Basket of Kisses

Approximately February 24“March 4, 1962
(Paul’s party is probably on a weekend; Saturday the 24th. Flight 1 crashed on March 1, a Thursday. Paul tells Joan he’s been avoiding her for three days, although it’s really four: Monday through Thursday. Pete waking after his father’s death, that’s probably Friday the 2nd, and then Peggy at Mass is Sunday the 4th.)

The weekend: February 24 or 25
Montclair, New Jersey
Pete and Trudy arrive at Paul’s apartment in Montclair, greet Harry and Jennifer Crane. They all seem uncomfortable, the party is too wild and too mixed-race for them, and they smell “hemp.” They greet Peggy, and Paul welcomes them, in neckerchief and pipe. Ken is in the corner putting the moves on Donna, a secretary, while Salvatore and Kitty look on and giggle. Joan is telling Paul that her boyfriend is on call at the hospital and couldn’t come. Paul is snippy about her doctor boyfriend, and then introduces his girlfriend, Sheila. Joan is snide to Sheila. Ken points out that Paul stole a typewriter and a girl almost got fired for it.

In the hall, Peggy and Eugene are making out, while Donna watches and giggles. Peggy refuses to go home with Eugene.

The next morning
Brooklyn
Peggy, asleep in her party dress, ignores a ringing phone.

Thursday, March 1, 1962
Sterling Cooper
Don and Roger are in the elevator. Roger complains about traffic and is disgusted that there’s a parade for Colonel Glenn, whom he doesn’t think is heroic. When they arrive in the office, everyone is gathered around the radio. American Airlines Flight 1 has just crashed in Jamaica Bay. Everyone is in shock.

Peggy arrives carrying a vacuum cleaner.

Don tells them to pull all Mohawk Airline advertising and come up with new ideas. After he leaves, they begin telling morbid jokes about the crash.

In Bert Cooper’s office, Roger and Cooper are talking when Duck Philips come in. Duck says he spoke with Shel Keneally, an old American Airlines contact, and thinks they can get them as a client, they want a “fresh start.”

In his office, Pete takes a phone call. He is clearly shocked. Hanging up, he comes out of he office and stares as if he’s never seen it before, downs a drink and leaves the glass on Hildy’s desk, and walks into Don’s office. He tells Don his father was on Flight 1. Don is shocked and compassionate. Pete babbles a little and doesn’t know what to do. Don pours him a drink and tells him to go home. Pete cannot wrap his mind around it, Don offers to cancels Pete’s meeting.

As Pete leaves, he walks past a group that is still making morbid jokes.

Cooper calls Don in. Roger and Duck are still there. Don immediately tells them that he spoke to Mohawk and was reassuring. They tell him about Duck’s call to Shel. Don is disgusted that they’re leaping on the opportunity so soon, and he wants to remain loyal to Mohawk.

The Campbell family home
Pete’s mother, Dot, is talking about arrangements. She is suddenly captivated by a pink elephant on the shelf and gives it to Trudy. Bud comes in and tells Pete that Dad was broke and also went through a lot of Mom’s money; Mom doesn’t know.

The Draper home
Don comes home from work and learns that Carlton and Francine are coming to play cards. Later, Sally serves drinks to the men. Carlton lusts after his babysitter and complains because Francine is keeping him on a tight leash.

Brooklyn
Peggy arrives at her sister Anita’s with the vacuum. She chats with her mother and sister; Mom wants her to go to church, Peggy doesn’t respond. Anita pushes and is unkind.

The Draper home
They’re playing cards, the kids are sitting on the stairs listening in. Bobby sneaks in. He doesn’t want to go to bed, he’s scared. Don takes him to bed and Betty complains Bobby is a liar. She’s full of anger at Bobby.

Brooklyn
Peggy gets ready to leave. Anita wants her to say goodnight to the kids first; two tots and a baby of about a year. Peggy looks uncomfortable and leaves.

The Draper home
Don and Betty clean up in the kitchen. When Don suggest Carlton isn’t happy in his marriage, Betty becomes furious, but Don refuses to fight. He looks in on the kids and sighs.

Friday, March 2
The Campbell apartment
Trudy and Pete are getting dressed, and Pete recalls that when he last spoke with his father, they argued.

Sterling Cooper
Joan is talking with Donna, and Paul comes up, ostentatiously avoiding Joan. He’s angry about how she spoke to Sheila. She rips him apart as a phony and he walks away.

Pete is in his office when Duck comes in. He’d read about Pete’s father in the Times. Duck offers some indirect condolences, assures Pete his father was proud of him, and praises Pete’s work. Then he asks Pete to be in on the American pitch. Pete declines, he feels uncomfortable.

A hand takes Joan’s purse out of her locker.

In his office, Don is unhappy with Lois, she’s brought him the wrong papers. Roger wants Don to have a quiet meeting with Henry Wofford of Mohawk to cut them loose. Don objects but Roger isn’t having it.

Pete asks Hildy to call his wife, changes his mind. Looks at Peggy, then turns away and goes to see Don, who is still upset about Mohawk. Don snaps at him. Pete is stricken and walks out.

It’s the end of the day. In Peggy’s office, Donna and another secretary, in their coats, are giggling over something on the bulletin board over the copy machine. Joan comes in and discovers a photocopy of her driver’s license with the birthdate circled. Paul has gotten his revenge by showing everyone that Joan is thirty.

A Chinese restaurant in Manhattan
Don drinks at a booth when Henry from Mohawk arrives. Henry is angry and blames Don fully.

The University Club, Manhattan
Duck meets with Shel from American Airlines. Pete walks in and tells Shel that Pete’s the best. Pete then reveals that his father was on the plane, using it as a selling point about Sterling Cooper’s commitment to the account. The camera moves in on Pete…

and switches to Don, still drinking in his booth. A beautiful Asian waitress comes to check on him. She flirts, he turns her down and leaves.

Sunday, March 4
Brooklyn
At mass, Peggy sits with her mother and sister. When they get up to take communion, Peggy stays in her seat. Anita hands Peggy the baby, who immediately starts crying. Peggy stiffly bounces the baby, frowning, alone on her pew.

Back to Season 2 Episode List