1970s: In which Susan goes to prom, Carl rebells, and Michael finds it hard to keep his promise.
To prepare her for prom, Betty is taking Susan shopping for a new dress. There has opened a new clothing store on Oasis Strip, and they are both eager to check it out. They start browsing for a dress, and Susan tries out a few different ones. Betty likes the color of the pink one, but thinks it bares too much skin, Susan dislikes the color but likes the cut.
But even if they are looking for dresses for Susan, she finds something for mum too. "Isn't it too..." Betty starts, but Susan interrupts her.
"It's radical. So cool. Mum, you must get it!"
Back home Betty shows off her new outfit, which she chose to buy in a completely different color than what Susan suggested. In Susan's mind, it's not nearly as cool, but mum is happy so she doesn't say anything.
Besides, she has other things on her mind. Like getting ready! She spends hours in front of the mirror, trying to get her hair and make-up right. They're seniors, she's not, she has to look just right. Was the yellow dress the right choice? She's suddenly not sure. What if she's gotten everything wrong?
But Tony doesn't seem to disapprove. Granted he doesn't comment on how she looks at all, but he does give her attention, and even agrees to taka a photo with her!
If he had any thought to any shenanigans happening in that booth, however, they have another thing coming. The principle is watching them like a hawk. A bit awkward.
Susan is so proud as Tony is chosen to be prom king, and even more when he dances with her afterwards! He spends the rest of the night showing off his crown to her and everyone else who wants to see. And making out. There is a lot of making out.
Although beating her in debates does not seem to be all that is on his mind. When the two are alone, they often find themselves sitting close, or they lean in a bit further than they might with someone else.
Their first kiss still surprises them both. But even though Michael feels guilty about Linda back home, he really doesn't want to stop.
And yet the next time he writes to her his letters mention nothing about it as he convinces himself it's better not put in a letter but told in person. Besides, a promise made that long ago... perhaps Linda has met someone too? How would he know? All she ever talks about in her letter is how boring her new job as a gymnastic teacher to bored housewives is.
For Susan and her friends back home the Pentagon Papers are proof of the war being wrong, of the government being corrupt and of her protests being right. Carl, on the other hand, doubles down on the government being right. Even as his parents try to argue that the government was out of line, Carl insist that if the government hid something it was for the good of the country because people are too stupid to understand. As the voting age is lowered from 21 to 18, he wishes it was election so he could vote for Nixon. He spends most of his spare time with the football team after school, or at the newly opened gym downtown. At least that way, he doesn't have to deal with his stupid family who doesn't get that soldiers are heros and the war is necessary to protect their freedom.
It's at the gym that he learns about the option to enlist early. A recruiter, that also use the gym, tells him that they do allow 17-year-olds to enlist. "All you need is your parents to agree!"
Getting his parents' permission, however, will not be easy, Carl knows that. He actually cannot see either of them being fine with his going. Still, it's what he wants, and he's prepared to fight until he gets his way - or until he turns 18, which ever comes first.
As expected, Thomas flat out refuses when he asks. "Over my dead body!" "But I have the grades to graduate early!" Carl argues. "You enlisted yourself!"
"I was an adult!"
"I will be in less than a year!"
"Then you can wait that long!"
"You're ruining my life!" Carl yells and slams the door to his room. And Thomas who always thought it was Susan who would be the rebellious one.
With both father and son being so stubborn it's a tense family that arrives in Chestnut Ridge for Anna's 80th birthday party. They do try to put it aside, but soon the argument starts up again. As Carl runs off, jogging to clear his mind, Thomas asks for advice.
It turns into a long conversation, but in the end, Anna has only one piece of advice:
"Let him go!"
"But I can't just let him join a war! Especially not this war! It's not like the others, have you seen the news?"
"I have, and I agree, this is a horrible war we should never have been involved in, but you won't convince him of that. He's going now or in a few months, you can't stop him forever."
"I can if the war ends before that!"
"And then you'll loose him, because that's something he'll never forgive." Anna sighs. "Mum and dad hated my volunteering to be a nurse, but if they'd actually stopped me? I don't know that they could, I would have found a way, but I would have resented them for trying. Your mother hated that you went, and yet you did the first chance you had. Carl is no different. He wants to go, and he'll find a way to do it eventually. The question is only what will your relationship with him be when he does?"
"What if he dies? I can live with him hating me if he's alive, but if he dies..."
"Then you'll never forgive me for this advice. I know. But it's still my advice, you asked for it. In the end it is your decision. You're the one that has to live with it.
Thomas doesn't know what to do, and Betty hates the idea of her son going off to war, especially one she herself does not believe in. She'd likely hate it either way, but for Thomas the lack of legitimacy definitely plays a part in not wanting to let Carl go. As the rest of the country debates the ever rising inflation, and Nixons newly announced policies for fighting it, Thomas' mind is elsewhere. What does he care about gasoline prises when his son's life is on the line?
But even if they are looking for dresses for Susan, she finds something for mum too. "Isn't it too..." Betty starts, but Susan interrupts her.
"It's radical. So cool. Mum, you must get it!"
Back home Betty shows off her new outfit, which she chose to buy in a completely different color than what Susan suggested. In Susan's mind, it's not nearly as cool, but mum is happy so she doesn't say anything.
Besides, she has other things on her mind. Like getting ready! She spends hours in front of the mirror, trying to get her hair and make-up right. They're seniors, she's not, she has to look just right. Was the yellow dress the right choice? She's suddenly not sure. What if she's gotten everything wrong?
But Tony doesn't seem to disapprove. Granted he doesn't comment on how she looks at all, but he does give her attention, and even agrees to taka a photo with her!
If he had any thought to any shenanigans happening in that booth, however, they have another thing coming. The principle is watching them like a hawk. A bit awkward.
Susan is so proud as Tony is chosen to be prom king, and even more when he dances with her afterwards! He spends the rest of the night showing off his crown to her and everyone else who wants to see. And making out. There is a lot of making out.
When she returns home, Betty is waiting for her, wanting to hear all about her night (and making sure things did not get out of hand). Susan is more than happy to share her perfect night with her mother. They end up talking into the early hours of the morning.
In Britechester, as the new semester starts, a major change has happened at Britechester. Dorms are now mixed, meaning there are women there. They have their own wing, and their own, newly renovated, bathrooms but the common spaces are shared. Michael loves the change, as does several of the other guys at the dorm. Yet somehow when he writes to Linda it slips his mind to mention.
But then perhaps that is because the semester start out so dramatically, when The New York Times begins publishing the Pentagon Papers, a secret Department of Defense study revealing that the government has misled the public about the Vietnam War. Public outcry and protests, both on campus and in the streets lead to legal battles as the state drags The New York Times to court, leading to debates about freedom of the press. At Britechester, the matter is followed closely, both in class, with the case being studied and followed carefully, and in the dorms and common rooms and as a major topic for the debate clubs many debates. During all of this Michael makes the decision to grow a moustache - he thinks it makes him look more distinguished and knowledgeable. Surely now he'll beat Robin in the debates?
In Britechester, as the new semester starts, a major change has happened at Britechester. Dorms are now mixed, meaning there are women there. They have their own wing, and their own, newly renovated, bathrooms but the common spaces are shared. Michael loves the change, as does several of the other guys at the dorm. Yet somehow when he writes to Linda it slips his mind to mention.
But then perhaps that is because the semester start out so dramatically, when The New York Times begins publishing the Pentagon Papers, a secret Department of Defense study revealing that the government has misled the public about the Vietnam War. Public outcry and protests, both on campus and in the streets lead to legal battles as the state drags The New York Times to court, leading to debates about freedom of the press. At Britechester, the matter is followed closely, both in class, with the case being studied and followed carefully, and in the dorms and common rooms and as a major topic for the debate clubs many debates. During all of this Michael makes the decision to grow a moustache - he thinks it makes him look more distinguished and knowledgeable. Surely now he'll beat Robin in the debates?
Although beating her in debates does not seem to be all that is on his mind. When the two are alone, they often find themselves sitting close, or they lean in a bit further than they might with someone else.
Their first kiss still surprises them both. But even though Michael feels guilty about Linda back home, he really doesn't want to stop.
And yet the next time he writes to her his letters mention nothing about it as he convinces himself it's better not put in a letter but told in person. Besides, a promise made that long ago... perhaps Linda has met someone too? How would he know? All she ever talks about in her letter is how boring her new job as a gymnastic teacher to bored housewives is.
For Susan and her friends back home the Pentagon Papers are proof of the war being wrong, of the government being corrupt and of her protests being right. Carl, on the other hand, doubles down on the government being right. Even as his parents try to argue that the government was out of line, Carl insist that if the government hid something it was for the good of the country because people are too stupid to understand. As the voting age is lowered from 21 to 18, he wishes it was election so he could vote for Nixon. He spends most of his spare time with the football team after school, or at the newly opened gym downtown. At least that way, he doesn't have to deal with his stupid family who doesn't get that soldiers are heros and the war is necessary to protect their freedom.
It's at the gym that he learns about the option to enlist early. A recruiter, that also use the gym, tells him that they do allow 17-year-olds to enlist. "All you need is your parents to agree!"
Getting his parents' permission, however, will not be easy, Carl knows that. He actually cannot see either of them being fine with his going. Still, it's what he wants, and he's prepared to fight until he gets his way - or until he turns 18, which ever comes first.
As expected, Thomas flat out refuses when he asks. "Over my dead body!" "But I have the grades to graduate early!" Carl argues. "You enlisted yourself!"
"I was an adult!"
"I will be in less than a year!"
"Then you can wait that long!"
"You're ruining my life!" Carl yells and slams the door to his room. And Thomas who always thought it was Susan who would be the rebellious one.
With both father and son being so stubborn it's a tense family that arrives in Chestnut Ridge for Anna's 80th birthday party. They do try to put it aside, but soon the argument starts up again. As Carl runs off, jogging to clear his mind, Thomas asks for advice.
It turns into a long conversation, but in the end, Anna has only one piece of advice:
"Let him go!"
"But I can't just let him join a war! Especially not this war! It's not like the others, have you seen the news?"
"I have, and I agree, this is a horrible war we should never have been involved in, but you won't convince him of that. He's going now or in a few months, you can't stop him forever."
"I can if the war ends before that!"
"And then you'll loose him, because that's something he'll never forgive." Anna sighs. "Mum and dad hated my volunteering to be a nurse, but if they'd actually stopped me? I don't know that they could, I would have found a way, but I would have resented them for trying. Your mother hated that you went, and yet you did the first chance you had. Carl is no different. He wants to go, and he'll find a way to do it eventually. The question is only what will your relationship with him be when he does?"
"What if he dies? I can live with him hating me if he's alive, but if he dies..."
"Then you'll never forgive me for this advice. I know. But it's still my advice, you asked for it. In the end it is your decision. You're the one that has to live with it.
Thomas doesn't know what to do, and Betty hates the idea of her son going off to war, especially one she herself does not believe in. She'd likely hate it either way, but for Thomas the lack of legitimacy definitely plays a part in not wanting to let Carl go. As the rest of the country debates the ever rising inflation, and Nixons newly announced policies for fighting it, Thomas' mind is elsewhere. What does he care about gasoline prises when his son's life is on the line?
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