The Homecoming: A Christmas Story Page #7

around here since

the middle of the day.

Well, how was I

to know that?

I didn't see

no sheriff's car.

He outsmarted you, Charlie.

He parked out in back.

Well, he's got

the wrong man, Ike.

You know that.

I wish I did.

What do you mean

by that?

I mean all them

hams and turkeys

and canned goods

you got out

in the back

of your car.

Why, half of them still has

the name of the store

they come from marked on them.

I found all that stuff, Ike.

Now, it must have

just, you know,

slipped off

somebody's truck.

That's right, son.

I swear, I found

every bit of that stuff.

Mm-hmm.

You found them,

all right.

You found them

in the storage room

of the J&B

Produce Company

after you busted

in there last night.

I was right here where I am now

last night.

Ike, you tell him.

It's a fact, Sheriff.

Charlie was right here

up till closing time.

Uh-huh. And right

after closing time,

he hightailed it over

to the J&B Produce Company.

Sheriff, why don't

you just wait

until after Christmas

to lock him up?

Uh, Charlie is

a man of his word.

He won't

run out on you.

Uh-huh.

You double-dog right he won't.

He's going to jail.

Well, now, Christmas

ain't no time to lock a man up

in that drafty old jail

of yours.

Why, I could, I could catch

pneumonia and die 'fore morning.

You want that

on your conscience?

That I caught pneumonia and died

on Christmas Day?

You should have

give that some thought

while you was lifting

them turkeys and hams.

Come on, Ike.

I'll set them up.

John-Boy, you, you run on home

and tell your daddy

the fix I'm in,

will you?

Uh, my daddy ain't home yet.

I guess something

is really wrong

if, if John ain't

got in by now.

( sighs ):

Yeah, I know,

Mama sent me down here

hoping you'd take me over

to Charlottesville,

see if we could find him.

She even give me

a dollar for the gas.

Oh...

Messed-up situation!

Ike!

Coming.

Ike, listen, keys

to my car are in this

pocket, right over here.

Now you take them

and drive that boy

on over town, will you?

Oh, Charlie, you know

I can't do that

until the law

finishes his pool game.

John-Boy,

you know

how to drive?

Oh, well, Daddy used

to let me drive

that old DeSoto he used to have.

Uh-huh, well, that's

good enough. Here.

Keys are right

in my pocket.

Go ahead

and take them.

All right.

Charlie!

You can't let this boy drive

halfway across the county

with a carload

full of stolen goods!

You leave that

up to the boy.

If he wants to take

the chance, car's his.

I appreciate it, Charlie.

( bell rings )

( coughing )

Ike, you got any, uh...

you got any Christmas cheer

in this place, huh?

Well, I got a little

of Miss Emily's

and Miss Mamie's recipe...

for snakebite.

Ah, dogies, I believe he got me

just now, look at that.

( laughs )

Huh?

MAN:

John-Boy.

John-Boy.

John-Boy!

Yes, sir?

You've taken care of

things while I'm away?

Yes, sir, Daddy.

You remember that

bird story, Daddy,

when you were a boy?

The old yellow duck?

That old yellow duck.

( laughs )

Had me this old yellow

duck when I was six.

Just a baby.

Wanted to keep him

little, so every day

I'd squeeze him to keep

him from growing.

One day I squeezed

too hard, and he died.

Like anything, it'll

die unless it grows.

You remember when I'd bring

your lunch to the shop,

sit and listen to you

and the other men talk?

You taking

care of things?

Yes sir, Daddy.

A man ought

to learn a trade.

I remember.

Night you were born, I

wanted to wake the world--

My name

is John-Boy Walton.

All my babies

are thoroughbreds.

When I was little

I used to sit way over

John-Boy?

in the field and pretend

I was sailing on an ocean.

John-Boy!

Dusk would fall,

and they would call me.

John-Boy!

Here, Daddy.

Come home!

I want to be

like you, Daddy.

I'm trying.

You're doing fine,

John-Boy.

I try to hunt,

but I hate hunting.

I'll go hunting with you

if that's what you want.

Here he comes now.

Now don't

get buck fever.

I can't.

Aim right behind

the shoulders.

I can't!

Now! Now!

I can't!

Aim for the heart.

I can't!

Now!

I want

to be like you.

You're doing fine, son.

I'm trying.

You'll find

your own way, son,

mine's my way.

I'm trying.

John-Boy?

I'm trying, Daddy.

I'm trying.

John-Boy!

( engine rattling )

( turns off engine )

( engine grinding )

( in distance ):

O holy night

The stars

are brightly shining

It is the night

of our dear Savior's birth

Long lay the world

in sin and error pining

Till he appeared

And the soul felt its worth

The thrill of hope...

Come on and sing! That's it!

The world rejoices

for yonder breaks a new

And glorious morn

Fall on your knees

O hear the angels' voices

O night divine

O night

when Christ was born

O night divine

O night

O night

Divine.

Praise the Lord, praise Him!

( applause )

That's what I like to hear!

You know, I'm so glad

all of you just

weathered this here storm

with all that snow

falling down out there tonight,

and you came right on in.

And you know what

the Good Book says.

"Where there are two or three

gathered in My name..."

( congregation agreeing )

You know, two or three!

( congregation agreeing )

Not 153, but "two or three

gathered in My name..."

Hallelujah!

"There I am also."

ALL:

Amen!

We're going to have

a good service here.

The children have been

working on something.

Marty, I want you to pull

that curtain on back,

and we're all

going to hum

"O Little Town of Bethlehem,"

and we're going to see what

these children have worked out

for us today.

And let's really support them,

all right?

Let's all start.

( humming

"O Little Town of Bethlehem" )

"And it came to pass

that in those days

"there went out a decree

from Caesar Augustus,

"that all the world

should be taxed.

"And all went to be taxed,

everyone unto his own city,

"and Joseph went also

up from Galilee

"out of the city of Nazareth,

into Judea,

"unto the city of David,

which is called Bethlehem

"to be taxed with Mary,

his espoused wife,

"being great with child.

"And so it was

that while they were there,

"the days were accomplished

that she should be delivered,

"and she brought forth

her firstborn son

"and wrapped him

in swaddling clothes

"and laid him in a manger,

"because there was no room

for them in the inn.

"There were in the same country

shepherds abiding in the field,

"keeping watch

over their flock by night--"

Come on in, Johnny, boy.

Come right on in.

Bring the shepherd on in,

bring the sheep on in,

that's it, that's it, that's it.

Bring them, come on over here.

( sheep bleating )

Come on over here.

You know, it takes

a little time,

but the Lord's

going to be with us.

Yes, Lord. Hallelujah.

Let's get an "Amen."

CONGREGATION:

Amen!

"And, lo!

"The angel of the Lord,"

I said,

"the angel of the Lord

"came upon them.

"And the glory of the Lord

shone around them,

"and they were so afraid.

"And the angel said unto them,

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