the faucets for your wife.
"Step back, dearie," you can say.
"Just let me see to this.
Let a real man take care of this."
Good. Really excellent material.
I'd like to show you something, Macon.
Your sister's Christmas present.
- What is it?
- It's an engagement ring, Macon.
- Engagement?
- I wanna marry her.
- You want to marry Rose?
- I'm gonna ask her at Christmas...
...when I give her the ring.
I wanna do this properly.
Old-fashioned.
- You think she'll have me?
- Well, I really couldn't say.
Well, she's got to. I'm 36 years old,
Macon, but I tell you...
...I feel like I'm a schoolboy
around that woman.
You may laugh at this,
but I love the surprise of her.
And I'm surprised by myself
when I'm with her.
I'm not exactly the person
that I thought I was.
I'm afraid I'm gushing.
Want to know something?
I've never even slept with her.
Well, I don't care to hear about that.
I want us to have a real wedding night.
I want to do everything right. God...
...Macon, isn't it amazing how two
separate lives can link up together?
I mean, two differentnesses.
- What I really like is T-shirts.
- T-shirts.
The kind with a sort of
stretched-out neck.
I don't want it new.
Tell you what.
Everything we buy...
...we'll wash about 20 times
before you wear it.
- But nothing prewashed.
- No, no.
Only nerds wear prewashed.
Right.
- Shall I come with you?
- I can do it myself.
All right.
- Macon!
- Yes.
Laura Canfield.
Scott's mother, remember?
Of course.
Why, Scott.
- Hi.
- It's nice to see you.
- Yeah, me too.
- It's nice to see you.
- Are you doing your spring shopping?
- Oh, I...
I'm helping the son of a friend.
We're buying the sock department. Every
other week Scott runs through his socks.
You know how they are at this age.
Or rather...
Yes, it's amazing, isn't it?
I look great!
I think it's time we had a talk.
About what?
I'd like to know what you think
you're up to with this Muriel person.
Is that what you call her,
"this Muriel person"?
You're not yourself these days, Macon...
...and this Muriel person
is just a symptom. Everybody says so.
Who is "everybody," anyway?
We're just worried for you, Macon.
Could we switch to some other topic?
- I had to tell you what I thought.
- Fine. You've told me.
Can you tell me
one unique thing about her?
I mean, one really special quality, Macon...
...not something sloppy like
"she appreciates me"?
I'm not such a bargain myself,
if you haven't noticed.
Somebody ought to
warn her away from me.
That's not true. That's not true at all.
I imagine her people
are congratulating her on her catch.
- "Her catch."
- Well, someone to support her. Anyone.
She'd be lucky to find anyone.
She lives in that slummy house,
her boy looks like he has hookworm...
Porter, just shut the hell up.
Hey, you guys, let me catch up!
Creep.
Wait up for me!
- Hey, guys!
- Get lost, Pritchett!
- We don't need you around here.
- Come on, let me catch up!
Go itch it, Pritchett!
You heard me. Get lost!
- Itch it, Pritchett. Pritchett, itch it.
- Go.
Watch out!
Pritchett, itch it.
Hiya, boy. How you doing?
Good boy!
Good dog, Edward.
Are you all right?
- What was that all about?
- Nothing.
Even the most disciplined
professional traveler...
...may sometimes stumble across
that unexpected item he feels...
...he simply must take home.
That's fine, as long as one is willing
to accept the inconvenience...
...and awkwardness that come
with each additional piece of baggage.
I don't think Alexander's
getting a proper education.
He's okay.
I asked him to figure what change
they'd give back when we bought milk...
...and he had no idea. He didn't
even know he'd have to subtract.
- He's only in second grade.
- You should switch to a private school.
- Private schools cost money.
- So I'll pay.
What are you saying?
Pardon?
Are you saying you're committed?
Well, that's not really the point.
Alexander's got 10 more