- When New Bedford prepares for Remembrance Day, Alden prefers to forget the war and Roolie's family ties come to light.
- Remembrance Day 1935 is approaching and the Nazi uprising in Europe is taking place. For the Remembrance Day service in New Bedford, a new cenotaph will be unveiled. As usual, Alden, the supposed war hero, adamantly refuses to partake in any of the formal rituals of the day, Callie not even knowing why. Despite he not having died in the war, Old Roolie wants the name of her son, Karl, placed on the cenotaph; she accuses everyone in the town, but especially May, as being the cause of his death. Roolie later tells the kids that Karl was a conscientious objector, who because of his beliefs, was ostracized from the town and beaten to death. They learn from Alden that Karl is actually still alive and living in a nearby town. Grace is livid that Karl has not taken responsibility for his mother, who is now at a stage in her life where she needs someone to look after her. After initially denying that he is Roolie's son, Karl comes to see his mother for the first time in twenty years. He also confronts his then enemy, Alden, who was one of the instigators of his ostracizing and beating. Although they have come to an understanding of each other's position, they recognize that the war had a profound negative effect on each of their personal lives in different ways. It isn't until Daisy Whitney, the town's war mother - she lost all three of her sons in the war - speaks to Alden, that he admits the nature of his Remembrance Day sorrows: he may have saved three of the thirty men in his company in a battle, but the other twenty-seven perished, a fact he does not want to remember or celebrate.—Huggo
- At the town square, a group of men are unloading the new cenotaph to be erected in the square during this year's Remembrance Day celebrations. The cenotaph is covered with burlap. Fat, Maisey and Violet, looking on, are standing at attention in respect to fallen soldiers. As the work men walk away, Fat tries to take a peek under the burlap; he gets mildly chastised by Max. Fat rushes over to Alden, who is walking down the street carrying some boxes. Fat tells Alden about the cenotaph. Alden seems uninterested, even annoyed.
Max and the men go to the hotel, looking for some cool refreshments after their hard work. With the furnace acting up, Callie facetiously suggests a hot beverage might be a better option. Alden walks in, the boxes apparently parts for the broken furnace. Max asks Alden if he would consider coming to the school to speak to the children about his time in the service during the war. Like every year Max asks, Alden turns him down flat and without hesitation. Callie openly wonders why her husband won't do it.
Alden and Fat are working on the furnace. Fat tells him that he would like to hear his war stories. Again Alden says no and is visibly angry at the request. Alden shoos Fat home. Alden grabs a bottle, pours himself a drink, takes swig and contemplates the situation.
The gypsy woman, Roolie, is cutting some plant root outside her house. Grace and Toppy are inside awaiting Roolie to come back and tell their fortune. Roolie enters, stumbles while she walks into a table, and pours the plant root into a pot on the stove. As Grace hands over Roolie's fee, Roolie takes a bite of the root. She shudders in recognition. She tells Grace of a man in front of her to whom she should open her eyes. His name begins with the letter J. Toppy immediately thinks of Jim Flett, but Grace, wanting not to be obvious, mentions her deceased father named John instead.
There is a family dinner at May's house. May is worried about Grace taking Roolie too seriously. Just as Toppy is about to mention the incident at Roolie's with Jim, Grace interrupts, not wanting her mother to know. The children excuse themselves from the table, Fat asking if he can bring down his father's old foot locker. May allows it. Hub mentions that the act of Fat's request is becoming tradition around Remembrance Day. As May and Max talk about the possibility of the Governor General coming to New Bedford on Remembrance Day, Toppy and Grace are whispering about Roolie's vision of Jim in front of Grace. As May asks Grace about what's she's whispering about, Grace lies and mentions that Roolie is becoming old and forgetful and may need care, speaking of Roolie having kerosene near an open fire. May is angry that the conversation still is about Roolie, who she sees at not their responsibility.
Fat and Maisey struggle to bring the foot locker downstairs. Opening it, Fat asks Maisey to respect the property of his dad. Inside, there is among other things a war hat and a bugle. Fat brings the bugle out to show those still seated at the dining room table. He starts blowing into it. Now just making sounds, Fat wants to learn to play in time for the Remembrance Day celebrations. The adults are exasperated by the idea. Grace returns the conversation to Roolie saying that they should at least monitor her condition. Hub agrees to do whatever he can. May closes the discussion on Roolie and turns to Grace to play the piano as evening entertainment.
There is a dried out pan on Roolie's stove, causing a lot of smoke which is making her cough. She hallucinates, hearing a sound, thinking it is "Tom". Getting up to deal with the smoking pan, she picks up its handle and burns herself, gasping in pain.
Grace and Hub pay Roolie a visit. Grace sees that there is something wrong with her hand. Roolie dismisses it as a minor burn, but Hub thinks she should see a doctor. She also dismisses that idea as she figures she knows more about healing than any doctor. She likens pain to feeling, and if one can't feel, one is dead. Roolie talks her way into getting a ride into town with Grace.
Alden is still working on the furnace. Callie comes down to tell him that the cenotaph committee is here. Alden is angry as he thought Callie said they want to enlist his help on Remembrance Day. Callie shoots back that that is not what she said and that he should not take his anger, whatever its core reason, out on her. Alden dismisses Callie and tells her to dismiss the committee. Callie asks him why he doesn't want to participate, despite the stories she's heard of his heroism during the war. He rhetorically asks her if she was in the war, and says no more as he tells her to leave him alone. He is apologetic as she heads off.
The committee is discussing the Remembrance Day event. The Governor General will not be attending. In the Governor General's absence, Max suggests that Mrs. Whitney, the "Silver Cross mother", do the unveiling of the cenotaph. She seems less than enthusiastic but decides to think about it.
In town, Grace suggests to Roolie to go see Dr. Barlow. Roolie instead wants to go get a beer, something she has not had in a quite some time. Grace says no, and suggests tea instead. Off in the distance, Roolie sees the burlap covered item. Hub tells her it's a new cenotaph. Roolie becomes openly agitated and walks away. As they enter the hotel, Grace mentions the tea room for that drink. Callie tells them that it is closed since the cenotaph committee is currently meeting there. Roolie barges into the meeting. Inside, May is angry at the impolite imposition and faults Grace. Roolie asks if the name of her son, Karl, is on the cenotaph. May replies that that would be inappropriate. Roolie says that he not only died, but that "you", as in May, killed him. Max, May and Roolie argue about Roolie's request regarding Karl. Roolie angrily leaves, but not before accusing May one more time of being Karl's murderess. May attributes Roolie's behaviour to senility
As Hub is preparing breakfast, he and Fat discuss what happened with Roolie and the committee. Apparently, Karl was a conscientious objector or "consci". Fat doesn't quite understand the entire implication, especially how Karl could have died if he was not in service during the war. Hub sternly tells Fat that he doesn't have the answers so stop asking him. Fat walks out of the room. Max enters and asks Hub about Fat and if he's eaten, As Hub responds positively, they hear Fat in the next room blowing into the bugle. Hub has a pained look from the noise.
Grace has brought Dr. Barlow out to see Roolie, Grace waiting outside since she doesn't think Roolie will see her. Grace feels responsible for Roolie's outburst. Dr. Barlow is just there to see if Roolie is physically and mentally competent. As Dr. Barlow enters Roolie's house, Roolie, upon learning who he is, says that she was expecting him since she acted crazy and thus expected the authorities to send her to an institution. Dr. Barlow first examines her burnt hand, which she herself mended with roots and herbs. He asks her which ones, and she smiles. He then places his hand in front of her face. He sees that her sight is diminishing or is totally gone. She pleads not to be sent away as her outburst was the result of remembering things and that "her kind" could not exist in an institution. She herself will know when it's "her time". Outside, the doctor tells Grace that she is mentally sharp, but is probably blind, can live on her own but probably needs occasional in house care. Grace volunteers.
Lonnie Vreeker and Max visit Alden, who sarcastically welcomes them, who he coins the annual press gang. They question Alden's adamant refusal to participate in the Remembrance Day celebrations especially since he earned more war medals than anyone else in town. Alden retorts that he has also earned the right to make up his own mind. Alden decides to spend the day in his own way. After Max and Lonnie leave, Callie tells him that she knows he will be drowning his sorrows that day. He doesn't disagree, but Callie still does not understand her husband's motivations.
Maisey, Hub and Fat are helping Roolie clean up. As Fat is about to ask about Karl being a conscientious objector, Hub interrupts him. Fat gets his question out anyway. Roolie doesn't mind answering. According to Roolie, Karl just didn't want to go. As they were not wanted by their country previous to the war, they felt no allegiance to the country when asked. Maisey asks about Karl's death. Roolie responds that during a recruiting drive, May stated that any man who didn't enlist was not a man, and that Alden, in his army uniform, was chief among those that supported May to an extreme. Upon Karl's objector status, a gang of boys came to the house and dragged him out. He died. Roolie then talks about the young of today, to whom she is grateful for helping her out by cleaning her house.
Fat wants to know more about conscis, and decides to ask Alden despite Maisey's reluctance to bother him. Alden does answer their questions, saying that Karl probably didn't know what was going on with the war. But when the kids talk about Karl being dead, Alden corrects them that Karl Shenken is alive and living in nearby Bridgeville.
Grace is on phone requesting the number for Shenken Fine Meats. Toppy questions Alden's assertion since Bridgeville is so close yet no one is taking responsibility for Roolie. Grace is upset with what she sees as Karl's shoddy treatment of his mother. When Grace is connected, she asks the person on the other end if he is Karl Shenken who has a mother living in New Bedford. He speaks to her rudely. Grace is shocked by the response. Off the phone, Grace explains that he denied it and hung up on her. Toppy, Fat and Maisey know he must be Roolie's son since he was so angry as opposed to being indifferent. Grace in now even angrier and vows to make him care for his mother.
Toppy and Grace are in Bridgeville outside Shenken's Fine Meats. Toppy is still uncertain if approaching Karl is a good idea, but Grace is going to do it with or without Toppy. Grace sees a man wearing an apron lighting a cigarette. She assumes that is him. Grace confronts him, he knowing who she is. He still denies being who she is looking for, but she threatens to call the authorities to make him do what is his rightful responsibility. He finally admits that Roolie is his biological mother, but that she is not his responsibility since they have not seen each other in over twenty years. He is angry at Grace, a Bailey, for sticking her nose where it does not belong. They part not having resolved the issue, which Grace refuses to let die. Although Toppy admires Grace's forthrightness, she also wonders if the authorities can force him to look after Roolie.
Max and May are discussing the Remembrance Day event. May pointedly asks about Fat, stating she wants a guarantee from Max that he will not play the Last Post or anything else on the bugle. Smiling, Max says he will do his best. He also has heard from Mrs. Whitney that she feels someone who fought should officiate the cenotaph unveiling. May understands but hopes she'll reconsider. Max concurs. Getting up, May looks looks physically pained. Max is concerned but she tells him that she's all right and that the event is weighing more on her this year, probably just due to age.
Fat is practicing the bugle, playing badly. In the other room, Max is exasperated by the noise. He calls Fat, who is pleased by the way his practicing is going. Max is honest with Fat, suggesting he read a poem instead, something out of the book "The Collected Poetry of the Great War". Just then, Mrs. Whitney drops by, she who apologizes for intruding on what looks like the beginning of dinner. She reiterates that she doesn't deserve the honour of unveiling the cenotaph since she didn't do anything. Max stresses that the names of her three sons are on the cenotaph which is reason enough. Although she's proud of them, she wishes their names weren't there, implying she wishes they had not gone to war. Max suggests having a war veteran stand up there with her. She suggests Alden, a probably impossible task to get him to agree they both realize.
Karl visits his mother. Since she can't see him, she assumes it is a burglar. But he reiterates that it his her son, to which she responds her son is dead. Karl tries to correct her that the mob of boys, although did beat him up, did not kill him. He has abandoned his gypsy heritage which he feels has not done her any good. Roolie still sticks to her beliefs that he is dead and was killed by the beliefs of mainstream society. He wants to leave her with some money which she refuses. He leaves without saying another word.
Callie finds Alden in the basement. When he realizes her presence, he turns around, startled. He drops his war memorabilia, at which he was looking. She is angry that he won't talk to her about whatever he is facing. They hear a knock upstairs, which Alden goes to answer while Callie rummages through his box of medals and other war commendations. It is Karl at the door. They talk about Roolie, who is more comforted by the thought of Karl being murdered by Alden and others as opposed to reality. Alden admits that he thought Karl a coward, a viewpoint he probably still has, but that he did not intend on Karl being beaten. In reality, Alden is not sure what he thought or thinks now of Karl's situation that day. Karl also admits he really did not know what he believed then, but in hindsight thinks he should have enlisted. None of Karl's lynch mob made it back from the war. Karl heard that Alden had a "good war". Since Karl has missed the last train of the evening, Alden offers him a place to sleep.
Fat has decided to read "In Flanders Fields", but also suggests "Anthem for Doomed Youth". Max, Hub and Fat discuss the latter's appropriateness. Max explains that it may be appropriate but may hurt some people to hear. Fat agrees to the former poem.
Grace and May are deciding on their wardrobe for the event. There is a knock on the door. A surprised Toppy sees Karl. He has come to drop off the money which he wants used for this mother's care, sending more each month. Grace agrees to administer the funds. Although the women hope Roolie will come around to Karl's existence, he doesn't expect she will. Although Karl does not need to hear the words, May apologizes to him for what happened to him those many years ago. Although she did not condone the actions, she admits she also lost no sleep over it.
Grace visits Roolie. Grace talks to her about Karl's visit. Roolie denies Karl visited since she still asserts Karl is dead.
At the hotel, Max tells the committee that Lonnie Vreeker has agreed to be by Mrs. Whitney's side for the unveiling. Upon hearing this, Callie, who is not part of the committee, asks if she can read a letter she found in Alden's war keepsake box. The letter outlines Alden's gallantry during the war. His action saved the lives of at least three men in his company. Callie wants her husband to do the unveiling. The others agree but tell her they have already tried to convince him. She knows that deep in his heart he wants to be a part of what's going on but for some reason is hurt. Max and May tell her that they hope she can convince him, but she knows she is not the one who can do so.
Roolie hears the bell ringing off in the distance from town, the bell signifying Remembrance Day. Simultaneously, Alden is in his basement opening a bottle of liquor. Mrs. Whitney walks in on him, he telling her politely that he does not want her there. She stays anyway. She asks him to stand with her for the unveiling, but he declines. She tells him of her own war story. She saw her sons off by train expecting to see them soon. As she received news of a son's death, she prayed, even bargained, for the return of the other two, and then of the remaining one. She even admits that she prayed most for her youngest, Johnny, to live. Alden finally opens up that he lost thirty men in his company. Although he officially saved three men, one died within the hour and a second was physically disabled, he who would have preferred to have died. Although he realizes that the war was necessary, he just does not want to celebrate it. Mrs. Whitney gives him a reassuring hug. Before she leaves, she tells him that she prays every year for her three sons. This year she will also pray for Alden's thirty.
Grace and Toppy have come to pick up May for the event. May is lamenting the aftermath of the war. May admits that she sometimes resents Daisy Whitney who can rejoice in her sons giving their life for the cause, whereas those who had sons return had to deal with what the pains war brought directly to their families.
At the event, Fat is reciting "In Flanders Fields". As Mrs. Whitney and Lonnie approach the cenotaph to lay a wreath before the unveiling, Alden appears outside the hotel to join Callie, who is watching the event from a distance. Meanwhile, Roolie, at home, brings out an old photograph of herself carrying Karl when he was an infant. She can barely make out the images but clutches the photograph next to her chest.
Later, the family has congregated at May's house, most playing Scrabble. Although there physically, May is preoccupied with news on the radio of Hitler's visit to Toronto to promote the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, and of news of issues in Italy with Mussolini.
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