Ragged Company

The group buys a big, three-story house on Indian Road and moves in together. Timber begins to walk every morning before sunrise, while the others are still asleep, and in the evenings. He needs to feel the concrete under his feet; it’s his way of returning to what he knows, the feeling of being a “rounder.”

Dick chooses the Indian Road location to honor Amelia, who brought them all together, and Granite and Margo help them set up the place. Dick buys a TV, movie player, and lots of movies for his room. Watching movies and drinking is how he gets through the nights; he’s afraid to sleep, in case the dreams come back, and stays awake until daybreak every day.

Amelia likes the house as soon as she sees it. After moving in, she begins to plant a garden in the backyard. With Granite and Margo, she begins to regularly attend plays; the four original “rounders” also watch movies regularly, and Granite occasionally joins them. However, Amelia senses changes around her; although Digger has settled, the other two haven’t. She knows about Timber’s long walks and Dick’s staying awake drinking at night.