A Painted House

It was early in September 1952.

The Cardinals were five games behind the Dodgers,

and the season looked hopeless.

The cotton, however, was waist-high,

and my father and pappy could be heard whispering words

that were seldom spoken:

"It could be a good crop."

Highway 135 ran straight and flat

through the farm country of the Arkansas Delta.

On both sides, as far as I could see,

the fields were white with cotton.

Pappy, my grandfather, drove 37 miles per hour.

His theory was that every automobile had a speed

at which it ran most efficiently,

and through some vaguely defined method,

he had determined that his old truck should go 37.

On the nose.

It was time for the harvest-- a wonderful season for me,

because they turned out school for two months.

For my grandfather, though, it was a time of endless worry.

In Pappy's opinion, this was the best spot

in the county to catch the hill people.

I wasn't so sure.

We'd been trying to hire some for a week with no results.

Howdy.

Good afternoon.

My name's Spruill.

Eli Chandler.

Nice to meet you.

Y'all lookin' for work?

Yep.

Where you from?

Eureka Springs.

Well, I'm looking for field hands.

How much you paying?

$1.60 a hundred.

Fella wants to give us $1.60.

I think we should take it.

You think?

Uh, what kind of cotton?

Stoneville. Bolls are ready.

Be easy to pick.

Well, we made $1.60 last year.

This the same.

Well, we was kinda hoping

to make a little more...

What's your name?

Luke.

Sorry, can't help you.

What's yours?

Tally.

How old are you?

Ten.

How old are you?

Seventeen.

How long you been riding that trailer?

Day and a half.

This is Trot.

He ain't right.

Nice to meet you, Trot.

Your penmanship's getting better, Luke.

Where's your grandfather?

Across the street, checking on the Mexicans.

You all using hill people, too?

Yep. Just found us some.

Buenos dias, senor.

Buenos dias.

Last year, Juan taught me some Mexican.

Eli's worried about paying them too much.

Your grandfather worries about everything.

: He's a farmer.

Are you going to be a farmer?

No, ma'am.

Baseball player.

For the Cardinals?

Of course.

Here's my truck.

Buenos dias, senor.

I thought you told them to set up behind the barn.

I did.

They set up right on my baseball field.

Well, finally got the Mexicans.

Seven of them.

Yes, ma'am.

That's good.

What are those people doing in our front yard?

I asked them to set up behind the barn.

I don't know why they pickedthatspot.

Can you ask them to move?

I cannot. They pack up, they'll leave.

You know how the hill people are.

Segue me, muchachos.

Go on out into the fields

and tell your dad supper's almost ready.

(sheep bleating, chickens clucking)

(guitar picking slow Spanish melody)

It is... is very nice. Very clean. Thanks.

It is, isn't it?

Oh.

The garden's full, and I'll...

bring you a basket every other day.

Y'all don't have to pay for it.

It's just... part of the deal.

Gracias, senora.

As I rode back from the fields, holding on to my father,

his shirt and overalls were soaked with sweat,

but his arms were like steel.

My mother was waiting for us by the water pump.

She had grown up in a house full of girls,

and had been raised in part by a couple of old, prissy aunts.

I think they had bathed more than farm people,

and her passion for cleanliness had rubbed off on my father.

I got a complete scrubbing every Saturday afternoon,

whether I needed it or not.

...picking cotton or something?

You're all dirty.

...subcommittee ended

a 17-month investigation of mismanagement and scandal

in the Justice Department, reporting the elimination

of most of the conditions it had been investigating.

Meanwhile...

No Cardinals game. Rained out.

Right.

Nothing to worry about.

It's all the way up in St. Louis.

Shh-shh-shh-shh-shh...

...adjourned again, still tightly deadlocked.

They will meet again September 12.

In related news, Chinese troops hit Bunker Hill

east of Pan Mun Jom in two small feeler actions,

as nine other enemy groups

probed along the Eighth Army Front.

Ricky's all right.

He'll be home before you know it.

...Chinese troops stormed the hill.

No bad news.

...were killed in this action. Meanwhile, northwest of...

If our luck holds out, we can expect what,

to break even this year?

That's the goal.

Breaking even's not a bad thing.

We don't want for anything.

What about the debt

you and your daddy are carrying from previous years?

We owe $2,000 to the gin for '51.

We owe the John Deere dealer in Jonesboro for parts.

Co-op for seed and supplies, and Watson's for groceries.

I know the situation.

Someday it'll be different.

I'll own my own land, free and clear.

And how different will it be, Jesse?

Howdy. How you doing?

Okay.

I'm getting myself a Cardinals jacket.

Oh, yeah?

Uh, Car-Cardinal red.

It's shiny.

Costs $7.50.

In ten days, I'll have picked enough to get it.

That's real nice.

Luke!

Yeah?

What are you doing?

I-I had to take a pee.

Keep up now!

Yes, sir.

Cinquenta-dos.

No piedras.

Fifty-two.

All right! Lunch!

Probably heat got him.

Thank you.

Luke...

We'd like you to stay with Trot, up here at the house,

for the rest of the afternoon.

And if he takes a turn for the worse, y'all just come out

to the lower 40, and fetch one of the Spruills.

Well... what about my Cardinal jacket?

There's 80 acres of cotton out there...

I guess we could save you a little bit.

Trot... are you okay?

I guess.

Does Tally like baseball?

Ball.

Picked 300 pounds...

then the heat got me.

Fetch me some water, boy.

Sir?

Fetch me some water.

Cold water, boy... from the house.

And hurry. I've been working all day-- you ain't.

Give me another glass.

You got anything to eat?

Do you?

Um, no.

You mean no, sir...

don't you, boy?

No, sir.

You farm people are right uppity, you know that?

Think you're better than us hill folk because you have this land,