Ragged Company

Dick recounts the nightmare that keeps haunting him, in which he relives the worst moment of his life. Dick is left in charge of his three-month-old nephew, Earl, while his brother goes out at night. Drunk, Dick wakes up in the middle of the night and feels a seizure coming on; he accidentally bumps his sleeping nephew into a bucket of vomit beside the couch. Earl drowns, and the image of Earl’s tiny feet sticking up from the bucket continues to haunt Dick. Now that Timber isn’t walking in the mornings anymore, which is when Dick would find it safe enough to fall asleep, Dick just stays up all night, drinking to numb the pain.

Amelia confides in Granite and Margo about her worry that Dick isn’t sleeping at all and is drinking much more too. They decide that Digger is the best person to talk to Dick, and Granite agrees to discuss it with Digger.

When Granite raises his concern about Dick to Digger, Digger dismisses Dick’s behavior as typical of a “rounder.” He doesn’t think they should interfere because “rounders” mind their own business; having money doesn’t change everything. Digger is happy to remind Dick that they’re all there for him but refuses to ask what’s bothering him.