Ulee's Gold Page #3

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and check your pulse.

Is that okay?

Mr. Jackson!

Hold her still.

Clear her arm.

We can't keep replacing

one drug with another.

If Helen can't settle soon,

we have got to get more help.

You two better get breakfast.

Casey can handle this for a few hours.

You should get some sleep.

I don't have time.

I've got to move bees up

to a farmer's watermelon field.

I could be back here at noon.

You go. We'll see you later.

Casey, come on over here.

I want to show you

how to check these restraints.

Reckon you could miss school a day

and help me move some bees?

They wouldn't mind.

How many places you keep bees?

Three, four...

five at a time.

Changes during the year.

Did you ever lose any?

You mean, forget where they were?

No, I don't think so.

That's good.

What happened?

Bear had himself a snack.

- Is he coming back?

- Not likely.

But you never can tell.

And the bees, are they hurt?

Some got scared off...

but if we look around careful,

we might find a few.

Put these gloves and this hat on, okay?

Just to be safe.

Aren't you afraid of getting stung?

Ah, you got to keep your calm around bees.

They can sense fear right off.

It makes them panic.

Now, you stay back here, just to be safe.

You're very good.

Sometimes.

You know, I thought I'd remember my ma...

but I can't.

You will, Penny.

Just be patient is all.

My goodness, Penny.

You haven't grown up on us, now, have you?

Still hitting up on the tourists, Bill?

These local bribes and kickbacks are not

enough anymore. I gotta earn my salary.

You gotta do all kinds of disgusting

things when you work for the government.

Now, Ulee...

you know I didn't have anything to do

with Jimmy needing to be put away.

He did that all on his own.

Well, that's one thing

you and I can agree on.

Damn it, Ulee.

Six years is long enough

to mourn anyone, even Penelope.

- She wouldn't have wanted it.

- Penny, get in the truck.

How's Helen?

Miss Hope told you?

You can't figure something like that

is gonna stay secret.

It's a Jackson mess, and Jacksons

are the ones who gotta take care of it.

I know, Ulee.

You might try taking just a little help

from someone once in a...

Consider it a bribe.

Thanks.

They're always welcome.

Helen's settled.

For her, this will be the hardest part.

It's all turned inward now.

You should have left me alone in Orlando.

I was doing fine.

Jimmy asked me.

Once you're better,

I don't care what you do.

But you're not moving until

all that poison's out of your body.

- Even if only for a day.

- Oh, man.

You always think you know, don't you?

I know better than to run

from responsibility.

- Is that right?

- Right.

There's all kinds of running.

Your body might have stuck around and

that lousy bully part of your mind...

but your heart took off a long time ago.

No, you can't say that. That's not true.

Maybe you're right.

Maybe you never cared anything

about anybody.

Year after year, nothing touches Ulee.

It was you and Jimmy

wanted too many shortcuts.

I told Jimmy if he went down that road,

I wouldn't lift a finger to help him.

And you both managed major fuckups!

Who the hell are you, Mrs. Helen Jackson?

A mother? Wife?

- No, you're nothing.

- Come on.

And we don't need the whole damn world

knowing what's going on in our house.

Have some tea?

Thanks.

Looks like quite a load.

I don't usually bring

a truckload of bees home.

But, as you know, things haven't been

too normal around here lately.

What's the word for beekeeper?

Apiary? Apiarist?

Beekeeper is easier.

Somebody told me they used to

make a lot of honey around here.

I learned from my dad...

and he learned from his.

Tupelo is premium grade.

But the bloom only lasts two,

maybe three weeks.

We make most of our money

working that bloom.

Then we move the bees

up to honeydew melons and such.

That's for bakery grade.

That's what the load outside's for.

And in January, we move the bees

to winter clover.

What with the extracting

and worrying about diseases...

it's pretty hard work.

Most young folks...

can't be bothered.

Best not to get me going on bees.

May I ask about your wife?

Penelope died six years ago.

We grew up together.

What did she do?

Kept house...

looked after folks.

She had a lot to put up with.

My hitch in Nam...

the V.A. Hospital for my knee...

raising Jimmy without a dad around...

and me working to build

the hives back up...

while I wasn't sure anything made...

made sense anymore.

And just when it...

And just when it all...

I guess there's...

there's never a good time to lose anybody.

It hit Jimmy and Helen hard.

I pretty much fell off the planet.

You must have loved her very much.

If it hadn't been for Casey and Penny...

and the bees...

Maybe you can be too close.

I'll always wonder if she

was ever really happy.

Pardon me.

I'm just all worn out.

And now me.

I'm divorced.

Twice, actually.

No kids, fortunately.

I guess, fortunately.

This time I got away as far as I could.

I like the country...

and being near water.

So here I am.

You don't approve, do you?

I didn't say anything.

I can tell.

You're an old-fashioned,

"ties that bind" kind of guy.

Whatever happens, you stay the course.

Isn't that right?

Miss Hope, I'm just realizing...

I don't know enough about anything

to say nothing.

It's Connie.

I'm sorry about the sheriff.

He said that folks had seen you

and Helen coming into town.

This is my number at the hospital,

the clinic, my beeper.

Keep me posted.

Why can't I come see you?

There are a lot of things going on.

I need to work 'em out.

I know. Soon, then?

Yeah. Know where Ulee is?

He just came in.

I need to speak to him.

- I miss you, Dad.

- I miss you.

Take care.

Hello, Jimmy.

I've been meaning to call you.

I've been going crazy. How is she?

What the hell's going on?

Helen is okay, we think.

Eddie called, said you have

something important to give me.

- So why haven't you called?

- I plan to come day after tomorrow.

What do you mean? I need to see you.

I'm moving bees, Jimmy.

My back's killing me.

Day after tomorrow, if I'm still standing.

I need to see...

Has Connie come by?

She checked in.

Said she figured we'd be okay

without her today.

She also took Penny to school.

And Helen?

Out like a light.

Connie said she's making up for lost time.

Yeah, good for her.

Is my dad in trouble?

I don't know. Might be.

I'll know for sure when I see him.

- I can make up the sofa.

- No.

With my back, the floor is better.

I'll only be a minute.

Wake me up in time to get Penny.

What you got today?

Nothing.

It's for my mom.

Yeah?

Uh-uh.

No, I can't tonight, Markie.

Of course. I miss you too.

I'm really busy right now.

All right. Talk to you later. Bye.

How is she?

And see, sometimes

the bees get confused...

and run away.

That's them there on the tree.

But they don't really wanna be gone...

and they're happy when someone

helps 'em back into their home.

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