“Amen,” says John, as the Hickam family starts eating dinner.

“Amen,” says Homer, and starts scooping out carrots from a bowl.

“We appreciate the sacrifice you made here, Homer,” says John. “Pretty soon you’ll be able to go back and finish up the school year.”

“I’m not going back to school,” says Homer. “A few weeks left in the term, I’ll just stay put.”

Elsie looks at Homer.

“Well, I think you ought to finish high school,” says Elsie, who looks at John. John says nothing.

“Well, tell him, John!” says Elsie.

“Homer’s not a boy anymore,” says John. “I don’t think I can tell him anything.”

Elsie is shocked. She gets up and leaves the dinner table. Jim Hickam watches her leave.

In the mine, John returns to work.

“All I’m saying is the cutoff was not done proper, according to contract,” says Jake Mosby.

“Well, the company did what it had to do,” says John.

“Well, you -” begins John.

In This Episode

• Jake Gyllenhall as Homer Hickam
• Chris Cooper as John Hickam
• Natalie Canerday as Elsie Hickam
• David Dwyer as Jake Mosby