Basket of Kisses

Four days, Thursday through Monday, beginning between June 21 and July 19, 1962. Probably closer to July 19: The Port Huron Statement, read from by Smitty, was released June 15, 1962. The next episode begins around July 21 and seems to follow this one very closely.

Thursday
A Manhattan car dealership
Don walks around a baby blue Cadillac 1962 Coupe de Ville. He is considering buying. As he looks at another car shopper he remembers

1952: A car dealership
Don is trying to sell a used car when a woman we don’t know arrives. She asks if he’s Donald Draper, and he shakes her hand…

A Manhattan car dealership
The salesman, Wayne Kirkeby, comes back and Don, shaken up, declines a test drive.

Sterling Cooper
Roger comes up to Jane. He asks to see Don, and then flirts, trying, apparently not for the first time, to get Jane to tell him where she lives. Don arrives and Roger follows him into his office. Jane says Bobbie Barrett called and Mr. Philips wants to see him.

In Don’s office, Roger talks lustfully about Jane and sells Don on the idea of the Cadillac. Duck Philips comes in and discusses Martinson coffee. Then Smitty Smith and Kurt Smith are announced. Don doesn’t want Duck in the meeting. When he opens the door to let Roger and Duck out, we see that Smitty is flirting with Jane. Don summons the Smiths in. Smitty reads from the Port Huron Statement, sent to him by a friend. The Smiths promote the idea of a pitch based on not being sold to so much as creating a feeling.

In the conference room, Paul demonstrates Pampers to Ken, Sal, and Peggy. There’s been ongoing discussion to get Proctor & Gamble to lower the price. They won’t. Jane comes in with written thoughts from Don, and Ken smiles flirtatiously. Harry comes in on her heels, announcing that it’s 5 and time to go out. Peggy takes the papers from Jane and leaves. Jane begins to help with cleanup.

Harry boasts he’s meeting with Cooper, and they all discuss Cooper’s painting. Jane suggests they go look at it, the men are all horrified, but Jane decides she’s going to go up and see it. The men all follow. Arriving upstairs, Cooper’s secretary, Miss Blankenship, is not there. Jane starts to walk into the office and again the men are shocked but follow, except for Paul, who chickens out. The stare at the $10,000 Rothko. Ken has some insight into it that impresses Sal. They leave, and in the elevator, Ken tries to impress Jane by telling her he’s been published. Sal recalls Ken’s “story about the maple tree.”

Friday
Sterling Cooper
Paul asks Ken about the painting as Joan comes up and overhears. She’s already heard about it and she’s pissy.

Kurt and Smitty are arguing with Sal about the Martinson campaign when Ken comes up. Ken asks Sal to read a story he’s written. Sal invites Ken to dinner Sunday night to discuss the story.

In the conference room, the Martinson presentation is happening. Don talks about the problem of young people not drinking coffee. Smitty presents a simple feeling-based campaign built around a jingle that is “more than a jingle.”

Harry arrives in Cooper’s office for his meeting. Cooper wants to discuss media purchases. Harry stares at the painting. Cooper admits he bought it solely as an investment.

The Draper home
Jimmy phones Betty and invites Betty and Don to the Stork Club on Monday night for a celebration; Grin and Barrett was picked up by ABC.

Sterling Cooper
Duck comes in to tell Don they sold Martinson Coffee. Don congratulates Duck for his work as well.

Jane tells Don that Cooper wants to see him, and Duck is quietly crestfallen to learn he is not invited. When Don gets upstairs, Roger is waiting as well. They tell him that Jim Van Dyke of Martinson is so impressed that Don has now been invited to sit on the board of the Museum of Early American Folk Art. Don is confused. Cooper explains that this is an opening behind the curtains of real power. Don’s look changes to satisfaction.

A Manhattan car dealership
Now Don is sitting in the car, looking thrilled. He wants to buy the car without a test drive.

Sterling Cooper
Joan confronts Jane about breaking into Cooper’s office. Jane first denies, then says she was forced, then berates Joan for being mean. Joan responds by firing Jane.

The Draper home
Don brings Betty outside to see the new car. She’s thrilled. Sitting in the car, enjoying it, she tells him about Barrett’s invitation for Monday. She gets suggestive but he doesn’t want to fool around in his pristine new car.

Sterling Cooper
Jane, with the box of her things, knocks on Roger’s door and comes in “to say goodbye.” She tells Roger what happened and he offers her a drink, asking again where she lives. This time she tells him she lives in the Village on Jane Street. He promises he’ll handle everything, she should come back Monday morning.

Sunday
Home of Salvatore and Kitty Romano
Ken arrives for dinner. Sal focuses intently on him, echoing his words, gazing at him, watching him eat.

A park
The Drapers are picnicking with the car radio on. Sally wants to play Silly Putty, but Don again is concerned with a mess in his car. When it’s time to go they dump their trash on the ground.

Home of Salvatore and Kitty Romano
Sal focuses the conversation on Ken and doesn’t even turn his head towards Kitty. She tries to join the conversation but he cuts her off. After dinner, Ken excuses himself, although Sal tries to persuade him to stay. When he’s gone, Kitty expresses her hurt at being excluded. She cries and Salvatore is kind and apologetic. As he cleans up, he finds that Ken has left his lighter and pockets it.

Monday
Sterling Cooper
As they arrive in the morning, Ken invites Jane on a date to the Mets game, she curtly says no. In the break room, Ken thanks Sal for dinner, and says his marriage is the kind of marriage he’d like when he’s no longer a bachelor.

Jane sits terrified at her desk, and Joan approaches in fury. Roger hasn’t spoken with Joan. Jane improvises, letting Joan know that she’s spoken with Mr. Sterling. Joan gets the picture and leaves huffily.

The Stork Club
It’s a large party, Don chats with a guy from ABC, Bobbie talks business with Don, Betty excuses herself. We find her staring at wall art when Jimmy approaches her. Jimmy invites Betty to sit with him. He indicates Don and Bobbie together and suggests something happened between them. When she tries to walk away he grabs her arm. She makes a remark about “you people” and leaves.

Home of Salvatore and Kitty Romano
The family is in front of the TV. Sal’s mom is asleep in a chair. Kitty is doing needlepoint. Sal, drink in hand, lights up with Ken’s lighter, looks at it, and puts it back in his pocket.

The Stork Club
As Don is leaving, Jimmy confronts him, and tells him he’s garbage. He puts on a happy face when Betty arrives.

In the Cadillac, driving home, Don and Betty both stare straight ahead. Betty pukes suddenly and with great force.

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