Eye of the Storm

“A man’s pride is no more important than his babies’ bellies.” – Fairlight Spencer

Don’t let your fears override joy. The bitter cold of winter is arriving to Cutter Gap and it’s spreading cabin fever. To break the ice of the doom and gloom Dr. MacNeill comes to the school to teach the children about chemistry. He creates the ultimate science fair with a 2 feet flaming volcano. I remember the baking soda and vinegar volcanoes, but this was on another level. I guess our schools are too afraid of fiery flames due to injuries and lawsuits. Not to mention the breakdown of education.

After class Miss Alice gives Neil and Christy the cold shoulder. It’s as if they weren’t even standing there. Usually this stance is due to embarrassment or anger. Either way it isn’t a way to deal with friendship. It’s clear Neil is starting to get quite attached to Christy. If you remember, Neil vehemently brushed off the idea of hygiene classes a long time ago. Well now he suggests starting those hygiene classes with Christy. Later that night in the mission, it’s mentioned that the absence of Becky O’Teal at school could be due to illness. Miss Alice butts in and suggests to Christy that maybe she needs the assistance of Dr. MacNeill too. This was clearly another veiled dispute she has with Neil and her.

Ruby Mae is now the captain of the mission deck, taking on more chores and delivering the supper tonight. Ida is visiting her mother in Boston, Mass. and as David proclaims they’re on their own now. Good luck to them, because they’re going to need it with Ruby Mae’s cooking. The mission is going to lose Miss Alice in a weeks time because of her visit to Sand Mountain Mission. Of course Ruby Mae has to chime-in and snarkily say, “uh oh, preacher and teacher alone?” It’s an embarrassment for Christy and David, and well who wouldn’t be? This episode is the pivotal moment that starts Christy’s indecisiveness between Neil and David.

Ruby Mae obviously isn’t a proper chaperone for them, but Fairlight insists on helping out. Well, in reality she needs the work to feed her children. Her husband Jeb has been gone a month trying to sell the honey he gathered. The locals do whatever they can to try to make ends meet. I think a lot of us have those same problems today. Perhaps in a slightly different manner, and some of us can manage it better than others.

For David it was a delight to see Fairlight. I’m sure he felt the bricks falling off his back and could finally eat some good meals. Fairlight feeds her five children outside on the mission porch. It’s an illustration of the stark contrast between a family struggling to survive on the bare necessities, while others eat without worry. Those around us may be in these circumstances and we don’t even know it. It’s a reminder to help those in need and to be thankful for what we do have. Many times greed overshadows our understanding of what blessings we already have. Fairlight eventually passes out due to extreme exhaustion and starvation. Dr. MacNeill eventually comes to her aid.

Bitterness continues to rise between Miss Alice and Neil. It’s Miss Alice who has kept the secret that her daughter Margaret died in a severe storm. In fact, Margaret had been married to Neil. Alice calls Neil a hypocrite for silently playing dumb about his sorrow over Margaret and his feelings for Christy. Neil proclaims if she will tell the truth, so will he. Sometimes in situations like this it’s best to break the ice and have a civil discussion. People all around us harbor secrets and feelings we know nothing of. To pronounce our secrets to others can be for the best, but other times it could be the worst thing you could do. Like the previous episode, ‘Judgment Day’, making the right decisions can be crucial.

The tension boils over between Miss Alice and Christy as she declares “I AM NOT ANGRY!”. It’s certainly not like Miss Alice. In fact, some people are so highly regarded by their righteous character that people fail to realize they are subject to sin just like anyone else. Miss Alice even warned of this. Amidst all the drama, Neil reveals to Christy that he has been offered a job from St. Timothy’s hospital in Baltimore. This is heartbreaking for Christy in more ways than one. She has feelings for Neil, and at the same time questions the outlook for the people in the cove. David stands at a distance gazing at the two. I would venture to say he’s happy to hear the news of Neil’s departure. After all, there is a silent war between he and Neil. The grand prize? Christy.

Jeb finally returns after his long journey and sees Fairlight working at the mission. He angrily gathers their children together and tells the mission they do not accept charity. He’s let pride overtake his emotions, despite the dire circumstances his wife and children were enduring. Jeb bit off more than he could chew, and as a result this caused Fairlight to stay with the mission. Christy’s idea was to get Dr. MacNeill to talk to Jeb. David sarcastically states Neil could do better than the Almighty. Miss Alice reinforces he resentment, telling Christy she feels he’s God’s answer to the world. Quite often, infatuations override our sense of logic and surroundings.

Zady Spencer comes to visit her mother Fairlight at the mission. She wants her to do one thing. And that’s to remember how much her daddy loves her. We all have arguments and disagreements, and I think many of us can relate to this scene. The guilty side needs to apologize and change, while the oppressed should gracefully accept their remorse. Life is too short to hold on to grudges.

The humorous part of this episode is when Christy bangs her foot on the school floor telling the pigs to hush up. She quickly finds out it’s Becky O’Teal who’s been hiding there. She’s very ill; and it’s clear there’s something wrong with her eyes. Christy flees with her in a stormy night to give Becky the treatment she needs from Dr. MacNeill. Upon his eye examination it’s determined she has an eye infection called trachoma. It’s an incurable illness but he’s been working to find that cure for a long time. Becky feels all of this was a result from picking up her school books on the Sabbath. Neil and Christy secretly discuss that the infection will eventually lead to blindness. He’s afraid that his experimental treatment may make her condition even worse.

In the middle of the rainy midnight storm, Jeb Spencer finally swallows his pride and visits Fairlight at the mission. They reminisce over old times and how they came to meet. They both couldn’t sleep because of their separation. In our world today, a husband and wife are sadly viewed as an outdated custom. Back then the man was the leader bringing in the earnings while the wife is homemaker and caretaker of the children. Sometimes a woman’s role has to change temporarily in the instance of Fairlight’s situation. However our current system is destroying the cogs of a functional family. Even now many women have to be a breadwinner like man because of these altered views and economic burdens placed on society.

In time, Dr. MacNeill eventually opens up to Christy. He reveals the truth that he had previously been married to Margaret, and they had a miserable marriage. He found a piece of her dress near a river and believes she must have been carried away by the river and drowned. Even now he still carries the burden of her death and troubled relationship. He holds self doubt with everything, including his work. With displeasure, David and Miss Alice discover Christy in Neil’s cabin. At this point it feels like two teams fighting one another. By morning Becky is still ill and brought back to her home.

The windstorm struck the cove and mission with disaster. Debris and belongings are scattered about. David sees an opportunity to kiss Christy but he’s met with disapproval. He openly states how happy he is that Neil is leaving. Love seems to be superficial for him and Christy expresses for love she wants more communication and to be able to grow closer to one another. He’s displeased and walks away. This really represents what society wants today. Quick cheap love. True love should be bonded with time, friendship, and loyalty.

For Miss Alice, it’s taken personally that Christy is causing her daughter’s memory to be forgotten because of Neil’s infatuation with her. David eventually comes to his senses. He sees his mistakes and apologizes. Christy’s thankful because he’s now going out of his way to be kind. He gifts her his handmade wooden plaque with the Bible verse Psalm 119:105. “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Miss Alice has retreated and been away from the mission for weeks. However in time, she eventually returns and apologizes to Christy. As a token of love, Christy gives her a special leaf. It’s a remembrance that she gave her during the arrival to Cutter Gap. That is to hold on to joy in every storm you may face.

Dr. MacNeill performs his experimental procedure for Becky’s trachoma. To everyone’s surprise the infection seems to be improving, but it’s no guarantee and her treatments must continue. To Christy’s delight Neil tells her he’s not going to leave Cutter Gap for Boston. His work is right here. It’s to help a small nit community who needs him, when no one else dare take on his tough job. Sometimes things just aren’t meant to be. Our big time goals may not ever come to fruition. Small little victories in Cutter Gap can give hope to the people there. It sets an example, and can inspire the children to achieve even greater accomplishments. Tomorrow will have it’s own storms and we’re shown you can get through them. So do not fear. Take the high road, press forward, and always remember to hold on to joy.