The Stratton Story Page #6

But his legs are his life.

The infection is spreading.

If we don't operate immediately...

But his leg...

He's a ballplayer.

He's a man whose life is in danger.

We must have your permission to operate.

I flew down as soon as I heard.

Oh, Barney.

That's right, kid. Cry it out.

- Barney, his leg.

- I know, I know.

Well, he had some innings.

At least he had that.

Guess you're glad to be back,

huh, Monty?

Yeah.

Hi, young fella.

He's home, Ma.

He hasn't seen me cry.

I've got no tears left.

Hello, Monty.

How's my girl?

- Do you want to rest, Son?

- Yeah, I guess so.

Looks like I sort of gummed things up.

We've always been able

to handle our share of troubles.

Look at the mail today.

Must be hundreds of letters here

from people all over the country.

- Don't you wanna look at them?

- No.

Well, if people are nice enough

to write them, you should read them.

If you like them so much,

why don't you read them yourself?

What do they say,

"Merry Christmas"? "Happy New Year"?

Not enough eggs to pay for their feed.

- Ain't too big, neither.

- No.

Monty gonna start moving around soon?

Trying to get him to.

You figure he's gonna?

That's up to him.

Active fella like he was

ought to get around.

He ever gonna use that leg

they made for him?

I don't know, Earnie.

Ethel's doing the best she can,

but she can't nag him.

He's gonna have to want to do something

before he does it.

I've been straightening out the shed.

A lot of stuff's piled up.

Maybe you ought to come out and tell me

what you wanna keep

and what you wanna get rid of.

Get rid of it all.

Well, I suppose there is a lot of stuff

lying around we don't need.

But I thought maybe there would be

some things you'd wanna hang on to.

Like this ball the team all signed.

I'm sorry.

What are we gonna do, Ma?

Guess there's nothing you can do

except keep on trying and hoping.

But he isn't interested in anything.

Or anybody.

Everything I do or say

seems to drive him further away.

He's all by himself.

I just can't seem to reach him.

Well, I guess it wouldn't be right

if he was letting it roll off his back

like it was nothing.

I know Monty.

He's taking a bad beating now,

but one of these days

he'll start swinging back.

But will he, Ma?

Do you think he will?

Well, there's something about Monty.

Good sense, I guess you'd call it.

But whatever you call it, if you got it,

no doctor can amputate it.

- How's the cotton look, Earnie?

- Good.

What you figure it'll come to?

Might go half a bale an acre.

Pretty good, huh, Son?

Yeah.

Sonny wants to say good night.

He talking now?

Well, of course.

You say good night to Uncle Earnie.

See?

Yep.

What'd he say?

Well, he said good night.

Regular little blabbermouth, ain't he?

He sure is an armful.

Come on to Uncle Earnie.

Well, he took a step.

- He's really trying to walk.

- Darned if he ain't.

Come on, Sonny.

Let's see you do that again.

Come on, come on. Here, come on.

Oh, look, Monty,

he's really starting to walk.

Isn't that wonderful?

What's so wonderful about it?

He's got two legs, hasn't he?

Look at that road.

I used to do 10 miles on that road

like it was nothing,

just to pitch a game.

Now I can hardly reach it,

let alone walk on it.

And then to top everything else,

now I'm ornery into the bargain.

I shouldn't have sounded off before.

I know you have it rough enough as it is.

- I'm not complaining.

- No. Maybe it'd be better if you did.

You can't keep it all stored up inside you.

You told me once,

"A man's got to know where he's going."

Where are you going, Monty?

I don't know.

I guess I'm just not going.

And you said you couldn't let me down.

What about the baby, Ma, yourself?

- Are you gonna let everything down?

- Do you think I want to?

What do you want?

It's not clear in my mind, I...

Before, I could do things, but now...

Nothing's really changed.

You're still the same fella

I've always been in love with.

I've made out much worse than you.

You lost your leg.

But I lost you.

Oh, honey,

I still feel the same way inside.

I know you do, darling.

That's what I've been trying to tell...

I guess I got a squawk coming, too.

Sure wasted a lot of money

on those dancing lessons.

Gee, I sure got me some gal.

Shucks, didn't you know that?

We're going to town to do some shopping.

Will you watch the baby?

Sure. What's he gonna do?

Very funny.

Nothing like having a comedian

in the family.

You're not doing that so good, young fella.

Here, I'll show you.

Looks like we got our work cut out for us.

Sure is trying, ain't he?

- More coffee?

- No, thanks.

- But you always have two...

- No, no. No, no.

He'll be up and down now,

getting into everything.

- He'll be all right.

- Oh, upsy-daisy. There.

See?

I kind of think

Junior needs a little sunshine.

Go on, get his coat on.

Sure.

We mustn't keep Daddy waiting.

Put your little arms in.

Now you be a good boy.

Please be a good boy.

There.

Come on. There we go.

Sure is a mess.

Yeah, I guess we ought to save some of it.

I guess so.

Want to keep this?

Yeah, I guess so.

All right, then. Keep it.

Well, no, put it in the box.

If you wanna throw so much,

let's go outside

- before you wreck the shed.

- No, honey, I don't want...

Too much rich living.

A little exercise isn't gonna hurt you.

Come on, let's throw a few.

You're a fine-Iooking baseball player.

Can't even see you behind the mitt.

Say, this is fun.

No, I'm all right. I'm all right.

I think I know what I did wrong.

Come on, let's throw some more.

That's the first time

I ever been kissed by a catcher.

Oh, catchers don't do that, huh?

Not as a rule, no.

Sort of slows up the game.

Well, don't just sit there.

Let's see the big pitch.

Come on. Lay it in there, Country.

- Hi.

- Hi, there.

You're late for practice.

Well, I was finishing up

out in the north pasture.

All right, now, let's see something today.

Come on.

Come on.

Just throw it right over the plate.

Oh, that's pretty bad.

You can do better than that.

Come on, right over the plate.

Now let's see the fastball.

Fastball?

Well, even if I did have one,

what would you do with it if I threw it?

Well, just throw it and find out.

Come on, get it right over the plate. Come.

You call that a fastball?

You had more hop on it a month ago.

Hey, you're fixing

to get your head knocked off.

Don't argue with the catcher.

When I say a fastball, I mean a fastball.

Now come on.

Put it right in here, right over the plate.

Okay.

Right in here.

- Gee, honey, I'm sorry, you hurt?

- No, no, I'm all right.

But you've just lost yourself a catcher.

Never had a catcher quit me before.

You never had a catcher before

who was going to have a baby.

What?

Come on, Hap, come on. Come on.

You're slowing up the game. Here we are.

That's a boy.

Hey, can a fella catch a meal here?

Barney.

- Ethel.

- Gee, I'm glad to see you.

I was on my way down to Houston.

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