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- Think we'll get a coon tonight, Daddy? - We'd better.
Jesus, will you come by here?
Oh, Jesus, will you come by here?
Jesus, will you come by here?
Now is a needy time...
Oh, now is a needy time...
Now is a needy time.
Come, if you don't stay long...
Oh, come, if you don't stay long...
Come, if you don't stay long.
Now is a needy time...
Oh, now is a needy time...
Jesus, won't you come by here?
He's got one already! Come on, boy, let's go.
I hear you, boy, come on!
Give me that lamp, boy, come on, let's...
Man.
There it is. Now come on, boy, let's go!
Go, Sounder! I hear you. Come on!
I think he's got him treed, boy. It's all over now for you, old coon!
There he is. Come on, let's go.
Sweet meat on the table. We hear you, boy. Come on!
Shoot!
Damn.
Oh, Sounder, don't give up now. Come on, boy!
That dog done found one already. Come on, sonny, let's go.
Sounder!
Aww, shoot!
Come on, Sounder, don't give up now. Come on, boy!
Dammit!
I remember a time when a bull couldn't stop that dog from catching that coon.
It's alright, son.
Old Sounder did his job.
It's just, when I realized there wasn't gonna be no meat on the table, I just...
...acted foolish for a minute.
If anybody's to blame, it's me, 'cause I oughta nailed him on that first shot.
It's too dark, Daddy.
Yeah.
Alright, well...
Well, I guess we better get on back to the cabin. Sounder!
You know, son: there ain't no dog as good as Sounder.
In all the years we've been tracking coons and possums in these woods...
He ain't never tore one of them up yet. Mm-mmm, no...
He always brought them back whole and healthy.
Now you see?
Now that's the difference between a hound dog that's mean and dirty...
...to one that's great. Like old Sounder here.
We had one cornered, but he got away.
- I bet you you're tired, little boy. Ain't you, David Lee? - Yes, sir.
You ought to be tired, too, Sounder...
...cause that coon sure whipped the hell out of you tonight.
He beat you too, Daddy, and you had a big shootin' rifle.
You don't make funny with your daddy like that, boy.
- David Lee. - Yes, sir?
You had a rough time out there tonight, so, uh...
...you stay home from that school tomorrow.
But I want to go.
- Are you learning anything at that school? - Yes, sir.
When the night comes in these parts, that old moon runs like a scared rabbit.
You can stay here all night just looking and not see a thing out yonder.
Are we going hunting again tomorrow, Daddy?
Oh, yeah.
I guess you wonder why, though, huh? What with the luck we've been having.
But, like I always say...
"You lose some of the time what you always go after..."
"...but you lose all the time what you don't go after."
Now, who says I didn't put my mark on you, boy?
David Lee?
Time to get to bed, son.
Goodnight, Daddy.
Goodnight, son.
Don't wake Josie Mae and Earl, now.
It's your bedtime too, hound dog. Now go on, get under there. Go on!
I bet you could use a hot cup of coffee.
I sure could, Miss Rebecca...mmm.
Oh, Nathan Lee...
Dammit! That boy done bitten my walnuts.
I skin my fingers to the bone to pick 2 pounds that's worth almost nothing...
...at the commissary, and he done took about half of it.
The boy is hungry, Rebecca.
We've been through these hard times before, Nathan Lee...
...and we made it.
And what did we make it to, Rebecca?
Another season sharecropping for old man Perkins?
Working ourselves to death...
...so he can get richer, and we can't even eat when cropping time is done?
Nathan...
Nathan?
Come on, y'all, get up! There's meat cooking in the kitchen.
Come on, get up! Come on.
- What's in there, Daddy? - Sausage and ham bone.
Don't do that!
Where did it come from?
- Morning, Mama. - Morning.
There's meat cooking on the stove.
That's right. Go wash up.
- Where'd it come from? - Where all meat comes from.
Now go wash up & be snappy about it. You got 6 miles ahead of you to that school.
Morning, Nathan.
Morning.
Did you have any to eat?
Oh, no, I'll wait until after the children. Rebecca...
Yes?
What's the weather like out there?
It's hot.
Gonna be good baseball weather for our game today, then, huh?
Mm-hmm.
Morning, Daddy.
Well...morning back at you!
Hey, now, you save some of that for me, huh?
Sounder?
Hey, Sounder! Come on.
There you go, boy. Now that ought to put you in good shape for tonight, huh?
Now don't take all morning at that table, David Lee.
Mama, when can me and Earl go to school with David Lee?
Maybe soon.
Tell you one thing we got plenty of, is wood.
Ready to go, Mama.
Well, tuck that shirt in, David Lee.
And when you get out of that school, you come straight on home, you hear?
You're gonna have to take this laundry work I've done for Ms. Boatwright.
Good day.
Bye, Daddy.
Bye, son.
Where was it you went last night, Nathan?
I did what I had to do, Rebecca.
...and crown thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea!
Huckleberry Finn, Chapter 34.
- I'm sorry, Ms. Clay. - You're late.
- Yes, ma'am. - Well, take your seat.
Now where were we, before we were interrupted?
Oh, yeah. Huckleberry Finn, Chapter 34. [NB: her edition is abridged/censored.]
This chapter is called, "We Cheer Up Jim."
Here we go:
Tom says: "What's the vittles for? Going to feed the dogs?"
The "colored boy kind of smiled around gradually over his face, and says:
"Yes, Mars Sid. A dog."
- Brought your laundry, Ms. Boatwright. - Oh. Come on in, children!
Come on in.
Put it right up here on the table, David. Thanks.
Yeah. Mmm, mmm.
You tell Rebecca there ain't a Chinaman in all this world to beat her ironing.
Well...
Now, um...
Here's for your mama's work...
And, um...
- ...here's something for the 3 of you. - Thanks, Ms. Boatwright.
- Thank you, Ms. Boatwright. - Thanks, Ms. Boatwright.
Oh, by the way, David...
I got that book I promised you.
It's all about the Three Musketeers.
Thanks, Ms. Boatwright!
And when you've read it, we're going to talk about it.
Yes, ma'am. We've got to hurry!
Oh: tell Rebecca "hi" for me, you hear?
Ms. Boatwright, what's a Chinaman?
Come on, Josie Mae. We gotta hurry!
Let's go, let's go, let's go, let's go!
Let's go!
Let's get you to first base on that!
Alright, alright, let's get 'em, let's get 'em!
Hi, Daddy!
Let's get 'em, let's get 'em!
Hi, Daddy.
Look at you, look atcha, look at ya!
Alright, alright!
Alright, let's get 'em. Let's get 'em!
Ball 4.
Alright!
Hi, Mama, what's the score?
Hi, y'all. 3-2, but the other team has got the bases loaded with only 1 out.
What inning is it?
Last one. Now turn around and watch the game!
Let's go, let's go, let's get 'em, let's get 'em!
Let's get 'em.
2 more to go, Daddy!
Come on, Nathan!
Come on, Daddy!
- Let's get him! - One time!
He ain't nothing but a rookie.
Hey, out!
One more to go, Daddy!
One more and that's it. Come on!
- Come on, Nathan! - Let's go!
Throw him out, man, he ain't nothing but a rookie. Let's get him!
- One time. - He ain't nothing but a rookie.
Speedball, Speedball, won't you please pitch that ball to me...
He already pitched that ball for you today. Yes he did!
Speedball, Speedball, won't you please pitch that ball to me...
- Well, the other team got 2 and Speedball's team got 3! - Got 3!
You tell them, Ike! Yes, indeed.
Speedball, Speedball, I do believe baseball is your game...
It's his game alright! He proved that one today, didn't he?
Speedball, Speedball, I do believe baseball is your game...
It's his game! Not his shame, but his game!
Oh, you're a regular partner, Nathan Lee Morgan is your name.
Nathan Lee Morgan! That's his name.
Oh, you're a regular partner, Nathan Lee Morgan is your name.
Nathan Lee Morgan!
Look here, man, if they heard me play like this up north, you know...
...I'd be richer than the man I sharecrop for!
Oh, right!
And if they saw me pitch the way I did...
...they'd hire me just to strike out Babe Ruth!
Well, you know, that sure is a- thrilling, yes Lord!
What they do in them white churches, Mama?
Same as you do: they pray.
Naw...
One time by mistake I went to this white church down there in Rye Parish, y'know?
And to this very day I don't know how I ever got out of there alive.
- Well, they probably thought you was crazy. - Oh man, I guess so, I guess so.
But I went home. You know me: I did me some praying to the good Lord...
Yeah, we know you...
I asked the good Lord about this white church that I went to in Rye Parish...
...and I said, all I wanna know is how the devil I ever got out of there alive.
And what did the good Lord say to you, Ike?
Well, the good Lord said, "Ike, you know, you're doing better than Me."
"'Cause I been trying to get in there for 200 years and I ain't make it yet."
Oh, Ike, if ever there was a devil in this parish, you's it.
You could make a song out of that, couldn't you, Ike?
I believe I'll just do that, Speedball.
- Bye, y'all. - Bye. Bye.
Going to the country, Mama don't you want to go?
- Oh, yeah. - Alright.
Well...
This here is where I'm going to have to say goodbye to y'all...
It's been fun, Rebecca.
- Us too, Ike. - Oh, yes.
Looks like it's going to be a nice warm night coming up, Nathan.
- You going in them woods? - Oh, yeah.
Them coons and possums better hide deep from us tonight.
- Mm-hmm! - Critters in the woods better hide tonight, oh Lord, hide tonight...
Hide tonight, oh Lord, hide tonight, hide tonight!
Oh Lord, hide tonight, hide tonight!
- Critters in the woods better hide tonight, oh Lord...
...hit it so hard it went through Ike's legs and he bent down to get the ball...
...and all the dirt went into his face, hahaha!
I tell you, Nathan Lee, you really did hit that ball that time, I must say...
Didn't he, Josie Mae? [The rest is unintelligible.]
Oh Lord, I thought I would die...
Where's he going? Where you off to...
Daddy, there's two men in front of the house. Who is that?
Nathan...
Hush up, Sounder.
I guess we'd better see who they is.
- We've been in your house, Nathan. - Hold that dog.
We found what we was looking for, too.
Now you took some food and stuff from Jamie's smokehouse last night.
My deputy and me, we've got to take you down to the county house.
- What they doing, Mama? - Quiet, son, quiet!
Get him in the truck.
Sheriff Young?
You've been knowing Nathan for a long time. You know the kind of man he is.
And you know the troubles we've been having in these hard times...
Alright, let's go!
S...
David Lee!
Sounder!
Josie Mae, I'm fixing to go into town to see about your daddy.
David Lee is in charge now, and you and Earl do just like he tells you, hear?
- Yes, Mom - Yes, Mom. - David Lee? Watch the fire.
And fix some of that corn mush for y'all to eat.
Don't go too far now looking for Sounder.
Anybody comes that's a stranger asking you questions, don't say nothing, hear?
I won't.
- Bye, son. - Bye, Mama.
I won't be gone too long.
- Bye, Mama. - Bye, Mama.
How do you do?
Good morning, Rebecca.
I was sort of expecting you this morning.
I've come to see Nathan.
Well...
I wish I could, but I can't let you.
I don't understand that, Sheriff Young.
Well, it's simple.
That's the rules.
I follow them.
Ain't no visiting, except Sunday and holidays.
No womenfolk no time.
You mean to tell me, I can't see my own husband?
Well, that's the way they do things here in Lansdowne...
I just follow orders.
But...I've got to see him, Mr. Sheriff, you know, I've got to see Nathan.
Well, I'd like to help you...
...but that wouldn't do anything but get us both in trouble.
They gonna give him a trial?
Probably some time next week.
I'll tell you what I'll do...
Soon as I find out what day, I'll drive on out to your place and let you know.
Rebecca.
You've got you a low-life job, Mr. Sheriff.
Rebecca, you're just the one I want to see.
I brought these walnuts to trade.
That's 1 dollar and 20 cents.
- I want to get me some things. - I hope it ain't a lot, because...
...I can't give you no more credit until cropping season gets back.
That is, if Nathan makes it.
I didn't say nothing about no credit, Mr. Perkins.
- What you want to order? - I need me some flour...
Nutmeg...
Chocolate...
Extract [of vanilla]...
Oh, and some sugar...
And give me 2 eggs.
Now what I want to talk to you about is Nathan.
He oughtn't have done what he did.
Sneaking into Jamie's place and taking their goods.
That looks bad on me.
I been good to y'all.
Didn't I go to all that trouble to get the people of Lansdowne...
...to let your David Lee go to their school? Didn't I?
And another thing:
With Nathan in jail and all...
...how are you going to crop for me when the spring season comes? Huh?
Dammit, I'm talking to you, woman!
I've got a farm to worry about, and I need some answers.
Cropping season is a long way off, Mr. Perkins.
By that time, Nathan ought to be home.
If he ain't...
...believe me, the children and me will do the cropping.
If we have too.
Because we owe you all that money.
Mr. Perkins.
Do you think Sounder's dead, David Lee?
Will he stay dead?
He ain't dead. Now stop asking crazy questions.
You don't have to get mad because you didn't find our dead dog.
He's not dead!
David Lee?
Mama! Mama, Mama!
Mama, Mama!
Lord, it's hot.
- Anything for me? - How have y'all been?
Anybody been here?
- No, ma'am. You see Daddy? - No, son.
He'll have to wait until the holiday comes.
Anyway, won't let womenfolk see their men no time!
- Can I see him when the holiday comes? - You sure can, son.
Any sign of Sounder?
No, ma'am.
I looked all over these parts.
Well, I think maybe he was whipped on the head by that shot.
I don't think he's dead.
Just gone off to heal himself somewhere.
Nothing in here.
No...
I'm fixing to bake a cake for David Lee to take to your daddy this time.
Make a chocolate cake, Mama.
Daddy likes things that's chocolate.
Defendant will rise and come before the bench.
Nathan Lee Morgan...
...you have been found guilty of unlawful trespass..
...and robbery.
Is there anything you wish to say to the court, prior to...
...the court pronouncing sentence upon you?
No, sir.
The sentence of the court is that you be immediately remanded to the custody...
...of the sheriff of this parish.
And that you be transferred forthwith to serve a term of 1 year at hard labor...
...at a parish prison camp to be hereafter designated.
Collect and call the next case.
Sounder!
David Lee...
Be sure to ask your daddy to tell you what camp they're going to send him to.
Look perk-ish now, so you don't grieve him none.
OK, that's all, son.
Don't forget what I told you, now!
What have you got there, boy?
A cake for my daddy.
Well, put it on this table, and wait until I check it.
Can't be too careful, boy.
There just might be a steel file or a hacksaw in it.
What's your daddy's name?
Nathan Lee Morgan.
OK, boy.
3rd cell down there on your right.
Well, look-y here.
Hi, Daddy.
Hi back at you.
Mama's outside with Josie Mae and Earl.
They is?
Well...
It sure is good to see you, son.
This was a real cake, before the man outside put all these holes in it.
Oh, now, that don't make no difference.
If I know your mama...
...a few knife holes ain't gonna destroy the soul that she done put in this cake.
Here. Now have a piece with your daddy.
Mmm...
Mmm.
Daddy...
We didn't find Sounder yet.
Well, he'll show up one day.
Think he's dead, Daddy?
No, son.
He'll come back to you just as soon as his wounds heal. Now, you'll see.
Lord...
...this cake sure is tasty.
It's a shame they won't let them come in here.
Boy, if I had the strength, I'd knock down these damn walls just so I could...
...get my arms around your mama, just...
Are they on this side of us, do you think?
I think so.
I'm going to see about that, if I have to break both of my arms!
Son...
...don't ever let yourself get caught in a place like this!
Daddy...
...can you say what camp they're going to send you to?
No, they don't tell us things like that.
But I don't want y'all to come here no more.
Why, Daddy? You won't be here?
Do like I tell you.
Time's up.
Come on, boy.
Son...
Oh, I'd rather be fishing for bream in the creek...
...than working in the sun out here all week.
I expect a gal, hey Lord, I expects a gal, hey I got to
Keep on working, keep on pulling, keep on hauling in the hot sun...
Lord...
Lord, children...
Lord...
Lord, child...
If I expect to get outta the way I live, got to push and pull and deal and give.
If I expect to change my ways some time, I got to do what I'm doing now...
...I got to do what I'm doing now. I got to do what I'm doing.
Oh, Lord...
Someday there'll be a change, Lord, someday there'll be a change.
"Yes," said D'Artagnan, "but we shall..."
"...inevitably...be shot."
"Yes," rejoined Athos.
"But you know very well that the bullets most to be feared..."
"...are not those of the enemy."
"Yet it seems to me," said Porthos, "that for such an..."
"...expedition...we should have at least brought our muskets."
"You are a simpleton, friend Porthos. Why should we...
Give me this old time religion...
Give me that old time religion...
Lord, it's good enough for me.
Yes, it's good in the time of dying...
Lord, it's good enough for me.
Lord, if this wasn't a Sunday, I do believe...
...I'd do a dance to that music Ike's playing.
Oh, go on, Harriet, and shake them feet. God ain't looking!
Now, I might be a country woman, but I ain't no fool!
- Come on, Ms. Harriet. - Come on, Ms. Harriet. - Come on, Ms. Harriet.
Well, you can't blame a girl for trying!
Good day, Reverend.
Rebecca...
David Lee, give the reverend a seat.
Word from Nathan?
No, I haven't got anything, Rebecca. I went down to the courthouse...
...yesterday, to see about it, and they wouldn't tell me nothing...
...as to what labor camp Nathan was sent to.
And I'm sorry.
It's a damn shame, Reverend.
It's a damn shame.
Let us not take to bitterness, Sister Morgan.
Why, in this same church, we have women with the same trouble you are having.
What I tell them...
...whatever misery...or trials...take it to God.
"Take it to God."
It's not that simple, Rebecca.
God works in a mysterious way.
We brought nothing into this life...
...and we carry nothing out.
Is that a blessing, Reverend?
It's a blessing.
Thank you.
Easy, boy. Easy now.
It's OK. It's OK.
He eats alright. His throat ain't scarred.
Then why don't he bark like he used to?
Oh, he will.
Get down and act like a possum.
I don't look like no possum.
Act like one!
Get him, boy, get him!
Don't tell that dog to get me!
Oh, shut up.
Why don't you get yourself a new dog?
...after Dr. Anthony Lorring believed a lie about her, and discarded her...
...and was tricked into marriage by his wife Millicent.
For Ellen has just said to Michael:
"Michael, over and over you've asked me to name a day for our marriage..."
"Well, now I'm ready to do it."
- "I'll marry you this very afternoon, if you want me to." - Ms. Boatwright?
"I'll go away from Simpsonville with you..."
- Ms. Boatwright! - "...whenever you want me to."
Half an hour ago...
...Ellen and Anthony Lorring and his vindictive wife Millicent...
...who hates Ellen, and has sworn to destroy both Ellen and Anthony...
Ms. Boatwright!
...faced the young playboy Bruce Caufield in his hospital room...
...and heard Bruce reveal that Millicent (once secretly married to him) is...
David!
Would you like a cool drink?
No, thank you.
I've got some work to do in the field today.
Ms. Boatwright?
Yes, David?
Would you help me find out what camp they sent my father to?
Well, the courthouse has rules about things like that, David, but...
Well, I'll ask around town about it.
See you tomorrow, Ms. Boatwright.
David...
I'll find out where your daddy is for you.
Thanks, Ms. Boatwright.
You don't mention this to anybody, David! Do you hear me?
I can't do that, Rita!
Now, we have a policy here on colored prisoners.
And I ain't about to change that, even though we're good friends.
Charlie, just because a man and his family are colored...
Look: I don't make the rules, Rita!
And you're putting yourself out on a limb, asking me to do such a thing!
And I'll be damned if I'm going to jeopardize my job just because...
...you're in love with a little colored boy!
Excuse me.
Young here. Sheriff Young here.
Yes, sir...yes, sir.
You bet your life, sir. I'll be right over.
That was Judge Elliott.
When Judge Elliott calls me, I jump!
Goodbye, Rita.
But, Charlie...
No. N-O: no!
Did you find what you were looking for?
Well, I...
I did look, Charlie, but...
No "buts" about it, Rita.
Charlie, you have no legal right not to tell that boy where his father is.
Do you hear that? You and this whole damn courthouse.
What you're doing is wrong.
You tell me about wrong!
Now, you come in here as a friend, and I find you going through the files?
You know I could have you arrested for that?
If you give that information out, that's exactly what I'm going to do to you!
And I'll tell this whole town how you got that information...
...and who you're giving it to!
And you won't have a friend left in this parish to...bring you a piece of candy!
You would do that, wouldn't you?
Now you're getting the point, Mrs. Boatwright.
Let's get out of here, David Lee.
Ms. Boatwright...
You know where my father is, don't you?
No.
He was wrong, David: I didn't find out.
Ms. Boatwright, I saw you.
You looked in there, and you found out where my father is.
If I say I didn't, David, that's what I mean.
- Ms. Boat... - I don't know a damn thing. Now stop bothering me about it.
Come.
I'll take you home.
I'll walk.
Now, don't pout now, David. It's a long trip.
I'm used to it.
Well, you can't say I didn't try.
Hello, David.
Hi, Ms. Boatwright.
I'm sorry about the way I acted the other day.
Well, there's no need to be sorry, David.
- Where's your mama? - Here I is, Ms. Boatwright.
The camp where Nathan is at...
...is called Wishbone Labor Camp.
And, um...
...it's in Nolantown.
You sure is a crazy-acting woman sometimes, Ms. Boatwright.
Now, um, we go from A-2, to, um...
Now, let me see where we go from here...
Are you having trouble, Ms. Boatwright?
Oh, no, no, no: these maps are easy to read, but, um...
There it is, right there.
How do you get there, Ms. Boatwright?
Well, um...
There are numbers and letters on here to show you where to look on the map...
...but, um...
Well, Nolanstown isn't under a number.
But we know that it's in northern Lansdowne...
...and the number for northern Lansdowne is H-7.
But, um...
Since Lansdowne is the largest parish, it actually stretches across into A-2...
...and, uh...
A-2...is, um...
Am I making myself clear?
Oh, yes. Oh, yes, it's clear, Ms. Boatwright. I'm sure we'll find it.
I mean, when the time comes for us to find that place, we'll find it.
- Won't we, children? - Yes, ma'am. - Yes, ma'am. - Oh, yes, we'll find it.
Yes we will.
Hey, boy!
Boy, you're getting heavy. Hey, Sounder!
Boy, you're looking good. Hey, I'll race you to that tree stump. You ready?
Go! Come on!
You can run faster than that, come on!
Then, after you go by Nolan...
...the first road you're gonna come to is that Jordan Road.
And, um...
...you go all the way down to the end of the Jordan Road...
...to the labor camp, that's where it is...
...right at the end of the road. Now, look:
It's going to be a long trip. And, uh, good luck to you!
- Thanks, Mr. Ike. - Alright, David Lee. Here's your food and things.
If you get tired, you go into a railroad station or a church to rest.
- Don't you go to nobody's house, you hear? - Yes, ma'am.
And you tell your daddy to send some word about what time he's gonna be home.
- And tell him I love him, hear? - Tell him I said "hi," too.
Alright, now get a move on. You're losing daylight.
Come on, Sounder. Come on.
Jesus, will you come by here?
Oh, Jesus, will you come by here?
Jesus, will you come by here?
Now is a needy time, oh, now is a needy time...
Now is a needy time.
Come, if you don't stay long, oh, come, if you don't stay long...
Come, if you don't stay long.
Now is a needy time, oh, now is a needy time...
Now is a needy time.
Down on my knees and praying, I'm down on my knees and praying...
Jesus, won't you come by here?
Jesus, won't you come by here, oh, Jesus, won't you come by here?
Come on, Sounder.
Can you visit here, mister?
You'll have to come back on visiting day.
Well, when's that?
Sunday.
Do you know my father, Nathan Lee Morgan?
Never heard of him, boy. We've got lots of men in that prison.
Mister!
Boy, where did you come from?
I want to see about my daddy, Nathan Lee Morgan. Is he here?
Yeah.
What are you doing there, boy? Move!
Mister, is Nathan Lee Morgan here?
There's nobody here named Morgan. Now get away before you get us in trouble.
Come on, Sounder.
Come on, boy.
2 times 3 are?
6!
6 times 6 are?
36!
- How many? - 36!
36 minus 12 are?
[Derp.]
24.
How many?
- 24. - 36 minus 12? - Yes.
- 24. - That's right, 24.
24 times 2 are?
48.
- How many? - 48!
48 plus 48 are?
- 96. - 96! - Ninety-si...
Excuse me.
Yes, come in.
Come in!
Stay, Sounder.
Yes?
Well, can I please wash my hand where it's got blood all over it?
Let me see that.
Sit down over there.
You don't live around here, do you?
No, ma'am...I've come a long way.
Me and my dog were just trying to find my father, and we got lost.
Is he here in Borderdale?
I don't know.
He's in a prison camp.
My name is Camille.
Camille Johnson. I'm the supervisor of this school.
- What's your name? - David Lee Morgan.
And my dog's name is Sounder.
That feels better.
You keep looking around, David.
Don't you go to school?
Sometimes. But not like this.
Well, it's a good thing that this hand did not become infected.
How did you hurt it like this?
Well, me and Sounder went to this prison camp looking for my daddy.
And the guard hit me on my hand.
- Did your mother know you were going to see your father? - Yes, ma'am.
That does it.
Thanks, Ms. Johnson.
David?
Why don't you stay until school is over? I don't live far from here.
You and your dog can come home with me and have yourselves a hot meal.
Then we can talk about how to get you back home.
Yes, ma'am.
Take a seat back there.
Stay, Sounder.
You've got a pretty house, Ms. Johnson!
I try.
You've got a lot of books, too.
Here. Let me tell you something about the books on these shelves.
This book is about a woman who helped to free slaves. Her name is Harriet Tubman.
She died in 1915.
Thanks, Ms. Johnson.
And this one is about a man called Crispus Attucks.
He was the first black man to die in the American Revolution.
The war that was fought to help this country become the United States.
Ms. Johnson?
Don't you teach in your school about folk who ain't dead?
Sure!
Here's one about a man who's very much alive.
Dr. William E.B. DuBois.
- What does he talk about? - Here, I'll read something he said:
"[...] the longing of black men must have respect:"
(Which means that a man, and a woman, are human and must be treated that way.)
"...the rich and bitter depth of their experience..."
"...the unknown treasures of their inner life..."
"...the strange rendings of nature they have seen..."
"...may give the world new points of view..."
"...and make their loving, living, and doing, precious to all human hearts."
"And to themselves in these the days that try their souls..."
"...the chance to soar in the dim blue air above the smoke..."
"...is to their finer spirits..."
"...boon and guerdon for what they lose on earth by being black."
[from The Souls of Black Men, Chapter 6]
You're a nice lady, Ms. Johnson.
Alright. Alright.
Let's stop the laughing.
Who else has a story to tell us?
I got a story, Ms. Johnson. A true story that happened to me.
You know the class is going to challenge your story, don't you, Clarence?
Yes, Ms. Johnson.
Alright, go on.
Me and my little sister went down to the water hole last Saturday.
You all was doing something wrong. You didn't tell us the name of your sister.
Me and my sister Laura went down to the water hole last Saturday.
We was playing along the edge of the water.
Laura slipped and fell into the water.
I started to run back home. But I turned around, ran back, dove into the water...
...and got her out before she could drown.
How was your sister after you pulled her out of the water?
She was dirty and wet.
What made you run?
I was going home to get my daddy.
What made you stop and go back?
Cause if I had ran home...
...by the time I should have got back, my sister would have drowned.
How come you didn't know that at first?
Cause I was scared.
Hold it! Clarence's story ain't true.
Me and Clarence went to the river a lot of times, and I know he can't swim!
Clarence? Would you tell us a story that was not true, after telling us it was?
No, Ms. Johnson.
Can you swim?
Yes, ma'am.
Clarence! You know you can't swim. Every time Mr. Richie showed you...
...you fell down. And I had to always pull you out.
Yes, ma'am.
But when I saw my sister about to drown in the water...
I tried, because I wasn't scared anymore.
I was just swimming and kicking. I don't know how I was doing it, but I was.
Because my sister was drowning. She was drowning!
I believe Clarence's story.
Do you want to stand up and tell us why, David?
Well...some people came and took my father away.
And other people said we couldn't work the farm. But we had to.
Or else we would have lost the farm.
But we planted the crops and they grew.
I believe Clarence's story because of what he did.
He couldn't swim, but he had to! Else his sister would have drowned!
And that's how he did it.
You know, that was a good thing you did for Clarence in class today.
I believed his story.
But I was afraid the other children wouldn't.
I knew he was scared nobody would believe him as soon as he stood up.
You did? How?
I've been like that sometimes, myself.
Thinking nobody would believe me.
- You want to hear another story? - Not now, David.
It's getting late and you have a long trip ahead of you in the morning.
What are you looking at out there? There's nothing to see.
Daddy always looks out into the dark.
Even when there's nothing to see.
He says it's what you hear.
You think about your father a lot, don't you?
Yes, ma'am.
You shouldn't worry about him too much, David.
But what am I going to tell Mama when I get home?
Tell her that I didn't see Daddy? And that's what I wanted to do!
But you did all you could.
Not many little boys could have gone on such a journey as you did.
But where's Daddy?
I can't answer that for you.
But it's no fault of your own that you don't know where your father is.
Tell me what you did that kept you from finding your father.
Hmm? Come on, tell me!
Nothing.
And so you did your job, right?
Yes, ma'am.
Boy...you sure keep my mind jumping!
And what does that mean?
That means you keep me using my head, and that's good.
Ms. Johnson?
You think I can come back here and... study school with the other children?
Full yet?
Fine.
Mama, mama! Josie Mae! Earl!
- David Lee! - David Lee!
David Lee?
Lord, boy, where have you been? You had me worried out of my mind!
You find your daddy?
No, I didn't see him.
The men said they didn't know Daddy.
Guess they sent him off to another camp.
Why's your bag so heavy? What's in there?
Some books Ms. Johnson gave me.
Who's Ms. Johnson?
Oh, she's a teacher. And I stayed over at her house some of the time.
So when I left, she gave me these books.
Well...
Ms. Johnson must be a right nice lady.
Oh, she is, Mama.
Mama...
When the fall comes, Ms. Johnson wants me to go to her school.
Well, how can you do that?
You don't live nowhere near that school.
Well, she says I can live with her while school's going on.
And when school's not going on, I could come back home.
Well, who's going to help me here in the house?
And in the field?
Well...
Maybe by that time, your dad will be back.
If it's alright with him, it's alright with me.
Giddyup, mule! Git! Git! Git! Git!
Yeah.
This finishes your share.
You did a good job cropping, Rebecca.
Giddyup, mule!
Dear Ms. Johnson, How are you? I am doing OK.
I told my mama, my brother, and my sister about you.
And they like you too.
I can't make this letter too long because I have work to do.
Bless you, David Lee Morgan
You sure write a good fine letter, son.
A good fine letter.
What's wrong with you, Sounder?
Oh, my God.
It's Nathan.
Nathan!
Mama! What's the matter?
Nathan!
Nathan! Nathan.
Daddy!
- Daddy! - Daddy!
- Daddy! - Daddy! - Nathan!
- Daddy! - Daddy!
- Nathan! - Daddy!
Daddy!
- Nathan. - Daddy!
Daddy!
- Daddy! - Daddy!
Rebec...Rebecca.
Daddy!
- Nathan. - Uh-huh.
Hey! Hey!
It's good to...look at you!
Hey!
Earl.
What's the matter with your leg, Daddy?
Oh. I got it hurt.
In a dynamite blast.
When I wasn't no more use to them, they took some time off my sentence...
...and let me come home!
That was some meal you fixed for us, Ms. Rebecca, and I sure wanna thank you.
Well, I'm glad you like it, Nathan Lee!
You know, I missed them dumplings almost as much as I missed you, Earl.
Alright, children, it's 2 hours past your bedtime. Get a move on. Come on!
You too, Earl.
Goodnight, Daddy.
Goodnight, you pretty little thing you.
Goodnight, Daddy.
Goodnight back at you.
Go to bed. Take your shoes off. You hear?
That was some journey you went on, boy!
Daddy, I'm so glad you're home.
Well...me too, son!
We going hunting again?
Well, sure we're going hunting again!
I cleaned and oiled your stuff while you was gone.
- Good. -Your turn now, David Lee.
Goodnight, Daddy.
Goodnight, son.
Daddy, you're home now. That's all I want.
I don't want nothing else. Just you to be home.
Come here, boy.
Hi-ya, Rebecca.
Hi.
Somebody told me Nathan's back. How is he?
Why don't you pay him a visit, Mr. Perkins? He'll tell you how he is.
I'll do that, Rebecca. I'll do just that.
What does that old peckerwood want now?
Well!
He wants you to pay him a visit.
The two of you could sit under a shady tree...
...drink ice-cold whiskey, and shoot the breeze!
Well, I hope you told him I was too busy for that kind of stuff.
Good morning!
Mm-hmm.
Yeah...
Yeah, now, y'all done did a good job with this crop.
- Well, thank you. - Mm-hmm.
Well, come on, let's get to work!
- Are you sure you feel up to it, Nathan? - Yeah, I feel up to it!
- Why not? - Alright.
Come on, mule.
Hey, come on! Come on, mule.
Go on.
You know, I sure am proud of the way you helped your mama keep this place going.
Thanks, Daddy.
You know, some people, some people...
...may think this is hard work, but it sure in the hell beats going to jail.
You won't be going to jail, will you, Daddy?
They'd have to kill me before I'd go back to that place.
Come on.
Ain't nobody going to jail, and ain't nobody getting hurt.
Now, go on and get me some more of that cane.
Oh!
Whoa, mule!
Whoa! Whoa!
Daddy!
Whoa! Whoa, mule!
You alright, Daddy?
I'm alright, I'm alright, just...
Damn leg just won't act like it used to.
You sure you're alright, Nathan?
Yeah, I'll be alright, I just have to...
I just have to rest for a minute or two.
- Here, let me help. - No, no, you just...stay where you is.
You feel alright, Daddy?
Yeah, I feel great. Just great.
...that double seam...
...and when you let it go, just zip off that finger there, you got it?
- Yeah. - Let's see. Closer. Yeah, that's it.
Alright. Zip it, right in here, right over home plate.
- Hey! - Strike 1!
Aw, come on, Josie Mae.
Hey, Ike! How you doing?
Anytime it's Saturday, and I ain't got no work to do, I'm doing fine.
- Hey, Ike. - Hi!
Hey, what you got there?
It seems this piece of mail's come this morning, over to Mr. Perkins' place...
...and, uh...he said for me to bring it over here.
- Well, give it here. - Mm-mmm.
Ain't for you. It's for the little important man over here.
David Lee...
Well, son, ain't you going to open it up and read it to us?
OK, I've got to go now. I'll see y'all in church on Sunday.
- Mm-hmm. - Yeah, Ike, thank you for the trouble.
Have a good day, now.
Bye.
Who's it from, David Lee?
It's from Ms. Johnson, Daddy.
Well, read it to us.
"If you are coming to school here, be sure to bring some warm clothes."
"The school term will begin September 8th..."
"...and it would be good for you to be here by the 4th or 5th of the month."
"I do hope everything is fine and you will be here."
"Give my 'hello' to your family."
"Yours truly, Ms. Camille Johnson"
September 4, how far away is that?
About a week.
- Well, come on, children, let's go! - Where you going?
To the commissary, to get this boy some clothes!
In fact, I'm going to get something for everybody.
Nathan, you can't do that, we owe Mr. Perkins too much...
Oh, don't tell me what we owe old man Perkins.
I'll do the owing, and let him worry about the collecting.
Come on, David Lee. Come on, didn't you hear me?
But Daddy, you just got home. I want to stay home, and be with you.
Well, I want to be with you too, but...
...but this school is something that's good for you, like, uh...
...like good air to breathe.
I want you to have it.
And that's the way it's going to be.
But Daddy, who's going to help you in the field?
Your leg is hurt. You can't work like you used to!
Who's gonna help you around the house?
Let me tell you something.
If I had both of my legs cut off...
...I could do more work in that field than you could in 100 years.
I won't go, Daddy, I just won't go...
Wait just a minute. You don't tell me what you ain't gonna do. I tell you!
And if I say you're going to that school you're going. Now come on, I don't...
...wanna hear nothing more out of you. David Lee! David Lee, come back here!
Nathan!
Please. Leave him be.
He missed you a great bit whilst you were gone.
He sweated and worried to find out just where you were & made that long journey.
You're home, and...it's only a natural thing for him to wanna be with you now.
David!
David Lee!
David!
David Lee!
David!
David Lee!
Can I talk to you for a minute, son?
You know, when I got this leg hurt...
...I was down in this rock quarry...
...and all of a sudden there was this dynamite blast coming at me...
...with the kind of force to kill 10 men.
Well, so I...
I got out the way of most of them rocks...
...faster than the lightning in God's mind, cause...
...I made it up in my head, just that quick...
...that I was gonna beat the death that was coming at me.
Well, that's what I'm going to do with this trouble in my leg.
I'm gonna beat it.
Ain't nothing left for me to do but to beat it.
But that's what I want you to do.
I want you to beat the life they got all laid out for you in this place, cause...
There ain't nothing here, ain't nobody here but them bastards that sent me...
Son, don't get too used to this place.
Cause wherever you is, I'm gonna love you. I mean, me...
...your mama, Josie Mae, and Earl... we're gonna love you even more.
Why, we're gonna come and see you at that school every chance we get.
I love you, son.
Don't ever think that I don't love you.
You think we're gonna get to be friends?
Boy...
Alright. Get a move on, bag boy.
You carry your own bag!
I'll carry it.
Naw, I will.
Thanks, Josie Mae.
Alright, now, you be good.
And you be smart, young man. OK?
I ought to be back tomorrow evening.
- Careful, now. - Giddyup, mule!
Bye.
You know something, Daddy?
What's that, son?
I'm gonna miss this old raggedy place...
...but I sure ain't gonna worry about it.
Hey!
Boy, did you see me pick him off at 3rd base?
I tell you, my speedball makes them all stand up and look!
I think I really could have made it in the big leagues, if I really wanted to.
Hey!
Boy!
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