Ep.20 - The Outsider

Synopsis:

A red convertible pulls up late in the night in front of the Walton house. Ben honks the horn and he and his new wife Cindy get out and he carries her over the threshold and proclaims his new marital status to his family who have all been woken and come downstairs from bed. Ben says they drove all the way to Altan, Maryland where they didn’t need to be 21 or require a wedding license to get married. They didn’t think that his Daddy would mind that they eloped because he eloped with Ben’s Mama when they were young too. Ben introduces Cindy to his family. She says that she has never had brothers or sisters of a grandma before. She then tosses her bouquet and Elizabeth picks it up after it drops to the ground. They say goodnight and sleep in the shed. After they leave Daddy admits that she is quite pretty. Grandma replies “Oh boy!” As they retire for night Elizabeth wonders if she will be next to marry after picking up the bouquet.

The next morning Ben comes into the kitchen and his Daddy asks why they got married. Ben says that he loves Cindy and that they had to get married before they lost control and made mistakes. His Daddy is upset that he didn’t let the family get to know her first. He figured his Daddy would have just said “no” if he asked for permission first.

Ben brings Cindy breakfast in bed. He tells her that he talked to his Mama. She wonders how she took the news and he said that she calmed down after she found out that they didn’t “have to” get married. He admits that it is her red convertible that gives people the wrong idea about her. She knows that but it was a gift from her father before he went overseas for the war. Cindy is an only child and her mother has already passed away. Cindy asks Ben where the bathroom is and he embarrassed that he forgot to tell her that it is in the house. He says that he will build her a bathroom in the shed and she wants to decorate the shed as their new home.

John and Ben work in the Mill. John asks his son if he plans on spending anytime with his bride. Ben says that he thought his family was angry with him but his Daddy explains that they are more hurt that Ben didn’t include them in his plans. Cindy returns from picking up her belongings and doing some shopping. Ben gets upset when he sees the price of the record player she bought and they end up having their first fight. Mary Ellen overhears them as she brings them fresh bedding. She talks to Cindy after Ben storms off. She invites Cindy and Ben to a special dinner that evening.

The family gathers for dinner. John decides to take a rare turn at saying grace. Ben and Cindy make up during dinner. Afterwards the family gives Ben and Cindy wedding presents. Jim-Bob is the last and has a tub, sink and toilet that he picked up from Buck Vernon Junkyard for their new bathroom.

Ben and Cindy dance to the music from the new record player.

The next day Cindy tries to hang new curtains she has attempted to make for the shed. Ben is surprised that she has used the material that Mary Ellen had set aside for a new table cloth. He says that he has other ideas for the curtains and wants to pick out different material at Ike’s store.

Ben sees the progress that Cindy has made cleaning up the shed and hanging the new curtains. He invites her out for dinner and a movie that evening.

Cindy takes her time having a bath in preparation for her dinner and movie date with Ben. The Walton siblings get upset waiting to use the bathroom. Ben intervenes and yells at Cindy through the door asking her to hurry up and be more considerate of the others who need to use the bathroom as well.

Ben yells at Cindy through the shed door. She puts on a record to drown out his shouting.

John finds his son sitting on the front porch. He suggests that time and space is what is needed to find the answers to the problems in his new marriage.

The next morning Ben comes into the kitchen and announces that Cindy is moving out. Grandma tells him to follow her. She is now gonna set things right. His Daddy tells Ben that he needs to listen to Grandma just like he needs to listen to Cindy being a man doesn’t mean he makes all the orders. Grandma enters the shed and gives Cindy a broom to swat Ben with. She says that his Grandpa was an “old fool” and he is a “young fool” Cindy takes her cue and chases Ben around the yard and pokes him with the broom. She airs her grievances with him stating that she should be allowed to help make meals and do her share around the house. She also states that if they are going to live in the shed together that they both need to make it theirs and not just his that he shouldn’t be the only one to make the decisions. She just wants to be herself. He understands and they make up.

Ike learns from Miss Fannie that Ben has married Cindy. Corabeth doesn’t want to hear about his gossip instead she tells him about the water fountain she saw on the Browning Estate in Doe Hill when she was a young girl. It is now for sale and she asks Mr. Godsey to go ascertain the price and buy it for her. She then asks Mr. Godsey about his news and immediately calls Miss Fannie for more gossip about Ben.

Later that evening Corabeth and Ike arrive at the Walton home and ask to borrow John’s truck to move the water fountain. Corabeth hopes to meet the new bride but Mary Ellen says that they have already gone out to the shed and shouldn’t be disturbed.

Ike returns from Doe Hill and says that he bought the whole fountain for $15 but that it isn’t as big as Corabeth remembered. She knows something isn’t right and goes out to see what he brought back. It is a small fountain with a cherub. She states that he didn’t buy the right one and doesn’t what to ever see it again. She returns inside upset that another one of her dreams have been shattered.

Ike engages a few men to help arrange a surprise for Corabeth. He goes inside the store and asks her to join him for a nighttime stroll. She is already in her housecoat but follows him outside where he has turned the small cherub fountain into a much larger 3 tiered fountain which he has lit with lighting. Corabeth is pleased beyond words.

• Cindy's father is a colonel in the U.S. army; her mother died a couple of years ago.
• Cindy's red convertible was a gift from her father when he went overseas.
  
• Cindy's maiden name is Brunson, although it is learned in "The Carousel" (s9-ep10) that she was adopted.
• When the character Cindy Brunson previously appeared as Ben's girlfriend in "Day of Imfamy" (s7-ep10) she was portrayed by actress Robin Eisenmann.
• This episode marks a significant achievement for actress Ellen Corby who managed to deliver a number of lines in one episode since her stroke.