The Waltons S05E19 The Inferno

Hey, wait a minute, I won! You won? Listen, listen to this, listen to this. You will make travel plans so you can arrive on or before May 5th, 1937... Come on! ...at the Naval Air Station in Lakehurst, New Jersey... ...for the scheduled arrival of the German airship, the Hindenburg. Boy, you got to see this to believe it. In the spring of 1937, my family and I were totally unaware... ...that a truly catastrophic event was about to take place... ...and that I would be there to witness it. Sounds like John Boy's putting another edition to sleep. I think it's called putting it to bed, honey. With all that noise, neither one makes much sense. It's kind of nice having some time to ourselves. Maybe this is what it's going to be like. Mary Ellen married, John Boy working on the newspaper... ...Jason at the Dew Drop Inn. Think you can stand it? I'm sure going to try. God damn it! I hope you remember where you left off. I'll be back in a little while, Mama. Where are you going? Just over to visit Mary Ellen and Kurt. There's nothing to do around here. I thought you were working tomorrow. That's tomorrow. I'll be home early. I always am. Don't worry about me. I just got through telling myself how well this edition was turning out. The minute I start thinking like that, I know something's going to go wrong. All it is is this pedal, son, snapped right off. Oh, that's great. I'll never be able to replace that. They haven't made parts of this machine since Mark Twain was in the business. Think I might be able to weld it? Well, if you could, that sure saved my life. Your mom will be glad to hear that. You figure it's worth a quarter-page ad for Walton Lumber Company? Well, make it a full half-page, all right? Good. I was going to say a quarter-page ad for six editions, but a half-page ad for six editions would be just fine. Hey, now, what have we got here? Oh, I just thought it would be nice to have a little candlelight dinner for two. That sounds great. Maybe you could slip into that fancy negligee I bought you. Maybe, after I do the dishes. Why don't you leave them in the sink? Oh, no, I'm not a patient. I'll give them two aspirins and tell them to call back in the morning. Hi, Kurt. How are you tonight? Well, all right. Darren, I guess. That's good. I haven't seen Mary Ellen all week. Yeah, I know how you feel. Don't look at the ark, son. No, I won't. Daddy, is there any way that you can get people to pay up when they owe you money so that you can take care of your own bills before the sheriff comes a-calling? Figure that out and you can write a book. Well, they didn't cover it in any of the economics courses I took, that's for sure. I think the government calls it deficit spending. Hey, did I tell you I got a letter from Porter Sim? I've been sending him the Chronicle from time to time, and he sent me this entry blank for a competition the NPS is sponsoring for small newspapers. What's the NPS? The National Press Service. They send newspaper stories and clippings to papers all over the world, and every year they sponsor this contest for newspapers with a limited circulation like mine. What can you win? Oh, cash prizes for different divisions, and each winner gets to cover a special news event, and the story goes in with his byline and all the expenses are paid. Your name will be on the story? If I won, then they'd send it out to all the newspapers at the NPS services. Now, Porter Sim thinks I ought to submit those articles I wrote on mine count. He's right. You sure gave your readers something to think about. Well, I was real happy about them. Submit them. No harm in trying. That's true. I probably won't win, but if I don't, who's gonna know? Hello, Elizabeth. Shh. Don't disturb Miss Margaret. You still play with dolls? Sure. Dolls are fun, but I'd rather have a real baby. Well, one day you will. That must be a pretty serious emergency, huh? Don't bother. She'll be through in a minute. Oh, no. I wouldn't want to interrupt anything as important as that, as to ask something as inconsequential as, uh, why our monthly statements haven't been sent out. Here you go. Almost as good as new. She left her in the treehouse and Rover attacked her. The peacock? Mm-hmm. And Jim Bob's mad. He says, Rover shouldn't be eating dolls. Well, then don't leave Miss Margaret outside. Now, go on. Scoot. All right, Ellen. Listen, no kidding. I don't think that you should leave the account books and those bills out there for anyone to see. Don't worry about it, Kurt. I'd hear if anyone came into the waiting room. Hey, everybody. Hot off the press. That's a couple copies out there for your patients to read. Hey, I didn't know Mrs. Brimmer owed you for five visits. Her feet still bothering her? Oh, it's just Ben, Kurt. He won't tell anyone. Hey, now, wait a minute. What do you mean, just Ben? Do you realize I'm the circulation manager and the advertising director of the largest growing weekly in the Blue Ridge Mountains? Looks like John Boy's printing press is working all right. Oh, yeah. We've gotten two editions out since Daddy's fixed it. John Boy heard anything about that contest? No. He's just about giving up on it. Hasn't heard anything. Hey, how do you like this ad over here for the Jarvis used car lot? New layout. It's all right if you like used car ads. How's Darlene? Oh, she's doing great. We're thinking about going steady. Why, Ben Walton, I had no idea things had worked out that well between you and Darlene. Oh, yeah. We go out in the evening for a walk and then we park a little. Whoa, Ben. Now, this is a fascinating conversation which I don't seem to follow. How do you park and take a girl out for a walk? Well, that's easy. Darlene can get the keys to her daddy's used cars on his car lot. The big LaSalle's the prettiest, though. You should see the beautiful blue. That did it. That did it. It's time to peddle your papers, Ben. Oh, wait a second. You're getting rid of me? No, I'm just going to show you the door. And there it is. And the outside is the first door to the right. I know when I'm not wanted. Goodbye, Ben. Ben was just trying to be sociable. And I'm just trying to run a doctor's office, not a tea room. Well, just don't go picking on my family. Well, they're my family, too, aren't they? They came in the same package with you, the whole clan. What's that supposed to mean? Oh, Mary Ellen, just stamp the envelopes. Jim Bob, I told you to go get your daddy for supper. Yes, Mama. Now, wait a minute. I was just going to beat him. Ben, you go get John Boy's up in his room. Miss Elizabeth, I thought you were going to help Aaron set the table. Hey. How's Grandma? Oh, she's fine. She ordered it out of the hospital. Told us to come on home. She gave me a list of things as long as my arm to do. Said I had to tie up the red raspberries, divide the yellow violets and the perennials, dust the bureaus. She told me to remind you it's time to turn the mattresses. She's feeling better. Oh, she surely is. We'd have been here before, except for a little surprise down at Ike Godsey's. Special delivery from the National News Service. New York, New York. Our John Walton, Jr. I'm coming. Mama, I got a big test tomorrow, and I was wondering if you could... Oh, Lord, that's it. I don't think the good Lord is going to tell you what's in it. Open it up. What's going on? Special delivery, Daddy. Just came into Ike's on the last mail run. Wait a minute. Hey, wait a minute. I won. I won. Listen, listen to this. Listen to this. Dear Mr. Walton, congratulations. You have one year division, $25. Congratulations. Isn't there more to it than cash, though? Yeah, the assignment, of course. Well, are you going to go to London for the coronation? Maybe go to Spain for the Civil War. No, listen, listen. Enclosed is a check to cover the travel expense for your future assignment, which will be to interview arriving passengers who have just completed a transatlantic flight from Germany to the United States. You will make travel plans so you can arrive on or before May 5, 1937 at the Naval Air Station in Lakehurst, New Jersey for the scheduled arrival of the German airship, the Hindenburg. Fellas, there's an article in Colliers by a man who rode on the Hindenburg, and I'm going to read it on the bus. That's a good idea. Yeah. You think you'll be able to get there on time? Oh, well, according to the weather forecast now, there's a storm front coming in from the Great Lakes, so that could slow us down a bit, of course. Why don't we drive? Then we can all go together. I wish you could, but you've got to stay and take care of the press. Yeah, you've got to write such a good article we'll be able to see it like we're there. Well, I'm sure going to try. At least you'll be starting on time. I can't find my ticket, though. I don't know where it is. I've got it. Oh, thank you very much. I couldn't have gotten anywhere without the ticket, could I? Listen, you've got to order that bull-face type, okay? I sure will. And if there's any advertising, you just go right ahead and take care of it, okay? Thank you very much. We'll be thinking about you. John Boy, your suitcase. Oh, nothing wrong with me, is there? No. Okay. Good luck. I'll see you later. Have a good trip. He sure is some lucky guy. It wasn't luck. He's worked hard for this. You can't forget an assignment like the Hindenburg. I'd call that luck. Let's go. Hold him still, Mary Ellen. Ah, he bit me! Grab him by the neck. Not too tight. You might hurt him. Thanks a lot, Kurt. Oh, hi, Mr. Brimmer. Hi, Jimbo. The rover had a splinter in his foot, and Kurt got it out for me. It was the bird that was screaming? Well, a rover's nice to look at, but not much to listen to. I'll see you later, Mr. Brimmer. Bye, Jimbo. I don't mind treating the whole Walton family, Mary Ellen, but I'll tell you, I've got to draw the line at return dollars and operating on a stupid peacock. Well, you knew I had a big family. Yep, but I didn't know that they'd be here before, during, and after office hours. Well, what do you want me to do? Close the doors on them? Anybody home? Nobody but us chickens, Mrs. Brimmer. You got chickens in here, too? It is my considered opinion, Joe, that the Nazis don't fill that big old fat bag up with hydrogen. They just park it near where Herr Hitler's giving his speeches, and all that hot air from their fuhrer fills it up from stem to stern. Well, that might be still, but it's good for business here in Lakehurst. Mr. Stewart Henry? Yeah. Oh, boy, am I glad you're here. We had a storm on the way in, and the bus broke down, and I'm half a day late. I'm sorry. My name's John Walton, Jr. Something told me you just might be. Oh, well, thank you very much for waiting. I appreciate it. Well, as a matter of fact, I didn't exactly just wait for you, John, but our Leviathan of the skyways is floating around somewhere up there waiting for the weather to clear. That's the same storm front that hit the bus. Hmm. My motto? Take the train. Well, I reckon we ought to be out on the landing field, huh? We got plenty of time. Sit down and have a drink. Hey, Joe, get this boy a drink, will you? No, thank you very much. I'll wait. Suit yourself. What do you, uh, know about the Hindenburg, John? Well, just what I've been reading in the magazines and such. Well, don't you believe half of it. Hitler's using that for propaganda just like he did the Olympics a year ago. Oh, I'm aware of that fact. Listen, don't get me wrong. I don't approve of anything that man does. But this is gonna make aviation history, and as far as I'm concerned, that makes it a very important event. Well, maybe. But nonetheless, it costs them a fortune to build, it's costing them a fortune to operate, and they're so scared of sabotage that they got a whole troop of secret servicemen aboard. Come to think of it, it wouldn't take much to blow it up with all that hydrogen gas they carry on board. Stew, your buddy out at the Navy base is to tell you it's time. Oh, great, great. Maybe I ought to get us a taxi. Why don't we just go in my car? Oh, sure, okay. I just want to get there and get the story, that's all. Well, that makes two of us. Joe! Keep my stool warm. I'll be back in about an hour. Hey, kid, relax, will ya? You're gonna get there in plenty of time to interview your passengers. The customs men have to go aboard and check everybody out anyway before they can get off the ship. Well, aren't we gonna get there in time to watch it come in for the mooring? The hard news story's mine, kid. Well, I know that. I just want to see it come in, that's all. I know a thousand shortcuts around this town, and I just happen to know a gate that'll get us right down to the field. You know, you gotta learn to relax, enjoy yourself a little bit. Ooh, look at that. I told you we'd be here in plenty of time. You got to see this to believe me. I'm not sure I believe it yet. Jason, I'm glad you're here. Me, too. Let's go home, brother. The progress says 35 has perished. No telling how many are hurt or dying. Worst tragedy in the history of air travel. It's a miracle anyone survived. I shudder when I think of John Boyd just being there. It's a dangerous place to be, all right. I hear them. No, it is. You all right? I tried to get some sleep on the bus, but I swear it had square wheels. You shouldn't have waited up for me, Grandpa. Oh, your mother did her best to get me to go to bed with the young'uns, but I wouldn't miss staying up to see the reporter come home with the story of the year. People are coming from all over to ask who you heard from. Well, I'm sorry I didn't get in touch with you sooner. I fixed you a sandwich. Have something to eat, and then we'll all get to bed. All right. Well, the bus was right on time anyway. Well, I remember the bus one time. Grandma and I went to see Bertha's wedding over in Hickory Creek, and the bus was so long coming, by the time we got there, Bertha was not only married, but expecting. Better not let Grandma hear you tell that story. Oh, she knows. I haven't had cocoa since the night before my high school debating finals. It'll help you sleep tonight, just like it did then. I feel like I've been gone a hundred years. Must have been awful. Yeah, it was. We heard all about it this afternoon on the Blue Network. They still haven't figured out exactly what happened. They say it's the end of travel by dirigible. I don't think anyone would want to go on it. I know Esther wouldn't. When's your story coming out, son? Next week, I guess. The deadline is Tuesday. Maybe you ought to give yourself a few days before you try to write about an experience like that. Hmm. I'd like to. If I was writing a book, maybe I could, but this is a piece of journalism, and it doesn't work that way. I gotta get it out while it's still news or else it's not worth anything. I'll start on it tomorrow, I guess. No telling what surprises tomorrow might bring. I'd like to be surprised with a good night's sleep. Good night, son. Good night, Mama. That goes for me, too. Good night, everybody. Good night, Daddy. See you in the morning. Prepare thee to a summer's day, thou art more temperate and more fair. Shakespeare. Yeah. We're gonna lie under a tree all afternoon, and I'm gonna read sonnets to you. Hmm. And don't forget, I like lots of onions in my potato salad. What's got you feeling so romantic all of a sudden? Well, it's spring, and you're beautiful, and we're going on a picnic. Last picnic we had, you were with Miss Nora. Yeah, and you were with old what's-his-name. Funny, I can't seem to remember. It's nice the way things worked out, huh? Very nice. I'll just put old Mr. Shakespeare in here beside the tuna sandwiches. Honey, you've got more than a dozen deviled eggs here. I figured two apiece. Well, I'm no mathematical genius, but by my count, two apiece would come to four deviled eggs. Well, Jim, Bob and Patsy and Elizabeth and Amy want to come, too. Well, I couldn't very well say no. Why not? Because it would have hurt their feelings. And what about my feelings? I didn't think you'd mind. Honey, I married you, not Jim, Bob and Aaron and Ben. Every time I turn around, Grandpa's coming over here to talk about the Spanish-American War, or Jason wants to play us his new song. I can't stop being part of my family just because we're married. If you love me, you better love them, too. I do love them. All I'm asking is a little time alone with you today, like we planned. Well, I can't very well get out of it now. Besides, Jim, Bob said Ben was gonna see if Darlene could come, too. I don't believe it. This family is like an octopus. Sometimes I feel like I'm being swallowed alive. Kurt Willard, that is the ugliest thing anybody ever said to me. Mary Ellen, are we going on that picnic together or not? If you go without Elizabeth and Jim, Bob, you can go without me. You don't mind if I take my share of the deviled eggs, do you? I'll see you, Mary Ellen. Hello, Grandpa. Missed you for supper. Oh, that's all right. Mama brought some stuff up. Come on in. No, I can't. It's about that surprise I told you about last night. What surprise? You come on down in the parlor and you'll find out. Grandpa, look, I'm sorry. I don't have any time to go anywhere. I've got to work on this thing. Oh, no, it won't take just a minute. It'll be good to get away from that story. We'll be waiting for you. Wait a minute. Who's we? What's going on here? I killed the chairman. You tell him. Well, John boy, as you know, Walton's Mountain is just a white spot in the road and unpaved at that. And it isn't very often that one of our citizens gets a chance to go out into the world and be recognized. Ashley Longworth went out into the world, although he never came back. I'm afraid he doesn't count here. A lot of your friends and neighbors would like to be here tonight, but of course, it wasn't practical. And so Mrs. Brimmer and the Baldwin ladies and myself were chosen to give you a little token of our esteem. Mrs. Brimmer. John boy, I speak for the entire community when I tell you how proud we all are of you. The Hindenburg accident is probably going to be the biggest story of the year. And when your byline, John Walton Jr., appears in newspapers all across the country, well, we here in Walton's Mountain are just going to be busting with pride. Hear, hear. And so, whereas John Walton Jr. has brought honor to this community through his continued journalistic achievements, this is written by Corvette, we, the people in Walton's Mountain, present him with this certificate, expressing our deep appreciation. Everybody, all the friends and neighbors, John Boy and Yancy Tucker's exes right there at the bottom. And sister did the lettering and the curticues. A skill she mastered at Miss Theobald's seminary for young ladies. Miss Theobald never could abide poor penmanship. You don't have to say anything if you don't want it, John Boy, unless you want to give us a sneak preview of the big story. Why don't you, John Boy? That'd be great. He's been up in his room working on it all day. Was it gruesome? Jim Bob. Sure sounded gruesome on the radio. The announcer was crying. Why don't we wait until John Boy has a chance to write the story? That's a real good idea. See, I haven't anywhere near finished it yet. Well, uh, perhaps in your own words, just the way you saw it. Oh, please, John Boy. You don't know how many people called the telephone office asking about it. Yeah, come on. Tell us the story. All right, you want me to tell you about it? I'll tell you exactly what happened. I was standing out there with hundreds of other people who were looking up at this thing like it was some kind of miracle from heaven, and it blew up and a lot of people were killed. Does that make any sense to you? Is that what you wanted to hear? Miss Perrin brought over a cake. She wanted you to have a piece. Well, I appreciate it. Remember you used to go over to her house every day after school? Yeah, just about. Pretend you want to show your arithmetic, but really what you were after was a piece of cake? She saw right through me, huh? They going home? Yep. Children all in bed. Well, Daddy, I know we got real good neighbors, and I'm sorry if I let them down. They're timing his office all, son. Well, this was a big opportunity for me. I know that. I look for material all over the place. I write what I see, and I write what I feel. But what I saw and what I felt, I cannot write about. I've tried, and I can't even start to write about it. I don't know much about writing, son, but I do know about cutting wood. When the saw breaks down, I just had to close down business. If I can't fill an order, I just got to say to myself, I've done my best. Well, thanks for the cake. Good night. Ever want to fall in bed with all your clothes on? Not wake up for a month? It's been that kind of a day. Jason says John boy's upset. He doesn't like letting people down, I guess. Remember when all we worried about was whether he was going to get a second teeth? Mm-hmm. That was important then, and this is important now. That's funny. You never stop being a parent, even when they stop being children. The bigger they get, the bigger the heart aches. Mary Ellen's back. I guess she and Curt had a fight. I think it was a bad one. He left home, and he hasn't been back. Oh, Lord. Poor Mary Ellen. Poor John, boy. Poor John. Poor John nothing. Hey, Daddy? Morning. You heading up the mountain? Thought I might. Everyone else is going to church. Mind if I come along? Come on! I got a letter this morning. I got to send a letter to the NPS explaining why they won't be receiving my article. Can't even seem to write that. Might as well start breakfast. Don't you think you ought to be home fixing Curt's breakfast? I don't even know if Curt is home. Well, if I were you, I'd sure want to find out. You want to tell me about it? Well, if that's Curt, he's sure got some explaining to do. Olivia, is Mary Ellen here? Mm-hmm. I figured I'd find you here. I'm surprised you care. Uh, if you, uh, if you want to know where I've been since yesterday, my car broke down up on the ridge where I went to be alone by myself because I couldn't be alone with you. And do you know how far it is up there? Well, anyway, I, uh, I walked back tired, cold, hungry to find that my wife had gone running back to her mama. Am I supposed to feel sorry for you? You two are going to continue your fight. I'd appreciate it if you'd do it someplace else. No, Mama, I think you ought to know what it is. It's the family. Curt's never had a family before and he doesn't know what it means. Oh, yeah, I certainly do. I do. It means Erin dropping in whenever she has a mind to. It means, uh, doctoring a peacock who doesn't even have an appointment. It means never being able to count on being alone. There are ways. When John and I were newlyweds, we were living with Grandma and Grandpa, and it seemed like sometimes they just went out of their way to keep us from being alone together. We'd plan a trip to Rockfish and Grandma would suddenly remember that she had to go to the dentist or we'd, uh, go off into the barn for a little private talk and Grandpa would come in and get the milk pail. They weren't doing it on purpose, but it sure seemed that way. I got so full of spiteful feelings. Sometimes the only way I could get through was to keep thinking about that house in the mountain that John was gonna build for us. You never did build it, though, Mama. Just had to get used to having family around. It was a whole lot easier once your daddy fixed a way for us to be alone together at least part of the time. Well, I'd appreciate it if you'd let me know how he did that. Grandma gave me a pot of geranium when I moved in here. It was a spindly little thing. Stubborn. No matter what I did to that plant, it just refused to bloom. Anyway, when John put that plant on the front porch railing, it meant that nobody was to look for us anywhere. It worked? It worked. Maybe, uh, maybe we should get a geranium. I think I ought to warn you. A couple afternoons on that front porch and that geranium started to bloom and kept right on blooming. There's nothing wrong with that either. Mary Ellen, are you about ready to come home with me? This tree was struck by lightning, same as me. Difference is, it was fatal for the tree. I've been meaning to get it down for two years. Let's go to work. ...New Jersey for the scheduled arrival of the German airship, the Hindenburg. Here she comes. Well, I was beginning to think the only thing my hands are good for was sitting tight. It's good to do this kind of work every now and then. Something wrong with your arm? Oh. Yeah, I, uh, I got a burn. Forgot about that. You know, son, I was at Verdun. There's a million men killed there. One of them was my best friend. It's a lot of suffering, no matter how you look at it. I remember thinking the other night at Lakehurst how I was lucky to be alive, how I was lucky to be witnessing a historic moment like that. I was saying to myself, if men can truly tame the skies in this way, it's a wonderful thing. Well, the truth, when I saw the first flash, I thought it was fireworks. I mean, I thought they were sending up fireworks. It was some kind of a celebration. But then the whole thing went up. Daddy, I mean, it blew up. It was like the biggest bomb you ever saw in your life. It lit up the whole sky. And the tail end of it started to melt into the ground, and the front end of it come up in the air like that. It was like a big whale coming up out of the water. And then people started jumping out of it. And then everybody started screaming. The people in the air, falling through the air, were screaming, and people on the ground waiting for them were screaming. And it kept twisting around. It was like it just kept twisting, and nobody knew where it was gonna come down. So everybody started running away from it. And pieces of it were flying through the air. And underneath it, you could see where the steel was getting white from the heat. It was just white hot. And I said to myself, they're all gonna die in there. Nobody's gonna live through this. But then people started coming out of it. I mean, they started running out through the flames and through the girders, and their hair was on fire, and their clothes were on fire. And that's when everybody started to run towards it, you know, the sailors and the ground crew. And I did myself. We all went up there and tried to pull people away from it. And there was a woman. And this woman had fallen into the sand, and the sand was so hot you couldn't even put your feet on it hardly to walk there. And this sailor and I picked this woman up. And when we picked her up, we saw that she was burned. I mean, she was really burned bad. And she was talking to us in German. She was trying to say something to us in German, and I couldn't understand what she was saying to me. And I told her, I said, I don't understand you. And then I kept saying it over and over to myself. I don't understand it. I think you can write your story now. Finished your story? Yeah, I did. I figure if I mail it, air mail, special delivery from Charlottesville, it might get there in time. Sure make me proud to see your name under that headline. Mom says come go to town with me. Oh, no, no, that darn goat's knocked down the garden fence. She can't possibly know all the work I've got to do. Go ahead, Pa, do your good. No, I couldn't possibly quit work today. Oh, on the other hand, today's a handsome spring day. But he ought to be able to quit whatever they're doing and drop work at a minute's notice. Good surprise, Grandpa. Where'd you get the geranium? Present from Kurt. Looks to me like we're alone. Children are in school. John boy and Grandpa are gone. Guess we are. Know anything I'll do? Think I'll take the rest of the morning off. I'm ready. Forty years have passed, but that house still stands, and the solace and comfort and love we knew there as children continue to sustain us to this day. Aaron, are Kurt and Marilyn ever going to have a baby? Well, I think that's their business, Elizabeth. I hope she has a little girl, so I can be Aunt Elizabeth. As a boy, are you going to be Uncle Elizabeth? No, silly, you will. I'll be Uncle Elizabeth. No, you'll be Aunt Jimbob, and you'll be Auntie Ben. Good night, Uncle Aaron. Good night, Aunt Jason. Good night, Uncle. I'm sorry I asked.