THE BLESSING. A forty-five year old Christopher pays a Thanksgiving visit to Free Earth, or more accurately to Magnolia's amazing home just across the border in Modesto. Therein, the needy Christopher struggles to make a fresh start and his undisputed play of the day reveals the real blessing of Thanksgiving.

USELESS! “The Prince” continues. Christopher wasn’t “doctor material.” Christopher canceled his date with Lilly Ray, but chess with Doc Beale upstaged his planned reading of Machiavelli. Doc Beale quoted Shakespeare and offered up a lecture on life—even his dad bought into the test results. Christopher was “Useless as Tits on a Boar,” his dad had said so. Then "A Final Message From Free Earth” begins with a midnight call from the looney bin, but Christopher was on with his own life, and that ultimately took him to New York. There another call from Doc Beale with devastating news. A Smith & Wesson 38 Police Special went out in the mail. Later a call from Malika. Doc Beale was dead at fifty-four. There would be a funeral for Doc Beale in Free Earth. Christopher was conspicuous by his absence.  

OH LORD WON'T YOU BUY ME A MERCEDES-BENZ? "The Prince” begins as Christopher’s year seems off to a great start; undefeated in wrestling, elected Class President, and a new girlfriend. But the big test looms terrifying everyone, and that fact annoys Christopher. The day spins out of control at the expense of Volker Stoffel's brand new shiny black Mercedes-Benz. Christopher pleads guilty, is ready for death and another—probably final, trip to his dad’s office. But there is a strange conspiracy afoot. Doc Beale is carefully kept out-of-the-loop. Even at the payoff to Mr. Stoffel, Christopher managed to be Christopher. Then he finds Gee Bee, and is enraged. The results of the big test are in, and Christopher is told "Not Everyone Can Be Doctor Material.”  

TURNING OVER A NEW LEAF! "Philadelphia Lawyer” continues. Christopher was in motion, the barn party out of control. Finally the barn went down like a house of cards. Christopher went home, but was called to the office by his dad. Doc Beale didn’t even know about the barn—Mr. Learner had called him about the “Philadelphia lawyer” incident and locking Melvin Moody in the instrument room. A beating ensued. Perhaps having realized he was close to killing Christopher, Doc Beale proposes “turning over a new leaf.” A chance to start over was too good to be true. Then Mission Beale comes into the bedroom and tells Christopher that he would be going to see Dr. Bradford, a Psychiatrist, and he’d be driving the Impala! Only one thing was certain, Christopher wasn’t in Sissy Warrens pants.

PHILADELPHIA LAWYER! “The Killer Instinct” continues as Christopher attempted to make-up with his dad after the red vest event. Christopher showed Doc Beale some bumps on his arm, just making conversation. The conversation turned into a surgery. Christopher's dream was back, and this time he remember the dream. "Philadelphia Lawyer” starts as Christopher challenges the Principal, Mr. Learner, about the crime of the century. But the day has just begun and Melvin Moody ends up locked in the band instrument room. Christopher proudly dismissed the class—he had a big night planned at a barn party.  

THE KILLER INSTINCT! Christopher’s first wrestling match was in Sonora. His opponent was Otho Choate, a Senior who intended to break Christopher’s neck—but it was Otho who was taken to the hospital strapped to a stretcher. Christopher was an exceptional wrestler, and Doc Beale was happy about that. He was not happy about learning from Trout Cobb that Christopher had a new red vest, and had worn it to the Friday night Free Earth football game. Christopher would never wear red again.  

FEAR OF ALMOST FLYING! Christopher was optimistic, he had this driving stuff down pat. But the lesson was not without incident. The lecture on the rules-of-the-road, and medical ethics, was classic Doc Beale. Christopher was ready when his dad yelled "Panic Stop.” Doc Beale was impressed but there was a bank robbery underway on Main Street. Doc Beale was needed. For Bellow Halsey it was more than just a bad day. Sad, distracted, Christopher drove home but something was very wrong. Doc Beale saved the day and sat atop that VW—smoking a Lucky. Then “The Killer Instinct” begins.  

THE HIPPOCRATIC OATH! "War Over Free Earth” continues and building the bomb shelter takes on increased urgency. Folks from all over Free Earth came in droves to work off a bill, and pay homage to Doc Beale. The ethical Doc Beale lived the Hippocratic Oath, and served all without “pay or promise.” Doc Beale lectures endlessly on medical ethics. Christopher is caught cutting class at Summer School, with predictably bad results. He is haunted by a reoccurring dream. Then it’s Christopher's turn for a driving lesson, as "Fear Of Almost Flying” begins.  

WAR OVER FREE EARTH! "Varmint Patrol” continues as Christopher came home from school and no Gee Bee. He was inexplicably gone, and Christopher was very upset. Doc Beale’s “Varmint Patrol” takes over. Armed to the teeth, Doc Beale’s private campaign against cats turns deadly, but a certain wisdom is ultimately revealed in this atmosphere of absolute madness. In time it wouldn’t matter anymore. History would deliver Doc Beale a real war, “War Over Free Earth.” The Beale’s are building a Bomb Shelter!

SHOOT TO KILL! "Of Words And Wasps” continues as Christopher’s body is disposing of the Wasp-toxins, and he is consumed by a reoccurring dream. Then "Bigger Than a Bolt” kicks off as Martin and Christopher head to the garage, the last place Christopher wanted to be. Thank goodness Doc Beale wasn’t going to be there. Christopher became the ultimate garage-cleaner, and pushed Martin to the limit with a never-ending game. Doc Beale’s beloved Cottontail were disappearing, his solution "Varmint Patrol.” Doc Beale figured the most threatening varmints now were cats. Absolute madness ensues. An apparent respite had Gee Bee showing off for visitors, and Doc Beale grinding his teeth.  

RUN! "Of Words And Wasps” continues as Christopher becomes a master at adding value with words, another sale of used clothes to Malika followed. No list from their father that day, so they fed the horses and headed for the tree house in their giant Black Oak. But there was trouble. Malika spotted a new wasp nest and the two headed down to the bottomland to get a better view. Christopher was annoyed, who did they think they were invading his tree house and his Oak tree? Christopher figured he’d throw a rock at it. Malika disagreed. Then a direct hit, maybe a lucky shot, but here came thousands of wasps and Christopher screamed “RUN!” Both headed toward the river. The swarm followed.  

A PISTOL TO HIS HEART! "Calvin Grange” concludes. Calvin is dead. Christopher recalls finding a dead frogman at Jade Cove. Death is everywhere. "A Pistol To His Heart” begins as Doc Beale, Martin, and Christopher head to Mexico the night of Calvin’s death. Doc Beale is beat-up, hurting, but at peace with himself and takes an earthen stage with “A Pistol to His Heart.” Back at the Beale Ranch, Christopher and Malika wait for the school bus hoping to be rescued by Mr. Grange in one of his Thunderbirds. "Of Words and Wasps” begins as Chris and Malika head for the Barn in the rain to feed the horses. Christopher teaches Malika "Mares Eat Oats," and uses the moment to offer to sell her some of his used clothes. Then Christopher is back To the Zenith waiting for “The Three Minute Warning.”  

CHRISTOPHER WAS TREADING WATER—CALVIN WAS TURNING BLUE! "Calvin Grange” continues as Christopher recognizes that something is very wrong, time for an emergency call to Doc Beale. The Porsche is fired up and Doc Beale is on his way, around the Crooked Mile that screaming engine wailed for Calvin. Doc Beale and Nurse Beaver start a poolside intervention, a shocking open heart surgery as an ambulance is on its way from Modesto. Hours later at the hospital, Doc Beale tells the Granges what they already knew. In denial Christopher reflects on stories about Spears Newton and Hooker Able, but Mission Beale stands firm with Christopher and the planned fishing trip to Mexico Trip is on.   

GENETICALLY SUPERIOR! "Calvin Grange” continues, and though Calvin's boxing career ends, life on the Beale Ranch goes on. Christopher and Calvin hatch a great plan with Willy, about the biggest Gopher Snake anybody had ever seen, and a chance to scare Chesapeake half to death. Christopher imagines that Chesapeake actually has noticed him, and preps for an afternoon at the Granges pool with plans to impress her. The genetically superior Calvin is center stage as usual, but gets a shock and says, “I don’t feel good." 

GERMAN TO THE BONE! “Saturday Normal 356” winds down, but the Crooked Mile is forever. "Very Odd Fellows” begins in a very German VW Mircobus, and Doc Beale learns the significance of language in Free Earth. “Can’t practice medicine if you don’t know the damned language,” some hard-earned wisdom from Doc Beale. Then we are introduced to "Calvin Grange" for the first time, a prime example of good genes and one heck of a boxing lesson gone awry.      

Ford vs. Porsche! The “Three Minute Warning” continues as Christopher prepares for the sound of that Ford Police Interceptor V8, and a almost nightly dinner table drama. Doc Beale is not a happy man. Then an amazing event as “Saturday Normal 356” begins and Christopher is invited to join his dad to have a look at a brand new Porsche 356. High anxiety about his first experience with a car salesman, but he fit perfectly into the little back bucket seat of that red torpedo and was ready for anything—including a new truth. The shortest distance between two points is not always a straight line, and so the Crooked Mile was born.   

First Blood. “The Grilled Cheese Menagerie” concludes, and it is on to "Useless as Tits On A Boar” where Christopher faces the dreaded garage with terrible consequences and is off to his dad's office for stitches. “The Three Minute Warning” begins, the new Zenith dominates between the Wednesday Night Fights, endless Gopher Patrol, and time for The Three Stooges.  

"The Big Dinner” continues, and shocked by Doc Beale’s praise, Christopher has changed. “The Grilled Cheese Menagerie” begins and the Beale’s are moving, and what a grand move it is. But daily lists and Gopher Patrol dominate life and Doc Beale seeks the ultimate solution with fire and brimstone to prove it.  

"Orland Boa's Barn” continues and a hay loft drama ensues with Orland Boa to the rescue, all kept secret from Doc Beale. Then a short school story titled "Scratchy Mendota,” and on to "The Big Dinner” as Christopher is out to kill Martin and everyone thought he was dead.

"Of Rockets and Rocket Scientists" concludes, but had Martin really intended to kill Christopher? Christopher's zone grows by the minute, and Martin has a new engineering project. They are going to build a fort! What a joy; interrupted only by Christopher's first police drama, with Mr. Carson in a world of hurt at Doc Beale's doorstep. Then it's back to "Orland Boa’s Barn" and a whole new story begins, miles up in the barn's loft with a Lucky Strike.