"I couldn't wait to hear about my new manuscript." "Sit down, John." "I'm sorry you came so far for bad news." "The manuscript was rejected." "I wrote you about it yesterday." "I'm trying to find my brother." " What's his name?" " John Walton." "That deadbeat." "I threw him out." "I'm gonna ask Betty Grable to go out on a date with me." "We're gonna go dancing." "Hey, watch it, you jerk." "Get your hands off of me." "For the first time in years I feel like a failure." "Because of one rejection?" "I'm thinking about quitting." "JOHN-BOY:" "On Walton's Mountain we marked time by the passage of the seasons." "In autumn, we'd build fires in bee trees to gather honey." "Our lives ebbed during the winter while the earth slept." "Spring crocus brought the first blossoms foreshadowing the abundance of summer with its sweet corn and lightning bugs." "Generations of living on the mountain yoked us to the rhythm of the land a touchstone to the strength each of us carries within ourselves." "I was to discover this when I left my home full of expectations only to find that my destiny was not where I thought it would be." "JIM-BOB:" "Sure you don't want a ride to the station?" "No, thanks." "This is my last chance to see open sky for a while." "MARY ELLEN:" "You should let your editor know you're coming." "I don't think it'll be a great surprise." "She was very encouraging in her letter." "I'd love to go to New York." "J.D. goes all the time on business." "Think he'd take me with him someday?" " That'll be the day." " Ha, ha!" "Good luck with your book, John-Boy." "I hope you make a lot of money on it." "Look, I just hope I make enough to find a little apartment get settled in and start on my next novel." "I'd better get going." "I'm gonna miss the bus." "MARY ELLEN:" "Don't forget to write." "JOHN-BOY:" "Bye-bye." "CINDY:" "Good luck." "BEN:" "Gonna miss you." "JIM-BOB:" "Don't forget to send us some money, okay?" " Bye." " Bye, John-Boy." "ALL:" "Bye." "You know what to do if someone offers you the Brooklyn Bridge." "Let me guess, send it to you?" "[ALL LAUGHING]" "Look out, New York." "Here comes John-Boy." " Bye." "ALL:" "Bye." "Goodbye." "Congratulations, Belle." "The MacKenzie manuscript can go right to the typesetters." "That's marvelous." "Mr. Fairfield himself said that this was the best first novel he ever read." "He wants 10,000 copies printed for the first edition." "He's a man after my own heart." "Belle, how do you do it?" "You've unearthed more fine young talent than any editor I know." "I like to read." "Scratch a few words on a piece of paper and I'm a happy woman." "Almost 6." "Celebrate?" "I wish I could, Clayton, but I have more talent to unearth." "Another time." "What about the Walton novel?" "Did you come to any decision?" "Uh, we passed on it." "It got a unanimous thumbs down at the board meeting." "I don't understand." "With a few revisions, it could be a solid piece of work." "You said so yourself." "Yes, I know." "But we've got three war novels in the bookstores now and four more coming out in the next few months." "We just can't afford to spread ourselves any thinner." "John Walton is going to be a substantial writer in years to come." "He is welcome to explore possibilities with other publishers but he's gonna find that this is a town full of closed doors." "What am I supposed to tell him?" "Tell him to write another book." "Good night." " Tea, sister?" " Thank you." "Oh." "Emily?" "Tea?" "Oh, forgive me, sister, but I was reading the news bulletin from Miss Sophie Bell's Finishing School for Girls." " Lyla Thrush Walker has passed on." " Lyla Thrush Walker." "I don't place her." "She pledged with us at our sorority." "Remember initiation week we put Limburger cheese on all the radiators then we locked ourselves in her bathroom so we wouldn't get caught?" "Oh, Lyla." "So filled with vitality." "But then, we all were, in those days." "Such joyful times." "Oh, nothing lasts forever, sister." "Alas, we, too, are mortal." "Do you really believe that, Mamie?" "I do." "If anyone was immortal, it was Papa, and death caught up, even with him." "Sad how all things come to an end." "Life is so fleeting." "I always thought it would be lovely to have one last grand ball here at the house." "We could wear our finest gowns and waltz until morning." "That is a lovely idea." "We can invite all our old schoolmates from Miss Sophie's." "A school reunion." "[GASPS]" "A celebration of life while we're still here." "We'll raise the roof with our own eulogy." "[MISS MAMIE LAUGHING]" "Whatever that means." "Don't you know?" "We must start planning at once." "It'll be the finest ball ever held on the mountain." "[DOOR OPENS]" "John." "What a surprise." "I hope it's all right that I burst in on you like this." "I came right over from the bus station." "It's always a pleasure to see one of my favorite writers." "I couldn't wait to hear about my new manuscript." "Every day that's gone by without knowing has been hell." "Sit down, John." "I'm sorry you came so far for bad news." "The manuscript was rejected by the editorial board." "I wrote you about it yesterday." "If it were up to me, I'd have you revise it for publication." "But I have to abide with the board's decision." "I was so sure that it would sell." "Where did I go wrong?" "The market is glutted with war novels right now." "Your book just isn't strong enough to compete with the others." " I'll revise it." " No." "It was rejected for publication." "I suggest you work on something else." "I was hoping to use the advance money to get settled in." "I'm terribly sorry." "I know how this must disappoint you." "[SCOFFS]" "What a fool I've been." "Everyone at home thinks I've as much as sold the book and am living in a penthouse on Park Avenue." "This kind of thing happens to every writer." "Don't let it discourage you." "You know you have talent." "Yeah, right now, it seems I have a talent for failure." "Don't be so hard on yourself." "Start another book." "Doesn't look like I have much choice." "[GUITAR PLAYING]" "[KNOCKING ON DOOR]" "I'll get it." "Hello, ladies." "MISS MAMIE:" "Hello." " Come in." " Elizabeth, Mary Ellen." " Hello, everybody." " We have grand news." " Sister and I are going to give a soiree." "A fancy dress ball for our schoolmates at Miss Sophie Bell's Finishing School." "It is going to be an extravaganza." "And we're so excited about it." "We were wondering, Jason if it is possible for you to advise us about the music." "MISS MAMIE:" "Yes, we'd like some new records for Papa's gramophone." "What kind of music did you have in mind?" "Waltzes." "I do so enjoy a good waltz." "MISS EMILY:" "Or perhaps a foxtrot." "I could help you pick some out at the record store in Charlottesville." "And maybe you'd be interested in one of those new automatic record changers while you're at it." "Would we, Mamie?" "Sister, I think we should venture into this confusing new world gradually." "Well, then, we'll rely on Papa's gramophone." "Thank you, Jason." "Mary Ellen, your mother's recipe for applesauce cake was the most delicious in all the world." "I'd be glad to give it to you." "MISS EMILY:" "Oh, thank you." "We're going to have to make enough for 100." " Well, Mary Ellen will help you make it." "MISS MAMIE:" "Oh." "Elizabeth, would you help us with the invitations?" "I remember the charming things you used to fashion out of paper doilies." "Oh, that was a long time ago." "I" "Elizabeth would love to make them for you." "MISS EMILY:" "Wonderful." "Oh, Elizabeth, you've taken a load off my mind." "You're all so kind." "With your help, dear friends, this party is going to be remembered..." " ...for the rest of our lives." " Till we die." " Or live." " Or both." "[BOTH LAUGH THEN JASON CHUCKLES]" "Hey, John." "Walton." "Mike O'Brien." " You old snake." " Glad to see a familiar face." "Me too." "It's been a while." "What have you been doing since Stars and Stripes?" "Looking for my fame and fortune in the big city." "What about you?" "I came to take the town by storm, but the town took me instead." "I just saw my editor." "They rejected my book." "Yeah, that's tough." "I've been trying to sell a play I wrote, not a bite." "What's worse is I spent my money before I even made it." "I'm almost broke." "[BOTH LAUGH]" "Listen, listen, let's step into this friendly little gin mill down here and have a couple for old times' sake, huh?" "JOHN-BOY:" "Sort of kill the pain?" "O'BRIEN:" "Well, soften the sharp edges, at least." "O'Brien, that's the best idea I heard all day." " Careful." " What are all of these?" "The Baldwins' party invitations." "I have a date." "How am I supposed to get dressed?" "Step over them." "What are they doing on the floor, anyway?" "Well, they need to dry." " Elizabeth, this...." " Careful." " This is a stupid..." " Erin!" " Oh!" " Get these off of me." "Now I have to do them all over again." " I said I was sorry." " And I hate pasting." "Elizabeth, you can be a real pain sometimes, you know?" "Me?" "You're the one who's tromping all over the invitations." " This is my room too, you know." " How could I forget?" "As soon as I get some spare time I'm moving into Mama and Daddy's old room." "ELIZABETH:" "Good riddance." "ERIN:" "Move." "This play of mine is going to put my name up in lights, you'll see." "They don't know anything in this town." "And that editorial board doesn't know good writing from a hole in the wall." "I bet there are hundreds of publishers who would love to publish my book." "We ought to go to Hollywood." "You ought to take your book to Hollywood and sell it to the movies." " California?" " Yeah." "Sure, why not?" "Faulkner did it." "Isherwood." "Scott Fitzgerald too." " Sure." " Yeah." "Sure." "I'll take them my play." "They need great screenwriters like us." "I'm gonna ask Betty Grable to go out on a date with me." "We're gonna go dancing." "Hey." "Watch it, you jerk." "Get your hands off of me." "Look what he did." "I didn't do it." "John." "Hey, Walton." "Walton." "Jim-Bob, what are you doing?" "Moving in." "Besides, that other room's too small for Jason and me." "You can't." "I was planning on using this room." " I guess I beat you to it, huh?" " Well, that's not fair." " Look, Erin, first come, first served." " You don't need all this space." " I'm already moved in." " We should draw straws." "Forget it." "It's the only fair thing to do." "There's one room and we both want it." "Look, I'm not moving out." "We'll see about that." " Hi, ladies." " Good morning." "Oh." "These must be the invitations to your school reunion." "Look, Corabeth." "Elizabeth did a simply splendid job of making them." "If the invitations are any indication, the ball should be a grand success." "I'd like to do this for some of my classmates sometime." "From Ward-Belmont." "These are going out all over the country, aren't they?" "Well, Miss Sophie's Finishing School attracted the best girls from everywhere." "Oh, look." "Here's one going to President and Mrs. Harry Truman." "Did Bess go to your school?" "Well, no, but sister and I felt a few dignitaries should be present." "We must run." "We have simply hundreds of errands." " Goodbye." " Have a nice day, ladies." "[DOOR OPENS AND BELLS DING]" "Inviting the Trumans, indeed." "Where else are they gonna get a piano player?" "[LAUGHING]" "[GLASS SHATTERS]" "Sorry, it slipped." "Where are we?" "My place." "Between the booze and the bump you got so stewed last night you could hardly walk." "It's beginning to come back to me." "I wish it wouldn't." "Here, drink this." "It'll fix you up." " What is it?" " Hair of the dog that bit you." "This is bourbon." "Drink it." "It's the best thing in the world for a hangover." "[JOHN-BOY SIGHS]" "JOHN-BOY:" "Mm." "[JOHN-BOY GASPS]" "Listen, I've been thinking." "You're broke, you need a place to stay." "Why don't you move in with me for a while?" "No, I couldn't do that." "How come?" "We get along okay, always have." "I don't want to crowd you." "Listen, you'd be doing me a favor." "I'm a little broke too." "Ten years from now when we're famous it'll make a great publicity story." " Make that five years, not 10." " It's a deal?" "Yeah, it's a deal." " Where's your typewriter?" " Oh, I had to pawn it." "How about yours?" "It's in a locker at the bus station with my suitcase." "That's my first stop of the day." " You going now?" " I have to look for a job." "I'm not rich and famous yet." "So why don't you give yourself a day off?" "I know this restaurant that's got great Chinese food for practically nothing." "Chinese food for breakfast?" "Egg foo yung is just another word for "scrambled eggs."" "You know, we have a minister back home who would tell me that you are leading me down the path of wickedness, vice and depravity." "Let's hope he's not too far from wrong, because it sure is a lot of fun." "This ought to do it." "We do so appreciate this, Ben." "Sister and I aren't very handy with mechanical things." "And we must keep the machine running at full capacity so we'll have enough recipe for the party." "Find anything yet, Ben?" "Yeah, the coil is clogged." "So nice to have some men around the house, isn't it, sister?" "Oh, my, yes." "By the way, would either of you be interested in helping us out at the party?" "Sure, Ben would." "Oh, splendid." "Thank you, Ben." "It means so much to us." "What is it you need Ben to do?" "MISS MAMIE:" "We need someone to park the cars the elegant cars that are certain to arrive." "There are gonna be a lot of fancy cars?" "Oh, we expect limousines by the dozen." "I wouldn't mind sitting behind the wheel of a limousine." "[BLOWING]" "[MISS EMILY  MISS MAMIE LAUGHING]" "Well, there you go." "And Jim-Bob and I will be happy to help you with your parking problems." "MISS EMILY:" "I can hardly wait to see the look on Wilma Wigglesworth's face when she sees our domestic help." "That's right, Sid." "Your offer makes it hardly worth my while." "I mean, who's gonna take care of my penthouse view here?" "No, it's not that I'm not interested." "It's just that they're offering me $1000 more just to stay in town." "Could you hold on a minute?" "Miss Jones, would you cut out the typing, I'm talking long distance." "I've gotta finish these job applications." "[WHISPERS] Shh!" "Want him to think I'm out of work?" " You are." " Shh." "You've been on the phone all day." "John, I am trying to get us a job in Hollywood." "Trust me, okay?" "I'm sorry, Sid." "Sid, wait." "Don't hang" " Sid...." "He hung up." "Well, I'm not surprised, with all the baloney you were feeding him." "I was tantalizing him." "It's the same old O'Brien." "I remember the time you traded your M1 rifle for a case of French champagne." "Champagne." "That reminds me, I got one more call to one more Hollywood agent." "Could you hold off on the typing till I'm done with this, John?" "You asked me that two hours ago." "John, this is my last call." "Go ahead." "I'm gonna take the classifieds and hit the street." "You gotta think big." "Oh, I am, about your phone bill." "Now that Jim-Bob's stuff is out of here, I can start moving my stuff in." "What do you guys think you're doing?" "I'm moving into Mama and Daddy's room." "This is my room now." "ELIZABETH:" "We moved you out." "Elizabeth and I decided when you were so unreasonable about drawing straws..." " ...that all's fair in love and war." " And this is war." " You guys can't do this." " We just did." "Hey." "What do you guys think you're doing?" "Erin." "Elizabeth." "You're not gonna get away with this." "Oh, look, sister, dance programs." "Ha." "Oh, look." "Look, Emily." "I had the third dance with Calvin Spencer." "His eyes were so blue, you could swim in them." "He tripped when he came in that night and he blushed to his ears when he saw that I'd noticed." "He was trying so hard to be gallant." "He joined the foreign service, you know." " Disappeared in the Sahara." " Oh, look, sister." "Oh, heavens." "Our ball gowns." "[MISS EMILY GASPS]" "They were brand-new when we put them away." " Oh, but, sister, that was 50 years ago." " Oh, they've faded so." "Oh, and the mildew has gotten to them as well." "Oh, sister, we do need a fairy godmother." "No, we need a sewing machine and some new material and we haven't a minute to spare." "O'BRIEN:" "Dear John, sorry to give you such short notice but I got a deal put together and I had to run." "I'm off to Hollywood to seek my fortune in the sun." "I'm leaving you the rest of this bottle to keep you warm." "I won't need it where I'm going." "Good luck, old boy." "Sincerely, O'Brien." "P.S. If I see Betty Grable, I'll tell her you're on your way." "[KNOCKING ON DOOR]" "I've been waiting for you to get back." " What can I do for you?" " That's rich." "The rent's due." "Oh, you're the landlady." "Your friend said you had the rent money." " O'Brien told you that?" " That's right." "Do you?" " How much is it?" " Forty dollars." "I'm looking for a job." "Can it wait a couple days?" "I've waited as long as I'm going to." "You can pay now or get out." "It's up to you." "How about if I pay you half now..." " ...and half when I get the job?" " It's by the month, in advance." " This is all I got right now." " I don't like installment payments." "You get the rest or out you go." "Make it honest, Ben." "Why would I cheat?" "Because the men in this family have a habit of sticking together." "I don't know why we're doing this in the first place." "Because all four of us should have had a chance for it, Jim-Bob." "Take heart, Jim-Bob." "At least the odds are even." "Okay." "Here's four straws." "Shortest one gets Mama and Daddy's room." "Elizabeth won." " Wait, let me see that." " It's the shortest one." " Oh, Jason, she won fair and square." " When are you moving in?" "Right away." "Before they try and make it two out of three." " And I'll help her." " Good idea." "How much did she pay you, Ben?" " Oh, come on, Jim-Bob." "I didn't do that." " Thanks a lot, Ben." "You look healthy enough." "You get sick much?" "No, sir." "It says here you were a journalist for Stars and Stripes." "That's right." " You've had two novels published?" " Yes, sir." " That's very impressive." " Thank you." "Well, son, you seem bright, you seem honest but I'm afraid I can't offer you a job." "But I'm willing to do anything." "I'll run errands, whatever." "That's not it." "You're a poor risk." "You only want to work until you can find another writing job, then you'll quit." "Look, I'm desperate." "I've been all over this town looking for a job." "I've run out of money." "I'm about to be thrown out of my apartment." "Artists, actors, writers they just don't last long at these desk jobs." "We need somebody more stable." "I see." "I hope you understand." "How could I?" "I'm too unstable." "CORABETH:" "Are all these for the Baldwins?" "IKE:" "That's right." " Well, how odd." " What?" "Some look as though they've never been opened." "Some of them haven't." " Well, we can't give them these." " Corabeth, it says "Return to sender."" "They were sent by the Baldwin ladies and they are gonna be returned to Miss Emily and Miss Mamie Baldwin." "Those poor girls will be disconsolate." "This one says, "Party deceased."" "It is illegal to tamper with United States mail." "Mr. Godsey, I'm not suggesting that we tamper with United States mails." "What I am saying is we should hold some of these back until we get enough acceptances to make up the difference." "I can't do it." "Oh, Mr. Godsey, you are a cruel and heartless man." "[DOOR OPENS AND BELLS DING]" " Hello, Corabeth." " Hello." "Do we have any mail, Ike?" " No, uh, not today." " Are you sure?" "Positive." "MISS MAMIE:" "It certainly is peculiar that we haven't heard anything." "We should have heard from the White House." "I'm sure that there are dozens of acceptances in the mail." " It's simply a matter of patience." " Corabeth's right, sister." "Perhaps we will hear tomorrow." "[DOOR OPENS AND BELLS DING]" " Morning." " Oh, hello, Mary Ellen." "Ike, a list for you." "IKE:" "Okay, Mary Ellen." "MARY ELLEN:" "How are the plans going?" "Oh." "We've just returned from the florist in Charlottesville and he's making us the loveliest arrangements." "I do hope that the Charlottesville Courier is going to cover it because I know that real-estate prices are going to ascend." "Sounds like you're going to a lot of trouble." "Well, sister and I feel it would be worthwhile." "If only for the memories we shall have to cherish." "MISS MAMIE:" "Everything must be momentous." "Oh, that reminds me, sister, our gowns." "Oh, I know an excellent little gown shop in Charlottesville." "Well, sister and I had planned to make them ourselves." "But Mama's sewing machine is broken." "We were wondering if Olivia's machine is operable, Mary Ellen." "Yes, you're welcome to use it." "Oh, thank you." "Tomorrow, then, if that's not inopportune?" "MARY ELLEN:" "That sounds fine." " We'll see you then." "MARY ELLEN:" "All right." " Goodbye." " Goodbye." "Can you imagine those poor dear girls with a sewing machine?" "That sounds very interesting." "Interesting?" "It's positively dangerous." "Here's your order and a letter from New York." " Oh, it's from John-Boy." " It sure is." "Ooh." "How is he progressing?" "Last letter, he wrote he'd found a wonderful apartment and was starting on a new book." "I must write and tell him how much we miss him." "MARY ELLEN:" "I'm sure he'd like that, Corabeth." "He said things are going so well, he's planning to stay there." "[KNOCKING ON DOOR]" " You've got to cut out that racket." " I'm only typing." "That clickety clack is driving me crazy." "I can't sleep." "Look, I'm a writer." "I'm working." "And I'm a movie star." "Look, you're creating a nuisance." "I'm asking you nicely to stop." "And if you don't, I'll have you out of here and I'll get a nice quiet tenant in your place." " Okay, I'll stop typing." " And another thing." "I'm tired of waiting for the rest of your rent." "I haven't even got eating money." "You pay up or get out." " Who is it?" " It's me." "What are you doing here?" "It's late." "I couldn't sleep in Mama and Daddy's room." " It's your room now." " Can't I stay in here tonight?" "All right." "I couldn't get to sleep, anyway." "It was too quiet." "Thanks." " Good night, Erin." " Good night, Elizabeth." "They say Dolly Davis got so mad at her husband that she threw all his clothes out of the house." "I also heard that she threw a bucket of water out of the upstairs window and got him soaking wet." " I'm surprised he returned home." " He didn't." "Not after that." "[LAUGHS]" "This reminds me of the quilting bees we used to have in the old days." "It's been ages since I caught up on all the gossip." "I'm sure we would never have finished our gowns in time if it weren't for your help." "We know Mama's sewing machine." "It has some funny quirks." "Like sticking my thumb with its needle." "CINDY:" "That could happen to anybody." " But to both of us?" "Twice?" "I'm off to New York." "Well, surely you're taking more than that small bag." "Why, your riding habit, evening dress, another pair of shoes...." "I have everything I need packed in the suitcase." "MISS EMILY:" "How clever." "Did you hear that, sister?" "I'm only going for one day." "I still don't know how you swung it." "J.D. has never let you go anywhere in his place." "He uses any excuse he can to get away from his wife." "That's exactly what I threatened to tell Mrs. Pickett." "CINDY:" "You didn't." " I did." "Ha-ha-ha!" "I cannot wait to see the look on John-Boy's face when he opens the door to his apartment." "Come on in." "The apartment comes with a hot plate." "If you want a refrigerator, you'll have to supply one of your own." "I'm not here about the apartment." "I'm trying to find my brother." "He's supposed to live here." " What's his name?" " John Walton." "That deadbeat." "I threw him out." "I'm sorry, there must be some mistake." " My brother's a writer, not a deadbeat." " Yeah, he said he was a writer." "He was always making a racket." "Couldn't pay his rent." "Liquor bottles all over the place." " John-Boy?" " "John-Boy"?" "Who?" "I'm certain we must be talking about a different person." "Let me show you a picture of him." "My brother has sold two novels." "He's here on his third." "LANDLADY:" "That's him, all right." "Didn't look that good when I kicked him out of here." "Looked kind of like a ghost." "Well, where is he?" "Did he leave a forwarding address?" "Girl, he could be in Florida for all I know." "MARY ELLEN:" "We're getting concerned before there's any reason to." "John-Boy's old enough to take care of himself." "ERIN:" "Mary Ellen, what if he's sick?" "You didn't hear the way the landlady talked about him." "MARY ELLEN:" "She probably exaggerated." " Welcome home." " How was New York?" "New York was fine, but I couldn't find John-Boy." " He got thrown out of his apartment." " And that's not the worst part." "His apartment isn't anything like he wrote in his letters." " It's dark, dirty and small." " You think we ought to look for him?" "ERIN:" "No, we'd never find him." "I think we should all have a little faith in John-Boy." " We'll hear from him." "I know we will." " I think Mary Ellen's right." "At least we ought to give him a little time." "Come on." " What can I get you?" " Nothing, thanks." "Heh." "Well, come back when you're thirsty." " I'm looking for a job." " Oh, you are, huh?" "You ever tended bar before?" "No, but I could learn." "[BARTENDER CHUCKLING]" "Every Tom, Dick and Harry's ever mixed a martini thinks he's a world-champion bartender." "Well, I could, uh, wash dishes, clean up." "Living in the street, are you?" "Uh, no, I'm looking for an apartment." "Yeah, I'll bet you are." "Haven't I seen you in here before?" "Yeah, I was here once." "Yeah, I remember you." "Got yourself in a fight." "Look, I'm just not used to drinking." "Heh." "Yeah, I've heard that one before." "Eh, sorry, buddy." "Listen, I need a job, any job." "I'm a hard worker and I don't drink." "Aw, forget it." "MISS MAMIE:" "Good morning, Ike." " Good morning." "MISS MAMIE:" "We've come to check our mail again." "Yes, I know, you've been here quite a bit recently." "Well, sister and I are extremely anxious about our ball." "Of the numerous invitations we've sent out we received only a handful of responses." "And for reasons of distance and health those who have responded have declined." "And we don't understand what has happened to our other invitations." "Ladies, I have a confession to make." "Mr. Godsey, I hardly think we are of the proper denomination to hear your confession." "[MISS EMILY  IKE CHUCKLING]" "Our invitations." " They haven't even been opened." " I'm sorry about all this." ""Return to sender." "Forwarding address unknown."" "Oh, sister." "This one's marked, "Deceased."" "Poor Alvira Stoakes." "I was hoping you could see some acceptances before you saw all these." "We can only hope that these responses are not typical." "Sister, I believe we've waited too long for our school reunion." "IKE:" "You haven't." "I don't think you should let this bother you." "I think you should have your ball." "Of course." "Sister, we can't give up hope." "This represents only half the invitations we sent out." "And surely some of our old friends intend to come." "You mean they've just been late in answering?" "MISS MAMIE:" "That's it." "And if no one comes, we'll just simply have to celebrate by ourselves." "I try every day, sister." "I grow tired of my own company." "Surely there must be some rewards for people of our age." "MISS MAMIE:" "There are, sister." "There are." "If no one comes, why, we'll just make the most of it." "Hey, what you doing?" " I'm moving back to my old room." " Where's Erin moving?" " Nowhere." " Great." "I'll move my stuff back in here." " I don't think so." " Why not?" "I thought this could be my room, but I was wrong." "It's Mama's and Daddy's." "And it always will be." "I think we should leave it that way so when Mama gets better, she'll know it's waiting for her." "Elizabeth, remember when I made this for Mama when I was in the sixth grade?" "I dreamt that they were home last night." "Mama better." "Daddy smiling." "We were all standing in the doorway." "We woke them up." "Everybody was happy." "It was just the way it used to be." "I guess you're right, Elizabeth." "This always will be Mama and Daddy's room." "Come on, I'll give you a hand with your stuff." "Thanks." " You got everything?" " Mm-hm." "[KNOCKING ON DOOR]" "BELLE:" "Come in." "John." "Are you all right?" " Yeah." " Well, you look terrible." "Well, I ran out of money couldn't find a job." "Lost my apartment, had my typewriter stolen sold my suitcase and clothes to get some money for food." "Been living on ketchup and hot water." "Not the kind of nutrition that produces good writing, is it?" "[SCOFFS]" "I haven't written a thing since I got to New York." "You've got such a special talent." "I hate to see you misuse it feeling sorry for yourself." "For the first time in years I feel like a failure." "Because of one rejection?" "I'm thinking about quitting." "I'm gonna get a job that's not filled with so many disappointments." "Sure, you can always ignore your talent and take the easy way out." "I've seen it happen before." "But you won't be happy." "You're a writer and all the security in the world won't make a bit of difference." "Yeah, I used to believe that." "Do you think that by not writing anymore you can protect yourself from failure?" "Well, let me tell you something, life isn't like that." "The only way you can fail is to refuse to participate." "Well, what am I supposed to do?" "Go back to your mountain, start a new book." "I can't go back there." "I don't know how I could face them." "If they're anything like the characters you described in your first book they'll understand." "I'll give you the money to get home." "Consider it an advance on a new book." "What is there to keep you here?" "I had such big plans." "Make new ones." "I don't know if I can do that, Belle." "Then you're in trouble, John Walton and you're the only one that can get you out of it." "Get off your rear and get busy." "I would have thought we would have heard from John-Boy." "I can't get that dingy little apartment out of my mind." "If he couldn't afford that, I wonder where he's living now." "Nowhere." "He didn't even leave a forwarding address." "Bye, everybody." "Jason, how would you like to go to New York?" "I can't." "I'm late for the Dew Drop already." "It's not a joke." "I really think we should try and find John-Boy." "ELIZABETH:" "What's that?" "It's a bus ticket for New York City." "I'm leaving in the morning." "Did you two parking attendants decide to abandon the Baldwin class reunion?" "Nope, the reunion decided to abandon us." "It was supposed to start two hours ago." "They didn't even have a single guest." "Oh, those poor ladies." "After all the trouble they went to." "They intend to go ahead with their plans." "I don't know what for." " The reunion isn't gonna happen." "ELIZABETH:" "Why not?" "Why should the ladies' evening be ruined just because their guests didn't show up?" "[MISS EMILY SIGHS]" "If I blow up one more balloon, I shall faint." "Well, I think perhaps we have enough." "Mamie, I don't believe anyone is coming." "Now, after all the work we've gone to, don't you even think such a thing." "Oh, I'm sorry, sister." "I know." "We shall dance." "Yes, but who with?" "Why, with each other, of course the way we used to do when we were girls practicing for the cotillion." "Yes." "Yes, we did, didn't we?" "[WALTZ PLAYING ON GRAMOPHONE]" "[GRAMOPHONE NEEDLE SCRATCHING]" "Sister, we must stop pretending." "I know." "No one is coming." "It was a foolish dream." "Mamie, I must tell you a dreadful secret." "I'm not in a receptive mood for dreadful secrets, sister." "I feel old." "[KNOCKING ON DOOR]" " Someone is here." " Oh!" "[MISS EMILY GASPS]" "Ladies." "We just happened to be in the neighborhood and thought we'd drop in." "[ALL CHATTERING AND LAUGHING]" "MISS MAMIE:" "Hello there." "How wonderful." "That's wonderful." "I'm so...." "Isn't that wonderful?" "Oh." "Hello?" "Anybody home?" "Mary Ellen." "Erin." "Jim-Bob." "Where is everybody?" "[ALL CHATTERING]" "Oh, sister, they're all so happy." "Oh, no." "No." "[WOMEN LAUGHING]" "CORABETH:" "Quiet, everyone, please." "I think, at this point, it would be most appropriate if we had a few words from our hostesses." "MISS MAMIE:" "First of all, we're most grateful for your company." "My sister and I had planned this party as a celebration of the precious time that we have here on this earth." "MISS EMILY:" "A tribute to all the beautiful things that make up our lives." "We have not been so much participants in life as observers." "And we feel most fortunate to have lived in this special place and time." "Most especially do we treasure our friends and memories." "It seems to us that there are many memorable events." "The turning of the seasons, the vibrancy of spring." "MISS EMILY:" "When life renews itself with daffodils and crocuses blooming along the walkway." "Dogwood, redbud." "MISS MAMIE:" "And the indolence of summer and the coming of autumn." "MISS EMILY:" "And the incredible beauty of a shower of golden leaves." "Having someone to love." "And someone who loves you in return." "And kisses are important." "Most especially are kisses to be remembered." "MISS MAMIE:" "We're here for such a brief time but if we can make some sense out of life and look at it with wonder and amazement and leave some record of it behind for those who follow us then we have made a contribution." "MISS EMILY:" "And it has all been worthwhile." "Amen." "[ALL SHOUTING AND CHATTERING]" "JOHN-BOY:" "I had returned to the mountain once again to find the inspiration I needed to write." "Soon I was back in New York City laboring over another book and because of the renewed courage they brought me I would never forget Miss Mamie and Miss Emily and their zest for life." "I hope that you will remember this house as I do:" "The mystical blue ridges that stretch beyond it into infinity the sound of warm voices drifting out upon the night air a family waiting and a light in the window." "Good night." "[ENGLISH" " US" " SDH]"