Little House on the Prarie?

I was listening to a group of friends,( all of a conservative bent, but quite nice) as they lamented the woeful direction of the United States Of America. Everyone had a different loss to mourn. I was listening. Getting my fair share of sweet comments ( many in my area consider my distrust of GOP policy communism),while smiling. The common complaint was the missing independence of the individual. The missing integrity of the individual. The missing Godliness and the missing sense of community.
"Like Little House on the Prairie? " I asked with a smile. (Remember, these are folks who appreciate country tales and simpler times.)
"Yes." "Exactly!" "What we need is more of the attitude you could find in Walnut Grove."
"So, what was your favorite episode?" I ask.


What followed was a rendition of the most funny, most poignant, most interesting, and the best example of how America used to be and should be now all according to the speaker. Now, I have to admit, we watched Michael Landon and the characters of this show in my family also. My children enjoyed the simpler times shown (while I should note my son was a bit bored!, it was those 12 years in an urban setting.) I waited for the question, even knew which man would ask, with a sneer, which was my favorite. The poor schmo never dreamed I would actually have watched often enough to HAVE a favorite, being a city girl and all.

Here is mine:
Charles and Caroline are notified they are going inherit a rather large estate. At first they are humble and careful as always. Then the merchants in the community (Olsens Mercantile, the monopoly business of Walnut Grove), sensing a sale, begin to work on them. Suddenly Charles and Caroline are buying on credit. All caught up in the moment, buying as if they have unlimited funds! Charles and Caroline look great in those new clothes. The new items, longed for, now owned. The Engles are now upwardly mobile. A lawyer arrives to deliver the inheritance. There is trunk full of money! The bills;however, are confederate. Now the Engles, beloved of the community, are underwater. As to be expected, the evil shop owner Harriet Olsen, sniffs and says, pay me now. Of course, the beloved Engles are short of funds. The evil Harriet sues and forces the Engles into bankruptcy; the farm is set to be sold at auction to pay debts. (Can you see these rural men who wear red glasses staring at the toes of their boots? Do you know what happened next in this story?) Evil Harriet is married to the modest Nills. Nills accepts that he has some responsibility in this disaster impacting his community. He exploited the weakness of a friend, a customer. This act impacts his integrity. Nills organizes the community in secret because everyone knows ol Harriet Olsen is just a shrew.The night of the auction, as the Engles face homelessness and utter poverty ,all of their friends arrive. As does Harriet. Nills is not in attendance. Funny, no one shows up but the friends of the Engles for the auction. As the auction begins one of the family friends opens the bidding to buy the farm from the Engles,(Remember, Harriet has agreed that the entire proceed of the sale will settle the debt to her mercantile.), for ONE CENT. ONE PENNY. (I know, I know, a penny was worth A LOT MORE then) . Harriet stares in fury as the friend then offers to sell the farm to the Engles, on credit if they do not have a penny at the time. As Harriet leaves in a huff (and aren't we GLAD ol Harriet has been confounded again by the good people of Walnut Grove, the old biddy) we discover with the Engles that Nills has been out on the road turning back any outsider who came to bid on the farm.

I love that independent American spirit.

We all had a beer and decided ol Harriet got just what she had coming... funny, no one was critical of Charles and Caroline. People make mistakes, after all.

Keep in mind these stories are based on the memories of Laura Engles Wilder. I do not know where this story lies ; memory or script. I do not think it matters. The American spirit and way of life is under attack. The people who are attacking have forgotten that in rural America, then as now, neighbors help each other.