It's a timebeforetheCivilWar, Shelbyville, Tennessee, and a youngslave.
A boy.
BillKeyisbeingraisedbyJohnKey, whohasalsotwosons, andJohnKeyis a verykindman, andheraisesBillKeylikehe's oneofhissons.
Educateshim, giveshimresponsibilityinthehouse, andwhenheseesthatyoungBilkeyhas a uniqueabilitywithhorses, a kindof a horsesense, heelevateshimtobecomethehorseleaderofnominallythisplantation.
Bilkeyis a youngman, andhedecidestogointothecivilwaronthesideoftheSouthtohelphisbrothers, whoheprotectsallthewaythroughthewarandatthesametimetogetfreeslavesthroughthesoutherntonorthernwallthatexisted.
Sohe's helpingslaves, andhe's helpingtheseboyssurvivetheSouthagainsttheNorth, Andhe's alsoactinglikehe's a spyfortheNorthandhegetscaughtandhe's beingtriedfortreason.
Buthe's also a greatcook.
I don't knowhow, sohestartscookingfortheguideinchargeandhesays, Look, I canreallyplaycards.
I am a masteratcardsandwhilehe's engagedwiththeseguys, theNorth, hebeginsplayingcardswiththem, making a lotofmoney.
Andhereis a quotefrom a newspaperaboutsomeonewhosawJimandBillduringthisKeystonelinimenttour.
CrowdsgatheredandDrKeywouldslipJimKey a pieceofsugarandsay, Now, Jim, use a powerful, smarthorse.
I know, butwhatisyourpolitics?
IsthatRepublicanJimtook a lookofdisgustandshakeshishead.
No.
Areyou a prohibitionist?
No.
Areyou a populist?
No, Areyou a socialist?
No, Thehorsewasunmoved.
Areyou a Democrat?
Thehorsesexpressionchanges.
Hesnickeredandmadevariousnoises.
Theaudienceburstcentralafterwiththisencouragement, Jimgrassed a pieceofchalkinhismouthandscrollsJimontheblackboard.
Maidschangefrom a cashregisterspelledthenameof a manintheaudienceByselectingthelettersfromIraqontheroad, Jimdoesallkindsoftricksthatpeoplecouldnotbelieve.
Nowthinkaboutthis.
Thiswasthetimewhenthehorsewas a partofthefamily, butpeopledidnotthinkof.
A soiltowelbymistakewasputingymkeys, trunkandJimwhenhetookitoutthroughitonthefloorandshookhisheadasiftosay, I can't standthisfellwasusedtowipeJim's mouthentrytook a coinoutof a glassofwater, whichpeoplefeltwasimpossibleatthetime.
Thiscreatedgreatamusementamongtheaudienceandonelady, Mrs C.
There's a playwrittenaboutJimKey, inwhichheplays a roleandtheAmericanHumaneSocietybeginstodoamazingthings.
Itactuallyproduces a buttonthathonorsJim, anditproduces a medal.
AndtwomillionChildrensignedthispledge.
Themercypledge, Thepledgesays.
I promisetobekindtoanimalsandtoeallsentientbeings.
Andthatwassignedbytwomillionkids.
There's a specialambulancecorpsforanimals, whichhonorsJim.
He's very, veryfamous.
Hediesin 1909 andhe's got a beautifulcemeterystoneattheplacewhereBillownedLandandBilldies, alsowithStonethathonorsbeautifulJimKey.
Sowhathappenedtothisstory?
MycolleaguewritesthebookBeautifulJimKey.
Itbecomes a bestseller.
Well, because I collectedthispamphletwhen I was a kid.
I lovethat.
Whatserendipityiscauseand, uh, isgoingtohopefullybe a moviemadebecauseMorganFreemanfellinlovewiththisstoryandhesaid, Look, getthestoryand I'llplayJimKey.
Well, he's anoldman.
I don't knowhowhe's goingtodothat, buthewantsto.
AndRobertRodat, whowroteSavingPrivateRyan.
Hewrote a scriptbasedonthisstory.
Asyouknow, I lovestories.
I'm alwayslookingforstories, and I believethateverystoryhas a reasonforbeingcollectedthatsometimeinthefutureit's goingtobecome a storythatpeoplelikeyoucouldseeandhopefullyenjoy.
I knowthisisanincrediblestory.
Hardtobelieve, butwereallycheckthisout.
MiriamRevis, thewriterand I wenttoTennesseeforweeks, asked a lotofquestions, did a lotofresearch, foundpersonallettersfrompeoplewhosegrandparentssawJimandbuild, understoodeverythingaboutBill, includingthehousehelivedin, andwecouldseetheracetrackandthecemeterystones.