05x10 - Keep the Homes Fires Burning

[bunniefuu]

Hi.

Has the mail come yet?

Yeah.

Sorry, there's
nothing from bill.

Nothing came at home, either.

I just don't understand it.

He shipped out three weeks ago.

I sent him pictures
and tapes and letters.

I even sent him snickerdoodles
through his apb box.

He hasn't responded.

There must be a holdup.

You haven't heard
anything from the air force.

You know he's safe.

I don't even know where he is.

They say it's top secret,

But we know where
the hot spot is.

He's going to be ok.

Is there anything we can
do that we're not doing?

There's nothing we can do.

Suzanne left a message.

She'd be happy to
tell the air force

That bill's a h*m*.

That's sweet, but no, thanks.

Sorry I took long.

There was this long
line at western union.

I got a telegram?

No, mary jo and I wired money

To a friend in florida
for lottery tickets.

The jackpot went up
3 million overnight.

That's 56 million and a
week left to the drawing.

I got to get a bigger
piece than my 1o bucks.

If you want to waste your money,

I can't stop you.

It's just for fun.

Charlene, don't you want in?

No, my luck's not too good.

Julia, don't you want to play?

My friend morty in
tampa buys the tickets.

It's $1.00 apiece.

You choose 6
numbers from 1 to 49...

Which buys 1
chance in 13.9 million,

About the same chance
of a gorilla in a parachute

Crashing through this
ceiling carrying 56 million.

That's good enough for us.

You sure you wouldn't
feel better just to go home?

No.

Nothing's going to
make me feel better.

There's nothing I can do.

I had fantasies
about world w*r ii

And how everybody contributed.

Women bought w*r bonds

And planted the victory gardens

And went without stockings

And drew the seams
with an eyebrow pencil.

I don't do any of that.

I just ramble around
my big new house

Waiting for the mailman.

I cry all the time,
and I'm afraid for bill.

I'm mad at the government
for sending him there.

That's not very patriotic of me.

I hate seeing you
this depressed.

Why don't you come
to the house tonight,

And we'll pop popcorn,

And you can use my
ultrasonic foot massager.

You like that.

Yeah, but that doesn't
take the place of a husband.

Tell me about it.

I appreciate y'all
trying to cheer me up.

I'm such a pitiful
example of a m*llitary wife.

You are not a pitiful
example of anything.

You're not the only
one going through this.

Why not check the base for
a support group for wives?

It might do you good
to talk to somebody

Who's in the same situation.

Think so?

Well, it wouldn't hurt.

Yeah, yeah.

You might be right.

It could be fun.

Can't you see us talking
about our husbands

While we darn socks
and roll bandages?

It'll be just like
in mrs. Miniver.

We're real close at work.

It's like a support group.

This is my first
real support group.

It's not all I
expected, but I liked it.

I was surprised to
see so many husbands.

Politicians always talk
about our boys overseas.

These are the nineties.
Women are shipped over, too.

How long's your wife been gone?

A month.

I haven't even heard
from my husband yet.

The mail gets bottled up.

I liked that stuff about
your world w*r ii fantasies.

I can't believe they're
playing this song.

I'll be seeing you is my
favorite world w*r ii song.

I was going to be betty
hutton, irene dunne,

And greer garson
rolled into one.

Instead, I'm just a
big, old, blubbering

Tammy faye bakker.

At least you have role models.

Us husbands left behind
are breaking new ground.

I never even thought of that.

Oprah winfrey ought
to do a show about you.

Don't you love her?

She's more in touch since
she gained that weight back.

Haven't you noticed that people

Who lose a lot of
weight real fast,

Something just snaps upstairs?

She wasn't thinking straight

When she put on
that catwoman suit

And squatted in
those revlon ads.

I'm charlene, by the way.

Pleased to meet you.

I'm bill.

Oh, you're kidding.

Bill's my husband's name.

Don't tell me your
wife's named charlene.

It would be like we were
living in parallel universes.

You have an active
imagination, like my wife.

Her name is bonnie.

We're off the hook in
that parallel universe way.

Hope I'm not keeping you.

No, my friend suzanne's
babysitting for me.

This is so nice talking to you.

It's what I miss most.

I know what you mean.

My olivia's 11 months old.

Oh, here.

She's not much of a
conversationalist.

Jeremy's 13 months.

I love him, but I never
know what to tell him.

Maybe we could get
together with the kids and talk.

Yeah.

Play geography?

I'd like that.

Write your number down.

Hi, charlene.

Ready to go?

Mary jo, what are
you doing here?

Suzanne called me
to change her diaper.

She said, "friendship
only goes so far."

Oh, mary jo, this is bill.

Bill, this is olivia.

Hello, there.

I can't believe you
called suzanne.

If you were that desperate,
why didn't you call me?

I always call you.

Suzanne decided to do the things

That she did with her pig.

They drove around the
loop with the top down.

She took her to dairy queen,

Where she wet her pants

And spit her buster
bar on the upholstery.

That's when she called me.

Then she suggested that you
sell olivia to an infertile couple

And get a pig.

Sitters are kind
of hard to come by.

I'd better go.

I'll call you about
getting together.

Nice to meet you.

You, too.

Looks like you found a friend.

Yeah, his wife's overseas.

We got a lot in common.

Well, that's nice.

Yeah, he's real sweet.

I think I smell
something funny here.

How can you say that?

I'm not attracted to him.

No, charlene.

I mean I smell
something funny here.

I knew that.

Did y'all see this?

"Lottery fever grips florida"?

Some woman actually gave birth

While waiting on line at a
convenience store to buy tickets.

And she said if it's a girl,

She's going to
name it little lotta.

What does she
mean if it's a girl?

She gave birth.

Doesn't she know?

Didn't say.

I guess the ticket
window opened right then

And she didn't have
a chance to look.

Doesn't it strike
any of you all as odd

That people will
foam at the mouth

At the merest suggestion
of a tax increase?

But they will crawl buck
naked and blindfolded

Across a minefield

For a chance to
throw their money

Down a government-
sanctioned rat hole.

You're missing the point.

It's fun.

Let's face it.

The economy's gone
sour, dynasty's off the air.

Mr. Read-my-lips has
sold us all down the river.

Lotteries are the only thing
left to get excited about.

Yeah, especially when
the jackpot is $72 million.

72 Million?

Uh-huh. I saw that
glint in your eye.

You want in.

Don't be ridiculous.

I was astonished at the amount.

It's all right if you want in.

It is natural to
play with the notion

That one measly dollar

Could bring you a
return of 72 million.

And it's for a good cause.

All the money raised is
earmarked for education.

I'm in for $10.

I cannot believe it!

She gave in.

How the mighty have fallen.

I'm happy that my moment of
weakness has brought such joy.

Now to complete
your satisfaction,

Maybe I should stagger down
the street in trashy lingerie

Sucking on a bottle of ripple.

You don't have to do that.

I'm glad that you're in.

I will take your money now.

I was on my way to
wire morty another $20.

Anthony, that reminds me, when
is morty sending our tickets?

The drawing's tomorrow.

I guess he's waiting
to get all our bets in.

I'll have him express mail them.

Hey, charlene,
any word from bill?

No.

Want me to buy you
a lottery ticket?

No, thanks.

I'm taking enough
chances as it is.

Ok.

Well, I'm out of here.

Listen, everybody,
I've made a decision.

I hope y'all don't
talk me out of it.

I've decided that
until bill comes,

I'm going to stay
at poplar bluff.

Charlene, what on earth
has brought this on?

On top of being an
unpatriotic traitor,

I've become an
adulteress in my heart.

Charlene, what did you do?

Well, I haven't
exactly done anything,

Except I have warm,
fuzzy thoughts about bill.

What's wrong with that?

Not my bill, the new bill.

The one from the support group.

He came over last night
and brought his boy.

The babies played on the rug.

We had such a good time.

We watched television,
and we talked for hours.

I served cafe vienna.

Suddenly, it felt like we
were coming very close

To celebrating the
moments of our life.

Oh, dear.

I can't believe it.

My bill's in danger
halfway around the world.

The least I owe him as a wife

Is to keep the
home fires burning.

He's gone four weeks and

I'm feeling urges towards a man

Not even half as
attractive to me.

Oh, charlene, you have set
yourself up some standard

That you picked up
from some tear-jerking

World w*r ii melodrama.

I mean, in reality,

I bet even rosie the
riveter had urges.

Standing up there on
the wing of that airplane

Handling that big,
old, vibrating drill.

If only I hadn't said
all those dumb things

About it being romantic...

Soldiers being
sent off to battle,

Never knowing if you
would see them again.

Charlene, what you have to do

Is stop b*ating yourself up

And start taking
care of yourself.

You look exhausted.

90% Of what's going
on in your head

Is probably due to
sleep deprivation.

I haven't slept
through the night

Since bill left.

That's it. You're going
to go home right now.

Julia, I've got work.

Not another word.

Next stop for you is bed.

♪ And now I want to be sure

♪ Very, very sure ♪ of you

♪ Don't sit under the apple tree

♪ With anyone else but me

♪ Anyone else but me
♪ anyone else but me

♪ No, no, no, don't sit
under the apple tree

♪ With anyone else but me

♪ Till I come marching home

Hey, you with the torch.

Douse it!

After 46 years here,
you know that light

Is a calling card for the enemy.

I'm sorry, warden.

Did the mail come?

We don't get mail, remember?

We're cut off.

I know, but I have to ask.

I haven't seen my fighter
pilot bill in 45 years,

But it's my duty
to keep hope alive.

All right, sergeant b.,

20 Bucks and a hershey bar

On the w*r being over
two weeks from saturday.

Good move, soldier.

It brightens my day
to see an optimist.

One good thing about
this w*r going on

For 50 years...

The jackpot just
topped $3 billion

Plus 5,000 pairs of stockings,

200 Tires, and 5 ration stamps.

Yeah?

Since I contributed
over $1 million

To this w*r effort,

I'm entitled to one
pair of panty hose.

Not so fast.

You want stockings?
Guess the right date.

Cigarettes.

Get your cigarettes.

I'll take a pack.

Sorry, soldier. I
ran out back in 1954.

Why do you keep hawking them?

Nasty habit, I guess.

Once you pick it
up, it's hard to stop.

Hey, sister, how come
you get the swell outfit

And the cradle and the bandages,

And I don't have
cigarettes to sell?

Because, mary jo, it's my dream.

Hi, other bill.

Have you found bonnie yet?

No. And after 45
years, I've given up hope.

She's out there
somewhere helping the w*r,

Riveting her
fingers to the quick.

I wish her the best.

Bonnie the riveter?

Rosie retired ages ago.

So, charlene, what do you say?

I'm 4-f and it's been
nearly 50 years.

Shouldn't we make a go of it?

Other bill, you're one
of the sweetest people

I've ever met in my life.

And that's why...

I'm giving you my
last ration stamp

For a dairy queen buster bar.

Air raid!

No, it's just another
batch of cookies

For our boys.

In addition to my other duties,

President roosevelt
has appointed me

Secretary of snickerdoodles.

Other bill, despite my urges,

The burden of
single-handedly keeping

The home fires burning
is just too great.

Cookie?

Charlene, take a breather.

Give me one of your jobs.

I'm bored stiff with this w*r.

With morale like that,
we might as well cave in.

I'm fulfilling my destiny,

Holding america
together in its finest hour.

I must keep my torch held high,

My apron neatly pressed.

There's cradles to
rock, bandages to stock.

I'll never get depressed.

I've got candles to
light, nazis to fight.

I'm the symbol of the land,

Home of the free...

Charlene, you're off
your rhyme scheme.

You need a rest.

Oh, no, I can't rest
until bill comes home,

Johnny comes marching home,

And there are blue skies

Over the white cliffs of dover.

I'll never rest.
I can't, I can't.

Air raid! Take cover!

Last chance to place your bets!

It could all be over soon!

Julia, why don't
you sing something?

Lift our spirits up!

And now, on armed forces radio,

Miss julia sugarbaker.

♪ Oh, danny boy ♪ the pipes

♪ The pipes are calling
♪ from glen to glen

♪ And down the mountainside

♪ The summer's gone

♪ And all the roses falling

♪ It's you ♪ it's you must go

♪ And I must bide...

Yeah. I feel better now.

Charlene, sweetheart,
are you there?

Bill?

I've been waiting for you.

Bill, come home.

Wake up, honey. Can you hear me?

Sweetheart, are you there?

Are you there?

I guess I missed you.

I love you.

Kiss olivia for me.

I'll try to call again.

Bill. Bill!

Bill! I'm here!

Bill.

Charlene, are you home, baby?

It's me.

They let us make a call.

Julia said you
went home to sleep.

Wake up, honey.

Can you hear me?

Sweetheart, are you there?

Are you there?

I guess I missed you.

I love you.

Kiss olivia for me.

I'll try to call again.

Hey! Hi, you guys!

Hi, charlene.

I hope we're not barging in.

We felt so bad about you
missing bill's call yesterday,

We thought we would
drop by and cheer you up.

You guys are so sweet.

Look. Look!

They all came this morning.

He must be writing
three times a day.

I've listened to his
message 100 times over.

Maybe we should
leave so you can read.

We can't go. Anthony's coming
by with our lottery tickets.

Stay. We haven't talked in ages.

So what's bill say?

Oh, not much.

You know, he can't
tell me where he is.

Mostly his letters
are full of...

Sexy stuff.

Well, does this mean
we get to keep you?

You're not going
back to poplar bluff?

We're not going anywhere.

And I had a talk
with the other bill,

And he got his
equilibrium back, too.

We're just going to see each
other at support meetings.

I'm glad you got
your balance back.

We were getting
worried, you know.

I know.

I love you all for
helping me through this.

I heard every word you said,

And I figured out a few things.

There's nothing romantic
about bill being shipped off,

Leaving me and olivia behind.

It's just the hardest
part about m*llitary life.

Those world w*r
ii women knew it.

I mean, they smiled, kept
the home fires burning,

And they starred
in some great movies.

But mostly, they
just had to wait,

And worry... And hope and pray.

Anyway, I have a lot more
respect for them now.

I won't glorify it anymore.

I found out something
kind of neat about myself...

That I'm strong enough to
keep the values I hold dear

And let go of the illusions.

Does this mean no more dreams

About me being a
cigarette girl? I liked that.

It's open.

Hey, anthony.

Got our tickets?

I don't have any
tickets, mary jo.

Didn't the express mail come?

I have a bad feeling
morty didn't come through.

I talked to some guys
who work with him.

They said he quit
day before yesterday

And did not leave a
forwarding address.

I think he ran off
with our money

And others' money, too.

Anthony... I never
thought to ask you this,

But where do you
know this morty from?

Prison.

But he's a friend.
He's a good buddy.

He even sent me a
picture of his kids.

Now, who would not trust
a guy with kids like that?

This picture says "swank"
across the corner.

This man pulled that
out of some new wallet.

Oh, no.

What was he in
for, robbing banks?

Insider trading.

Well, I guess we've
all learned our lesson.

We certainly have.

Yes, indeed.

And that lesson is?

Buy your own lottery tickets.

They don't stop
selling until 10:30.

I have eight hours
to get to the bank,

Drive to the state
line and buy some.

Anybody want in?

Don't look at me.

Anthony, you can buy one for me.

You got to have faith.

Besides, I'm feeling
real lucky right now.

All right.