The Baldwin Sisters

This is a scene in A Walton Thanksgiving Reunion, and I think the Baldwin ladies have an absolute gem of a line. Remember that they are getting on in age and are quite frail. They have been arrested and put into jail for making bootleg whisky, and John, being John, went down to the jail with Mary Ellen, and insisted that they be released.

To show their gratitude, they have made John a cake, with some of the recipe in the icing. As they drive the car into the Walton driveway, John is standing on the porch, watching in amazement as the car swerves to the side and into a bush at the side of the driveway. Naturally he races over to see if the ladies are hurt at all, and to find out what happened.

Miss Mamie reassures him that they are not hurt, and that "we often use a convenient bush for stopping." Miss Emily adds "Saves wear and tear on the brakes you know."

They say it all so seriously and it just makes me laugh every time I see it and see them in this really big car, heading straight for the bush so that they can stop!

Another reference is made to them driving in A Walton Wedding, when they tell Ike that they have made a big batch of the recipe for John Boy's wedding and that they are going to take it there themselves. Miss Mamie mentions that they will need to get the car out again and learn how to drive it again! Miss Emily adds that she will be navigating. It's probably a good thing that John Boy's wedding was eventually held at home on Waltons Mountain!