Come Next Spring

This story takes place in Arkansas.

It's a proud state, and its inhabitants claim

they could fence it off from the rest of the world

and live forever on their own resources.

It all began on a hot summer day in 1927.

Dag burn it!

Hi.

Hi, there. You lose somethin'?

I lost my ant.

Your ant?

Yes.

Oh, I don't mean an aunt, like, well, like my Aunt Myrtle.

- You know... - Mm.

I mean, an ant like...

Like who?

Like A-N-T. Ant.

Oh, an ant!

Was he valuable?

Well, you couldn't sell him or anything,

if that's what you mean.

- But he was a black ant. - Black ant, huh?

Some kids told me that black ants are tree ants.

- Uh-huh. - They live in trees

like red ants live in tunnels.

I wonder where green ants live.

I wonder if there are any green ants.

Did you ever see a green ant, mister?

Mm-hm. One time.

One time when I was real hung-over.

Oh, here he is.

- Oh, you found him. - Hidin' in the dirt.

Good, yeah, there he is.

Well, I guess I have to go now.

Uh, you... you going down that way?

Sure.

Well, just a minute, I'll get my things.

Walk down the road with you.

- All right? - Sure.

Well, this is where I live.

What?

This is my place.

Who... who's you father?

I ain't got none.

You know, it's a funny thing,

'cause all the other kids I know got one.

I never had one.

Sometimes I wonder how I was born at all.

Your... your name is Ballot, ain't it?

That's my last name. How'd you know?

I'll... I'll walk you down to your house.

All right.

Mom, you spilled the water!

Go in and wash.

Get ready for milkin'.

Hello, Bess.

Why are you here, Matt?

Bess, I... I've been a lot of places these last few years.

I've been all the way to New York City and been all the way out to California.

I've found out that whiskey tastes about the same no matter where you are.

And, uh, last three years I... I been wonderin'...

what my wife and daughter was doin'.

I... I didn't know about him.

You never answered my letters.

So, one day I said to myself,

I said, "Matt, why don't you go

and find out what your wife and daughter are doin'."

I guess I talked myself into it.

Bess...

Didn't you ever get my letters?

Matt, nine years agow hen you walked out on me,

I said to myself I never wanted to see you again.

As far as I can see, there's no reason to change my mind now.

Like I told ya, I wanted to get a look at ya.

Well, now I have.

I'll...

I'll look you up again in about eight years or so.

Matt... I reckon I was a little hard on you.

I still think you done wrong in comin' back,

but the damage is done now.

Bein' as you're here, I reckon it's only fair for you to see Annie.

So, you can stay to supper if you stay sober.

Bess, I ain't touched a drop in over three years.

And, well, I would like to stay,

I ain't had a chance to even find out how Annie is.

Oh, she's all right.

Is she...?

Did she ever get over...?

No. Still mute. Can't utter a sound.

Outside of that, she's healthy enough.

Strong as a horse.

Where is she?

Oh, out in the woods somewheres.

Spends more time there than she does at home.

- Shy, huh? - Naturally.

Worries me some.

Around the animals so much she’s beginning to act like one.

Bess, does she have a great big old white dog?

Dog? Part horse if you ask me.

I... I... I seen her, Bess.

She's a beauty. Prettiest thing I ever seen.

I'm gonna do the milkin' now, Mama.

All right, son.

Don't let Suzy nurse that new calf

more than a couple of minutes, now.

All right, I won't.

How... how 'bout me

helpin' with the chores? Uh...

- Abraham. - Abraham?

After his great grandfather, Abe Fullbright on Mama's side.

Grandpa was named after Lincoln.

Abraham, this is... your father.

You... you mean like a papa?

Like a papa.

Golly.

Glad to meet ya.

Gee, I didn't even know I had a papa.

You know somethin', Abraham?

I betcha I'm just as surprised about this thing as you are.

Well, let... let's get on with the milkin'.

You know, Mom isn't very happy about the new calf.

She ain't. Why not?

- Because it's a he. - Oh.

Where's your milk stool? Oh, here it is.

Get over, Suzy! Get over!

Get over, Suzy!

Hey, she's on the cat's tail! Get off, Suzy!

Do you suppose she hurt her?

Well, we better go see.

C'mon, kitty. C'mon, kitty.

C'mon, kitty, c'mon. C'mon kitty.

Annie's home.

Hold still. OK, now...

Is she hurt?

Well, she don't act like she's much hurt.

Let's see that tail.

No, it's all right. Didn't get hurt...

Uh-oh, look, look at this.

Look at the big, old nasty tick, there. See?

You hold still, kitty. I'll get it out.

It ain't gonna hurt.

Hold still.

There, look at that nasty old thing.

Kind of a big one.

Hi, there.

Annie, this here's our papa.

Honest he is, Annie.

I think he's the one that borned us.

Don't mind her. She's just a little bashful

on account of she can't talk.

How'd you manage so well, Bess?

A woman alone with two kids?

Well, it wasn't as hard as you might think.

I sold the timber off the new land to the railroad.

That finished paying for the place.

There's a family named Storys livin' in the old house.

They sharecrop with me.

They're lazy like sharecroppers usually are, but we manage.

Ain't fancy livin', but...

Done a good job all the way around, Bess.

Um... sorry I come back.

What's done's done.

Children, supper's ready.

It's not much, but I wasn't expecting anybody.

It's not much? From where I sit,

it looks like a table settin' for a Thanksgiving reunion.

Oh, where's your dog, Annie?

It's not allowed in the house.

Oh, come on, sit down. He ain't gonna bite you.

She always acts that way with strangers.

You know, if you put a saddle on that hound

I bet you could ride him right across the meadow.

Uh... what's his name?

Oh, it's a she and the name's Runt.

Runt?

We named her when she was a puppy.

Supper ready?

Well, look at there...

Where'd you get that there store-bought tie, huh?

Leroy Hightower gave it to me.

Lord, we thank thee for the blessin's we're about to receive.

We thank thee for our health and for the health of our loved ones.

Oh... somebody pull this table away from me.

Trouble is, I just didn't have enough room.

You sure put away a lot.

Abraham!

That I did, Abraham, that I did.

It's them black-eyed peas.

I ain't tasted black-eyed peas in two or three years.

Well, I... I hate to eat and run, but, uh,

I got quite a long walk ahead of me.

I'd run ya over to Cushing,

but the Ford's got two flat tires.

Yeah, I... I noticed that when I came in.

Aren't you even gonna stay all night?

Well, not this time, Abraham.

I reckon it'd be all right if you did stay tonight.

It's a long walk and you can bunk in Abraham's room.

Sure! I got two beds in my room.

- Two? - What do you got two for?

Abraham's got a problem.