Episode 3.05: The Fog
June 20, 1963 until approximately a week later. The baby’s birth certificate shows June 21, 1963 at 4:58 a.m. as the date of birth, meaning that Betty went into labor Thursday evening, the 20th. A normal postpartum hospital stay at that time would have been four to seven days.
Thursday, June 20, 1963
Ossining, NY
Don and Betty wait in a classroom; Sally’s teacher, Suzanne Farrell, comes in and explains the Pearsons aren’t coming. Miss Farrell realizes that Betty, enormously pregnant, can’t sit in a child’s chair and gives her her own. She expresses appreciation that both parents came. Sally and Becky Pearson were in a fight, and Miss Farrell asks if “anything has changed at home recently.” Betty tells her that Gene died, and Suzanne expresses condolences. She says Sally had been asking about Medgar Evans’s death. Betty excuses herself to use the Ladies Room, and Miss Farrell apologizes to Don. The two of them have a moment, and then Betty comes back. Miss Farrell tells them this can wait and they leave.
Sterling Cooper
Lane Pryce is going over expenses minutely when Don comes in. After travel expenses, he launches into office supplies, and Don walks out.
In Paul’s office, Paul is lecturing Pete on Marxism. Pete is upset about Admiral TV; he realizes that the only sales growth is among Negroes. Harry comes in to tell Paul that Lois has caught her scarf in the Xerox machine. Paul expresses disgust with Lois. Pete asks Harry to look at the data, and Harry agrees that it could be a Negro market. Ken comes in, also laughing about Lois. Ken boasts about getting Mets tickets and a watch from Birdseye.
Don gives dictation to Alison for London Fog when Lane comes in. They argue about penny-pinching. Lane admits that Draper has a point.
Pete takes a call from “Uncle Herman,” and is alarmed until Duck Philips identifies himself. Duck is now at Grey and wants lunch with Pete; Pete agrees.
Ossining
Don arrives home to a ringing phone. It’s Suzanne Farrell, emotional and obviously drunk. She says she over-relates to Sally. Betty then comes downstairs and tells Don it’s time to go (she’s in labor). He tells her “no one” was on the phone.
A Westchester Hospital
The nurse wheels Betty in and sends Don to the solarium to wait. Betty, on her way down the hall, sees a janitor who looks like her father and calls out “Daddy!” The nurse helps her fill out the form. In the solarium, Don waits with a Dennis Hobart, who is wearing a uniform and is worried about his wife. He opens a bottle and shares it with Don. Dennis reveals he’s a prison guard. Don tears a car ad out of a magazine.
The nurse tells Betty she’s going to be prepped (shaved and given an enema). Another laboring woman’s screams can be heard.
In the solarium, Dennis and Don are now sitting next to each other, still drinking. Dennis starts telling him about being a prison guard.
The nurse gives Betty Twilight Sleep; Betty wants Dr. Aldrich, but he’s out with his wife and she’s being covered by Dr. Mendelowitz. Betty becomes argumentative, then begins to hallucinate.
In the solarium, the men are attacking the cigarette machine to get it working. Dennis becomes frightened and emotional; Don pats him on the shoulder and quotes Sal from episode 3.01: “Our worst fears lie in anticipation.”
In the delivery room, Betty is fighting with the nurse and calls her a bitch. She screams for Don.
The nurse comes and wakes Dennis, and tells him that he has a little boy. Don congratulates him. Dennis calls Don an “honest guy,” tells Don he’s going to be “a better man,” and leaves.
In the delivery room, Betty says she can’t do it and again hallucinates. She sees her father mopping blood from her kitchen floor. Her mother, Ruthie, is also there, as is Medgar Evans. Ruthie tells her she has to not speak up and to be happy with what she has. Gene tells her she’s a housecat.
Friday, June 21
The Hospital
Betty awakens from her Twilight Sleep with a baby boy in her arms. Don is at the foot of the bed, smiling at her. She names the baby Gene, Don says “we don’t have to decide that now,” and she calls the baby Gene again.
Sterling Cooper
Alison greets Don, whose office is full of baby gifts. Roger calls; he congratulates Don and asks for the baby’s name because Jane wants to have something monogrammed. Don says “no name yet.” Roger bitches at Don for being out during Betty’s labor, and bitches about Lane.
A Manhattan Restaurant
Peggy and Duck are having lunch when Pete arrives. Pete and Peggy are each surprised to see each other. Duck wants to bring the two to Grey as a team. Pete storms out. Duck tells Peggy it’s her time.
Sterling Cooper
In the elevator, Pete asks Hollis what kind of TV he has. Pete asks Hollis about Admiral, and Hollis becomes uncomfortable.
The Hospital
Betty brings the baby to the window so that Sally and Bobby can wave.
Ossining, the Draper residence
Don is making corned beef hash late at night and Sally comes in. Sally discusses Miss Farrell and the baby while Don makes hash for both of them. The eat together.
Day 3
The Hospital
Don walks down the hall with flowers for Betty. He sees Dennis Hobart with his wife and smiles. Dennis sees him and steels his face as if he doesn’t know him. Don looks puzzled.
Day 4? (Or is it the same day?)
Sterling Cooper
Pete and Harry are meeting with Admiral. Pete brings up the idea of a Negro-oriented ad campaign; Ebony, Jet, and targeted newspapers. The Admiral executives are not interested.
Don is asleep on the couch when Peggy comes in with a baby gift. Peggy asks for a raise. She mentions the Equal Pay Act. Don turns her down. Pete sees Peggy coming out of Don’s office and confronts her about Duck.
The Hospital
Betty puts the name Eugene Scott Draper on the birth certificate and looks smugly pleased.
Sterling Cooper
Pete is called in to meet with Sterling, Cooper, and Pryce. Admiral is furious. Pryce suggests pursuing the Negro market is a good idea, even though not with Admiral.
Day 5
The Draper residence
Don brings Betty and the new baby home. Francine and the kids are there. Betty and Francine smile at the baby while Don and the kids get food.
Late that night, Betty drags herself out of bed to go to the baby’s room. The light reflected on her looks like bars.
