.

Not a week goes by without something

going wrong with that fool thing.

And the trouble is, he thinks he can

fix it all by himself.

So he goes in there

and messes everything up...

...and makes it worse than

it was in the first place.

I think he does it on purpose,

just so I'll come out and talk to him.

You know that carburettor

I fixed for him last week? He...

Where's Rosalie?

She's over at your mama's.

She's gonna sleep there tonight.

You ought not to eat that.

You'll get fat.

What about you?

- A lot you'd notice.

- I'd notice.

Wayne, we gotta go.

Everybody's waiting.

Wayne, you got to...

Hi!

Howdy.

Let's go inside and dance.

Come on, let's go dance.

I'll get it. I'll get it.

Thank you, baby.

- You warm enough?

- I'm fine.

You sure?

- Want my coat?

- No.

That's a nice table.

Hey, Wayne!

Howdy, Hank.

I sure am glad Rosalie took

that little trip tonight.

Why are you saying that?

Where were you two?

We were getting worried.

- Where you been?

- Hi, you guys!

- Hi, Buddy.

- Come here. I'll buy us a drink.

We're getting a bottle

of good-for-what-ails-you.

Be right back.

Just be a minute.

- How you been?

- I been just fine.

Hey, I hear you...

Where were you two?

Put that down. Come on.

Frank, are you craz...?

That man catches us in here,

he's gonna skin us alive.

I got something important to show you.

Do you want to see it or not?

Recordings for the Blind presents:

Trent's Last Case, by E. C. Bentley.

Chapter one, "Bad News."

Between what matters

and what seems to matter...

...how should the world we know

judge wisely?

When the scheming, indomitable brain

of Sigsbee Manderson was scattered...

Frank!

Possum!

Coming, Mama!

Ten minutes later, he's

driving a new Buick.

- You through?

- Yeah.

Vi and me are gonna dance.

I don't want to dance, Wayne.

Don't say no.

You have to dance. Come on.

Haven't danced all night.

Excuse me.

You look pretty tonight.

Let's go up to Dallas this weekend,

all right?

Take in a picture show...

...then have supper out

just like an old married couple?

You can tell Buddy you're visiting

that aunt of yours up in Dallas...

- No.

- Why not? Nobody will know.

- Wayne, I can't go on like this.

- Honey, just be patient.

I'll work everything out, don't worry.

Just give me a little bit of time.

I'll think of something, all right?

What's the matter, Vi?

We'll be fine. Just trust me.

Wayne, we're not gonna see

each other anymore.

- What?

- Not like we have been.

- Why?

- This is goodbye.

Mrs. Spalding?

Mrs. Spalding?

Mrs. Spalding?

Yes, Mr. Will. I'm right here.

Mrs. Spalding, believe me...

...if I had anyplace else to go

tonight besides...

...the State Home for the Infirm,

I'd gladly leave right now.

When I came here, all I asked

was to be left alone.

I am not some kind of freak

that is here on display...

...for the amusement of those

hooligans you call children.

- I will not...

- What?

...have them vandalizing

my personal property.

Don't come in my house

and talk about my children like that!

They are not hooligans or vandals!

They're well brought up children!

- You can't walk into my house...

- Fine!

Fine.

Whatever they are, you just

keep them out of my room.

That's all right, I'll get that.

The door's on your right.

Thank you.

Good night, Mrs. Spalding.

Good night, Mr. Will.

Ready, ma'am?

Get along, mules! Get along!

Now get along, mules!

Get along there!

Keep them straight, ma'am.

That's fine. That's just fine.

Right, Spalding. You don't know

the first thing about smoking.

I do so. I been smoking

since I was little.

- Then how come you can't inhale?

- I can so. I can inhale real good.

Mr. Will! Mr. Will!

Frank got caught smoking in school

and the teacher told Ma...

...and Frank's gonna catch it!

Frank, I'll see you

at school tomorrow.

Well, young man? What would

your pa do if he were here?

He'd spank me, I reckon.

I guess that's what we

got to do, then.

Frank, what's she gonna do

to you? Frank!

- Ma, what are you gonna do to him?

- It's okay.

Ma, what you gonna do to Frank?

Are you gonna spank him?

- Can I watch? Can I?

- Possum!

Frank, when your pa did this,

how'd he do it?

Most times...

...I'd lean over the table, grab hold,

and he'd let me have it.

How many times?

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