"There comes a time in a young man's life
when he begins to wonder how he fits into the world around him. When that time
came for my brother Jim Bob it brought the unfolding of a long-kept
secret".
Jim Bob carries a pail and plays with his
yo-yo (that Grandpa made for him). Ben and Erin kid him for practicing the
yo-yo. They think that gypsies left Jim Bob on their doorstep, and Elizabeth
wants to know if he wants to be a gypsy. Jim Bob climbs into the tree house to
get away from everyone. Olivia and Grandma put up the newly washed curtains.
Elizabeth slams the door behind her. She asks if they were too poor to keep her,
where would she go. Olivia says to the Fordwick’s because she would be raised
in a Christian household. Mary Ellen wonders why Jim Bob is up in the tree
house. And she agrees that Jim Bob was left in an egg basket by gypsies.
John-Boy shows Jason the essay that he wrote
for Mrs. Breckenridge (that Jason asked him to write for the Historical
Society). They ride in the car, talking about the days they didn’t like to go
to school. Jason wonders if all of those things will be put in his book.
John-Boy says they will. They drive over to Mrs. Breckenridge’s to give her the
essay. She asks Jason if John-Boy will write another essay because Professor
Breckenridge (who was born and buried at Crab Tree Falls) loved the history of
the early settlers along the Rockfish River. She wonders if John-Boy could
weave a story from the research that the Professor did, and have it ready by
Saturday (three copies, one for her, one for the library, and one for the
files).
Jim Bob washes his face while Elizabeth looks
at him, thinking that he looks different from the rest of the Waltons. Grandma
yells for them to come. Elizabeth asks Grandma if he was left on the doorstep.
Grandma thinks that Olivia would be hurt if they believed such an outrageous
thing. The next day, John-Boy tries to get Jason ready, already behind in his
deadlines (and Grandpa explains the early meaning of the word “deadline”). Jim
Bob kisses his mother, and Grandma says that Jim Bob has been more quiet than
usual. On the way to school, Jim Bob finds Elizabeth hiding behind a rock. She
thinks he should look for clues to see if he really was left on the doorstep,
like lack of old photographs in the family album.
After their mid-day meal, Grandma cleans the
table before they are finished. The women are doing some sewing for Rosemary
Fordwick before her child is born. Grandma says, “Like father, like son.” and
Olivia and Grandma smile as the men leave to do work at the mill. On the way
home, Elizabeth tells Jim Bob what the other schoolchildren think Jim Bob looks
like. At home, Grandpa talks to Jim Bob about the yo-yo competition tomorrow.
He has to buy a yo-yo from the Yo-Yo King in order to enter the contest. He is
looking at the family album, but some of the photographs are missing. Grandpa
doesn’t know where they are, but suspects Grandma has been looking at them.
Elizabeth finds that there are only a few
pictures of Jim Bob in the album. Jim Bob is more confused, but finds his
Momma, Daddy, and Grandpa busy with other things. Jason tries to convince
John-Boy to write another essay, by saying how he makes his characters come
alive. John-Boy finally agrees to write it. Elizabeth looks in the trunk in the
attic, and is joined by Jim Bob. Grandma wonders what is going on upstairs
because the children are still awake. John investigates. He finds them in the
attic looking over pictures. John says there are more pictures of the older
children because there was more time. John can sense that Jim Bob is troubled
about something. At bedtime John and Olivia talk about Jim Bob and how fast he
is growing up. Olivia knows that he has been quiet lately. John tries to calm
Olivia’s fears.
John-Boy wonders where his keys are located.
Olivia asks if he is angry with her. John-Boy says so many people are pulling
him that he doesn’t know what to do. Olivia suggests that he just say “no”.
Jason tries to get him to write a third article for Mrs. Breckenridge. John-Boy
thinks he has been handing him “soft-soap” and says “no” to him. John-Boy says
that he is not beholding to Mrs. Breckenridge for getting him the scholarship.
He suggests that she write the article herself, since she knew Professor
Breckenridge the best. Mrs. Brimmer is crying over a soap opera (about Mrs.
Noble) on the radio when Jim Bob arrives. Jim Bob wonders if she remembers when
he was born. Mrs. Brimmer says that the other children came over to her place
because Zeb had influenza and Esther was busy with Olivia. Jim Bob states that
Ike said that Olivia went to Charlottesville for the birth and Mrs. Brimmer
adds that it was because she had some difficulties.
Jason tells Mrs. Breckenridge, after she
serves tea, that he thinks she is the best person to write an article about the
professor, and explains how wonderfully she told the stories about the
professor. She agrees to think about it. Jim Bob takes a walk and runs into
John-Boy who is sitting near waterfalls. Jim Bob admits that he thinks he is
not a Walton because he doesn’t look like a Walton, and he was born in
Charlottesville (unlike the other children who were born at the house). He
wonders if there is someplace where it is written down. John-Boy takes him to
the County Courthouse. The records show he was born on January 13, 1923, but it
also says that Joseph Zebulan, another boy, died at birth. Jim Bob says that it
means he had a twin brother. Jim Bob wonders why his parents didn’t tell him,
and John-Boy says he didn’t know anything about it.
At Ike’s store, Ike and Corabeth talk with
Grandma who is looking for a dozen buttons and a dozen of those little, baby buttons.
Corabeth says that Elizabeth and Jim Bob have been talking about Jim Bob being
a foundling. Ike tries to turn the conversation to another subject, but
Corabeth and Grandma continue to discuss the matter. As she walks out Mrs.
Brimmer tells Grandma that Jim Bob dropped by after school and asked about the
time he was born. Grandma goes to John and tells him that its time to tell Jim
Bob what happened at his birth. John tells her that he’ll take care of it. As
they drive back John-Boy wonders why they didn’t tell him about what happened.
Jim Bob wonders if his parents are ashamed of him, or blame him for what
happened. Jim Bob says sometimes he wakes up in the night and feels someone is
there just like him.
Mary Ellen helps Grandma with dinner while Erin
and Elizabeth frost a cake. Grandma wants the good tablecloth for supper.
Grandpa smells “incense, heavenly odor, nectar, ambrosia”. John-Boy and Jim Bob
arrive home. John-Boy tells John what happened at the County Courthouse (The
Hall of Records). John says that it was a difficult time in Olivia’s life, and
it was easier just not to say anything about it. John goes over to Jim Bob and
tries to explain that his Momma wasn’t able to handle the situation. She blamed
herself for one child not living. Because of this, John says that Jim Bob has
been especially dear to Olivia. Jim Bob enters the house and hugs him mother.
John asks Jim Bob to say grace before supper: “We thank you for the food on
the table and for making today special in many ways. Mrs. Fordwick didn’t call
on me on spelling for once. Saw an airplane after school, I think it was a De Havaline biplane, but it might have been just an
old Gennie.”
"The most valuable truth that all of us
learned when that secret was finally revealed is that belonging to a family has
less to do with being born than being loved. And with all the hurts and fears
and wants we might remember from those Depression years, being loved is what we
remember the best".
Elizabeth: I told you Jim
Bob would win the Yo-Yo contest.
John-Boy: Who are you talking to Elizabeth?
Elizabeth: Anybody that's still awake!
John-Boy: I think I'm the only one. And I never said he wouldn't.
Elizabeth: Well he did. And he's a real wow!
John-Boy: Sounds to me like your're feeling sorry about trying to
convince him he wasn't.
Elizabeth: I told them I was sorry. So did Ben and Erin. For teasing
him.
John-Boy: Well then just forget about it.
Elizabeth: Good idea. John-Boy?
John-Boy: Yes Elizabeth?
Elizabeth: Do you think I could have been left by the Gypsies,
red-haired ones?
John-Boy: Goodnight Elizabeth!
Elizabeth: Goodnight John-Boy.
Notes:
Jim-Bob was born on January 13, 1923. His twin brother (Joseph Zebulan) died at birth.
Crab Tree Falls is located near Montebello, Virginia, in Nelson County.
Also appearing:
Ike Godsey (Joe Conley); Corabeth Godsey (Ronnie Claire Edwards); Mrs. Breckenridge (Adrienne Marden): Mrs. Brimmer (Nora Marlowe); The Yo-Yo King (Eddie Reider).