Ep.15 - The Victims

Synopsis:

Kenny and Laurie Ellis have just returned from their honeymoon and have stopped at Ike’s store for gas and groceries.. Erin is surprised to see her . Laurie used to work with Erin at Picket Metal Products. Kenny has returned from serving in the war now drives truck and is gone for days at a time. It seems that Kenny has some unresolved anger issues.

Jason and John-Boy enjoy a beer at the Dew Drop Inn. Kenny Ellis comes in and asks for a beer. Jason introduces him to John-Boy stating that they are renting Mary Ellen’s old place. Kenny says that he is glad to be back home from the war and married to his wife. John-Boy realizes that he used to tutor Laurie in English. He says that she couldn’t pay him so she help deliver copies of his paper The Blue Ridge Chronicle. Kenny becomes enraged after learning this news. He demands another beer but Jason refuses to serve him recognizing that he has already had too much to drink. John-Boy offers to drive him home which angers Kenny even further stating that he drove through bomb ridden Europe and he doesn’t need a ride from anyone. He wobbles out of the bar.

Mary Ellen gets a call from a friend saying that she heard lots of yelling and screaming coming from her old place. John-Boy who has arrived home informs them that Kenny had too much to drink and has a short fuse. They go over to investigate. Laurie is visibly shaken but makes up a story about hitting her head in the kitchen. Kenny paces back and forth inside while she tries to send the Waltons on their way. When she goes back inside Kenny grabs her by the hair and demands to know if she was sweet on John-Boy. The house in in shambles from his previous outburst. Laurie says that she loves Kenny which changes his demeanor back to tender and sweet. He kisses her and walks away. Laurie looks at him with fear and confusion.

The Waltons and Rose discuss the situation at the breakfast table. Rose says her son was sweet and kind until he drank and he then acted like Dr Jekyll and My. Hyde.

Jason stops by to check in on Laurie the next day. She says that he started drinking during the war but she believes he will stop soon. Kenny returns home with a bouquet of violets for Laurie. He says that he is scheduled to leave in a few hours for a long haul job. He apologizes for hitting her. He says that he feels like he turns into someone else. She asks him to promise not to do that again.

Kenny gets fired from his job when he shows up late for the job. He beats up Laurie and trashes the house. Erin and John-Boy find her unconscious in her living room. They bring her back to their place and Mary Ellen tends to her bruises and wounds. Kenny shows up at the Dew Drop looking for another drink. Jason refuses to serve him and Kenny storms out knocking over chairs and trays along the way. The next morning Deputy Walt Hendrix arrives at the Walton house and talks to Laurie. She does not want to press charges and she is not willing to get a divorce either.

Later, Erin and Rose learn that Laurie is pregnant they are happy for her but are still worried about Kenny. He pulls up in his truck and asks Laurie to come home with him. She agrees but then he suspects that he is being fooled. Rose locks him out of the house and he becomes enraged. He threatens to return with his gun. The Deputy finds him holed up in his house believing that he is being attacked by Nazis. Laurie, John-Boy and Jason arrive. Jason and John-Boy sneak in the back door and talk him down from his delusions of being under attack. They tell him that Laurie is pregnant and going to have his baby. The reality of that news sinks in and he gives up his rifle and exits the house and calls out to her. Laurie runs to her husband and the situation is diffused.

Jim Bob wants to get in buying and selling war surplus for a profit. He asks his family to help him raise $100 dollars but not of them are capable or willing to take the gamble that it will pay off. Elizabeth suggests that he ask Ike and Rose says that he’d be better off talking to Corabeth. Ike may wear the pants but Corabeth knows where the pockets are.

Jim-Bob asks Ike and Corabeth to invest $50 into his war surplus idea. Corabeth refuses but Ike is keen on the idea.

Jim-Bob stops in at the store to see if he can convince them one last time to invest in his idea. Corabeth is leery but Ike convinces her to agree as long as Jim-Bob agrees to pay back the investment regardless of whether the idea works or not. By the time gets to the sale however most of the items had been sold. He did manage to buy some crates of gas masks and helmets. Ike and Corabeth are abhorred and want their investment back by the end of the week.

Ben stops by Jim-Bob’s shop and convinces him that he needs to settle his debt to the Godsey’s. Jim-Bob knows he has nothing worth $50 except for his car. He ends up selling it for $200. Leaving him with $150. Then he sells all of the gas masks to Buck Vernon for $200 which he ships to his brother in California who is making a war movie. He uses $25 to buy another fixer upper jalopy leaving him with $325 in his bank.

• Michael McDonough, the brother of actress Mary McDonough (Erin Walton) appears as Deputy Ernie Allen. He previously appeared in "The Fledgling" (s4-ep23) and "The First Edition" (s5-ep1).