Episode 6 - The Last Ten Days

(8 January 1981)
Writer: Marion Hargrove.
Director: Bernard McEveety.
(no music credit)

"In all our lives there are moments we are meant to remember for ever, in every small detail and shading. To my family on Waltons Mountain such a moment came in the late summer of 1945. The war in Europe was over, the worst of the Japanese war still lay ahead. On that hot Sunday in August an unexpected visitor came to Waltons Mountain, brought by the notion that something was wrong with my brother Jason who was waiting to be shipped home from France".

Toni Hazelton unexpectedly drives to the house, telling the women she is worried about Jason. She can’t put her finger on what is wrong, simply has a ‘feeling’. She departs to the Baldwin’s house in order to drop off a present that Jason sent them. Cindy joins John-Boy, telling him she is troubled about Ben. John-Boy reassures her that everything will be okay. But Cindy isn’t sure.

In the middle of the night, Norm sneaks up to Ben who is caged in solitary confinement. Ben devours the food that his buddy brings him. Norm is worried that the Japanese may execute the prisoners, since the war is going badly for them. Corporal Kiyono opens the door, finding Ben asleep. The soldier thinks he heard voices. Ben says he was only dreaming.

Miss Mamie and Miss Emily love the flower vase that Jason sent them. It is an exact replica of the one he knocked off the piano. Suddenly, the telephone rings but Miss Emily waits too long to answer it. On the other end, Corabeth wonders why the Baldwin’s are not home. She tries again. This time Toni answers to learn that Jason is home. Toni drops the phone, runs out of the house, and drives to the Walton’s. The family warmly greets Jason as Toni drives to Jason’s embrace and kisses. Later, John returns home to find Jason asleep on the sofa. He is home for thirty days, before shipping out to the Pacific.

Back in camp, Ben and Norm are handcuffed for a work detail involving shovels. Ben thinks it is to shovel ditches. Norm thinks the shovels might be used to dig their graves.

Elizabeth drives Drew to Charlottesville supposedly to pick up a bicycle wheel. Drew is deep in thought, aggravating Elizabeth when she talks to him without a response. Instead of walking to the bicycle shop, Drew walks toward the U.S. Army Recruiting Station. Drew says he wants to become a jet fighter after learning that a Lockheed P80 Shooting Star flew four hundred forty five miles from Dayton, Ohio to LaGuardia Field in sixty-two minutes. Elizabeth walks off in disgust.

Jason and Toni kiss and kid each other. Toni says her father was a pessimist until he became married. Jason doesn’t think they should marry now because he may be away for two or three years. Toni abruptly leaves, tired of waiting for Jason. She states, “We’re through!” The women talk about how Toni is prowling around Jason, hunting for a husband.

John returns to say an important radio message is about to be announced. The family learns that an atomic bomb has just been dropped on Hiroshima. The family can’t believe the news. Later Ike prepares a grocery order for Mary Ellen and John-Boy. Ike says he is worried that the Japanese haven’t surrendered because (maybe) they have their own atomic bomb. John-Boy responds that soon everybody will have one.

Drew tells Elizabeth he wasn’t allowed to volunteer, unable to acquire permission from his parents. He asks Elizabeth to borrow Jim Bob’s aviation books so he can read them. Elizabeth tells Drew to ask Jim Bob whenever he returns for a leave. She walks away, telling Rose she doesn’t know what she ever saw in Drew. Rose doesn’t believe her. Jim Bob walks up, after receiving another weekend pass.

The Baldwin sisters are surprised to see Jason inside Ike’s store. They invite Jason for an afternoon visit, asking him to bring Toni. But Jason informs them that they are not speaking. The sisters secretly plan some matchmaking. Later, Jason arrives to unexpectedly find Toni sitting in the living room. They have little to say to each other, directing their comments to the Baldwin’s. Miss Mamie finally insists that they address their conversations to each other. Toni calls him a ‘cad’ but Jason knows she is still ‘crazy about him’. She angrily leaves. Jason asks for some of the Recipe, instead of his glass of ice tea.

Cindy finds John still awake, working in the living room. She knows he also has Ben on his mind, finally breaking down in his arms that she is terribly worried. At the same time, Corporal Kiyono, Ben, and Norm run into a Japanese outfit. The Corporal convinces the men not to kill his prisoners. Ben and Norm are allowed to live, knowing they will be killed at a later time.

Erin shows Elizabeth new hairstyles from London, England. Elizabeth decides to try one in order to find how Drew will react. John turns on the radio to find that the Japanese are killing prisoners when facing possible defeat. Cindy leaves the room and John says, “Damn!” Rose approaches Cindy telling her, “I just won’t believe that anything has happened to Ben! I just won’t!” Drew bicycles to the house to discover Elizabeth with a sophisticated hairdo. He stares at her. Immersed at her new look, Drew kisses Elizabeth.

Ben and Norm stumble along until an Allied outfit is seen. The Japanese soldier flags down the troop, and then unchains his prisoners and says, “I am your prisoner.” Ben realizes he has been leading them to safety.

With the family anxiously waiting around the radio for an important announcement, the Baldwin sisters, Toni, Ike, Corabeth, and Drew join them. As President Truman begins his speech John says, “Say it Harry!” Truman then announces the surrender of the Japanese. Everybody celebrates that World War II is over. Toni orders Jason outside, hoping for a marriage proposal. Jason says he now needs time to court her. Toni can’t believe it, but agrees. Just then the telephone rings. Mary Ellen relates to Cindy and everybody that Ben is on the telephone, alive and safe. Cindy talks with her husband, filled with emotions.

"The words of blessing were also a memorial, for lost, missing in action somewhere in that war was the world we had grown up in - my father's world, and Jason's. Gentle and generous, naive, and optimistic. Some other sort of world would begin on Wednesday morning. Until then.....".

Elizabeth: Daddy?
John: Elizabeth?
Elizabeth: It's the middle of August and it feels like a Christmas carol, 'Peace on earth, goodwill to men -
John-Boy: - from Heaven's all-gracious King -
Elizabeth: -the earth in solemn stillness lay, to hear the angels sing'.
John: Goodnight everybody.

Notes:

The Baldwin sisters have a relative named Cousin Maribelle.

Toni Hazelton appears to be twenty-three years old (according to Mary Ellen). She is a four-stripe staff sergeant.

The local romantic spot on the Mountain is Wet Nose Rock.

Also appearing:

Ike and Corabeth Godsey (Joe Conley and Ronnie Claire Edwards), Cindy Walton (Leslie Winston), Rose Burton (Peggy Rea), John-Boy (Robert Wightman), Miss Mamie and Miss Emily Baldwin (Helen Kleeb and Mary Jackson), Toni Hazelton (Lisa Harrison), Drew Cutler (Tony Becker), Norman (Jordon Suffin), Corporal Kiyono (Sab Shimono), The Sergeant (James Saito), Radio Announcer #1 (Walker Edminston), Radio Announcer #2 (Bud Hiestand).