03x06 - The Ring

[bunniefuu]

(john-boy as an adult) sometimes
when we were children,

all the love and attention we
got at home just wasn't enough.

for each of us there came a time

when something from
the outside was needed

to give us a sense
of self-confidence.

it was a need of this kind that got my
sister mary ellen into a lot of trouble

and gave me a whole new
way of looking at women.

Yup,

I think we're ready to roll.

Well, let's check it. Uh-huh.

No, now look at this.

There's a's there
at the beginning.

I see, I see.

I got it.

Well, you're still goin',
aren't you? Goin' where?

To the hop.

Oh, the hop. Of course.

Who are you takin'?

Uh, well, I'm takin'
audrey butler.

Oh, you don't seem very excited.

She's considered a
catch, you know. Mmm.

She's even going to get
into that fancy sorority.

Yeah, I know, phi lambda.

I just can't help feelin'
that she has me around

To do errands for
her, though, that's all.

Can't you get out of it?

No, I can't get out of it.
I've already promised her.

Besides, mary ellen's a little
nervous about the whole thing.

Because of me?

No, you're just like a
member of the family.

You've probably had supper
with us more times lately

Than you have at your own home.

No, this is her
first college hop,

And it's her first date with
a college man, of course.

[Chuckling]

What's happenin' here?

You got to help me with
this. I'm new at this job.

Here.

Is that the time?

Uh...

Yeah, it's : . Oh, well.

Mary ellen's waitin' out in front
of grogan's department store.

I gotta go pick her
up. Would you finish...

Oh, that's fine. I... I can finish
that. Thank you very much.

[Grunting]

Hi, john, mike. Audrey.

John, could you run
these off for me, please?

They're schedules for
the debating society,

And I have to have them
tonight. I really can't.

I've gotta go pick up
my sister. She's waitin'...

Well, they shouldn't
take long. I can do them.

Oh, you're an angel. Listen, I'll
be back in an hour to pick them up.

They'll be ready. Thanks.

Oh! John, I'll see
you tomorrow night?

Ok, I'll pick you up at : .

Good. I'm looking forward to it.

Ok, bye.

You see what I mean about her havin'
people around to run errands for her?

But she sure is pretty.

[Sighing] yeah, she is.

Listen, you better
get going or, uh,

Mary ellen's gonna
think you deserted her.

[Laughing] ok. Listen,
thank you very much.

See you tomorrow. Right.

What's the matter with you?

You were minutes late.

I'm sorry, I got held up.
Did you get your stockings?

Yeah. On sale, cents,
just like the newspaper said.

You don't sound
too excited about it.

Your first pair
of silk stockings.

I'd be excited, I guess.

Well... Well, what?

Well, there was this...
This bag at grogan's.

It was an evening purse.

Well, it's just what I
need to go with my dress.

How can I go to a college
dance without an evening bag?

It's so gooche.

[Chuckling] gauche.

Do you know who
brenda frazier is?

Cafe society lady.

Yeah, well, there was a picture
of her in the newspaper yesterday

And she had a bag just
like the one in grogan's.

Mary ellen, we can't afford it.

I know.

So forget it. I can't.

I know. John-boy, stop!

Why? It's vernon.

(John-boy) we don't need
any junk today, do we?

(Mary ellen) well, he might
have an evening bag.

[John-boy scoffing] mary ellen,
you don't need an evening bag.

[Birds chirping]

How much?

Well, now, ain't
that a beautiful bag?

You know, you don't see
petit point like that nowadays.

How much?

I bought all that stuff
from mrs. Breckenridge

And she told me that, that
purse had hardly been used at all.

Cents.

Too much.

Well, now, mary ellen,

How much do you want to spend?

(Vernon) how much you got?

About cents.

Cents for a beautiful
purse like that?

I... I couldn't part
with that for cents.

Come on, mary ellen,
we're gonna be late.

Let's go. I'm comin'.
Thanks, vernon.

Uh, all right, uh,
you... You can have it.

I'll tell you, mary
ellen, one of these days

You gonna put me
clean out of business.

Got change for a quarter? Uh,

I thought that you...
I said about cents.

About.

[Laughing]

Cents.

Thanks, vernon. Thanks a lot.

Move.

Can't you see I'm reading?

Now see here, young lady,
this is not a hotel lobby.

You should be
helping your sister.

She's afraid she'll ruin
her lovely white mitts.

She'd get her hands
cleaner doing the dishes.

They'd get whiter,
too, wouldn't they?

That's a fine theory, elizabeth.

I'm sorry I didn't think of it.

Oh, good lord!

What's that creature wearing?

She's not a creature.
She's a debutante.

(Mary ellen) cobina wright jr.

Junior?

She was named after her mother.

Who lets her cavort
around half-naked?

It's only her back that's naked.

Only.

It is a nice dress, though.
Look at that material.

It's french slipper satin. I saw
a dress just like it at grogan's.

Well, it's a good
thing you didn't buy it.

You'd probably look
like this old mop in it.

Oh, you're mean. All of you.

You just don't
understand anything.

Mary ellen.

I'd be delighted to save
the next dance for you.

(Erin) mary ellen...
What's that? What?

On your hand. Shh.

Where did you get that?
I found it inside the bag.

I'm going to wear it to the
freshman hop. Mary ellen, you can't.

Why not?

Because it's like stealing.

That ring belongs
to mrs. Breckenridge.

She probably didn't even know
it was in the bag when she sold it.

I'm just gonna borrow
it for the evening.

And after that, I'll
give it right back.

What if somebody at
the dance knows you?

They're gonna ask
you where you got it.

And how about john-boy and mike?

I've already thought about that.

See?

Can I try it on?

Only if you promise
not to tell. Not anyone.

I promise. Cross your heart?

Hope to die.

Ok.

It's a little too big for me.

You have to be
careful, or it'll slip off.

But it's beautiful. I feel
just like ginger rogers.

Ok, you've had enough.

We've got to find
someplace to hide it.

Why don't you put
it back in the bag?

No, someone might find it there.

I know.

I haven't hidden anything
in here since I was about .

What's this?

(Mary ellen) orphan annie
secret society button.

(Erin) and a little tooth?

Elizabeth. Mmm-hmm.

We've got to find
someplace else to hide it.

(Olivia) mary ellen.

Quick. Where?

I don't know.

What're you two up to?

Nothin'.

I'll just finish up
the hem on this dress,

And then we'll see if the
sleeves need shortening.

Ok.

You know, when I was
your age and growin' up,

I used to get so worried
about going to dances

And things like that.

I'd worry about my
dress and my shoes.

I was sure my hair wasn't
gonna turn out right.

I guess what was
really worrying me

Was goin' to new places
and meetin' new people.

When you're not
quite sure of yourself

And you don't know
where you fit in this world,

Things like that
can be kind of scary.

I'm not scared.

It's all right to be, you know.

But I'm not, mama, honest.

I might have been scared once,

But now I'm not scared at all.

I know I'm going to have a
wonderful time at the dance.

(John) how are we doin', pa?

Oh, I think we're gonna
have just about enough tar

To finish up this here roof.

[Grandpa grunting] good. I don't
wanna have to buy any more.

[Grunting]

Oh, stupid!

What did you do? Hit your thumb?

No, I bent another tack.

That's about the th time
you did that today, son.

Th.

Somethin' wrong?

Ah, audrey butler.

What about her?

I don't know, she's...

She seems like a nice girl.

She's real pretty. She's involved
in a lot of things at school.

I enjoy being with her, I guess.

That's good. Yeah.

Daddy, you know,

Before I went off to school
this year, I hardly knew any girls,

And every one of
them was special to me.

And now, in my first year of
college, already I've met more girls

Than I ever knew in my life.

And here I am goin'
off to somethin'

As important as a
first freshman dance

With a girl I don't
even know very well.

I don't even know if I like her.

When there's a lot of girls around, it
sure is hard to know which one is special.

[Panting]

When I first met your ma,

I thought she was
real nice and pretty.

I enjoyed being with her.

I was workin' as a mechanic over
in charlottesville at the time.

One day I went to the factory
and found I'd been laid off.

I just went on home and sort of
sat around the house in kind of a daze.

After a while, there
was a knock at the door

And, uh, I opened it,
and there was your ma.

I asked her what
she was doin' there,

And she said, "I heard
you lost your job.

Thought you might
need to talk to someone."

So we talked.

After that, I knew I could
trust your ma with my feelings.

That's the important
thing, you know.

Findin' someone you can trust.

Through good times and bad.

Meanwhile, why don't you
two boys stop chattering,

And let's take a breather.

[Laughing]

I could use a piece
of rhubarb pie myself.

It sounds good to me.

(John-boy) all right.

(Grandpa) uh-uh. Looks
like we got a lady caller.

Mrs. Breckenridge. Come on in.

Thank you.

Would you like to sit down?

Oh... Oh, thank you.

I won't keep you.

I, uh... I just stopped
by for a minute.

There was, uh,

Something I wanted
to ask mary ellen.

Mary ellen's gone to the
store with the other children.

Oh.

Mrs. Breckenridge,
hello. How do you do?

Howdy, ma'am. John-boy.

Mr. Walton.

[Chuckling] what a surprise.

[Chuckling]

[Laughing]

Uh... Uh, mrs. Breckenridge

Came to talk to mary
ellen about something.

Uh-huh. Is somethin' wrong?

Uh, no. No, no. It's just
that I've lost something.

(Mrs. Breckenridge) mislaid it.

Uh, well, i... I guess I better
begin at the beginning.

You see, I've been
cleaning out my attic

And yesterday, i... I decided to sell some
of the things that i... I no longer needed

To vernon rutley.

And... And one of the
things was an evening bag.

(Mrs. Breckenridge) petit
point. Oh, very pretty.

Oh, yeah, that's the one
mary ellen bought from him.

I was there when she got it.

That's right.

He told me this morning
that he'd sold it to her.

She, uh...

She didn't happen to mention
finding anything in it, did she?

No.

Well, just what has
disappeared on you, mrs. B.?

Uh, a ring. Uh,
an amethyst ring.

I... I thought maybe I might
have left it inside the bag.

There wasn't anything
there at the time.

Well, there's a little, um,

Uh, pocket in
the... In the lining.

John-boy, the bag is lying
on mary ellen's bed upstairs.

Oh, sure. I'll go check.

Hmm.

If you didn't know that
the pocket was there,

You... You might
easily overlook it.

It's not so much the value of the
ring as the sentimental attachment.

It's, uh...

Uh, well, you know
how those things are.

(Mrs. Breckenridge) I've just
had it for years and years.

Here it is, ma'am. I
couldn't find anything.

[Sighing] it isn't
there. Oh, dear.

I... I can't imagine what I
could have done with it.

I'm sure it'll turn up.

I hope so.

Anyway, I do thank you, and I'm
sorry to have bothered you all.

It's all right.

It-it's just that my husband
gave it to me and, uh...

And... And... And I've had
it for so many years.

[Mrs. Breckenridge stammering]

Well, you understand.

(Grandpa) I'll see you out.

Get into the kitchen.

All that tar all
over you. Yes, ma'am.

Yes, ma'am.

(Jason) why you in such
a hurry, mary ellen?

I've already told you.

(Elizabeth) but it's hours
before the dance.

(Ben) "I have to get ready.

Make myself beautiful."

(Ben and jason) ♪ lovely,
never, never change ♪

♪ Keep that breathless charm ♪♪

My dear, your
complexion is so creamy.

May I have this dance?

Charmed.

(Both) , , .

, , .

[Ben and jason
laughing] , , . , ...

... Come on, erin.

[Ben and jason laughing] , ...

Oh, my dear, you dance divinely.

Oh, thank you.

You shouldn't pay them any
bother. Oh, they're so gauche.

You'd think they'd never
heard of a dance before.

I know. What's my
bag doing down here?

I don't know.

"With his troops, caesar
from the boats disembarked."

Doesn't make any
sense at all. John-boy?

Uh-huh.

What was my bag
doing downstairs?

Oh, uh, mrs. Breckenridge
came by today,

And I forgot to bring
it back up. I'm sorry.

Mrs. Breckenridge?

Oh, she lost an amethyst ring.

(John-boy) she thought maybe
she'd left it in the purse.

But I told her I was with
you when you bought it,

And there wasn't anything there.

I really got to
get back to this, ok?

Oh.

"Caesar disembarked from
the boats with his troops."

I just can't give it back.

(Erin) mary ellen.

Well, not yet anyway.
Tomorrow, I will.

First thing in the morning, I'll
go over to mrs. Breckenridge's.

What're you gonna say?

I'll say, "mrs. Breckenridge,
would you believe it,

But just this minute I found
your ring under my bed."

But that's a lie.

Not really.

Erin, I'm only borrowing it.

What difference is a
few hours going to make?

Well... Come on. I've
got to get ready.

You said you'd help
me wash my hair.

Ok.

[Groaning]

Thought you knew
how to tie a bow tie.

Of course I know how to tie
a bow tie. I tie one every day.

Don't be ridiculous.

[Sighing]

Why don't you open your eyes?

And look in the mirror?

Because it's a lot easier

Not to have to watch yourself
doing it backwards, that's why.

You know what it is? You're
nervous about the hop.

I am not... Your hand.

Your hand's shaking.

My hand is not shaking. It
has absolutely nothing to...

You're all crazy.

Absolutely crazy.

[Door closing]

Who do they think I am?
Some sort of -year-old girl?

I've been to dances before.

There you are,
smarty-pants. You see?

Thought I couldn't
do it, huh? Hmm?

Yeah, well,

One of these days, you're
gonna be in my shoes.

You're gonna see how it feels.

[Muttering]

I'm nervous about the dance.

I never heard anything
so silly in my life.

Ok, get the ring.

Well, how do I look?

Beautiful. Just like brenda
frazier at the el morocco.

(Olivia) mary
ellen, mike's here.

Oh, you look just beautiful.

Come on, now,
hurry. You'll be late.

Don't forget this stuff. Ok.

Here you go.

(Olivia) she's coming.

[John-boy clearing throat]

[John-boy and mike chattering]
ah, here she comes.

Oh, mary ellen,
you look just fine.

Thank you.

(John) you're gonna be the
prettiest thing there, honey.

Have a good time.

Thank you, daddy. Hello, mike.

Hi, mary ellen. You
ready to go? Yeah.

Ok. Young man.

Mike, just a minute,
if you please.

You'll be enjoying this lady's
company all of the evenin'.

With your permission, I'd
like to have the pleasure

Of the first dance
of the evenin'.

[Chuckling] sure.

Mmm. Elizabeth, some
music, if you please.

♪♪[As time goes
by playing on radio]

In all your life, this time
may never come again.

Enjoy it.

Remember it.

Now, my date's waiting for me.

[All chattering] (john) have
a good time, honey.

(Grandma) you take
good care of that girl.

(All) bye.

[All chattering] (ben)
have a terrific time.

Ok, west, I'm gonna pick up
audrey. I'll see you later.

Ok, old man. We'll
see you there.

Right-o.

I like your car. Thank you.

That was nice, you
dancing with mary ellen.

[Chuckling] yeah.

Been a long time since
anyone asked me to dance.

Esther.

♪♪[romantic music
playing on radio]

I have always been
partial to beautiful women.

But when you find
one that's beautiful,

As well as seasoned,
she's hard to resist.

What do you mean, "seasoned"?

Well, like a fine tree, esther,

That has endured all
kinds of wind and weather

And still stands in beauty.

Thank you, zebulon.

♪♪[Playing romantic music]

You dance divinely, michael.

Michael? No one calls me
michael except for my mother.

(Mike) she only does
that when she's mad at me.

Well, I don't know.
It just has more...

It just sounds fancier.

Well, if you like michael, then
you have my permission to use it.

But if you call me that around
anyone I know, I won't answer to it.

[Laughing] ok, michael.

Mary ellen looks just radiant.

She'd like to hear that.

She's been a little
nervous about tonight.

Really? You'd never
know it by looking at her.

I think I could just go
on dancing all night.

Just right out the doors

Across the campus, through
town, all the way to new york city.

And maybe on to paris, france.

I'm having enough trouble
staying off your feet in here.

I don't think I could
make it to paris.

You boys are all alike.
No romance in your souls.

Sure we do. You
have to be practical.

Just for once, just for tonight,

I'd just like to
forget about all that.

Ok, then. Here we go.

[All chattering]

(John-boy) would
you like some punch?

(Audrey) thank you.

♪♪[Band playing]

Sure is nice out here with the
lanterns and everything, isn't it?

Yes, it is.

Here you go.

Thank you.

Audrey, may I have this dance?

I'd be delighted, if
you don't mind, john.

No, no.

Here.

Are you having a
wonderful time, mary ellen?

Yes.

So, uh, how's it going?

With audrey? Yeah.

Well, I reckon
I'm about number

On her list of
gentlemen admirers.

Why, mary ellen walton,

Fancy seeing you here.

Hi, martha rose, tedrow.

Mary ellen.

You here with your brother, too?

No, I'm here with mike.

You mean he's your date?

Oh, well, of course,
I had a real date, too,

But, um, he got sick.

[Chuckling] influenza.

Mary ellen, would
you like to dance?

I'd love to. Here, martha rose.

I'll see you later.

♪♪[band playing lively music]

♪♪[Band playing
very lively music]

Oh, I know they'll
accept you, audrey.

♪♪[Band playing slow
music] well, I hope so.

Just as long as you
don't get any demerits.

Phi lambda is considered
the best sorority on campus.

Oh, and what do you get
demerits for? Thank you.

Unladylike behavior,
mostly. Punch?

You see, there's a point
system for getting in.

Would you like some... Phi
lambda is a very social sorority.

[Sniffing]

Oh.

(John-boy) punch?
Yes, thank you.

And you?

Yes, thank you.

Excuse me.

Well, I'll be careful and
stay on my best behavior, then.

[Both chuckling]

Isn't that pretty?

Where'd you get it, mary ellen?

Martha rose, give
me back that ring.

My, we sure are touchy
about it, aren't we?

Martha rose, please
give me back that ring.

Well, I'm just admiring it.

Something as pretty as this
must be a family heirloom.

Martha rose.

Sure wish I had one like it.

Well, I've got to
be getting back.

I promised the next dances
to this boy on the football team.

Oh, mary ellen?

I'd just love to know
where you got that ring.

(Girl) sorry.

♪♪[Playing romantic music]

(Mary ellen) I've always
wanted to travel.

I remember when I went
down to the beach one time,

It was really beautiful.

I just want to
see all the world.

Like maybe take
a trip to europe.

I don't know.

(John-boy) mary ellen?

Just about : . It is?

Yeah. I guess we
should be going.

Yeah, me, too. We'll
see you at home.

Ok, good night,
john. Good night, mike.

Good night. Good night.

Zeb?

[Snorting] yeah? Hmm?

That was a pretty thing
you said to me tonight.

I meant every
word of it, esther.

I was just thinking about the
first time you took me to a dance.

It was over at dillbring county,

And I had on a pink dress

With blue silk roses on it.

And in it, a figure
like an hourglass.

I've still got that.

Have you, esther?

You keep yourself so bundled up,

At times it's hard to tell.

I never did hold with ladies exposing
their limbs, and you know that.

Esther, there are times

I could wish you could be
considerably less of a lady.

Old man, if you move
from your side of the bed,

I'm going to sleep on the sofa.

Then what in the blue
blazes did you wake me up for?

[Sighing]

Guess I just wanted
to tell you that...

I love you, old man.

Why, thank you, esther.

I feel the same way about you.

[Chuckling] you old fool.

Well, thanks, mary ellen.
I had such a nice time.

So did i.

Sleep well.

Good night. Good night.

Well, you, uh...

You were absolutely wonderful.

Just wonderful.

Come on. Let's go see who's still
up. We'll tell them all about it.

[Whispering] erin.

Erin. Erin, wake up.

What? Erin, I've lost it.

What? The ring, I've lost it.

We better tell mama.

No. We'll find it.

We've got to find it.

[Birds chirping]

(Mary ellen) shh.

(Erin) where'd it go?

(Mary ellen) I have no idea.
It could be anywhere.

Here, let's check the cracks.

Ok, well, I'll check the bushes,

'Cause it might
have rolled down.

Ok.

You check over there. Ok.

Somebody lose something?

Uh, no. Um...

Oh, i... I... I lost a quarter

And I thought maybe it might have
rolled in... In between the cracks.

Well, it's a good time of
the day to go lookin' for it.

(Mary ellen) well,
we couldn't sleep.

Ok, well, listen, when
I take the milk inside,

I'll come out and help you. No.

(John-boy) all right, all right.
Don't get touchy, I'm just askin'.

Well, i-it's nothing.
It's... It's not important.

Come on, erin. Let's start
breakfast as long as we're up.

We'll look later.

That was close.

What's taking her so long?

I don't know. She's making up
some kind of a list or something.

Well, if she doesn't leave
soon, I'm going to scream.

Did you say something,
mary ellen? No.

No. No, not a word.

What are you two doin' hangin'
around the house anyway?

It's a beautiful day.
You ought to be outside.

Oh, mama.

Don't "oh, mama" me.

I'm going down to ike's.
Come on, both of you.

I don't feel like going.

You two have been
acting mighty strange.

Something wrong? Oh, no.

Mary ellen's just exhausted.

Exhausted.

Well, I suppose brenda frazier's all
worn out after a night of dancin', too.

Poor thing.

[Door closing]

She's gone. Come on.

Mary ellen, we've
looked everywhere.

Well, we'll have to
look again. Come on.

[Birds chirping]

What are you two doin'?

I've been watchin'
you from the window.

You're actin' like a
couple of squirrels.

Well, I told you
I lost something.

Mary ellen, tell him.

Tell me what?

(Erin) mary ellen,
please, tell him.

[Mary ellen sighing]

Well, I'll tell you only if you
promise not to tell anyone.

I can't promise that.

Well, it's got to be a word
of honor or nothing else.

Of course, around here
that doesn't mean very much.

I'm sorry.

Well, I'll give you my word of
honor I'll try not to tell anyone.

Come on, maybe I can help you.

Well, the other
day when I got home

And I opened up that bag I got
out off vernon rutley, well...

[Bell ringing]

Hi, mrs. Walton.

Hello, martha rose.

How are you, mrs. Walton?

I'm just fine,
thank you. And you?

I'm just exhausted.

I was up so late last night.

Boatwright dance,
you know. Yes, I know.

John-boy and mary
ellen were there.

I saw them both.

Mary ellen looked so pretty
wearin' that new dress and all.

[Chuckling]

Oops. Oh, are you all right?

Yes, fine.

You know, as mary ellen
was dancing around,

It was hard taking
your eyes off of her,

With that ring sparklin'
and glitterin' on her finger.

Ring?

Mary ellen let me try it on.

It was just beautiful.

Silver and studded all
around with amethyst.

Funny thing, though.

Rings seem to be in
the news, as it were.

Why, just this morning
eudora jane gillis told my mama

That mrs. Breckenridge told
her that she just lost a ring.

Yes, I know.

Mrs. Breckenridge told us
about it the other afternoon.

Well, I think I'll go over to
her house later this afternoon

And see if she's
found it. I hope so.

She set so much store by it.

Well, bye now, mrs. Walton.

Goodbye, martha rose.

And give my regards to mrs.
Breckenridge when you see her.

Do you think mike
will be at the school?

Mmm, saturday mornin'.

He's probably workin'
out at the track.

(Mary ellen) hey, mike! Hey,
john-boy, that's mike. Stop.

I thought the g-men were after
me. What's all the commotion about?

Mary ellen thought maybe she
dropped something in your car last night.

An amethyst ring?

We wanted to know if
we could look for it.

Sure.

(Mike) uh, I don't really
know if it's here...

(John-boy) check under the
pad there, check under...

(Mary ellen) maybe it
slipped down here.

I don't see it there.
It's not up there.

It's not up there? No.

I don't know. I'll tell you
I don't think it's in here.

I don't know where it is. Huh.

Wait a minute. I think
I found something.

Is that it? Well, pull it out.

Can you get it up?

Yeah.

It's a nut.

Oh, it just isn't here.

Mary ellen, can you think of any
place that you might have lost it?

Uh... I know. Well,

I had it when I went into
the ladies' restroom.

(John-boy) well, did
you leave it there?

Well,

I was putting it in the
bag as I was coming out,

And girls came in, and they...
And they knocked the bag,

And maybe it just fell out.

Well, let's find out.

Ok. Listen, thank you, mike.

[Laughing] I didn't mean
to raid your car.

Sure, that's fine.
Hey, good luck.

(John-boy) thank you.

[Car engine running]

Oh, no.

Well, that's locked.

(Audrey) john, what
are you all doin' here?

Well, mary ellen lost something
in the auditorium last night.

What was it? Oh, it was nothing.

Are you sure, mary ellen?

Oh, it was an amethyst ring,
and it wasn't mine. I borrowed it.

Well then, we'd better
try and find it, hadn't we?

The trouble is, everything's
locked up for the weekend.

Well, isn't there any
other way we could get in?

No. No, I don't think so.

Unless we could get one of
the campus guards to open it up.

Well, why don't we try?

Ok.

So how come you're
here on a saturday?

Well, I have that
interview for phi lambda.

That's the sorority I'm up for.

Aren't you going to be late?

Well, no, I still
have a few minutes.

(John-boy) excuse me, sir. Yes?

Could we please get
into the auditorium?

Uh, this young lady's my sister, and
she lost a ring in there last night,

But the doors are locked.

And they'll have to stay
locked until : monday morning.

But she... (Guard) sorry,
that's regulations.

Students are not permitted
in the auditorium building

Between the hours
of : p.m. On friday

And : a.m. On monday.

I don't suppose you can
make any exception this time.

Now look,

There used to be a grand
piano in that auditorium.

One morning we found
it out on the quadrangle.

(Guard) that's why
the doors are locked.

I don't want to take
your grand piano.

Thank you. Excuse me.

Grand piano.

Well, we tried.

If only there was some other
way we could get in there.

(Audrey) hey, isn't that the
window to the ladies' restroom?

Yeah, I think so.

Audrey, aud... No, no,
no. I'm gonna go up there.

You can't go in there.

Give me a leg up.
Come on. Ok, ok.

Be careful. Ok.

[Panting]

Are you all right? Yeah.

Yeah, i... I'll make it.

[Gasping]

Keep your fingers crossed.

Careful.

John-boy. Hmm?

Look, you shouldn't still
be hangin' around here.

Where's the other girl?

Uh, well, uh, she's...
(Audrey) I found it!

I found it! It was near the...

Oh.

[Exhaling]

(John-boy) excuse me, you
really don't understand.

You see, this is all my fault.

I asked her... I asked
her to do this for me.

She was the one who
was breakin' and enterin'.

Now this report goes
to the dean of women.

(Guard) you just make sure
that you're in her office

First thing on monday.

Come on.

[Audrey sighing]

Of course, this means
phi lambda won't take you.

I know.

But I guess they'll
get along without me.

You know, my daddy was
right. What do you mean?

It's nice to find someone
you can count on.

[Laughing] thank you.

What are you going to do now?

Well, as soon as we get home,
I'll go over to mrs. Breckenridge's.

What are you going to say?

I'll just tell her, I just
found the ring lying under...

Mary ellen, for the last days,

You and erin have been
absolutely miserable

Because you've
been tellin' lies.

Now you got me
coverin' up for you.

You fixed it so audrey
can't get into that sorority,

And mrs. Breckenridge is
worried sick about losin' her ring.

I think you've made
a lot of trouble.

You aren't going
to tell, are you?

No, but you are.

I guess you've been through
enough already, mary ellen.

I'm not going to
punish you. But I am.

And I still don't understand
what made you do it.

Well, when you were younger, didn't
you ever wear something like a dress

Or a necklace or
maybe even just a flower

That made you feel as
pretty as everybody else?

She's got a point there, liv.

That is not the point, john.

She used something that
did not belong to her.

Oh, I'm sorry, mama, and
I was going to return it.

How many bible verses
should I learn this time?

Did you learn something
from this, mary ellen?

Yes.

I'll settle for .

[Laughing]

Right after I return the
ring to mrs. Breckenridge.

You better hurry,
she's really upset.

Mama, could you come with me?

No.

I think this is something you
have to face up to yourself.

Mary ellen, martha rose...

Oh, I bet she told.

She's on her way over to
talk to mrs. Breckenridge now.

Come on, I'll drive
you down there.

[Sighing]

What do I tell her?

You know what to tell her.

We'll wait here.

(john-boy as an adult) our lives
are measured, not by birthdays,

but by the events
that fall between them.

mary ellen's first grown-up
dance was a landmark

in her passage from girlhood

into the beautiful and engaging
young woman she was to become.

[Mrs. Breckenridge exclaiming]

(john-boy as an adult) yet, for a
while, in her dresser drawer,

a reminder of the cocoon
from which she had emerged,

there remained a b*at-up and
much-treasured old baseball glove,

which she eventually
passed on to her brothers.

[Mrs. Breckenridge laughing]

Goodbye.

Bye. Bye.

(Mary ellen) mama,
you know what?

(Olivia) no, mary ellen, what?

My birthstone is a diamond.

That's real interesting.
Good night, mary ellen.

Could I have a ring with
a diamond in it sometime?

Maybe you'll be given
one when you get engaged.

Oh, well, mama, I don't
want to wait that long.

I'm afraid you'll
have to. Good night.

But it's just not
fair. Good night, mama.

(Elizabeth) mary ellen, you
can have my lone ranger ring.

It has a real
fake diamond in it.

Thanks, elizabeth,
but I think I'll just wait

For the real thing. Good night.

(Elizabeth) good night, mary
ellen. Good night, mama.

Good night, daddy.

(Olivia) good night.

(John) good night, honey.