The Watsons Go to Birmingham Page #3

look at these ears.

Don't try to blame that

on my side of the family.

Someone switched this

child at the hospital.

Hmm, come on.

Hey! I can't believe you, my son...

would want to walk around

looking like some pimp...

or hustler or white boy,

none of which you are.

So you go, you get the

broom, the dustpan...

you clean that bathroom out...

and you go in your room

and stay in your room.

You're old enough now,

you been told enough.

Now we gotta do something

about it! Beat it!

She's a tough, old lady...

but why does she think she

gotta yell into the phone...

every time we talk long distance?

Give me this.

Okay, Momma, we'll be

getting back to you.

I love you.

Bye bye.

I don't know why we

didn't catch on...

that something different was

really going to happen this time.

Momma and Dad started acting real strange

right after they talked to Grandma Sands.

Come on, everybody!

Everybody, all right, now!

Here we go! Come on!

Lean in here. Come on,

Byron, what do you think?

Well, what on earth is

that towel doing there?

Kenny, do the honors.

Ladies and gentlemen, introducing the

newest addition to the Brown Bomber.

Our very own...

drive around record player!

Oh, boy!

Oh, man, this is too, too hip!

No one's got one of these.

Speedy don't even have one

in his Cadillac, man.

Too much, way too much!

Turn it on, Dad!

Well, well, well, I see that you

three have the ultimate in taste.

I see you have chosen a

top-of-the-line, the cream-of-the-crop.

The Truetone AB-700

model, the Ultra Glide.

And, as I'm sure such a fine and

intelligent-looking family such as this...

it is Mr. and Mrs. Watson, yes?

And this is your son, isn't it?

Oh, no, this isn't our son...

this is just a little juvenile

delinquent boy that we feel sorry for...

and let us follow us

around some of the time.

Our real son has hair.

Hey, hey, hey!

Please, Mrs. Watson, can you

control this little delinquent...

that follows you

around all the time?

Because if I see him over there playing

with the knobs on that record player...

I might just pull his

fingers off his hand.

Well, well, well!

I see you have such a

beautiful, young daughter.

Oh, yes, we are very proud.

Oh!

Daniel, go on and

start that record.

All right.

Did you tell them yet?

No, it can wait.

No, it can't.

Uh-oh, this sounded like the

way Byron and I found out...

we were going to have a sister.

Children, in a few days, your daddy's

gonna get some vacation time...

and we're gonna drive

to Birmingham.

Now y'all know I haven't been back home in a

while, and it's time for us to see our family.

And for you to get to

know your southern roots.

Now when we get there, your daddy will stay for

a few days and we will stay for the summer.

Yeah, that's why I bought the Ultra

Glide, because we have a long trip.

It's 15 hours down there and

once we get around Cincinnati...

ain't nothing but hillbilly

music gonna be playing.

And depending on how things go...

Byron may stay with Grandma

Sands for the school year.

Yeah, you know I didn't want to condemn you

to stay with Grandma Sands like that...

but you left us no other choice.

We had heard so many

horrible stories...

about how strict Grandma Sands was.

The thought of living with

her was so terrible...

that your brain would throw

it out as soon as it came in.

We've been telling you, Byron.

You've been given

warning after warning.

But instead of improving,

you're getting worse.

You've cut school so much, Mr. Williams

has been by here three times...

to see what's wrong with you.

You've been lighting fires,

you've been fighting.

You stole from the

Mitchell Food Fair.

You set mouse traps in the

backyard for the birds.

That's just too much, Byron.

We can't have all that

nonsense going on.

Now I never thought I'd say it...

but maybe a dose of Birmingham will

help you get your priorities straight.

And best of all,

there is no Buphead.

Hey!

No, no, let him go, Daniel.

He better get as much of this

nonsense out of his system as he can.

The University of Alabama Tuscaloosa

campus is on tight security guard...

as Governor Wallace appeals for

calm as he stands in the doorway...

to prevent two Negro students from

registering at the University.

He made a campaign promise

to prevent integration...

of the last all-white

state university.

And I say segregation now,

segregation tomorrow...

and segregation forever.

- Momma?

- Hm.

Is that where we're going?

Go on to your room, Kenny.

Don't you worry about that.

Go on, baby.

It's a tough break, man.

You couldn't figure

your way out, huh?

And dang, down south, you gonna

come back all countrified.

No, I'm not. That old bag

can't do nothing to me.

You watch, when we ride in that stupid car,

I'm not gonna say one word the whole way.

That's a long ride.

That's right, I'm not gonna talk.

It'll drive them crazy.

Well, listen, I got room on the floor

in my bedroom if you need it, man.

That might work.

Tonight, after lights out.

I'll be up waiting for you.

That's it. Thanks, man.

What would I do without you?

I keep asking myself

that same question.

Bye, Mrs. Watson, bye, Joey.

Goodbye, Stewart.

Well, I didn't want to keep you, I

just wanted to give Joey this angel.

She's been so wonderful in Sunday School,

and she's just an angel herself.

See, Wilona, didn't I tell you

she looked just like Joey?

Look at that smile.

Let me see that.

The only thing about its smile

that looked like Joey to me...

was that the angel had a little

dimple on her right cheek, too.

Thank you, Mrs. Davidson.

You're welcome, child.

We'll miss you in Sunday School.

Let me walk you out.

Joey, what's wrong?

That doll doesn't

look at all like me.

Well, I can see how it

might remind her of you.

Look at that dimple.

She's white.

Well, I can't say she isn't,

but an angel's an angel.

What do you think?

Maybe, but I know that angel's

name is not Joetta Watson.

Lights out, Kenny.

Byron, you come with us.

What for?

Oh, we thought since this is your

last night in Flint for a while...

you might like to

spend it in our room.

You thought what?

Come on, By, you're

bunking with us.

Man!

It wasn't me.

- Come on, go get him, Kenny.

- Okay.

We gotta get on the road right now.

Come on, guys!

Come on, Byron, what you doing?

Let's go, let's go, let's go.

Baby girl, come, come, come.

Let your little sister in there.

I got you, baby. Here we go.

Thank you.

Okay, listen up.

Day One, today, we

left at 5:
00 AM...

so by the time we get to Tennessee, the

sun'll be up and we can travel in daylight.

Travel in daylight?

Just to be safe. Travelling in the daylight

in the south is what's best for us.

We'll drive for six more hours, and

that should get us to Cincinnati.

Mr. Johnson says there's

some clean rest stops there.

Hey, Momma, can I see your journal?

Mm-hm.

Why is that bird trying

to land on a flower?

That's exactly what I said, but

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