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Wind at My Back Season 2 Episodes
Season 2 Episode Guide
13 Episodes 1997 - 1997
Episode 1
Many Happy Returns
60 mins
Following the custody hearing, Honey is still living in the rooming house with all three of the children, and is still working at the laundry. Relations with May are tense, although Fat in particular misses his grandmother and May in return misses the children. Life at the mine office is not going well as in addition to some financial difficulties, Toppy is doing the bookkeeping, a task at which she is not very good. Grace, wanting a little independence, gets a job working as the town's telephone operator, replacing the retiring Hattie Olsen. Grace also catches the eye of Ollie Jefferson, although she says they are only friends. And Max, on May's maneuvering, is out of his teaching job, although he still has his announcing job at the radio station. Max is offered a teaching job in Albany, New York, and asks Honey to go with him as his wife. Despite a cold initial reception to the idea from both Hub and Fat, Honey's entire household does eventually agree that it is a good idea and the proposal is accepted. Grace is to be Honey's maid of honor, and Max's older brother Del - a railroad executive - is to be Max's best man. Fat tells his grandmother of the situation, May who is distraught that her grandchildren will be leaving New Bedford for good. May does whatever she can to keep Honey and the children in New Bedford, including offering Honey the house she wanted free and clear, and asking Bob to rehire Honey at the mine. Honey declines the house and Bob can't in good conscience offer Honey a job when he is cutting hours of existing employees. Although May and many on the school board don't really like Max, May figures the last card she can play is to get Max his job back at the school. Not only does the school board offer Max a job, but he is offered the Vice-Principalship. This offer is one that Max and Honey cannot refuse or decline, and they decide to stay in New Bedford. Beyond the job offer, May offers a small olive branch to Honey. Meanwhile, two secrets are kept hidden, one concerning May's health, and the other concerning the newly arrived Del Sutton, Honey and the boys who are the only people in town who know both secrets.
Episode 2
Never Sleep Three in a Bed
60 mins
Things are not going well at the mine. To keep the company afloat, Bob needs to secure extended credit from the bank and lay off some workers, news to which they do not take too well. In addition, Toppy and Doris have left Bob. May realizes that she has left too much responsibility to Bob which in part has caused both his professional and personal problems. Meanwhile, things at the Sutton household are also not going well following Max and Honey's wedding. At Honey's apartment, there are now six people living in two rooms, the sixth person being Del, who has decided temporarily to stay in New Bedford. Hub and Fat have not taken to Max as their father; they try not to lose the memory of Jack as Max becomes a more integral part of their lives. Hub and Fat are having more fun with their Uncle Del, who, following losing his railway executive job, has reverted to a loose and carefree life, what some may call immaturity. With Grace's help, Del manages to get a job as a mechanic working for Ollie. But Del's secondary job is as a pool hustler, which works for him until he gets hustled himself. Beyond the issues with Hub and Fat, Max needs some peace and quiet to study for his university degree, without which he is out of the Vice-Principal job at the school. With the housing situation, Honey and Max decide to rent a 3-bedroom apartment in the New Bedford Hotel, the major selling point for Honey being that there is an abandoned hairdressing space just off the hotel lobby.
Episode 3
The Agony Column
60 mins
Everyone in town seems to be getting a new job. Hub is apprenticing with Ollie at the garage. Honey is opening her hair dressing salon. Callie is taking over responsibility for managing the radio station from Alden. And Grace, depressed at being recently fired from her telephone operator job, is asked by Max to manage his radio show - with Del and Fat's help - on this one specific occasion when he has a school board meeting in his new role as Vice-Principal. Grace had better do a good job as Callie is threatening to move Max's radio program to a less lucrative afternoon slot, a time when he would be unable to work at the station. During this particular show, Grace faces a crisis of possible dead air time when an act cancels at the last minute. On Del's suggestion, Grace reads an advice column on air to fill this time. Using a fake stage voice and the assumed name Dr. Veronica Love, Grace is embarrassed and ashamed of the job she did, but Dr. Love is a hit with the listeners. Callie wants to hire Dr. Love on an exclusive contract, even after she finds out the truth that Grace is Dr. Love. Callie even convinces Grace to do public appearances wearing a costume and wig. It isn't until Dr. Love dispenses advice to a love struck Ollie - Grace initially unaware that the letter is from Ollie and he is asking about advice on how to approach his unrequited love, that being Grace herself - that Grace realizes Dr. Love is no longer part of her future. But Grace devises another act to fill in Dr. Love's old time slot. Meanwhile, May's driver's license is suspended after she gets into a fender bender with a police car. Sergeant Stoneman, who considers May to be the worst driver in New Bedford, decides to put the fear in May with a mandatory driver's exam she needs to do to get her license back. But May surprises the sergeant with her diligence and response to his little prank.
Episode 4
Triple Trouble
60 mins
After being closed for a year, the town's pawn shop reopens, this time by the actual owner of the property, Leo McGinty. May does not recognize Leo at first, but he was her husband John's old prospecting partner and John's competitor for May's affections. But Leo ran away from New Bedford forty years prior thinking that he had no chance with her. Although May does not know what would have happened between herself, Leo and John if Leo did not run off, May and Leo's reunion is one of keeping an emotional distance. Leo decided to move back to New Bedford to protect his twelve year old maternal granddaughter, Maisey, from life in the big city, Toronto. Maisey is a tomboy who isn't scared of anyone or anything. She and Leo don't get along much since she was emotionally close to her deceased mother, with whom Leo had a turbulent relationship. Maisey's mother was a saloon singer and pianist, the talent at the piano which she passed onto her daughter. After an auspicious introduction to the other kids in town, Maisey and the Bailey boys become fast friends, Hub in particular who tries to help Maisey achieve her goal of running away back to Toronto, where Maisey wants to earn a living playing the piano. But Leo really does love his granddaughter, a fact which she needs to hear.
Episode 5
Summer Dreams, Summer Nightmares
60 mins
It's nearing the end of summer 1933 and with it comes the annual Farewell to Summer Dance. The kids are planning on having a good time, with a friendly wager struck between partners Hub/Alice and Fat/Maisey on which couple will win the junior ballroom dance contest. Ollie is hoping to take Grace to the dance. Afraid that she still thinks of him only as a friend, Ollie enlists Del as his mentor in wooing Grace. Del ghost writes some romantic letters for Ollie to Grace, which she loves. Things are not going as well for Bob. Toppy, with Doris, has returned to New Bedford to ask Bob for a divorce. She still loves Bob but does not want to take second place in his life to the mine. Things at the mine are in dire straits as the bank will soon foreclose on its loan and stop credit if the mine's new vein does not produce within two weeks. Bob pressures the mine workers into drilling and blasting quicker into the vein, this against the advice of the mine's explosives man, Gene MacFarlane, Alice's father. Gene officially voices his opposition to Bob's directive. Because of the aggressive blasting and poor materials, a serious accident does occur and Gene looks to be permanently blinded. Bob thinks it a good idea for the family to lay low because of the public outcry regarding the accident, but May refuses to hide which she feels would admit guilt. The entire Bailey clan does end up going to the dance, but their presence places a noticeable tension on the festivities, especially between the MacFarlane's and Bailey's. But Bob has ulterior motives in attending the dance, that reason he tells only to Grace before he executes his plan.
Episode 6
The Champ
60 mins
Joe Callaghan returns to New Bedford a seemingly changed man. Donning an expensive suit, Joe pays Honey back for all the money he took from her and then some. He has been earning this money working for Battling Bob, a promoter of professional wrestling. The show is coming to New Bedford which has the whole town abuzz. Honey has mixed feelings about seeing her brother as she isn't sure if he's changed. Never having met him before, Del is certain Joe is a shyster. Del does discover that the wrestling is a front for organized gambling and fight fixing. Del and Grace confront Joe, threatening to inform the police about it. Although Joe admits that he knows about the illegal activity, he tells them that he has no influence over Battling Bob. Del also recognizes the show's headliner world champion, the Dynamite Kid, as former renowned boxer, David Doyle. Doyle apparently faced a crisis of faith following his stint in the war. Hub and Fat idolize the Kid as they call him. Del appeals to the Kid's moral side to do the right thing with regard to the fight. Perhaps Joe will also do the right thing and not embarrass his sister, who will have to live in New Bedford following the aftermath.
Episode 7
By Gosh or by Golly
60 mins
Despite May's assurances that the mine is safe, the miners refuse to go back to work until they are guaranteed by the union that the mine is safe from any explosives. This labor unrest delays mine operations. May is in a Catch-22 situation: she needs an extension on the loan, but the bank won't provide an extension unless the mine is operating. Although Leo offers his moral persuasion assistance, May comes up with another idea when Ethan Newcombe, a friend of the Governor General's, gets stranded in New Bedford: May will convince Newcombe to persuade the Governor General to tour the mine. Newcombe is almost prepared to do so until a series of misunderstandings convinces him that May is unscrupulous and underhanded. Leo convinces May that a visit by the Governor General would not have made any difference in the situation, and it really is her herself that needs to show the miners an act of true belief in her own words to resolve the situation. On another work front, Daisy Whitney is appointed Principal of the school. She promptly buries the Vice-Principal, Max, under a pile of paperwork. And Honey finds out that she's pregnant. Hub is happy but doesn't really see what the big deal is. Fat, however, is not looking forward to yet another person entering the family.
Episode 8
Careers
60 mins
After Mrs. Whitney and the school board insist that Max give up his radio job, Grace takes over as producer of the radio show. This directive from Mrs. Whitney is only one of many disagreements between herself and Max. Max suggests a series of extracurricular activities for the children, all turned down by Mrs. Whitney, except for one: career day, although she makes it more of an academic exercise than Max envisioned. Max secures fourteen businesses as sponsors, with each business hosting a pair of students. Career day ends up changing the career thoughts of the Bailey boys. Fat and Maisey are partnered. Fat desperately wants the police department as his career business, but they are stuck with the New Bedford Hotel. But based on rumors about Callie, Fat with partner Maisey decide to test out their policing skills. Hub and Buck, partnered, get the Silver Dome Mine much to Hub's dismay since he thinks he already knows all about that business. But he learns there is much more to the mine than what he's previously witnessed in the office. Although his career day experience excites him to the prospect of one day running the mine, Hub doesn't know if he has the aptitude. Meanwhile, Grace, on her new friend and radio station colleague Del's advice, contemplates leaving New Bedford for the bright lights of New York City.
Episode 9
Radio Waves
60 mins
Callie is taking greater control of the radio station. After she fires Skip Roper (a firing he quite gladly accepts as he has major disagreements with the tyrannical Callie), Callie decides to hire Grace as the new station manager, of course at a much reduced pay. On the surface, Grace is to have all the responsibility, but under the surface, Callie is still making all the important decisions. As Callie's sole goal is to make money, Grace is to find new advertisers for the station. One she does secure is Yuen's Laundry, Lee Yuen only agreeing if his brother, Chan, can do the radio spots for the laundry. Chan is a natural at it as he is articulate and well spoken with a great radio voice. Max notices Chan's abilities, and wants to use him as the main actor in the new murder mystery serial he is writing for radio. The problem is that there is no air time for the serial without cutting an existing program. Callie orders Grace to cancel "Bible Hour with Reverend Milo McLellan", the show she considers 'the least popular'. Grace doesn't agree as she thinks "Bible Hour" fills an important need for the community, but Grace can't refuse her boss' orders. This change in programming has mixed results. The radio serial, entitled "The Adventures of Sam Chang: Private Investigator", is a hit, and even draws Sunbrite Soap as a major new and quite lucrative sponsor for the radio station. However, there is major backlash against "Bible Hour"'s cancellation from its small in number but devoted listeners. And the radio station is vandalized with anti-Chinese graffiti sprayed across the front. Callie decides to lay all public blame for the radio station's problems on Grace. Callie fires Grace, reinstates "Bible Hour", and cancels "The Adventures of Sam Chang", the latter action based on the graffiti which she sees as a voice for the general public. One other issue with the vandalism is that Hub, with Maisey, was secretly in the radio station at the time the vandalism occurred. Interested in ham radios, Hub and Maisey broke into the station after hours to use the station's equipment. Hub witnessed the vandalism but initially doesn't want to tell either his parents or Sergeant Stoneman what he saw because he also broke the law by breaking into the station. Hub eventually does confess what happened as he would rather be punished for breaking and entering than have people think he's racist. Back with the management of the radio station, things start to unravel for Callie as she learns the vandalism was pure hooliganism by teenagers (i.e. not potential sponsors), and Sunbrite Soap has withdrawn their sponsorship since the serial is no longer airing. Callie decides to reinstate the serial and makes a public announcement to that fact. Getting the serial back on the air is not going to be as easy as Callie thinks. She has to do some major groveling and apologizing to several people for it to happen, especially to the no longer meek and timid Grace.
Episode 10
A Ghost of a Chance
60 mins
While Max and Honey go into Toronto for the weekend to visit a publisher about Max's writing, Del and Grace look after the kids. Hub, Fat and Maisey keep preoccupied for the weekend by searching the hotel for the ghost of Gap-Tooth Peggy. Alden and Callie have recently had a lot of plates break by falling off their plate rail. Although Callie thinks it's the vibration caused by the kids cavorting around the hotel, Alden tells Fat that it is the ghost of Gap-Tooth Peggy breaking the plates. Even the hotel chambermaids believe the story of Gap-Tooth Peggy, a former resident of the hotel who killed herself there. The kids decide to find conclusive evidence that the ghost of Gap-Tooth Peggy really does exist. With the kids' weekend guardians, there seems to be something new and unspoken between Del and Grace. They have been spending a lot of time together lately with their connection with the kids and their work at the radio station. Grace knows that she has feelings for Del, but Del just won't quite admit to himself that he has such feelings for Grace, especially since he doesn't think he's Grace's type. Regardless of these thoughts, Grace and Ollie are still dating each other, and Del has just started seeing Marjorie. Marjorie wants to look nice for her upcoming date, and although Grace states that she isn't a licensed hairdresser and doesn't consciously try to sabotage Del's new relationship, Grace, in Honey's absence, does agree to give Marjorie a hair set and facial, both which end in disaster. Del and Marjorie's date also ends in disaster when Del won't stop talking about Grace. Simultaneously, Grace and Ollie's date ends worse when Ollie confesses that he loves her, something that Grace admits to him that she knows she will never feel for him.
Episode 11
A Meeting of the Clan
60 mins
May's cousin, Jessie Buchanan, is coming to New Bedford for a visit. Cousin Jessie has always been somewhat of a motherly figure for May, albeit an unwanted one for the independent May. Cousin Jessie decided to visit solely to get May's life back on track. Since Bob left, May has been dedicating all her time to the mine and her angina has gotten worse. Jessie feels that May needs to focus more on family in the here and now - which not only includes Grace, Hub, Fat and Violet, but also Honey, Max and even Del, Leo and Maisey - rather than what May has been doing which is to focus on the mine solely as a legacy for Hub and Fat. Grace and Cousin Jessie end up being partners in crime in the task of getting May to change her ways, much to May's consternation. Their scheming includes trying to reunite May with Leo in a romantic fashion. With finances for the mine, May needs to raise some quick capital, and makes the decision to sell some property. One of the properties of which she is thinking is some on the lake front which she has been holding onto for sentimental reasons. After conferring with Leo, they decide it is worthless from a mining perspective but worthwhile for development. As May is not in the development business, she decides it is the one to sell. The people who seem to be perfect purchasers are Callie's slightly business-unscrupulous relatives, father and son Hugo and Luc Gerrard. Just as May is about to sell the property to the Gerrards, Grace and Cousin Jessie unwittingly thwart the deal, which ends up being a good thing as Max discovers the property is rich in nickel. A selfless act by Max shows May that Cousin Jessie may actually be right about her life and relationships.
Episode 12
All That Human Hearts Endure
60 mins
Business troubles are brewing in New Bedford. At the pawn shop, Maisey sells a watch in which the pawn ticket has not expired, the rightful owner who comes back to retrieve his property. He threatens to sue unless he gets his watch back. On a larger scale, the Silver Dome Mine is still experiencing troubles. Despite the nickel deposit found on May's property, the bank is still thinking about calling its bank loan unless the mine itself starts showing some major revenues in the immediate future. Coinciding with this move, May decides it's time that Hub learns more about the mine. She gives him the 200 shares of the mine that were originally Jack's. But the pressures of life are getting to her and May suffers a minor heart attack. If the bank finds out about her medical problems, they will definitely call the loan. Grace calls Bob back from Toronto so that the shareholders can discuss the mine's future. In addition to wanting him to learn about the overall workings of the mine, May wants Hub to act as her spy to see what the others are planning on doing "behind her back". Luc Gerrard is slyly looking to take control of the mine. Bob wants to sell the mine and finds a willing buyer in Luc for half of his 200 shares. Grace, a 200 share holder, wants what she considers best for the family. Del convinces her that the best option is for her temporarily to take control of running the mine until May recovers as the other two obvious options are not really feasible: the bank would not look kindly on Bob regaining his leading position, and an outsider in Luc would not be in the Bailey's best interest. However May, holding 400 shares, sees both Bob and Grace's moves as trying to usurp her authority, a knife in her back in figurative terms. That means that Hub, whose votes go to Honey as underage Hub's guardian, may be the deciding force. Hub needs to decide between heeding the wishes of his grandmother, deciding what's best for the economic health of the family and the mine, and what's best for May's personal health. Through this difficult time for Grace which includes harsh and unkind words from May, Del and Grace become closer, both who know they are attracted to each other but also know that they are not right for each other.
Episode 13
Smiling Through
60 mins
Troubles are still brewing at the mine. Grace is the new figurehead for the company, but May is still making the decisions. This strain between the two made Grace move out of the house. The bank is expecting its latest payment on time or will call the note. Luc offers a loan to the mine which May reluctantly accepts. But Hugo has other ideas which may jeopardize the Bailey's ownership of the company. Luc also suggests holding a dance for the mine workers to thank them for their support. This dance offers Grace the opportunity to evaluate her personal life. She and Del are still flirting with each other, but others have placed into her head that Luc may be a suitable beau. Callie also places this idea in Luc's head - if only for the power of their collective shares in the mine - but Luc also admits to Callie that he has personal feelings for Grace. Del finally admits to Grace his feelings for her, but is it too late? At the Bailey household, May is alone now that Grace has moved out, except for the presence of her private nurse, Nurse Harper who was appointed by Dr. Barlow. Nurse Harper and May do not get along so it is with mixed blessings for May that Cousin Jessie has returned to New Bedford to take care of her. And Honey is close to her delivery date. The entire family want to be part of naming the baby, Fat who thinks he's come up with the best boy's name. This name will not only need Honey and Max's approval, but May's as well. Honey unfortunately goes into labor when she and May are alone stranded at the mine office.