1950s: A new job, a new bed and another funeral.

On the day of his graduation, Arthur barely knows what to do with himself. There is nothing else to study, no new books to read, no new papers to write. Restless, he goes to the commons, for food and recreation, and ends up alone at the chess table, while waiting. He hasn't sat there long, however, before a girl he's never seen (as there are no women who attends Foxbury) walks through the door. She smiles and sits down and asks if she can join in the game. Soon the two are involved in deep conversation as time ticks by, and when it's time to leave Arthur is so wrapped up in the conversation he is actually running late for his own graduation!



He doesn't even have time to run back to the dorm to pick up his robes, so he runs there in just the hat as he had that with him.

Luckily, once inside, there were robes to spare, so when he and the others leave the auditorium, Arthur is dressed as he should as they toss their hats into the air.

That night, they all gather at the local pub, celebrating that time at university is over. The girl he met this morning, Diane, is there too and Arthur learns she's a sister of one of the other graduates. Arthur is just glad she's no one's girlfriend, and spend the evening trying to keep her attention.

But at the end of the night, when Arthur asks if he can see her again, he finds himself turned down and thrust into the friend's corner, firmly and decisively. It's not without disappointment he goes back to his dorm for his last night there.

The next morning, he packs up and leave, and the first stop is the new house he's renting from the government. It's close to Edwards, and so practical, if a bit run down and boring. Arthur doesn't mind, however, as it's just somewhere to sleep.

The next morning he starts his job. He meets the head of the High-speed Flight Station, Walter Williams, in the main hall, and get introduced to the work by his other co-workers. The lab at the Station is amazing. There are several buildings, one with offices, meeting rooms and these huge calculating machines called electronic computers (not to be confused with the girls who worked as computers using only their head and a calculating frame). There is even a small library there that Arthur cannot wait to spend time in.

Then there is the lab, where you test the machines and theories, make sure if they work in question.Top of the line, with machines Arthur doesn't even understand yet, it's the most interesting part of the Station. On his first day, he mostly watches, observes, try not to break anything. He cannot believe this is where he will be spending his days. It's really too good to be true.




Even though others in the family live much closer, Barbara is the first visitor Arthur has. "I have to see how my big brother lives!" she says. "And mum and dad has yet to visit me, only Thomas has."
"That might because dad can't get over you living with someone without being married."
"Yeah, we'll he's old fashion and boring, so..." Barbara shrugs. "So is this, by the way," she adds as she looks around the living room. Clearly not impressed. "We have to do something about this."
"Now?"
"Of course not now, but I'll send you some paintings or something. Put some real art on the walls. For now you can take me out. Show me where to go for fun around here."



Arthur has barely settled into Strangerville himself, but he has visited the only bar in town, so he brings his sister there. She's not overly impressed. "Well this is a dump, but they do serve strong drinks," she says after they've sat down. Arthur agrees, a bit guilty that his sister can clearly handle her liquor better than he can. But as the drinks go down, the laughter comes up, and all in all, he's quite happy she came to see him.



Back home in Oasis Springs, Betty is wishing there were more hours in the day. Susan is a sensitive child, and a picky eater, who refuses most food they try. At the end of the day, Betty has to bottle feed her still, or she won't gain enough weight, and while Betty loves the moments with her little princess, it does take away time from Carl and Michael.



Carl, especially needs to entertain himself more than Betty would prefer, and more than he, himself, would prefer too. While looking at books, playing with toys or chasing the dog around are fun, it's not the same as mommy playing with you, but baby Susan is taking too much time and Carl isn't happy about that at all.

 


Carl likes it best when the baby is sleeping. Then mommy has time for him. Mikey is bigger, he can play alone and learn how to swim in the pool, then mommy can let him play in the splash pool

But the bestest time all day, is bedtime, when daddy reads to him. Daddy works long hours, and is away a lot, but he always reads to him at night. Carl loves that.



One day mommy and daddy has invited a lot of people over. Grandmas and grandpas and uncles and cousins are there, and everyone is laughing and talking and there is cake and everything. But almost everyone is focused on Susan, and Carl doesn't like that. So what if she's walking now, he's done that forever! He doesn't understand what the big deal is. But daddy is so proud of her, and carrying her around all night, but Carl knows she doesn't need it, because he can walk too and he doesn't need it.






And that night, daddy doesn't read him to bed at all! Mommy does, which is sort of nice, but it's supposed to be daddy, but mommy says he's busy making a new bed for Susan. Carl doesn't like that either. But even if mommy isn't daddy, Carl is really, really sleepy, and can't stay up long enough for daddy to be finished, and by the time daddy is finished with the bed and mommy is reading to Susan, Carl has been sleeping for quite some time.




But as the birthday party is over and everyone leaves, the family gets some hard news. In the evening, Ida has died in her home, surrounded by her eldest daughter and her family. For Thomas, it's news that feels a bit unrealistic. Ida is someone he has heard of, and once knew as a boy, but he hasn't really seen her much since they left Willow Creek. 

For Anna, Alice and Josephine, the news hits much closer to home. This is their sister, and while they don't see a lot of her, she's still an important part of their lives and hearts. Instead of celebrating her 65th birthday, Anna spends the day with her sisters on a train, travelling back to Louisiana for yet another funeral. Does she ever travel in this direction for anything else anymore?

Melanie, Ida's eldest daughter, has arranged the funeral and holds the eulogy in church before they bury Ida between her husband and only son. It's a sad day, but a beautiful ceremony, of that everyone can agree.  






When the ceremony is over, and before everyone needs to head back to their homes, Frank asks his sisters out to dinner. They go to the Blue Velvet Restaurant, and for once, Frank stays at top instead of going to the bar in the basement. He drinks sparkling water as do his sisters, even though all of them would have preferred wine. It's a nice evening, and the four of them talk of childhood memories, their parents, Ida and Emily and the others they have lost over the years. Frank and Josephine share stories about their children and grand children, and yet Anna can't shake her feeling of melancholy, knowing this is likely the last time they'll ever sit like this. The last time the four of them will be together. Ida was not so much older than she is now, and Frank is older still. But whatever comes, they'll at least have the memory of tonight, when they were all together, laughing and sharing stories over a good meal.