The Trip to Bountiful Page #6

Her son's coming in his car,

should be here around 7:30.

I'll be back in 10 minutes.

If she gives you any trouble,

you just call me.

Now, you keep your eye on her.

All right.

- Good morning.

- Good morning.

Did my purse arrive?

Yes, ma'am.

Thank you so much.

I wonder if you could cash a check for me?

Oh, I'm sorry, ma'am. I can't.

It's a government check.

And I have identification.

I'm sorry, ma'am.

I can't.

Well, do you know where

I could get a check cashed?

Why?

Why, I need money to get me started

in Bountiful.

I want to hire somebody to drive me out,

look at my house, and get a few groceries.

Try to find a cot to sleep on.

I'm sorry, lady.

You're not going to Bountiful.

- Oh, yes, I am. You see...

- I have to hold you here...

for the sheriff.

You are joking with me. Now, don't you joke

with me, I have come too far!

I need to keep you here until your son

arrives in his car this morning.

My son hasn't got a car...

so I don't believe you.

He'll be here in a minute

and you can ask him yourself.

All right.

But I'm going. Do you understand that?

You'll see.

This is a free country,

and I'm gonna tell him that.

And no sheriff or king or president...

is gonna keep me

from going back to Bountiful!

All right, well, you tell him that.

- What time is my son expected?

- Around 7:
30.

Where can I find me a driver?

I can make it to Bountiful and back

way before 7:
30.

- Look, lady...

- That's all I want!

Just to see it! Just to stand on the porch

of my own house again.

- Lady, I don't have anything to...

- I thought last night that I had to stay.

I thought I'd just die if I couldn't stay.

But now, I'll settle for less.

An hour! Half an hour. Fifteen minutes!

Lady, it ain't up to me.

I told you, the sheriff!

- Then, get me the sheriff!

- Lady!

You get me the sheriff! Time is going.

They're going to have me locked up

in those two rooms again soon...

and the time is going. Time is...

- Mrs. Watts?

- Yes, sir.

- Are you the sheriff?

- Yes, ma'am.

I understand that my son

is going to be here at 7:30...

to take me back to Houston.

- Yes, ma'am.

- Then listen to me, sir.

I have made myself one promise:

To see my home again before I die.

- Lady...

- Now, I am not asking that I not go back.

I'm willing to go back.

Just let me go these 12 miles now.

I have money, I can pay.

- That's between you and your son, ma'am.

- Ludie?

Why, he's got to do

whatever Jessie Mae tells him to do.

And I know why she wants me back,

for my government check.

I don't know anything about that, ma'am.

- Won't you let me go?

- Not unless your son takes you.

All right, then.

I've lost.

I've come all this way only to lose.

I'm gonna die, and Jessie Mae knows that.

And she's willful...

and it is her will

that I die in those two rooms.

She's not gonna have her way.

- It is my will to die in Bountiful!

- Mrs. Watts.

Please let me go those 12 miles

before it's too late!

Understand me. Suffering, I don't mind.

Suffering, I understand.

I didn't protest once!

Even when my heart was broken

when those babies died.

But these 15 years of bickering...

of endless, petty bickering...

It's made me like Jessie Mae sees me...

and it's ugly, and I will not be that way!

I want to go home!

- Hey, Roy?

- Yes, sir?

- Get a doctor.

- I'm all right!

- Hurry.

- No doctor.

Bountiful.

Mrs. Watts, just lie down. It's all right.

She'll be all right.

Take care of her.

- How you feeling?

- Stronger by the minute, thank you.

The doctor said we're to keep you calm

and see that you rest till your son gets here.

Thank you. I appreciate your interest.

But he said he didn't think it would do harm

if I wanted to drive you out to your place...

as long as you felt well enough to go.

Yes, sir!

Thank you. I feel well enough to go.

All right. I'll take you.

Does this look familiar?

Oh, yes. It certainly does.

My Lord.

Tell you, look at Bountiful.

There's nothing left.

Home.

I'm home.

Thank you.

Better come over here and sit down

and rest for a while.

Let me get this.

- There you go.

- Thank you.

You don't wanna overdo it.

Yes, sir.

- Are you feeling all right now?

- Oh, yes, I am.

I'm feeling ever so much better.

Well, you look better.

I just hope I'm doing the right thing

in bringing you here.

Thank you, you've been very kind.

What kind of bird is that?

That's an old redbird.

I thought it was a redbird,

but it's been so long since I heard one...

I just... I couldn't be sure.

Do they still have scissortails around here?

Yes, ma'am.

I still see one every once in a while

when I'm driving around the country.

I don't know of anything prettier

than a scissortail flying through the sky.

You know, my father was...

a good man in many ways.

He was a peculiar man, but a good one.

And one thing he never could stand

was to see a bird shot on his land.

If he saw a man come in here hunting,

he'd just take his gun and chase him away.

And I think the birds knew

that they couldn't be touched here.

Our land was always home to them.

We had ducks, and geese, finches...

blue jays, bluebirds, and redbirds.

The old ricebirds,

they're in thicker every year.

They seem to thrive out here on the coast.

I think a mockingbird's my favorite of all.

I think it's mine, too.

I don't know, though.

I am mighty partial to the scissortail.

Hope I see one soon.

I hope you can.

You know, my father was born on this land

and in this house.

- Did you know my father?

- No, ma'am. Not that I can remember.

I guess there aren't many around here

who remember my father.

I do.

Of course. And my son.

You know, it's funny,

but ever since we got here I just...

I've had half a feeling...

that my father and my mother...

would come out of this house...

greet me...

and welcome me home.

Well, I guess when you've lived longer

than your house and your family...

you've lived long enough.

What happened to the farms?

For the last five miles,

I've seen nothing but empty fields.

I know.

The land around Bountiful just played out.

People like you got discouraged,

moved away.

Callie Davis kept her farm going.

Yes, she did.

She learned how to treat her land right.

It began paying off for her towards the end.

Heard she was out riding her tractor

the day before she died.

Yeah, it was a lonely death she had.

All by herself in that big old house.

There are worse things.

Looks to me like you're gonna have

a pretty day.

I hope so.

- You feeling more rested now?

- Yes, I am.

I'm going to go on back down to my car.

Now, you call me if you need anything.

Anything.

Thank you.

Mama!

- Hello, Mama.

- Hello, son.

- How you feel?

- I feel much better, Ludie.

Yes, ma'am.

I got my wish.

Yes, ma'am.

I hope I didn't worry you too much, Ludie.

- But I just felt that I had to...

- I know, Mama.

You see, son...

I know it's hard for you to understand...

and for Jessie Mae to understand.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes