The Waltons S05E17 The Career Girl

I usually know exactly what gift to give, but with this pretty thing, well, as you said before, we just don't know where she's headed. This is all my fault. You're a regular nightclubber, aren't you? Just a fight, Dad. What does the other fellow look like? I'm a failure at everything. Self-pity is just like quicksand. It'll swallow you up quick. I think maybe you better start thinking about somebody else besides yourself for a little while. It had been my father's dream that each of his children receive at least a high school education. And for a good many years, there was a Walton in every graduating class of the Walton Mountain School. So it was in 1937 when it came time for my sister Erin to leave behind the security of high school and to face an uncertain future. Why don't we take this road right here? All right. I've never seen Erin look so happy. I hope she'll always be as happy as she is today. She sure is pretty. Uh-huh. Congratulations. Oh, Zeb. Ah, Flossie, you aiming to graduate all over again? Oh, I wish I could be that young again. Would that we could. Uh, how's Zester, Zeb? Well, she's getting along pretty good. Well, the only regret is not being here for Erin's graduation. Well, I'm sure that Curt and Mary Ellen are taking good care of her. They are. They most surely are. All them doctors and nurses over the hospital seem to be just there to help take care of Esther Walton. Good morning. We're going to be a little bit late. A little bit late. Why so? Good morning. Don't worry. They'll all get here. They always do. Oh, I'm not worried about the graduates. It's Superintendent Tolliver. We can't start until he gets here. Well, he's probably giving the same speech all over the county this morning. I'm afraid he is. Good morning. Good morning, Doctor. Think you'll ever get rid of all the Waltons? I have a few more to go. By the time they've all graduated, there'll be grandchildren coming along. Oh, really? How many? Tolliver is not going to make it. Not going to make it? His car's off the road over the other side of Lovingston. He called and told me to tell you. Is he all right? Oh, he's all right, but he's mad as a wet hand. I gotta go get a tow car for him. At least he's not hurt. Oh, it doesn't matter. You probably know that speech by heart anyway, don't you? Oh, don't look at me. We couldn't ask for a better substitute. A distinguished alumnus, the local editor and publisher, and my good friend. Oh, no, I can't make do with that. Rosemary, I can't make up a speech. You'll be happy to know that Superintendent Tolliver is not hurt. His car is in a ditch somewhere north of Lovingston. And at this moment, I would gladly trade places with his car. Well, it's graduation day. I remember it well. It's a very important day. A day that you should hold on to in your memory. It's a day when we sort of mark our new beginning in the world. When we begin to move towards the goals we set for ourselves. And I think there's a great deal of pleasure in having goals to move towards. And an even greater pleasure in trying to achieve those goals. Well, you've been educated and you've been supported by a very dedicated woman, Rosemary Fordwick. So I know you're all ready for what's ahead. And I'm sure you won't forget the support and the love you've had from your families, your parents, your grandparents. And I'd just like to wish you all happy and productive lives. It's terrible. You were wonderful. I'll push him in the ditch every year. Thank you. I'm gonna have to ask you to help me hand out the diplomas. I think we should have him running for king. He can't even clean spark plugs. Well, he can. Jim Bob, if he's a king, he can have other people do his own spark plugging. Clara Bates. Clara's aim is a college education at West Hampton College. Congratulations. John Charles Riding. John Charles will be joining the Civilian Conservation Corps. And we all approve of your work, John. Merle Towbridge. Merle is bound for trade school in West Ham. His ambition is to learn to build anything. Congratulations. Oh, Aaron Walton. I'm not exactly sure what Aaron is going to be doing. I guess it's a secret. Congratulations. Molly Zimmerman. Molly will be a secretary at the Highway Department next year. Congratulations. There you are, alone at last. Come on now, put a smile on that pretty face of yours. Here is something that your grandma was keeping a special gift to you in your graduation. Thank you, Grandpa. You needn't open it because I could tell you what's in it. It's that little gold locket that has your great-grandma's picture in it. Oh, Grandpa. She knew that you'd take special care of it. Come on now, say hello to all your friends now. Aaron, you can open it later. Oh, thank you, Mrs. Bremmer. I usually know exactly what gift to give, but with this pretty thing, well, as you said before, we just don't know where she's headed. That's not exactly what I said. Whatever Aaron chooses to do, we know she can do. She just doesn't know what it is yet. It was simple enough with John Boy and Jason and Mary Ellen. We always knew what they were going to be. But good luck to you. Such a nice party. I bet Olivia could use some help about now. Oh, I'll do that. Not today, Aaron. This is your day. The new typewriter is costing $50. I can't afford that. Well, I think the university would have some typewriters you could use. They do, they do, but you got to rent them. The rate I type, by the time I finished working on the manuscript, I've been able to afford a new one. I don't know what to do about it. Aaron. Aaron! You haven't opened any of your presents. Oh, no. Will you put these with the others? Do you really have a secret ambition, like Mrs. Fortwick said? With the others, all right. Why would you want to keep it a secret? You in there? I'm all right, Mama. I hope so. A lot of excitement for one day. I bet you're dead tired. I don't think it's bad. High school graduation. There aren't many days like that in life. Days that you plan for and look forward to, and you can't imagine what they're going to be like. And just when you think they're never going to get here, they've come and gone. I don't see why. Well, days have to end, honey. And when they've been lovely days, you feel kind of hurt and let down. It's natural. It doesn't feel that way. I feel so strange and different. It's like I was something, and now I'm not. This won't last, Aaron. And after this little while, you'll look forward to the next big day. What's that? Well, that's up to you. You come downstairs? As the truck pulled out of the yard, the young man looked for as long as he could back at the house. But then the house was gone in the turning of the road, and only the memory of the warmth and happiness he had known there remained. On the bus, he found himself seated beside an old farmer. Going far, son, the old man asked. Right far, the boy replied, and watched as the bus arrived at the crest of the mountain and went on into the beckoning world. By the way, John boy, you talked really good today. Thank you. You ever thought about going into politics? No, never, never. Well, you should. You sound real good at the time, and then later on, no one knows what you said. Just read the proof, will you? It's true. It's good for you. You'll realize it one of these days. Well, this is a dumb ad. Yeah, when you write the ads. Not this one. Wanted. Typewriter in good condition. Urgent need. Contact John Walton, Jr. Care this newspaper. What's wrong with that? Urgent need. You sound desperate. Oh, I am desperate. I can't afford to pay much for a typewriter and publisher's demand type manuscripts. John boy, you can be desperate. You just can't sound desperate. If you are, you lose all your bargaining position. Just print the ad. Another graduation gift? It's from GW. What'd he give you, a quart of oil? It's cologne. It really smells, too. It's too bad GW was late. Well, I guess I better go take this dress off. You look real pretty in it, honey. Thank you, Daddy. The party was real nice, Mama. We wanted you to have something fun to remember. I guess it's all over now. Grandma not being there must have been hard on her. It's hard on all of us. She hasn't smiled since she got her diploma. I keep thinking it's just the letdown. You know, Rosemary's right. She's the first one of our children that doesn't have a special ambition. I never even thought of it. She's a lucker, though. Like her Ma. She'll do just fine. Ben, Jason. Hello, Mary Ellen. Hey. I just came from the hospital. Grandma sends her love. Oh. How's she feeling? Oh, she's fretting and restless. You know, Grandma, when she can't be moving around. Yeah. Kate's bobcat. But she seems to be feeling better. Well, I'm sure she is if she's starting to get ornery. If she was just sitting around that hospital not saying anything, I'd get worried. That's what Kurt says. Must bother her, though. Not being able to know what everyone's doing around here. Well, she's concerned that we're upset and she's the cause of it. She wants us to go on like she was here. I reckon that's what we've been doing. Come on, Aaron. We're both gonna be late. Since she graduated from high school, she doesn't hurry to do anything. That's not true. She'll catch up with Miss Fanny Tatum if she's ever late. How much you want? I'll just be here a minute. I gotta get Aaron to Miss Fanny's. Don't block the gas pump. Doesn't matter. Nobody's coming around here anyway. Darnedest thing? What? Seems like just lately somebody's been wearing banana oil. Are you sure? Well, I know banana oil. That's what I paint my model airplanes with. Is it this? That's it. This is the cologne GW gave me, Jim Bob. Hey, somebody's got a typewriter for sale in Rockfish. Hey, John Boy, you know where Aaron's making model airplanes? Let's go, John Boy. Jim Bob, I'm paying you good money to watch that gas pump out there and not to come in here and sample the cold pop. Well, if anybody drove up and says, fill her up, I'd fall dead from surprise. Well, this post office brings lots of people in here. You know, like John Boy. Of course, not all of them buy, but we in the grocery business, we call that traffic. Why do you want traffic if nobody buys anything? Well, because sometimes they do. You know, they remember things that they wanted. Now, of course, John Boy, he's different. Now, lots of times when he comes to the store and he says he's asking for mail, it's just an excuse. But what he really comes in for is to get stories from me. Well, he's always looking for stories. I got that figured out, though. You know that book he says he's writing? I'll bet you dollars to donuts that he's writing a book about me. Well, he says it's about the family. But you know, when he comes in here, I notice the way he watches me. And it's like he's making notes in his mind. And everybody knows that this store here is the center of everything that happens on Walton's Mountain. Everybody knows that. I guess so. Oh, no, that's for sure. This general merchandise store is the crossroads of life around here. If I were writing a book about this area, well, I'd come right in here and come right up to me. Did you ever read John Boy's book? No. Do you know who it's about? No. Well, I provided him with the Godsey family tree and I gave him the Godsey photo album with pictures of me way back to when I was a baby. That book has got to be about me, nobody else. Like I said, I just don't know. Jim Bob, would you do me a favor? Sure. Next time you're around where John Boy is writing his book, would you kind of take a look? Well, there's nothing wrong with that. I mean, after all, we're all going to read the book sooner or later anyway, right? Well, I don't think he wants anybody to read it until it's finished. Well, wait a second. You and I are just not anybody. You are his blood brother. And I am, well, I'm about as close to an uncle as anybody could get, right? And besides, I've done you some favors. Remember, I gave you my bike and you rode it in a motorcycle race? And then I gave you the job here of pumping gas. I think the next time that you got an opportunity that, you know, maybe you could just kind of take a look in his book and kind of skim through it, huh? Would you like some pop? I just don't know. I'll have to think about it. Closest I ever got to a typewriter was that old one I used to borrow from the Baldwin ladies. That one burned up into fire. John boy, how long have you wanted to be a writer? Well, I can't ever remember not wanting to be one. Seems like I was probably born that way. Must be nice knowing exactly what you want. Well, it is. What I want right now is a typewriter. I'll pick you up later. Okay. Number, please. Thank you. Number, please. Thank you. Oh, that music is so stirring. Why, it's no wonder we all march straight away from graduation to meet the challenge of our world. Well, number, please. Thank you. Oh, how I wanted to be at your graduation. It was real nice. Oh, thank you. Can you guess what it is? No, ma'am, I can't. I can't bear it. Can't wait. Sure is a pretty bow. Can't remember when I couldn't tie a bow. I really fancy a nice bow. Miss Fanny, I really appreciate these. Oh, my goodness, child. They're yours to enjoy. Would you like to try them on? Oh, sure. Number, please. Thank you, Mr. Shelby. Oh, they look real pretty. The keys sure do jam up, don't they? If we do work this trade, how long are you going to run my ad? Paper's not free, you know. Sorry. Maybe a nice picture in here. Catch the eye. Mr. Carr, I'm going to need a typewriter that works. Some beauties there. $30, $35, highest $50. This one's as smooth as a Super Six. Yeah. Well, what's a chance I could get this one fixed up? Sure. New platen. Keyboard needs some help. Those strikers are bent. Ribbons worn through. Rollers slipped, something awful. Fix all that up, you're talking $15, $20 more. Sorry, Mr. Carr, but I don't think we're going to be able to do business. Might be your need wasn't as urgent as you thought. Sorry. Erin, what's wrong with staying on with Miss Tatum? You wouldn't understand. You get to talk to people all the time. But I never see them. But you know all of them. And they never see me. It's as if I haven't got a face or a name. Besides, I've gone as far as I can with that job anyway. I'd be going through the rest of my life saying, number, please. It seems to me Miss Tatum's pretty happy there. Well, I believe she is. Well, then what's the problem? Well, I told you you wouldn't understand. You're right. Erin, I don't know what Daddy's going to think. I won't be long. Want me to go in with you? No, just wait out here. Well, wish him good luck. Good luck. Just a minute. 9, 5, 8, 1, carry on. 8, 2, 8, and you're 1. Makes 19. Hello. Sign says you're looking for a waitress. Well, you're no waitress. Oh, but I could be. You see, I come from a real big family. I take plates to the table and I clear it. And I even wash and dry dishes. I can do everything a waitress does. Everyone at your house so ugly? I don't know. Still in school? No, I graduated from high school. Well, I don't run a tea room. Your mother know you come to ask for this job? I'd want that. You go ask your folks. If it's right with them, it's right with me. All right. Well, Mama, what do you think? I think if we don't sit down and eat, supper's going to get cold. Mama, where's Jim Bob? He's having supper with Patrick, Mrs. Bremer's. You really do have a secret ambition, don't you? We have better time to talk about this. Oh, but Daddy, I've got to know. You don't have to know this second. Well, that truck stop's not a bad place. You sure won't find the King of England there. Prince of Wales may be looking for Mrs. Simpson, but I doubt if you find the King of England hanging around any of our truck stops. Daddy. As far as I'm concerned, it's all right, honey. Thank you. Well, Mama, what do you think? Well, it seems to me I've been saying no to you all most of your lives. If your daddy says it's all right, I'll respect his decision. I can understand you wanting to be independent and do something on your own. Just remember you're a young lady. Make sure those people you're working for know that. I will, Mama. Amen. Thank you, Mama. Dear Father, look down upon us this evening. Remember those missing from amongst our company. Look down with favor upon them also. Amen. Ben! Ben? Oh, it's you, Jim Bob. Well, I was looking for Ben. He's not here. Where's John boy? He's not here either. Just you? What are you doing in here anyway, young man? You look like a cat just got caught dipping its paw into the goldfish bowl. What are you up to? Nothing, Grandpa. Oh, yes, you are. I can tell by the expression on your face. No two-fid to me. What are you doing in here anyway? I was looking at a book John boy's writing. That is an invasion of privacy, James Robert. Yes, sir, I'm sorry. Invasion of privacy? Of course. Well, after all he is writing about the family, isn't he? Let's just have a look, see what he's been up to. He won't mind. Oh, let's begin at the beginning here. It is spring on Walton's Mountain. The dogwood and the trail in our beauties. Grandpa? What are you two doing out here? Oh, well, I just come in here. I come in here. A pencil. That's right. Thank you, James Robert. A pencil. I found it. Oh, dear. Clumb wore out his eraser. Well, look, you just smile at the customers and be the girl your daddy said you were. Now you can start by cleaning those dishes off that table over there. All right. Give me a cup of coffee and a ham on rye, baby. Oh, Jason. Did mom and daddy send you down here to watch me? No, we just didn't know what time you'd be through. I'll be done at 10 o'clock. All right, I'll pick you up. OK. Good luck. Thank you. You look real good. Bye-bye. Glad grandma doesn't have to know where Aaron's working. She'd have something to say about it, all right. I guess it's worth it if the job lifts Aaron's spirits. She's been so downed by everything ever since the graduation. That's why I let her do it. I guess there comes a time when parents have to do more than be against their children's ideas. This is one of those times. Watch Trey get some sleep. I'll stay awake until she gets home. Hi, Jason. I'll be through in a minute, all right? OK. Thank you. Little lady. Come here, ma'am. Can I get you something, sir? Yeah. Who's that skinny kid over there? Is that your boyfriend? No, that's my brother. Well, I'm sure he wouldn't mind you being a little bit friendly, would he, huh? Would he, huh? Um, can I get you something, sir? You sure can. Why don't you come on over here and talk to me? Let go of my arm, please. Come on over. I want to talk to you. Please let go of my arm. Please let go. All right, let's do it. Let it out. Oh, Jason, no. Let it out. Aaron, is that you? Yes, daddy. There she is. Yes. I can't believe all of this happened. Well, try. I'm going to go up to bed. No, Jason, sit down. You're bleeding. I've got to wipe your face. That's fine, thanks. That's enough. I've got to help you. Milk. A glass of milk would be great. All right. Walt. Getting to be a regular nightclub around here. Jason. Just a fight, daddy. What does the other fellow look like? I didn't hurt him much. I hope it's not as bad as it looks. He looked awful. It's not that bad, mama. What's the matter with your hand? It's all right. I just want to go to bed. Yeah, what do you hold your wrist like that for? Better have Kurt look at this in the morning. What's going on? Oh, it's Jason. A fight. Fight? Jason, what happened to you? Well, some big fellow down at the diner took a fancy to Aaron's arm and didn't want to let go. I told you this was all my fault. Aaron, if it's anybody's fault, it's ours. We never should have let you go there. Are you all right? You ever hear of a one-handed guitar player? Can you move those fingers? Mrs. Brimmer, I just don't know a thing about it. You have to ask what got into John Walton. Well, from what I heard, he wasn't even there. But he gave Eric leave to take the wafers job, and I asked why. Well, you just have to ask John when you see him. Well, I wouldn't lie. Well, here comes John-boy. Now you can ask him. John-boy, we were just speaking about Jason, the poor boy. Yeah, how is he? Is he as bad as we've heard? Well, probably not. Everybody's taking pretty good care of him. I think he's doing as well as can be expected. Well, that's wonderful news. I suppose you're here for mail, huh? That's exactly what I'm here for. Sorry. Wouldn't you think there'd be somebody in the county to have a typewriter for sale? John-boy, I believe I have one. It's in a nice case up in the stowage shelf. You have a typewriter? Well, at least he said it was a typewriter. Uh, Charlie, uh, Mr. Greenwood, uh, left that here must be a year ago now. Well, I don't know how he could have forgotten it. I think he meant to. He was behind on his rent payments. I think he drank some. In fact, the night before he left, I heard this terrible crash, like he crashed down in the room. There was this awful thud. Awful thud. You think that's why Mr. Greenwood never came back for it? Mary Ellen, what's taking so long? They're probably just talking. They'll be out in a minute. Jason isn't gonna die, you know. Mary Ellen, don't talk like that. Well, don't act like that, Aaron. Jason's been in fights before. He'll probably be in fights again. Yeah, but this one was my fault. If I hadn't been there... Well, you were there. And I shouldn't have been. Well, you can't change that now. Besides, you didn't hit Jason. The guy who tried to maul you did. What if he hadn't been there? But he was. That's what I mean. Aaron, you've got to take things the way they are, not the way you wish they were. Jason? It's not broken. I don't believe you. It's not. He's got some bone bruises in the muscles and the ligaments need to mend. The sling's mostly to rest his hand. Can't remind him not to use it. Well, Kurt, how long do you think it'll be before it heals? About a month, maybe longer. A month? Oh, Jason, that means you're gonna lose a whole month's pay. All on account of me. Oh, Aaron. It might not take that long. You keep staring like that, your eyes are gonna pop out. You had your tongue sticking out. Get out, will you? Can't you write with your left hand? No, I can't. Then how are you gonna do your schoolwork? I don't know. Hey, short stuff. Wait a minute. You think if I dictated this to you, you could copy it down? Like a secretary? Sure. Okay, just start here on the top line and write down what I tell you. I'm ready. Well, say something. I'm thinking. Well, you think and I'll come back later. No, here, here. Write this down. In considering a characteristic composition of Franz Liszt, it is necessary to... Franz who? Liszt. Like a grocery list? Elizabeth, this is not working out. You use such dumb words. Why don't you get Aaron to help you? She's just in the next room. Aaron? I hate to ask her. She feels so bad already. Well, she's the one who should be doing it. After all, it's all on account of her that you can't write. What do you want? Will you write for me? I have this paper, has to be in by tomorrow. Sure. What do you want to say? Well, you'll find out. Franz Liszt. I forgot about your schoolwork. How are you going to write? That's what you're doing for me right now. I mean at school. Well, I guess all but the most important stuff will just have to wait until this heals up. Go ahead. All right. In considering a characteristic composition of Franz Liszt. Oh, Jimbo, I got a new key making machine. That's neat, eh? Come on over here and I'll show you how it works. I know how it works. You can't see it from there. Come on over here closer. John Boy's book. Did you read it? Yeah, I looked through it real fast. And who's it about? Mostly about people that live around here. I'm in it? No. What do you mean I'm not in it? I couldn't find you. Well, I'll be right with you, ma'am. Oh, well, maybe he's using a different name. You know, writers do that. What's the name of the man who runs the grocery store? Where? I didn't see anything about a store. Do you mean he wrote a whole book about Walton's Mountain and not once he mentioned either me or my store? Jimbo, that's impossible. Don't blame me. I didn't write it. Here you go, honey. Your mom fixed everything you like. Thank you, Daddy. Are you feverish or anything? You feeling all right? Now, Aaron, I'm not very good at guessing about you. Is it Jason? That's over and done with now. Everything I try to do turns out wrong. I couldn't marry Chad. So now he's up on the mountain all alone building his cabin. I'm a failure at everything. If you were one of your brothers, I'd know what to do about you. I guess you just don't grab one of your daughters by the neck and yank her out of bed. Honey, listen, there's nothing you can't say to me. Nothing that you think or hope or dream that I won't listen to. You better not give in to it. You're feeling sorry for yourself. You're getting nowhere fast. But I can't help it. Well, maybe some tough things have happened to you and you think you got cause. Self-pity is just like quicksand. It'll swallow you up quick. Please go. Okay. I think maybe you better start thinking about somebody else besides yourself for a little while. Where are Miss Tatum's? That's supposed to be my job. Somebody got out of bed stirring around. You know anything about that? Oh, well, we kind of had a little discussion. I sort of told her she ought to start thinking about somebody else for a change. I guess you have to be an older brother to get away with something like that, huh? Yeah, it's kind of like grabbing somebody by the back of the neck and yanking them out of bed. Okay. Now, you're not going to try to get some fool job, are you? No, nothing like that. Okay, bye-bye. Hello? Yes, it is. No, there's no one here at the moment. May I take a message? All right, thank you. Business school? No, I'm just helping out. If you'll give me your name, I'll have someone call you. Thank you. Oh, it just kept buzzing. Well, who on earth are you? My name is Erin Walton. I work part-time for Miss Tatum. Well, this one's a lot simpler. Well, let's talk about you. How much time could you give me? Beg your pardon? Well, there's the switchboard and just a few clerical duties and... Oh, I'm sorry, where are my manners? I'm Miss Jane Stevens and this is my business school. Hello. Hi. What I really came about was this typewriter over here. Oh, I hoped you wanted a job. My brother really needs a typewriter. Would you like to try it? Sure, thank you. I stopped by the telephone office. You were there. Well, I'm sorry I missed you. Hey, Erin, how are you feeling? Just wonderful, Ben. Uh, Ben, what... Didn't you just this morning... I know, but I don't understand. Got your mail for us? Yeah, well, okay. Well, I'll talk to you tomorrow. Nothing for us, huh? I got something for you, John Walton Jr. What? Well, you're a newspaper man. I got some news for you. Oh, really? I wouldn't be in your book if you paid me. Don't you think I have every right to feel the way I do? After all I've taught her, everything I've done for her, it's not my way to criticize, but it's just that she's spending much more time there than she is here, and I simply feel that this is where she ought to be. Miss Fanny, I'm looking for Erin. Do you know where she is? Now, John boy, you know how fond I am of her. Do you know where she is? She's at the business school. The business school? If you've been standing there listening, you should know that. Okay, thank you very much. Now, Fern, where was I? Erin, what are you doing here? John boy, you're not supposed to know about this. You holding down two jobs now? Bill, come pick me up so you can leave now. Erin, would you file these for me, please? Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't see you. Maybe help you with something? I don't know. No, we can't. Erin. My name is John Walton Jr., ma'am. Oh, Miss Jane Stevens. How do you do? Hi. John boy, I have a ride home. Oh, you must be the brother, the writer. I am. Erin, how come you don't go to school here? Because I'm too busy working here. I'll bet you like it, don't you? What difference does it make? A lot. I'll bet she's good at this kind of work. Oh, she's perfectly fine. She'd probably be better at it if she learned shorthand and typing, though. Well, yes. Ma'am, I run a newspaper. Now, it's not a big newspaper. It's a small country newspaper. But I'd be willing to give you anything you wanted in the way of advertising for your school in exchange for her tuition. What kind of a family are you? I wish you hadn't come. Erin, you don't see the answer to your problem when it's staring you right in the face, do you? This is too heavy for me. Oh, where would you like me to take it? Where would you like to take it, Mr. Walton? Erin's been working here to buy that for you. Well, don't drop it, John boy. No, no, I won't, no. Are you always this thoughtful of each other? No. I mean, sometimes he's just awful. It's true. Excuse me. Thank you, Erin. You're welcome. The family was grateful and pleased that Erin found a role for herself in life. She did go to business school, enjoyed it, and excelled in her work. Later, she married and mothered a family of her own. The typewriter, well, it typed my first novel and interrupted the quiet nights on Walton's Mountain for years to come. Hey, John boy, I can't sleep when that typewriter's going. No one can. I mean it, son. Stop the typing. John boy's not home yet. I'm working on something. Elizabeth? I want to get an early start on my career, Mama. After all, I graduate from high school in about eight years. Good night, Elizabeth. Good night, Mama. Good night, Daddy. Good night, everybody.