The Southerner Page #6

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Chase the possum, chase the coon...

Chase that pretty boy round the moon...

Four hand up and around you go...

Round and round and don't be slow...

Away he's making a docey-doe...

C'mon... get in there, folks.

Granny... mind what you're doin'...

I got my bottle in there.

Serves you right!

Well, it cost me 3 bucks.

Oh, so you think it's a joke, eh?

The winner!

The winner!

Best wedding I was ever at.

It's raining. What's gonna happen

to our cotton?

Sure is a bad time

for rain to come.

Better get us all back inside.

No good for us to get wet.

Sam!

Sam!

Sam... wake up!

We've got to go home!

Oh, Sam!

I ain't gonna stay here

a minute longer.

Not even a decent place to sit.

I'm gonna take this old carcase direct

to the cemetery and await my Maker!

I never thought you'd treat

your old granny like this!

Sam Tucker...

You're a criminal!

Granny!

You stay here!

Times like this,

folks got to stick together!

You'll stay here

with the rest of us!

Hey, Sam...

Boy, it's good and ruined Tim.

Well... gotta go find Uncle Walter.

Alright... I'll stay...

Coz you're trappin' me

like you always do!

You're strong, and you're the boss.

What can an old decrepit granny do

agin the likes o' you?

Come on... back to the house...

we got work to do.

Where do you reckon

she might be?

Ain't no tellin...

But I just gotta find her, Tim.

Pasture down there by the river

is all under water.

Sure hope she ain't in that river...

Ain't no cow worth gettin' drowned for.

Not asking you to help, Tim.

I'll go with you.

There she is!

I'll go over and get her.

Why don't you wait

until the water goes down?

The river'll never stop rising.

OK boy, I'll give you a hand.

OK?

OK, boss.

OK... I'm goin' on alone.

Oh no... I'm goin' along with you.

You'll stay here.

Sam!...

The current!... Help!

- OK, Tim?

- OK, boy!

I'm comin' to town with you, Tim.

Gather up my measly belongings

that's left...

and pack up my whole bunch

and get out!

All them fields and trees and the river...

I just can't look at 'em no more!

I give 'em everything

I had to give... honest!

And what did they give me back?

Nothing.

Nothing but trouble and misery.

Be crazy to stick any longer...

A fella ought to know

when he's beat.

When he ain't wanted on the place

ain't nothin' for him to do

but to pack up and get out!

Come on... let's go.

Sam!

I can hardly believe

the house is still standin'.

Sam, your gun is safe...

and lots of other things, too.

Most of Jotty's vegetable jars

are still whole.

Of course, the pictures

got kind of broke...

But once I get 'em hangin' straight

on the wall, they won't look so bad.

Course, the worst thing of all

was the stovepipe...

But I got it back up again,

and I think it'll work alright now.

How do you like that, Sam?!

I like it fine, Honey.

Hey, Sam Tucker!...

You know what this 'minds me of?

'Minds me of 43 years ago,

with your grandpappy, Fayette.

Same thing happened to us.

Only worse... much worse.

Our roof come clean to the floor, and...

our walls just plum caved in.

For a week we crawled in and out

on our hands and knees...

like prey goin' down their holes.

Oh, my fan!

Old Fayette... he said...

Never mind, Sugar...

It could've been much worse...

if the Indians attacked it!

Sam...

Yeah, what is it, Tim?

You said you was comin' to town

with me.

Yeah... yeah, I said it.

You said it, but you ain't comin' now, eh?

I was so plum wore out for a while...

I didn't seem to believe

in nothin' no more.

But now my clothes are startin' to dry...

I'm beginnin' to believe again.

I guess that's the way the earth feels,

when she's wet.

But the sun'll start dryin' her out...

And she'll start callin' to me again

just the way Nona does sometimes.

I knowed it all along,

you'd never leave this place.

If there was only one farmer

left on this earth...

It'd be you.

Crazy kiddin', Tim!

Them machines o' yourn... they're fine...

I realise that.

But you just can't eat 'em.

Once in a while, you gotta have a

hunk 'o beef and a few ears o' corn

to fill up your belly.

Oh, you city folks are mighty smart...

But I'm afraid without us farmers,

you'd get kinda skinny.

And without us workers,

I just wonder what'd happen to you all.

You're plough... sure didn't grow

on no tree.

And your gun that you feed

your bunch with in the winter...

You didn't plant no seeds to get that.

Some day, like I hope

you get you a tractor.

Where do you reckon that'll come from?

Believe me, friend... it takes all kinds

to make up this whole world.

You love your farm.

That's right. You stay.

I like to work in a factory.

And that's why I come

to take you back with me.

Well... you know what I'm talkin' about.

I don't mean no harm...

I'd just like to help you.

Yeah... I know, Tim... thanks!

Coffee's all ready!

I want honey! I want honey!

Boy, nothin' could taste better

than this!

I think this is the first time you've made

anything out of that old pot

that was fit to drink, Nony!

Thank you, Granny!

Thank you, Honey.

Tomorrow I guess we'll be through

with the ploughin'.

As if we ever get through

with the ploughing!

I'm goin' back to the house, and just

sit... and wait for my call to glory.

Yeah... spring's gonna come

a little early this year, Honey.

Yeah, I reckon we can start our seedin'

even before the twentieth.

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