1960s: We Choose to Go to the Moon or At Least Chestnut Ridge
As vacations end and work begins, Arthur is still not free from travelling. Almost as soon as he's back at work, he's sent all the way to Texas to see the new president speak. "I want you there to see it live," Bikle tells him. "It's not the same to hear it on the radio or see it on TV, I want someone there, at the university when he speaks." And so Arthur is in the crowd, when Kennedy announces the aim to reach the moon before the decade is over.
By the time he returns home the next day, Arthur is ecstatic and energised. He pulls in Audie for an embrace as he returns, stating that perhaps she had known what she was doing voting for this guy. "He might turn out alright after all," he says before launching into a dramatic retelling of the speech. "You do know the speech was shown on the news?" she laughs, but Arthur dismisses her. "Not the entire thing, it's not the same."
By the time he returns home the next day, Arthur is ecstatic and energised. He pulls in Audie for an embrace as he returns, stating that perhaps she had known what she was doing voting for this guy. "He might turn out alright after all," he says before launching into a dramatic retelling of the speech. "You do know the speech was shown on the news?" she laughs, but Arthur dismisses her. "Not the entire thing, it's not the same."
That night, Arthur and Audie goes outside to watch the stars on the blanket they bought in Mexico. Arthur tells Audie about the moon, about the various stars, and all he can legally tell her about the projects they're exploring at the moment. She tells him about the baby they're expecting. That night they make love under the stars, and Arthur could not be happier.
While Arthur returns to work, Thomas is still on holiday. As he does every summer, he takes his family to Chestnut Ridge and Anna's ranch. This is the place in the world where he can truly relax. Watching his sons, inspired by the president's speech, play space explorers in the treehouse he once built, or reconnect with the horses he so misses during the rest of the year. This year Misty is no longer with them, having died of old age, but Stormcloud and Gale are still there, ready to teach his children to ride.
This summer, Susan is old enough to learn, and she loves every minute of it. While the boys play, she gets to sit up on Stormcloud, while Thomas takes Gale, to ride after her and make sure she's doing alright.
She's not the only child who wants to ride. Carl has been longing to go out on the horses again for months, and can't wait for it to be his turn.
Michael, however, is more hesitant, and instead help his great uncle Johnny with the farm, and is rewarded when Johnny takes him fishing, which is much more to his liking.
But as much Thomas loves to be around the kids, the real kick is when he takes Stormcloud out himself, stretching out in full gallop or flying over obstacles with him. That's when he's truly fee and can be himself.
That night, however, after the kids are asleep, worrying news from the outside world slips through the screen of the TV. The Russians has placed missiles on Cuba, close enough to hit the US, and the President is announcing a naval blockade around the island. For Thomas and Johnny, this only too well brings back the fear of war, and what that could mean today. Nuclear war is worse than anything the two of them have seen.
The next day, Johnny shows Thomas the bomb shelter.
"You could relocate here," he says. "Together we could extend it that way, make it fit all of us. You'd be safer than in that modern house of yours."
It's tempting, Thomas has to admit, but he knows Betty would be hopelessly lost living here all the time. "I can't. The commute is too long," he says. "But I'm glad we're here now. Things will look up, I'm sure they'll find a solution." He's not, but he hopes he sounds like it. Truth is he has no clue what to do if things escalate. Perhaps then he'd make a different decision.
Worried as they are, it's time for Carl to turn 10. He's no longer a small child, but a big child. Thomas cannot believe how fast his children are growing. Carl is turning ten, next year Steven starts school and Michael is soon ready for high school. Sometimes he wishes he could freeze time.
Carl has been allowed to choose the day's activities. They start by going swimming in the river on the other side of Chestnut Ridge.
Later, after they return home, grand-ma and grand-pa comes by for dinner. They eat outside, and Johnny makes his famous Bison stew for everyone.
While Thomas is entertaining his family in Chestnut Ridge, Arthur and Audie are waiting for their baby to be born. Summer has been warm for Audie, who is getting big by now. But she does her best to keep her mood up and entertain the girls while Arthur is at work.
She goes into labour in the middle of the night, waking Arthur up so that they can go to the hospital while a neighbor stay with the girls. When they return, hours later, Audie is exhausted but happy. With them is baby Cindy, and Arthur is in love. The girls too like their new baby sister and take turns in entertaining her. For Arthur the arrival of Cindy is the highlight of his life.
While Arthur returns to work, Thomas is still on holiday. As he does every summer, he takes his family to Chestnut Ridge and Anna's ranch. This is the place in the world where he can truly relax. Watching his sons, inspired by the president's speech, play space explorers in the treehouse he once built, or reconnect with the horses he so misses during the rest of the year. This year Misty is no longer with them, having died of old age, but Stormcloud and Gale are still there, ready to teach his children to ride.
This summer, Susan is old enough to learn, and she loves every minute of it. While the boys play, she gets to sit up on Stormcloud, while Thomas takes Gale, to ride after her and make sure she's doing alright.
She's not the only child who wants to ride. Carl has been longing to go out on the horses again for months, and can't wait for it to be his turn.
Michael, however, is more hesitant, and instead help his great uncle Johnny with the farm, and is rewarded when Johnny takes him fishing, which is much more to his liking.
But as much Thomas loves to be around the kids, the real kick is when he takes Stormcloud out himself, stretching out in full gallop or flying over obstacles with him. That's when he's truly fee and can be himself.
That night, however, after the kids are asleep, worrying news from the outside world slips through the screen of the TV. The Russians has placed missiles on Cuba, close enough to hit the US, and the President is announcing a naval blockade around the island. For Thomas and Johnny, this only too well brings back the fear of war, and what that could mean today. Nuclear war is worse than anything the two of them have seen.
The next day, Johnny shows Thomas the bomb shelter.
"You could relocate here," he says. "Together we could extend it that way, make it fit all of us. You'd be safer than in that modern house of yours."
It's tempting, Thomas has to admit, but he knows Betty would be hopelessly lost living here all the time. "I can't. The commute is too long," he says. "But I'm glad we're here now. Things will look up, I'm sure they'll find a solution." He's not, but he hopes he sounds like it. Truth is he has no clue what to do if things escalate. Perhaps then he'd make a different decision.
Worried as they are, it's time for Carl to turn 10. He's no longer a small child, but a big child. Thomas cannot believe how fast his children are growing. Carl is turning ten, next year Steven starts school and Michael is soon ready for high school. Sometimes he wishes he could freeze time.
Carl has been allowed to choose the day's activities. They start by going swimming in the river on the other side of Chestnut Ridge.
Later, after they return home, grand-ma and grand-pa comes by for dinner. They eat outside, and Johnny makes his famous Bison stew for everyone.
While Thomas is entertaining his family in Chestnut Ridge, Arthur and Audie are waiting for their baby to be born. Summer has been warm for Audie, who is getting big by now. But she does her best to keep her mood up and entertain the girls while Arthur is at work.
She goes into labour in the middle of the night, waking Arthur up so that they can go to the hospital while a neighbor stay with the girls. When they return, hours later, Audie is exhausted but happy. With them is baby Cindy, and Arthur is in love. The girls too like their new baby sister and take turns in entertaining her. For Arthur the arrival of Cindy is the highlight of his life.
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