Episode 11 - The Hot Rod

(19 February 1981)
Writer: Scott Hamner.
Director: Bob Sweeney.
Music: Alexander Courage.

"The end of World War Two brought a period of readjustment for the men who had served in the armed forces. Restless soldiers returned home to towns that looked smaller than they had remembered. And families found their sons to be different from the boys who had marched off to war. Some of them were eager to assume the responsibilities of life, while others floundered, determined to make up for the years they had lost".

Jim Bob and Jody return home on the bus after being discharged from the military, singing much to the dismay of the passengers. Jim Bob asks Jody if he would help soup up his old car. John-Boy meets the pair at Ike’s store with Jim Bob’s car. Jim Bob speeds away, nearly missing the deputy sheriff’s car. Walt gives Jim Bob a warning to slow down. Verdie and Josh come running when Jody arrives at the house. Verdie tells her son that J.D. Pickett is switching from defense work to farm implements, and could use a good mechanic. Jody is uninterested, only wanting to relax.

Miss Emily becomes frantic upon her inability to find her sister in the house. Ike and Corabeth run out of the store to find Miss Emily driving in circles, unable to locate the brake. Ike hops on the floorboard to show Miss Emily how to stop the car. Ike learns that Miss Mamie is missing, prompting him to drive Miss Emily back. Ike can’t find Miss Mamie either until a knock is heard coming from a wall. Ike locates a secret panel that springs open a part of the wall. A frazzled Miss Mamie emerges from the dusty room.

Jim Bob returns home to a less-than-rousing welcome. Later, the boys bring The Recipe to Jim Bob for a celebration. But Jim Bob argues with his brothers when they ask him what he plans to do. He says he’ll do whatever he wants, whenever he wants to do it.

After Miss Mamie recovers, Ike leads the ladies into the room. The sisters declare it to be “The Secret Room” that their grandfather used as his Recipe room. The threesome celebrates with vintage Recipe.

Jim Bob is on his way for automobile parts when Rose asks him to pick up groceries and to fix the screen door. He feels put-upon. Later, Jim Bob finds Jody outside Ike’s store and the two discuss all the errands they’ve done since arriving home. Driving away from Ike’s store, Jim Bob attempts to pass a slow moving trunk and meets the deputy almost head-on. This time Walt gives Jim Bob a ticket.

The Baldwin sisters answer a knock at the front door to find Agent Fred Winthrop from the Alcohol and Tobacco Unit of the U.S. government. He informs the sisters that selling moonshine is against the law. Miss Emily says their Recipe is more like ‘sunshine’ than moonshine. After taking several refreshing sips of The Recipe, the agent tells them he will return with help to remove the still.

Jim Bob and Jody finish the hot rod and decide to take it for a test drive. At Ed’s Café they stop for a beer but are refused service because Jody is colored. Jim Bob becomes angry and backs into garbage cans next to the building. The owner reports them to the police. Later, Jason drives Jody home, where Verdie insists he get a job or get out. Jim Bob is greeted with the same reception. He says life was better in the Air Corp.

Corabeth believes the Baldwin’s Secret Room was used by the Judge to privately entertain his ‘cousins’. But Ike thinks it was just used to make The Recipe. Suddenly, Miss Mamie enters, upset at what transpired earlier. Miss Emily has taken to her bed. Ike suggests he might be able to help repair the old machine, much to Corabeth’s chagrin. Miss Mamie is relieved for Ike’s help.

Jim Bob and Jody drink beers while sitting in the hot rod. They talk about their problems and their prospects on the Mountain. They decide to take the car for a spin. But, as Jody sits on top of the seat, a low-hanging branch knocks him off. Jim Bob rushes him to the hospital. Later, Mary Ellen informs John-Boy and Verdie that Jody has a broken arm and a mild concussion. Jim Bob returns from filing the accident report to apologize to Verdie. At home, John-Boy and Jason find Jim Bob hesitant to face the family. He relents, telling the family he will re-enlist in the Air Corp, thinking the family will be better off without him. The family tries to dissuade him but he refuses. Elizabeth says he is running away from responsibility and that she is ashamed of him.

Miss Mamie and Miss Emily greet Mr. Winthrop and his cohorts. As they prepare to dismantle the machine, Miss Mamie asks if they might keep one piece as a memento. Mr. Winthrop agrees. Miss Mamie chooses the copper coils. Later, Ike attaches the coils to the old machine and they toast their accomplishment with an 1894 jar of The Recipe.

John-Boy drives Jody home from the hospital along with Mary Ellen and Verdie. They make a detour, taking Jody in front of a sign that states “Foster-Walton Garage”. Jim Bob wants Jody to become his partner in the business to repair cars, after reconsidering what Elizabeth earlier told him.

"Jim Bob and Jody opened their garage, their partnership provided them with the way to make the final transition back into civilian life. Both familes breathed a sigh of relief to see them settle down and become responsible young men. And Miss Emily and Miss Mamie, when asked about the loss of their Papa's recipe machine would smile and say - Don't worry, we saved enough for everybody".

"Jim Bob and Jody opened their garage, their partnership provided them with the way to make the final transition back into civilian life. Both familes breathed a sigh of relief to see them settle down and become responsible young men. And Miss Emily and Miss Mamie, when asked about the loss of their Papa's recipe machine would smile and say - Don't worry, we saved enough for everybody".

Elizabeth: Jim Bob, if I came to your garage would you teach me how to change the oil in a car?
Jim Bob: Why do you want to know how to do that Elizabeth?
Elizabeth: Well I was just thinking it might be fun to be a mechanic.
Jim Bob: Ok I'll teach you. but you'll have to wear old clothes so you won't get dirty.
Elizabeth: Oh I don't want to touch the oil, I just want to watch you do it.
Jim Bob: Goodnight Elizabeth.

Notes:

Earl Hamner’s son Scott Hamner wrote this episode.

Jim Bob was discharged from the Air Corps and Jody was discharged from the Navy (after four years). Both were service mechanics during the war.

The license plates on Jim Bob’s car are 648-352 VA.

Harley Foster is in Detroit visiting his Uncle Jesse who has a broken leg and his Aunt Sarah who just had a baby.

The Baldwin sisters are both members of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Daughters of the Confederacy.

J.D. Pickett is switching from defense work to making farm implements at Pickett Manufacturing.

Jody Foster and Jim Bob start Foster Walton Garage.

Also appearing:

Ike and Corabeth Godsey (Joe Conley and Ronnie Claire Edwards), Miss Mamie and Miss Emily Baldwin (Helen Kleeb and Mary Jackson), Rose Burton (Peggy Rea), John-Boy (Robert Wightman), Jody Foster (Charles R. Penland), Verdie Foster (Lynn Hamilton), Josh Foster (Jason Moses), Deputy Sheriff Walt Hendrix (John Carter), Mr. Winthrop (Tom Williams), Café Owner (Herb Armstrong), Café Customer (Gordon Hodgins).