EPISODE 214 - A Christmas To Remember

 Gary Ewing is walking along the road at Southfork by the stables and one of the outbuildings.  He pauses for a

Gary takes the old photo and looks at it.  A smile comes to his face as he looks at the old picture of himself and Bobby as young boys.  "I can't believe it,"  He says.  "I had forgotten all about this photo until now.  I remember Grandpa Southworth took it.  You were no more than 2-years-old.  And the old house."

"You ever wish you could go back to those childhood days?"  Bobby asks.

 

"Oh, yeah sometimes.  I wish I could go back and do a lot of things differently, knowing what I know now."

 

"And what do you think you would've done differently?"

 

Gary looks at his brother and lets out a deep sigh.  "I would've stood up to Daddy and J.R.  Not ran away, leaving Val and Lucy here.  But, there's no point in dwelling on things we can't change."

 

"That's true brother,"  Bobby says.  He looks into the box in front of him.  At the bottom is a little book.  Bobby picks it up and blows the dust off.  "Well, I'll be,"  he says.

 

"What is it?"  Gary asks.

 

Bobby opens the book, and an inscription on the first page brings a smile to his face. "It's a journal.  A journal by Ellie Southworth."

 

"Really?  I never knew Mama kept a journal."

 

"Well,apparently, she kept this when she was just a little girl.  Her first entry in it is December 23, 1925."

 

"1925?"  Gary asks.  "Let's see, in 1925, Mama would've been........."

 

"10-years-old,"  Bobby says.  "I can't believe I've never seen this before.  I wonder what else is in all these old boxes I've never seen.  Gary, come on.  Help me carry these boxes up to the house."

 

"You got it."

Southfork....later....

 A little more than an hour later, Bobby, Ann, Gary, Val, Christopher, Jacob, and Michael are sitting by the fire in the living room as Bobby and Gary go through the boxes of their mother's and grandparents' things.  

 

"These old photos are absolutely priceless,"  Val says.

 

"Boy, they sure are,"  says Ann.  "Bobby, I can't believe we've never seen any of this stuff."

 

"Well, honey, all this was packed away in the attic for years and years, and then it was moved out to the storage barn when we turned the attic into two extra bedrooms."

 

''Hey, Grandpa, who's this?"  Michael asks, picking up a photo of a little girl.  

 

"That is my Mama.......your great-grandmother,"  Bobby replies.  

 

"That's Miss Ellie?"  Val asks, taking the photo and looking at it.  "Oh, she was adorable."

 

"It's amazing how much Betsy looked like Mama when she was that age,"  says Gary.  

 

''As great as these photos are, I think the best find here is Grandma's journal,"  Christopher says.  ''Written in her own hand."

 

"Mama wrote these journals about her childhood memories while Daddy was away during the war.  

 

"Grandpa, read us something from your Mom's journal,"  Jacob says.

 

''Hey, what's going on in here?"  Alex asks, walking into the living room.

 

"Grandpa found a whole bunch of old stuff out in the barn that use to belong to his Mom,"  Michael says.  "Old pictures, and even a diary."

 

"Really?  Wow, that's pretty cool."

 

''Grandpa was just about to read us something from Great-Grandma's diary,'' Jacob says.

 

''Yes, Bobby, please,"  Val says.

 

''Well, alright, then,''  Bobby says.  ''I guess I'll start with the very first entry.  Wednesday, December 23, 1925, the day before Christmas Eve.  'This morning, I couldn't find Garrison, and after looking all over, I finally found him sitting on the hill at Possum Ridge.  It had snowed hard the night before and the ground was covered in white....'''

  "Garrison!"  Young Ellie Southworth calls to her brother as she searches for him in one of the pastures on Southfork Ranch.  "GARRISON, WHERE ARE YOU?"

 

"I'M UP HERE, ELLIE!"  The boy yells back to his sister.  

 

The little girl looks up a hill and sees her brother sitting beside a large tree.  She runs up the hill to him.  "I been lookin all over for you.  What in the world are you doin' up here?"

 

"I was drawin'."

 

"Drawin'?  Drawin' what?"  Ellie asks.

 

"Just look at that down there, Ellie,"  Garrison says.  "Did ya ever see anything so pretty in your life as this ranch after it snows?"

 Barbara Southworth opens the oven in the kitchen at Southfork and, using a towel, takes out a pan of homemade bread, placing it on the table.  A second later, Barbara's husband, Aaron Southworth, walks into the house, dressed in a heavy coat that has snow on it.  

 

"Whew!"  Aaron says.  "Sure is cold out there.  This has been the coldest December I can remember.  Wouldn't be surprised if it snowed again tonight."

 

"Oh, I hope it does,"  Barbara says.  "The children would love a white Christmas."

 

"Oh, Barbara, you baked a pan of bread.  I was hopin' we'd have some of your homemade bread for supper."

 

"Well, I guess after 14 years of marriage, I must be able to read your mind,"  Barbara says.

 

"Where's Ellie and Garrison?"  Aaron asks.

 

"Oh, Garrison was out someplace and I sent Ellie out lookin' for him.  I told her not to wander too far, though."

 "Ah, Garrison's prob'ly out daydreamin' somewhere,"  Aaron says.  "I just don't understand that boy.  Always got his head in the clouds.  Tried to get him to go huntin' with me, but he come up with some excuse not to go."

 

"Aaron, go easy on the boy,"  Barbara says.  "Garrison is NOT you.  He has different interests."

 

"That's for sure.  But, anyway, we're havin' comp'ny for supper."

 

"Oh?  Who?"  Barbara asks.

 

 

"I hear you say we're havin' company for supper tonight?"  Asks Aaron's mother, Alice Southworth, as she walks into the kitchen.

 

"That's right, Mama."

 

"Well, who is it?"

 

"Y'all remember me talkin' about my old army buddy, Henry Barnes?"

 

"Yes, of course,"  Barbara replies.

 

"I vaguely remember the name,"  says Alice.

 

"Well, he's comin' to supper, with his boy, and they're gonna be stayin' for a little while."

 

"Aaron, why didn't you tell me this sooner?"  Barbara asks.

 

"Because I wasn't sure until today that Henry was comin' before Christmas.  But I got a wire from him today.  He and his boy are gonna be arrivin' in Braddock on the train this afternoon, and I'm goin' to pick 'em up.  Henry needs a job and a place for him and his boy to stay, so, I told him I'd hire him on as a hand.  Least I could do.  Henry and me were real close durin' the war, both of us so far away from our homes and our families.  He's havin' a real hard time right now.  His wife just died a couple months ago, and he lost his farm over in McKinney."

 

"I'm real sorry to hear that.  I'll cook up somethin' special for supper, and we'll make Mr. Barnes and his son feel right at home."

 

Aaron smiles at his wife.  "I appreciate that," he says, then kisses her as Garrison and  Ellie come into the house.  "Well, now, where've you two been?"

 

"I found Garrison up on Possum Ridge,"  Ellie replies.  

 

"Up there daydreamin' again, boy?"  Aaron asks.  

 

Garrison lowers his head, as if shamed by his father's question.  Barbara Southworth looks at her son with sympathy.  "Garrison, you and Ellie go out and feed Blackie and Shep,"  she says.

 

"Yes, ma'am,"  Garrison says.  "C'mon, Ellie."

 

Barbara watches as the two children leave the house by the kitchen door.  "You really have to berate him like that?"  Barbara asks her husband.

 

"I wasn't beratin' the boy,"  Aaron says.  "I just asked a question.  I've seen him go up on that hill and just sit there for hours, lookin' out over the horizon at nothin'."

 

"He's thinkin',"  Alice Southworth says.  "Garrison's always thinkin'."

 

"Thinkin'?  Thinkin' about what?"

 

"Lord only knows,"  Barbara says.  "But I have  a feelin' Garrison's gonna be somethin' special one day.  A writer, or a poet, or maybe even a painter."

 

"He'd be better off bein' a rancher like me, and like my Daddy before me."

 

"Aaron......."

 

"Okay, okay.  I won't say another word.  I got some work to do anyway before I gotta go into Braddock to pick up Henry and his son."  Aaron walks over to his wife.  "I'll see you later."

 

Barbara nods.  Aaron kisses  her, then leaves.  Barbara and her mother-in-law exchange smiles.  

 

"Well, if we're havin' special company for supper, we'd best get busy figurin' out what we're gonna cook,"  Alice says.  

Meanwhile....

 

 

While Garrison fills a bucket with feed, Ellie climbs up on the fence.  "Blackie!  Shep!"  She calls to two horses.  "Blackie!  Shep!"  The two beautiful animals trot over to where Ellie is standing on the fence.  Ellie begins rubbing one of the horse.  "Hey, boy."

 

Garrison comes over with the bucket of feed and pours it into a large trough.  "There y'all go,"  the boy says.  He and Ellie watch the two animals as they begin eating the feed.  "Y'know, Ellie, horses are lucky."

 

"Lucky?  Lucky how?"  Ellie asks.

 "Think about it,"  says Garrison.  "They don't have nothin' to worry about.  All they gotta do is eat.  Everything else is taken care of for 'em."

 

"Well, yeah, they're horses,"  Ellie says.  

 

"That's what I mean.  They got no worries.  Sometimes, I wish I could be a horse.  Or maybe a wild animal and just run free."

 

Ellie looks at her brother and shakes her head.  "Garrison, sometimes you say the weirdest stuff."  The little girl climbs down from the fence and heads off toward the house in a run as Garrison continues to watch the horses eat.

Downtown Braddock, Texas....late afternoon....

 Late that afternoon, Aaron Southworth's Ford pulls up in front of the train depot in downtown Braddock and parks.  Getting out of the car, Aaron begins to make his way to the depot when he sees his old friend, Henry Barnes, waiting.  Aaron smiles, and the two men meet each other on the depot steps.  

 

"Aaron,"  Henry says.

 

"Henry Barnes, you ol' dog,"  says Aaron, embracing his old friend.  "Good to see ya."

 

"Good to see you, too, Aaron.  I can't thank ya enough for what you're doin' for me.  Givin' me and my boy a place to stay and a job."

 

"Think nothin' of it.  Least I can do.  Speakin' of your boy, where is he?"  Aaron asks.

 

"Oh, he's around someplace,"  Henry says.  "WILLARD!"

 

Across the way, a young boy turns around and looks in the direction of Henry and Aaron.  Picking up a bag, the boy walks over to them.  

 

"Aaron, this is my son, Willard.  Willard, this is Mr. Aaron Southworth you've heard me talk about."

 

"Willard,"  Aaron says, extending his hand to the boy.  Willard hesitates a moment,then shakes the man's hand.  

 

"Well, grab your bags and let's get a move on,"  Aaron says.  "Roads are kinda icy, so it's gonna take us a little while to get to the ranch.  Barbara'll have supper waitin'."

 

"Good, cause I'm hungry enough to eat a horse,"  Henry says as he, Aaron, and Willard begin walking to Aaron's car.

 

"Some things never change,"  Aaron says.  

Southfork....later....

 That evening, Aaron, Barbara, Garrison, Ellie, Alice, Henry, and Willard are having dinner in the Southfork dining room.  "Henry, would you like some more pot roast?"  Barbara asks.

 

"I'd love some, thank you," Henry replies.  "This meal is the best I've had in a long, long time."

 

"Well, thank you."

 

"My Mama's the best cook anywhere,"  Ellie says.  

 

"She sure is, darlin',"  Henry says to the girl.

 

"Mr. Barnes, what line of work are you in?"  Alice Southworth asks.  "I mean, before my son hired you on here as a hand."

 

"Well, Miz Southworth, I've done a lot of things,"  Henry says.  "I worked on the Double E Ranch down near Houston for a little while, and before that, I had a farm in McKinney.  But, drought and a run of bad luck and, well, I lost the farm right after my wife died."

 

"I'm sure sorry to hear about your wife," Barbara says.  

 

"Thank you, Miz Southworth."

 

"Please,call me Barbara."

 

Henry nods and smiles.  "Okay, Barbara.  It was real hard on both me and Willard here.  The boy was real close to his Mama.  So was my little girl, Maggie, but thank God she's still too young to fully understand that her Mama died."

 

"You have a little girl?"  Ellie asks.

 

"I sure do,Ellie."

 

"How old is she?  Where is she?"

 

"She's just 6-years-old,"  Henry says.  "Maggie is bein' cared for by the nuns at St. Mary's Convent over in Fort Worth."

 

"How come she don't live  with you?"  Garrison asks.

 

"Garrison!"  Barbara scolds her son.

 

"It's alright, Barbara.  I just thought the nuns could provide a better life for my little girl than I could, at least right now."

 

"Willard, you sure are awful quiet over there,"  Aaron says.

 

The boy remains silent and lowers his head.  

 

"Willard, Mr. Southworth's talkin' to you, boy,"  Henry says.  

 

"Sorry,"  the boy says.  

 

"Willard, you've hardly touched your dinner,"  Barbara says.  "Don't you like pot roast?"

 

"Yes, ma'am, it's fine.  I'm just not hungry, I guess."

 

"Mama, can Willard and me be excused?"  Garrison asks.  "I wanna show him my train set up in my room."

 

Barbara looks at her son with a smile.  "Well, I suppose so, if you're finished with your supper."

 

"Come on, Willard,"  Garrison says, getting up from the table.

 

Willard looks at his father, as if silently asking permission to leave the table.  "You go on, son,"  Henry says, and Willard gets up, too, and leaves the room with Garrison.  

 

"Can I go too, Mama?"  Ellie asks.

 

"Of course you can," Barbara replies, and the little girl gets up and follows the boys out of the room and up the stairs.

 

"Couple real fine kids ya got there, Aaron,"  says Henry.  

 

"Well, we sure think so,"  Aaron says.  "Willard seems like a fine boy, too."

 

"Thank you.  He's had a hard time since his Mama passed.  That's why he's so quiet.  Aaron, Barbara, I really wanna thank y'all for havin' us here.  Until now, I really wasn't sure where we were gonna go or what we were gonna do."

 

"Think nothin' of it, Henry.  Least I can do after all we went through together durin' the war."

 

Henry smiles.  "Well, we had some good times and some bad times  back then.  I try to remember the good ones and forget the bad."

 

Aaron looks at his friend and nods. 

 

"Well, if everybody's finished their supper, why don't we adjourn to the livin' room for desert?"  Barbara suggests.  "Alice made some Christmas desserts, special for tonight."

 

"That sounds good,  but I honestly don't know where I'd put it,"  Henry says.  

 

"Trust me, Henry, you'll wanna find room,"  Aaron says.  "My Mama makes the best pastries you'll ever taste."

Southfork....the next morning....Christmas Eve....

 "Christmas Eve,"  Barbara Southworth says as she throws the curtains of her and Aaron's bedroom open the next morning.  "Oh, I do LOVE the Christmas holidays.  Especially this year that we have a white Christmas.  Somethin' we haven't seen in a long time."

 

"I know,"  Aaron says as he puts on his tie.  "I'll try to be home early this evenin' from Dallas."

 

Barbara sighs.  "I wish you didn't have to go to that stupid Cattlemen's Association meetin', and on Christmas Eve, too."

 

"I know.  Why in the hell they decided to have this meetin' on Christmas Eve is beyond me.  But I'll do my best to cut out early and be home in time to trim the tree with Garrison and Ellie."

 

"Gonna hold ya to that,"  Barbara says, kissing him.

The living room....a few minutes later....

 Aaron comes down the stairs a few minutes later and finds his mother in the living room decorating the Christmas tree with Garrison and Ellie.  "I thought we were gonna do the tree tonight,"  Aaron says.

 

"Oh, I just thought the younguns and me would go ahead and  get it out of the way,"  says Alice.  "That way tonight, we can enjoy the tree and the festivities."

 

"And the tree will be ALL ready for Santa Claus,"  says Ellie.

 

"It sure will, honey,"  Aaron says.  "Mama, I think that was a mighty fine idea."

 

"Daddy, how you suppose Santa Claus delivers all them presents to all the boys and girls all over the world in one night?"  Garrison asks.

 

"Yeah, Daddy, how does he?"  Ellie asks.

 

Aaron looks at his son and daughter smiles. "Well, now, that's, uh.......that's a real good question.  See kids, Santa uses magic to slow time down, and that allows him all the time he needs to visit every boy and girl all over the world.  Least the ones that have been good.  Now, you two think you've been good enough for Santa to come here tonight and leave you some presents?"

 

"I know I have,"  Ellie says.

 

"And how 'bout you, Garrison?"  Aaron asks.

 

"I guess so."

 

"You two go on and get washed up for breakfast."  

 

"We'll finish the tree later,"  Alice says.  

 

Ellie and Garrison quickly leave the room.  "Tree sure is pretty, even if it's not finished,"  says Aaron. 

 

"I always did so enjoy decoratin' the tree at Christmas,"  Alice says.  "Remember when you were a little boy,

Aaron?  How we always use to do it together, the three of us.......you, me, and your Daddy.  You and your Daddy would go out into the woods and cut down the nicest tree you could find and bring it home and the three of us would spend the rest of the evening stringin' popcorn around it, and puttin' ornaments on."

 

Aaron smiles as he thinks back to his boyhood days.  "I remember.  Those were some happy times, Mama."

 

"They sure were.  Even after all these years he's been gone, I still miss your Daddy somethin' terrible, but never more than durin' the Christmas holidays.  I wish Enoch were here now."

 

"So do I, Mama.  Come on.  We'd best get to breakfast.  Got a long day ahead of me."

 

"Aaron, is somethin' wrong?"  Alice asks.  "All week now you've been actin' moody and  on edge.  Is somethin' botherin' you, son?"

 

"Well, to tell you the truth, Mama, there is somethin' botherin' me."

 

"And what is it?"

 

"Ah, it's this new president of the Cattlemen's Association, Hank Miller,"  Aaron says.  "He wants all the members of the Association to go into business, a contract, to sell our beef to a company called Wellington & Associates."

 

"Wellington?  Well, who are they?"  Alice asks.

 

"A company that has a hand in oil drillin', among other ventures.  And I will not do business of any kind to anyone associated with oil.  That's the biggest damned blight that ever was on this state and I'll have no part of it."

 

"Well,what does this mean?"

 

"If Hank Miller gets his way, the Cattlemens Association will vote to go into business with Wellington to sell their beef to them.  Wellington will buy the beef at a lower price than we could get on the open market, and then he'll turn around and sell it for a higher price than he paid for it.  I already talked to some of the boys in the Cattlemen's Association, and they don't see anything wrong with what Miller's doin'.  If that happens......."  Aaron pauses.  "Well, Mama, if they do listen to Miller and  decide to do business with Wellington, I'll leave the Association before I'll let one ounce of Southfork beef be undersold by that no account Wellington. That's why I'm goin' tothat meetin' this afternoon, Mama.  I've got to try to talk some sense into the other members before they make the biggest mistake of their lives."

 

"Aaron, why on Earth would the President of the Cattlemen's Association want to undercut his own members?"

 

"I been askin' myself that same question, and the only answer I can come up with is that Miller must be gettin' some sort of kick back from Wellington.  Some incentive.  Only thing is, I can't prove it.  Not yet, anyway."

 

"Well,  surely the other members must realize what Miller is up to,"  Alice says.

 

"Nah, they're too blinded by greed.  Times have been kinda hard and the beef market has been up and down lately.  No guarantee we'd be able to find a market when the time comes, so, they figure the best way to make some quick money for the winter is to do whatever Hank Miller says.  Just hope I can convince them to vote my way instead of Miller's."

 

Alice walks over to her son and puts her hand on his arm "Son, if anybody can talk some sense into those boys, it's you."

 

"Appreciate your confidence, Mama.  We best get in to breakfast."

Southfork....the stables....later....

 Later, that afternoon, while Ellie is lovingly brushing her horse in the stables, Garrison and Willard are raking up some hay in the stalls for the horses.

 

"I sure can't wait until tonight,"  Ellie says, continuing to brush her horse. 

 

"Not me.  It's tomorrow mornin' I can't wait for,"  says Garrison.

 

"How come?"  Willard asks.  "What's so special about tomorrow mornin'?"

 

"It's Christmas, silly,"  Ellie replies.  "And we get to see what Santy Claus brings us."

 

"Y'all still believe in that stuff? In Santy Claus?"

 

"Sure, don't you?"  Ellie asks.

 

"Nope."

 

"Well how come?"  Asks Garrison.

 

"He never brung me nothin'.  So why should I believe in him?"

 

"Santy Claus never brung you ANYTHING, Willard?"  Ellie asks.

 

"Nope.  Not the first blasted thing."

 

"Maybe you just aint been good, Willard,"  says Garrison.

 

"Oh, I been good.  Santy Claus didn't bring me nothin' 'cause there aint no such thing as Santy Claus in the first place."

 

"He always brings us lots of stuff,"  Ellie says.

 

"Don't y'all know nothin'?  Your Daddy and Mama bring you them presents.  Believin' in Santy Claus is kid stuff.  It's dumb."

 

"You better shut your mouth Willard Barnes,, or I'm gonna tell your Daddy on you!"  Ellie angrily says.

 

"Go ahead and tell him.  See if I care.  He aint gonna do nothin'.  He told me himself there aint no Santy Claus a long time ago."

 

"Don't pay him no mind, Ellie,"  says Garrison.  "He's just mad 'cause he don't get nothin'."

 

"Ellie!  Garrison!"  Barbara Southworth calls to her children from outside.  "You younguns come on in the house.  I need help makin' my cinnamon applesauce cake."

 

"Comin', Mama!"  Garrison yells back.  "Let's go, Ellie."

 

The little girl puts down her brush and follows her brother to the stable door, then she turns back to Willard.  "I hope Santy don't bring you NOTHIN', Willard Barnes.  Serve you right for sayin' he aint real!"

 

"Ellie, let's go,"  Garrison says, hurrying his sister along.  Ellie and Garrison hurry out of the stables and begin running toward the house.  "Come on, Ellie, I'll race ya!"  Garrison says to his sister as they run toward the house.

 

After the Southworth kids have gone, Willard continues raking up hay for the horses to keep warm.  "Santy Claus,"  he says quietly, to himself.  "Dumb kids."

 

Meanwhile, as Barbara Southworth returns to her stove in the kitchen, where she begins stirring a large pot of something on the stove, Garrison and Ellie run into the house.  Barbara gives them both a stern look.  "Now what have I told you younguns about runnin' in this house like a couple of wild animals?"

 

"Sorry, Mama,"  Garrison says.  

 

"That's alright, this time.  Garrison, I need you to get me that bag of apples down from the cupboard and start peelin' and cuttin' 'em up.  You'll find my big gray bowl under the sink. Use that to put the apples in after you cut 'em up."

 

"Yes, ma'am."

 

"What can I do, Mama?"  Ellie asks.  

 

"Oh, I got a BIG job for you, Eleanor.  You can help me stir, and later you can help me mix in the apples,"  Barbara says as her mother-in-law enters the kitchen.  

 

"Well, I guess I'd better get that turkey in the oven,"  Alice Southworth says.  "And then, Ellie, I'll get you to help me make my famous dressin'."

 

The little girl smiles widely.  "Sure, Grandma!"

 

"Mama, do you still believe in Santy Claus?"  Garrison asks.

 

"Well, of course I do,"  Barbara replies.  

 

"What about you, Grandma?"

 

"Why, yes, Garrison, I do,"  Alice says.

 

"Y'all really think he's real?  And that he's gonna come here tonight?"

 

 

"Why, Garrison Southworth, why in the world would you be askin' me such questions?"

 

"Willard says Santy Claus aint real,"  Garrison replies.

 

"He said he never got nothin' from Santy Claus,"  says Ellie.

 

"Well, it's no wonder that child never got any presents from Santa Claus, talkin' like that,"  Barbara says.  "Santa IS real, and you'll see in the mornin' when you wake up and you've got all those lovely presents waitin' for you under the tree."

 

"I kinda felt bad for Willard,"  Garrison says.  "Must be real sad, not gettin' any presents."

 

"Well, sounds to me like Willard Barnes neither wants any presents for Christmas, nor deserves any,"  Alice says.  "Barbara, I don't think that boy is suitable company for these two to be hangin' around.  Imagine, tellin' them there's no such thing as Santa Claus!  I'm good a mind to have a stern talkin' to with that youngster."

 

"Well, Alice, you've gotta realize that Willard hasn't had the kind of upbringin' that Garrison and Ellie have.  His Daddy always movin' around from here to there, and then the poor child losin' his Mama the way he did.  I think that all he needs is a little love and guidance.  And maybe some motherin'."

 

"Willard must be awful sad without a Mama,"  Ellie says.  

 

"I would imagine he is."

 

"I don't know what I would ever do without you, Mama."

 

Barbara looks at her young daughter, her heart filled with tenderness and love for the child.  "Oh, and I don't know what I would do without either of you,"  she says with a smile as she hugs Ellie tightly.  "Well, that's not somethin' that any of us will have to find out for a long, long time.  Now, we'd best get busy.  Your Daddy said he's gonna be home from Dallas early this evenin', and we best get workin' on Christmas Eve dinner if we're gonna have it finished by the time he gets here."

 

"Yes, Mama,"  Ellie says, looking up at her mother with a big smile.

Dallas....late afternoon....

"Gentlemen,"  Miller says.  "What I am offerin' you is a chance.  A chance to make a profit for the comin' cold winter months.  Wellington is offerin' to buy our beef at a top dollar price.  You hold out and refuse to do business with Wellington, and you may not find any buyers on the open market, and if that happens, you'll all be sittin' on all that beef all winter.  No money comin' in, and likely barns full of spoiled meat.  So what do you fellas say?  Do we tell Wellington we got a deal?"

 

"Let's take a vote,"  another man says.  "All those in favor........."

 

"Now hold on,"  Aaron says, standing from his seat.  "I got somethin' to say about this."

 

Hank Miller looks at him.  "Well, now, Aaron, let's hear what you have to say."

 

"Yeah, and make it quick, Southworth,"  says  the other man.  "Some of us wanna get home to spend Christmas Eve with our families."

 

"Don't worry, Johnson, I'll make this quick,"  Aaron says.  "If y'all go into this deal with Wellington, you'll be makin' one hell of a big mistake.  Now you fellas have known me a long time.  I been a member of this association for a long time.  But I don't like what I'm seein' here now, or what I been hearin'.  Hank Miller here is offerin' a quick way, and, he claims, a quick profit.  But I'm here to tell y'all right now that this man hadn't got our best interests at heart.  Let me tell you what's gonna happen if we go into this deal.  We sell our meat to Wellington at what seems to be a fair market price, then he turns around and sells it in his grocery stores for double, hell, even TRIPLE what he paid us for it.  He makes a big profit and gets richer, and we're left barely comin' out even."

 

"Aaron, you don't know what you're talkin' about,"  another rancher says.  "Hank wouldn't do that to us. He's the one makin' the deal.  He'd lose out, too, same as everybody else here."

 

"Yeah!"  The other men in the room echo.

 

"Not if he's already made his own deal with Wellington for a piece of the profit,"  Aaron says.

 

 

"Now just a damned minute, that's a hell of an accusation, Southworth!"  Miller says.  

 

"Yeah, you got any proof of that, Aaron?" One man asks.

 

"Not concrete proof, no."

 

"Then why should we believe a word of what you're sayin'?"

 

"You shouldn't,"  Miller says.  "You shouldn't listen to anything Southworth has to say."

 

"Yeah, Aaron, maybe you can afford to hold out, but a lot of us can't, especially with winter comin'."

"Alright now just hold on a minute,"  says another man, a friend of Aaron's.  "I, for one, would like to hear what Aaron has to say.  So let's let the man speak." 

 

''You would say that, Luke Haskins, seein' as how you and Aaron Southworth are such good friends," another man says.

 

"I wanna hear him out because what he said makes sense, and, like the rest of you, I've known Aaron Southworth a good many years, and in those years, I've taken a lot of advice from my friend Aaron, and he's never steered me wrong yet."

 

''I appreciate that, Luke,"  says Aaron.  ''Most of you in this room know  me well.  We been neighbors, friends over the years.  And y'all know that I've never been a very cautious man when it comes to takin' chances that might benefit me in some way.  Most of you also know how I feel about oil men and oil wells, and what oil does to the land.  To me it's the biggest blight the land has ever seen.  Wellington is involved in the oil business, among other ventures, includin' his chain of grocery stores.  Ben Wellington is a man out to make the biggest profit he can off the backs of workin' folks like us.  If we make this deal and sign a contract to sell to Wellington, he will undercut us.  He'll turn right around and sell our meat to the same people we could sell directly to ourselves, and at double or triple what he'll pay us for it.''

 

''And what if we can't sell our beef ourselves?"  One man asks.  "You know yourself how unstable the market was last year. Like Hank said, I could be left with a Barn full of beef I can't sell.  Aaron, you and Haskins have got the two biggest ranches anywhere around, so maybe you can afford to sit on all that meat all winter, but most of us in here aint nearly as well of as you, and we can't afford it."

 

"Yeah, that's right!"  The others in the room echo.  "You aint gotta worry about how you're gonna feed your family this winter like I do!"  One man says.  

 

"Well, Southworth,"  Hank Miller says.  "You heard the other members.  Looks like they're ready to make this deal."

 

"Well, I can guarantee y'all one thing,"  Aaron says.  "I won't be a part of this.  Y'all vote to do business with Wellington, then you can do it without me. No way in hell am I gonna sell one ounce of Southfork beef to a man like Wellington."

 

"And the same goes for me,"  says Luke Haskins.

 

"Now wait a minute!"  One man says.  "We can't make this deal without Southfork and the Haskins Ranch bein' a part of it, especially Southfork."

 

"You gentlemen bow out of this deal and Wellington just might wanna take his business someplace else,"  Hank Miller says.  "You'll be stabbin' your friends and neighbors in the back."

 

"I don't see it that way,"  Aaron says.  "What I'm tryin' to do is keep my friends and neighbors from gettin' cheated out of their hard earned money by the likes of you and Ben Wellington."

 

"How dare you, Southworth!  Need I remind you that I am the president of this Cattlemen's Association?"

 

"No, I don't have to be reminded of that. Another big mistake.  Gentlemen, the Cattlemen's Association needs a president that has all our best interests at heart, and I'm here to tell you right now that that man is NOT Hank Miller.  Now I've said my peace.  Southfork will not be a part of this deal with Wellington."

 

"And neither will my ranch,"  Luke Haskins says.  

 

"Look, I think we all just need to take a step back and calm down,"  another man says.  "Gentlemen, it's late afternoon, on Christmas Eve.  I think we should table this discussion, AND this vote until after Christmas."

 

"Wellington wants to make this deal as soon as possible,"  says Hank Miller.

 

"If he wants to deal with us that bad, then another couple days aint gonna make that big a difference to him," the man says.  

 

"I agree,"  says yet another member.  "I say we table this for now, go home and  enjoy Christ's birthday with our families, and meet back here in two days, the day after Christmas to vote on whether or not to go into this deal with Wellington.  That'll give us all a chance to think over what both sides have said here today."

 

"That's a fine idea, Matt,"  Luke Haskins says.  "How about it, Miller?"

 

Hank Miller looks around the room, an expression of anger on his face.  ''Alright, fine with me.  But I warn you gentlemen......if you lose this deal and hard times come this winter, you got nobody to blame for it but yourselves........and Aaron Southworth."

 

"I'll even make y'all a proposition,"  Aaron says.  "I'll do everything in my power to get your beef sold and at a much fairer price than Wellington is offerin' to pay.  And if for some reason this doesn't work out, and we can't sell our beef on the open market.........I'll assume the responsibility.  The financial responsibility."

 

"Aaron, do you realize what you're sayin'?"  Luke Haskins asks his friends.  "That could run into thousands of dollars."

 

"I know.  But I'm willin' to take that chance." 

 

"Well,  let's all go home, enjoy Christmas, think about Aaron's offer, and meet back here the day after Christmas.  Same time,"  Luke says.

 

"I move this meetin' be adjourned,"  another man says.

 

"Okay, then.  Meetin' adjourned,"  Hank Miller says.  

 

As the meeting ends, the men begin to disperse and talk among themselves.  "Aaron, I sure hope you know what you're doin',"  one man says as he walks up to Aaron.

 

"So do I,"  says another man.  "We got a lot ridin' on this."

 

"I know, Tom.  I know,"  says Aaron.  "Y'all have a Merry Christmas."

 

"You, too, Aaron.  And same to your family."

 

"Well, Aaron, old friend,"  Luke Haskins says.  "Let's just hope and pray we did the right thing."

 

"We did, Luke.  I'm sure of it."

 

"You wanna join me over at the speakeasy for a drink 'fore ya head on home?"

 

"No thank ya, Luke,"  Aaron says.  "I told Barbara I'd be home early.  She and Mama should have Christmas Eve dinner just about ready by the time I get back to Southfork.  You bring your wife and younguns over tomorrow for a visit."

 

"Will do.  Merry Christmas to you and the family,"  Luke says.

 

"Same to you, Luke,"  Aaron says. 

 

As Aaron is about to leave, Hank Miller approaches him.  "You're makin' a real big mistake, Southworth.  A REAL big mistake."

 

"Time will tell, Miller,"  Aaron says, then quickly leaves.  

Southfork....

 By late afternoon, the temperature was dropping and heavy winds were sweeping across Southfork.  Inside the mansion, Barbara Southworth, Garrison, Ellie, and Alice continue to cook dinner.  At the stove, Ellie is standing on a stool stirring something in a large pot when her mother walks over.  "Okay, the apples are ready,"  Barbara says.  

 

"Sure smells good, Mama,"  Ellie says.  

 

"Everything smells good,"  Barbara says.

 

"One of the things I've always loved most about Christmas is the smells,"  Alice Southworth says.  "The food cookin' in the oven, the smell of the tree,.......oh, it takes me back."

 

"Takes ya back where, Grandma?"  Ellie asks.

 

"Back to my girlhood days, Eleanor.  When I was no older'n you, I would be in the kitchen all day Christmas Eve helpin' my Mama prepare Christmas dinner."

 

"Kinda like what we're doin' now,"  Garrison says.  

 

"Yes, Garrison, that's right.  It warms my heart to see my own grandchildren doin' the same thing I use to do as a girl."

 

"Mama, when's Daddy comin' home?"  Ellie asks.

 

Barbara looks at the clock.  "Your Daddy ought to be home any time now,"  she replies.  

 

"I think this is gonna be the best Christmas ever,"  Garrison says.

 

"And I think so, too,"  Barbara says as the wind gusts can be heard from outside, even inside the kitchen.  The smile fades from Barbara's face at the sound of the wind.  "That wind sure is whoopin' it out there.  I wish Aaron would hurry up and get home."  Privately, Barbara is worried about Aaron traveling home from Dallas in this wind, snow, and ice.

Meanwhile....

 Aaron is traveling the treacherous, snow and ice covered road between Dallas and Southfork Ranch, his car occasionally skidding on the road.  Aaron is anxious to get home to spend Christmas Eve with his family, but he also realizes that he has to be careful driving on the icy road.  As he continues on toward Southfork, Aaron's car suddenly hits a patch of ice in the road, and begins to slide.  He struggles to maintain control of the Model T Ford, but he loses control, hitting another patch of ice which causes the car to slide even more erratically from one side of the road to the other.  Aaron continues to struggle with the vehicle for what seems to him to be several minutes, 

the car finally careening off the road.  As Aaron watches helplessly and in horror, his car goes down an embankment and lands in a small pond at the bottom of  the embankment.  The car comes to a rest near the edge on the pond, the passenger side leaning into the water.  As the car had crashed down the embankment, the driver's door had been severely bent, as had the front of the vehicle.  Aaron struggles to open his driver's door, but because it is bent so badly, he is unable to get it open.  He then realizes that his leg is trapped between the door and the steering wheel.  He tried to move, but each time he does, he can feel the car begin to sink more into the water.  In terrible pain from his leg, Aaron realizes that if he doesn't get out of this car soon, he will die right here on this Christmas Eve night!

Southfork....a short time later....

  Almost half an hour later, darkness has fallen over Southfork and the temperature continues to fall into the 20s.  Barbara Southworth stands at the window looking out.  After a moment, Barbara walks to the door and opens it, a blast of bitterly cold air rushing into the house.  Barbara shivers, then quickly closes the door.  ''It's gettin' colder out there,''  she says.  

 

''I know, and I'm worried,''  Alice says.  ''Aaron should have been home more than an hour ago.''

 

"Mama, is Daddy alright?"  Ellie asks.

 

"Why, yes, darlin', of course your Daddy's alright,"  replies Barbara.  "I'm sure he's on his way right now."

 

"I thought he'd be here by now,"  Garrison says.

 

"Me too," says Ellie.  "Mama, I'm worried."

 

"Now, listen to me, the both of you.  Your Daddy is just fine, and probably on his way as we speak.  He's just prob'ly havin' to drive that car of his real slow in this weather, that's all.  Tell you what.  Ellie, why don't you and Garrison go and make some more popcorn to string on the tree?"

 

"Come on, younguns,"  Alice says.  "I'll help."

 

"You two go with your Grandma, now,"  Barbara says.  Reluctantly, Garrison and Ellie follow their grandmother out of the room.  Barbara again walks to the window and looks out, deeply worried that something has happened to Aaron in this icy weather.  

Meanwhile....five miles from Southfork....

 

In great pain from his leg being pinned, Aaron has remained still for several minutes, but he knows he has to somehow try to free himself, or he will either freeze to death or eventually drown.  But as he begins  to move to attempt to free his leg, the car begins to slip.  Aaron quickly stops moving, knowing that any movement now might cause the car to slide on into the water and sink, and  if that happens, he's finished!  He closes his eyes.  "Dear Lord,"  he begins to pray.  "Please.......PLEASE help me out here. Don't let me die here.  Not tonight.  Not like this.  Don't let my kids lose their Daddy on Christmas."

Southfork

 Barbara Southworth continues to stand at the living room window at Southfork and look out, hoping to see Aaron's car drive up any second.  As she stands there, Garrison walks into the room.  

 "Mama,"  the boy says.  "I'm real worried about Daddy.  How come he's not home yet?"

 

"Oh, Garrison, could be any number of reasons,"  replies Barbara.  "The roads are bad, so your Daddy is prob'ly havin' to drive 5 miles an hour to get here.  Or, the meetin' might've run longer."

 

Just then, a knock comes at the door.  "Maybe that's Daddy!"  Garrison excitedly says.  

 

Hoping that it is Aaron at the door, Barbara walks over and opens the door to find only Henry Barnes.  "Oh, Henry,"  she says.  Garrison sighs with disappointment and walks out of the room.  

 

''Barbara, I just come over to wish y'all a Merry Christmas, and to have a word with Aaron.''

 

"Henry, Aaron still hasn't come home yet,"  Barbara says, a worried tone in her voice.  

 

"What?  You mean he hadn't gotten back from Dallas yet?"

 

"No, and I'm terribly worried.  He should've been back nearly two  hours ago.  And the roads are so bad."

 

Don't worry.  I'll take my truck and go out lookin' for him,"  Henry says.

 

"Oh, Henry, would you?  Thank you so much."

 

"Sure, no problem.  I'll start right now.  I'll check the main road between here and Dallas.  He may be stuck somewhere in this snow."

 

"Thank you again, Henry,"  Barbara says.  

 

"Sure thing, ma'am.  Oh, uh, would you mind if I send Willard over here to stay while I'm gone?" Henry asks.  "Kinda hate to leave him alone at the bunkhouse."

 

"Of course, you send him right over."

 

Henry nods, then turns and leaves.  Barbara closes the door behind him, a worried look on her face.

Five miles west of Southfork....later....

 

 

Henry is driving a Southfork truck down the ice and snow covered road leading from Southfork to Dallas, driving ever so slow as he looks for his friend.  "Damn it, Aaron, where the hell are you?"  Henry asks to himself as he continues down the road.  

 

Meanwhile, Aaron remains trapped in his car in the frozen pond, the car teetering on the edge of the pond, the driver's side sticking up but the passenger side completely submerged, and the water inside the car beginning to rise.  In terrible pain from his trapped leg, Aaron continues to pray silently that rescue will come.  

Back at Southfork....

 Ellie watches as Garrison and Willard play a game of checkers on the living room floor.  Barbara remains at the window, looking out into the darkness, hoping to see her husband's car drive up.  Alice is sitting on the sofa, trying to do some knitting, but she, too, is so worried about her son that she is  hardly able to concentrate.  

 

 

''There, I win again,'' Willard says.  

 

''Yeah,''  a disappointed Garrison says with a sigh.  

 

''Me and my Daddy play checkers a lot.  Almost every night,''  Willard says.  "No way you can beat me."

 

"I don't wanna play anymore,"  Garrison says.

 

"Tired of losin'?"

 

"I'll play with ya, Willard,"  Ellie says.  

 

''Oh, this ought to be easy,''  Willard says.  

 

''Well, it's gettin' past 9:00,"  Alice says.  

 

''I guess we'd better put the dinner on the table,''  Barbara says.  ''These kids need to be fed so they can go to bed.''

 

"We gonna eat before Daddy comes home?"  Ellie asks.

 

"Yes.  You children need to be in bed soon."

 

"Mama, I don't wanna go to bed until Daddy gets home,''  Garrison says.

 

''Now, I want no argument from you, young man.  Your Daddy will be along soon.''

 

''You been sayin' that for over 2 hours.''

 

''Come on, children,''  Alice says.  ''Let's all go in the kitchen and have some turkey and dressin', and maybe a piece of your Mama's cake.  You come too, Willard.''

 

''Yes, ma'am, don't have to ask me twice,''  Willard says, getting to his feet.  

 

Alice and Barbara exchange worried looks between them as Alice leaves the room with the children, both of them scared to death that something terrible has happened to Aaron.  

Five miles west of Southfork....

 

Still trapped in the frozen waters of the pond, Aaron no longer feels pain in his leg, his body having gone numb from the frigid water.  He is now unable to move.  As he continues to hope and pray for rescue, Aaron has now come to terms with the very real possibility that he may die right here in this car in this icy water, that these might be his final moments on Earth.  

 

Meanwhile, up on the road, Henry is driving by when he sees a car pulled over on the side of the road, right at the spot where Aaron's car had gone over the embankment.  Henry also pulls over, coming to a stop behind the other car.  Getting out of the truck, Henry walks over to the embankment, where a man and a woman are standing.  "What's goin' on here?"  Henry asks.

 

"Looks like a car went off the road here,"  the man replies.  "I can't tell but, looks like it's in the water down there at the bottom."

 

Henry steps over some brush and climbs part way down the slippery embankment.  Looking at the water, he sees that a car is sitting on the edge of  a hole in the ice.  Looking a little closer, he sees that it is indeed his friend's car.  "Oh good Lord, Aaron,"  he says.  "I NEED SOME HELP DOWN HERE!"  He yells up to the other man.  Henry quickly climbs the rest of the way down the embankment to the pond.  "AARON!"  He yells.

 

"H.....Henry?"  Comes Aaron's voice from inside the car, sounding very weak.  "Henry Barnes, is that you?"

 

"YEAH, IT'S ME.  DON'T YOU WORRY, WE'RE GONNA GET YOU OUTTA HERE!"  Henry makes his way to the car just as the other man reaches the bottom of the embankment.  Henry looks in the window of the car and sees his friend.  "Aaron, are ya okay?"

 

Aaron looks up at him and smiles.  "Now what sorta fool question is that?  But, seriously, I'm a hell of a lot better'n I was a minute ago.  I didn't think anybody'd find me down here til I was already dead."

 

"I'm gonna get you out,"  Henry says.   He tries to open the driver's door, but finds it stuck due to the car frame being bent.  "Damn, it's stuck.  Aaron, can you move?"

 

"No.  My leg's pinned between the damned door and steerin' wheel."

 

"How we gonna get him outta there?"  The other man asks.  

"Mister, go up to my truck, and look and see aint there a crowbar on the back of the truck.  Bring it down to me."

 

The man nods, then walks away, climbing his way back up the embankment.

 

"Some Christmas Eve, huh?"  Aaron asks.

 

"Yeah, well, it aint over yet, old friend.  This is gonna be a great Christmas, once I get you outta here and back home.  Your wife and kids are worried sick about you.  So was I when Barbara told me you hadn't made it home yet.  How long you been down here?"

 

"Hell, I don't know,"  Aaron replies.  "Seems like hours.  I'm freezin'."

 

"Yeah, I'll bet,"  Henry says.  He again tries to force the door open with his hand, but as he does, he feels the car slip further into the pond.  "Damn car's slippin'."

 

"I know.  Every time I'd  try to move to get out, it kept slidin'."

 

"Well, just stay calm.  I'll get you out as quick as I can.  I know I seen a crowbar on the back of that truck."

 

"Henry, Henry, listen to me,"  Aaron says.  "If anything happens to me......if I don't make it outta this damned mess I got myself into, I want you to promise me you'll take care of Barbara and my kids for me."

 As the children sit quietly listening to a Christmas broadcast on the radio, Barbara is still standing at the window

looking out.  Alice walks over to the window and also looks out into the darkness of the night.  "Henry's been gone an awful long time now, too,"  Alice says.

 

Barbara sighs.  "I know."  

 

Alice turns to her daughter-in-law.  "Barbara, dear, maybe you should call Sheriff Wainwright."

 

"I was just thinkin' the same thing,"  Barbara says.  "Alright, children, time to be off to bed."

 

"Bed?  But Mama......"  Garrison says.  

 

"But nothin', it's gettin' late.  Now come on.  Willard, you can stay the nigh here.  You can share Garrison's room."

 

"Yes, ma'am,"  says Willard.  

 

"Mama, do we HAVE to go to bed now?"  Ellie asks.

 

"Yes, you do if you want Santa Claus to come."

 

"I'd rather Daddy come home,"  Ellie says.  

 

"I know, sweety.  But your Daddy will be home by the time you get up in the mornin'.  Now off with you."

 

After the three children head up the grand staircase to bed, Barbara walks over to the telephone mounted on the wall and picks up the receiver.  "Susie,"  Barbara says to the operator.  "Susie, connect me to Sheriff Wainwright's office right away.  Oh, wait, no. It's Christmas Eve so he's likely at home.  Connect me with the Sheriff's house."

 

Alice looks out the window again and sees headlights coming toward the house.  "Barbara, somebody's comin'."

 

"Susie, nevermind,"  Barbara says to the telephone operator, then hangs up.  She rushes to the window and sees the truck come to a stop in front of the house.  "It's Henry,"  she says.  She and Alice rush to the front door.  Barbara throws the door open just as Henry is helping Aaron to the house.  "Aaron!"  Barbara happily says.  

 

"Oh, praise be!"  Alice says.  

 

"Help me get him in,"  Henry says.  

 

Barbara and Henry get on each side of Aaron and help him into the house.  They take him to a chair by the fire and sit him down.  

 

"Aaron, what happened?"

 

"Car hit an ice patch and went off the road,"  Aaron says shivering.  "I crashed into the pond.  Stayed there for what seemed like hours. I'd have been dead if Henry here hadn't found me just in time."

 

"My God, you must be frozen, the both of you,"  Alice says.

 

"I sure am."

 

"I'll get some blankets.  Warm yourself by the fire, Henry."

 

"Aaron,your leg,"  Barbara says.

 

"Yeah, it got banged up pretty bad.  I was trapped when I was pinned between the door and steerin' wheel."

 

"Henry, I can't thank you enough for what you did,"  says Barbara.  "If you hadn't found Aaron......"

 

"He'd have done the same for me,"  says Henry.  

 

"Darn right, I would,"  Aaron says.  "Henry, I'm forever in your debt.  And I just want you to know that, as a repayment, you and your boy will never have to worry about a place to stay again.  You'll both always have a home here at Southfork."

 

Henry looks at his friend and smiles  "Thank you, my friend."

 

"DADDY!!"  Ellie yells as she and Garrison come down the stairs, followed by Willard.  

 

"Well, there's my princess,"  Aaron says.  

 

Ellie runs to her father and hugs him tightly.  "Daddy, I'm so glad you're home!"

 

"So am I, sweetheart.  So am I."  Aaron looks up and sees his son.  "Garrison,"  he says.

 

 

 

"Welcome home, Daddy,"  Garrison says.

 

"Thank ya.  Come here, boy."

 

Garrison hurries over to his father and the two hug each other tightly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"This is the best Christmas ever, Daddy,"  Ellie says, looking at her father with a smile.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aaron looks at his daughter with a smile.  Aaron looks at Barbara and smiles, so happy to be alive and home safely with his family that he has forgotten the pain in his injured leg.  "That it is, Eleanor,"  he says.  "That, it is."

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********RETURN TO PRESENT************

 

 

"And that truly was the best Christmas ever,"  Bobby says, reading from Miss Ellie's journal.  "At least the best Christmas of my childhood because my Daddy had come home to us.  And even though I didn't find out until some years later just how close my Daddy had come to death that Christmas Eve, somehow, even at 10-years-old I knew that him comin' home to us that night was a miracle and the answer to a lot of prayers.  That Christmas changed all our lives, and for the better.  As a repayment for saving his life, Daddy gave Henry Barnes a parcel of land on Southfork to make a permanent home for himself and Willard.  Daddy turned out to be right about Hank Miller.......he was in on a scheme with Wellington to cheat the ranchers and come out of the deal with a huge kickback for himself.  As a result, Miller was kicked out of the Cattlemen's Association, and Daddy was elected President, a position he held for the rest of his life."

 

"Wow, that's quite a history,"  Ann says.  

 

"It sure is,"  Val says.

"Okay, let me get this straight,"  says Christopher.  "Henry Barnes was Digger's father, and Cliff's grandfather?"

 

"That's right."

 

"And he once saved your grandfather's life?"

 

"Yes, he did,"  Bobby says.  "And if it hadn't been for that, none of us would be here right now."

 

"How do you figure that, Uncle Bobby?"  Alex asks.

 

Bobby looks at him and takes off his reading glasses. "Well, if Henry Barnes hadn't saved Grandpa Southworth's life that Christmas Eve, then Grandpa probably never would've given him that land on Southfork, Digger never would've fallen in love with my Mama, and probably never would've met my Daddy, and Daddy never would've met Mama, since the two of them met when Daddy came to Southfork with his friend Digger."

 

"And,  and all these Ewings spread all over creation wouldn't even be alive today,"  says Gary.

 

"You're right, Gary,"  Bobby says.  "None of us would be here today."

 

Christopher smiles as he shakes his head.  "It's pretty hard to imagine that the entire Ewing family owes its existence to the Barnes family."

 

"You're right, son, it is,"  says Bobby.  "It's also pretty amazing how one event like what happened that Christmas Eve back in 1925 can change the course of events for so many people.  Even change history.  I guess Mama was right when she said that was the best Christmas ever."

 

Ann takes a seat on the arm of Bobby's chair and puts her arm around his shoulder.  Bobby looks up at her, takes her hand. and smiles as Christopher takes his grandmother's journal and begins flipping through the pages as Alex, Michael, and Jacob look over his shoulder, curious about their family heritage.

END OF EPISODE 214....