(1 December 1977)
Writers: Carole Raschella
and Michael Raschella.
Director: Ralph Waite.
Music: Alexander Courage.
"With each
passing year on Waltons Mountain our growth was sparked by learning and change.
In fitting together the pieces of our developing personalities there came a
time when my youngest brother Jim Bob had to make a decision which was to
affect the rest of his life".
Elizabeth brings
goldenrod to Grandpa who is missing Grandma still in the hospital. Elizabeth confides
in her grandfather saying she especially misses Grandma during this time of the
day because it was ‘our time’ together. The two walk to the barn in order to
check Myrtle who is about to give birth. On the way, Jim Bob proudly shows them
his new eagle hood ornament. But Elizabeth does not
understand why Jim Bob and her don’t do things together any more. Grandpa
explains a little about growing up.
In Rockfish, Sheriff
Bridges talks with Harrison Bixby who is looking for a boy with the name of Joe
Douglas. Down the street, Jim Bob finds Joe admiring his hood ornament. When
the boy sees Bixby he quickly wants to leave. They
drive out-of-town eating strawberry donuts. While waiting for the motor to cool
down after it overheats, the pair imagine themselves driving motorcycles
through hoops of fire as they travel across the country as ‘Wild Man Walton’
and ‘Daredevil Douglas’.
Mary Ellen bathes John
Curtis while Olivia and Sarah Bridges drink tea at the supper table. Sarah
wonders if it would be too late for her to have a family. Later, Joe joins the
family for supper where he tells John he is from Falls Church. He adds his
father works for the government as an accountant and he is on his way to
Hampton to join the Army Air Corp. While horsing around in the yard John
questions Joe about his plans. He decides to let Joe stay a few more days but doesn’t quite believe his story. The boys talk about
parachute jumping at fairs but when Jim Bob races to find his
kite Joe runs off to Mrs. Sweeney’s foster home. He tells his sister
Claire to pack her suitcase and be ready to leave for Florida when he returns.
Elizabeth is alarmed to
find Myrtle missing. She locates the pregnant goat at Maude’s who decides the
mother-to-be should stay in her barn. While building their kite, Joe and Jim
Bob decide they want to see the movie ‘Test Pilot’ with Clark Gable and Spencer
Tracy. Both boys are broke but Sarah comes to the rescue and provides them
money to see the movie. While at the movie, Olivia helps Sarah make curtains
for her home. The boys are enjoying the airplane fights when Bixby sits behind
them. They suddenly run out of the theater. The boys
escape from the man but Joe finally has to admit he isn’t
really joining the Army Air Corp. His parents died last year and since then he
has lived in an orphanage while his sister was placed
in Mrs. Sweeney’s foster home with the hope she would be adopted by a good
family. Joe tries to convince Jim Bob to go with them to Florida when they run
away. Jim Bob is unsure if that is a good idea.
Maude and Elizabeth
drink milk and eat gingerbread while Maude relates some of her wild tales when
she was a young girl. Myrtle gives birth but Maude still wants the pair to
remain with her. Elizabeth doesn’t understand but
Maude says she has her reasons. Elizabeth names the baby ‘Gingerbread’.
While Ep looks over the
curtains Sarah made for their house, she asks Ep if they could start a family.
Ep thinks he is too old to have another family but tells his wife he will think
about it. The telephone rings with Mrs. Sweeney telling the Sheriff that Claire
Douglas is missing. Ep remembers that Bixby was looking for a boy with the same
last name. He tells this to Sarah who says the boy is staying at the Waltons.
When Joe sees the Sheriff’s car approach the house Jim Bob hides his friend in
the hayloft. Jim Bob decides to join Joe in his trip to Florida. When John
enters the bedroom he sees his son’s knapsack and
demands to know where he can find Joe. Ep returns Joe to the orphanage, now mad
at Jim Bob for telling on him.
Sarah and Ep talk about
the orphans over breakfast. Sarah wants to take in the seven-year old girl and
sixteen-year-old boy. But Ep resists knowing the
change that would take place in their lives. Ep visits Joe in order to talk
over his dilemma with his wife. He wishes Sarah had told him her desire to have
children before they were married. He loves her but does not know if he wants
more children.
Elizabeth finds Maude
has brought the goats to their place after finding it is too difficult to
handle them. Maude admits she kept the goats because she wanted Elizabeth to
visit her. Elizabeth promises to visit and says she can be her second grandma.
Sarah and Ep make arrangements to have Claire and Joe
visit them on the weekends; with the possibility of later adopting them. They
bring the children over to the Waltons so Joe and Jim Bob can patch up their
dispute. The boys are brought together with coaxing
from Ep and John.
"The union
was soon made permanent when Ep and Sarah adopted
both children, and the space which Joe had filled for Jim Bob became a close
and loyal friendship".
(goat bleats)
Jason: Go to sleep Jim Bob.
Jim Bob: It wasn't me!
Elizabeth: Gingerbread, hush!
Olivia: Elizabeth what's goin'
on in there?
Elizabeth: It's kinda cold in the barn. I made a bed and cloths for the baby goat.
Erin: Elizabeth get that animal out of here.
Jason: Close the door Ben before it comes in and poops all over the floor.
Erin: Elizabeth: I will not sleep in the same room
with a goat.
Elizabeth: Well, go sleep in the barn!
Erin: Mama....
Olivia: Elizabeth I think you'd better take the
goat to the barn.
Elizabeth: I'm scared of the dark...
Olivia: Erin go with her.
Erin: Mama!
(everybody): Goodnight, Gingerbread!
Notes:
Jim Bob’s car has a
Model ‘A’ chassis and a Rolls Royce horn.
Jim Bob’s car license
plates are 59-6082 Virginia.
Sarah Bridges’ car
license plates are 60-7293 Virginia.
The episode occurs
during the fall because Grandpa and Ben are hoeing corn stalks.
Ep has two grown up sons
from his first marriage.
Sarah went to see Dr.
Jackson in order to check her condition for childbirth.
Also appearing:
Ike Godsey (Joe Conley);
Sarah Bridges (Lynn Carlin); Ep Bridges (John Crawford); Joe Douglas (Peter
Miner); Claire Douglas (Michelle Stacy); Maude Gormley
(Merie Earle); Harrison Bixby (Dan Priest); Ed Larkin
(Jerry Crews); Curt Willard (Tom Bower).