Dickinson

In the name of the Bee -

And of the Butterfly -

And of the Breeze -

Amen!

Found you.

Please go away.

But I just got here.

I'm trying to be alone.

Want a drag?

Fine.

What you reading?

Walden.

By Thoreau. Have you read it?

I couldn't get through it.

I think it's incredible.

A life of absolute solitude, alone in nature.

I wanna live like that.

Why?

Because. The wilderness is...

honest.

Trustworthy.

Whereas all other people do is hurt you.

Tell me who hurt you.

Sue.

Oh.

You're still upset about her moving to Boston?

I don't wanna talk about it.

She wrote Austin a letter and still hasn't written me back.

Hey, you guys will make up.

George, if you don't mind, I just need some space right now.

I need to be with my tree.

Looks like I'm not the only one disturbing your solitude.

...we've got the conditional line coming right through here.

What are they doing here?

They must be surveyors.

For the railroad.

Construction starts tomorrow, you know.

Of course I know that, but they can't build the railroad in our woods.

This is private property.

Maybe your dad gave them permission.

Dad. You can't do this.

Excuse me? Do what?

You can't let them tear down our woods.

Is this any way to enter my office? Whatever happened to a knock?

I'm sorry, but this is an emergency.

They are out there right now, getting started.

Of course they are.

Tomorrow is the first day of construction on the great Amherst Belchertown Railroad.

You must be excited. I know my daughters are thrilled.

Now they can buy dresses from the finest dressmakers in New York.

They've got a regular case of railroad fever.

- I've certainly got railroad fever. - The whole town's got railroad fever.

Then the whole town should see a doctor

if they think anyone's gonna run a train through our woods.

My dear, the train will run through our woods.

- It's simply the most efficient route. - "Efficient"?

What is efficient about filling our peaceful, quiet woods

with noise and smoke and other people?

Emily, I'm afraid you can't stand in the way of progress.

The papers have already been signed.

Do the papers say they're allowed to cut down my tree?

"Your tree."

The big oak tree. The one Great-Grandfather planted.

If it's necessary, then yes.

Dad, please. I'm begging you.

I love that tree.

I need that tree.

It's where I go to think, to listen.

If you let them kill that tree, you're killing me.

Do your daughters speak to you like this?

Most of the time, yes.

Well, I didn't bring her up to behave like a mad heathen.

Emily, I'm ashamed of you.

"Ashamed of me"?

Why? Because I care more about our oak tree than dresses from New York?

Well, I've also ordered a suit.

Traitor.

Ithamar, I apologize.

No need.

It seems my daughter has chosen to embarrass me,

but perhaps my son will make a better impression.

Austin, I have an idea.

As you know,

the groundbreaking ceremony for the new railroad

will be held tomorrow afternoon.

It will be quite a to-do. The whole town will be there.

And I think it would be proper

for a member of our family to make a contribution.

What exactly were you thinking?

I was thinking you might write a poem.

Uh, are you sure you want me to do it?

Of course, my dear boy.

Who else?

William Austin Dickinson, you are my only son.

And you happen to be a man of rare intelligence and talent.

I'm sure you will rise to the occasion.

I guess I could give it a shot.

There's my boy.

This will be a good thing for the Dickinsons.

Hear! Hear!

And as soon as that train is up and running...

I'm sure you won't even remember that old tree.

Oh.

Really, her manners are appalling.

Hey, what happened? You talk to your father?

I don't have a father. Or a brother. I don't have anyone.

You have me.

I don't want anyone, George. I just wanna be by myself.

That's too bad.

I was hoping we could hang out.

I can't. I'm going somewhere.

Where you going?

To Walden.

All the way to Concord? Why?

To find Thoreau.

I think he can help me.

Help you how? Isn't he just a cranky old hermit?

He is an environmentalist, George.

He loves nature more than anyone in the world.

Or at least Massachusetts.

If I tell him what they're about to do to my tree,

I bet he'll do something.

Maybe I can get him to write a letter of protest.

And people will listen to him even if they don't listen to me.

Okay, then. I'll go with you.

No. I wanna go by myself.

Come on. You're not allowed to travel by yourself. It isn't safe.

A lady needs a companion. And...

I feel like taking a day trip.

So much for living a life of solitude.

Hi.

That dress is so glam.

Hi.

Oh, George, come on.

Finally. What took you so long?

I got us so many snacks.

I'm not even hungry.

We have a long journey ahead of us.

We need sustenance.

- Okay, what did you get? - Peanuts.

Popcorn. Gingerbread.

- Doughnuts. - Okay.

- Got a stomachache already. - Ooh!

Also got some taffy.

We already missed a carriage that was going straight to Northampton.

Now we have to wait for another one.

It'll be so much more convenient when the train comes directly to Amherst.

"Convenient." "Efficient."

You know, we don't have to speed everything up.

Sometimes it's good to slow down.

Why do you hate technology?

Thoreau says, "We don't ride the railroad, the railroad rides us."

I have a feeling I'm not gonna like this guy.

Then why are you coming to Walden?

Because. I like being with you.

Is that...

Lavinia!

I thought you were the weird one.

Another letter to Sue?

She can't ignore me forever.

You are really invested in that friendship.

It is possible she did write to me, and the letter was lost.

Or maybe Austin stole it.

I wouldn't put it past him.

Or who knows, maybe my last letter upset her.

Why? What did you say?

Only that she had me chained up in an insane asylum of love.

If you wrote that to me, I'd be pretty psyched.

Thanks.

Do you think that Sue and Austin will still get married?

- Not gonna be able to keep writing, am I? - I'd just like to have a conversation.

We're sitting on a train together, side by side.

It just seems like an opportunity for, you know, interaction.

- Hm. - We could share some laughs,

profess our undying love for each other,

discuss how many children we're gonna have.

Three boys, two girls?

Fantasize about growing old together on the porch that I'm gonna build for us.

You know, just to get to know each other better.

I hope they don't.

What?

Austin and Sue. I hope they don't get married.

Because, for Sue...

I think it would be like a prison.

Why are you so anti-marriage? Some people love being married, you know.

Right. Some people called men.

No, not just men.

If I were a man, I would definitely want a wife.

Someone to cook for me, clean for me, raise my 500 children.

All while I got to do exactly what my heart desired. Hm.

You're so cynical.

Marriage can be comforting.

Cozy.

I just think, wanting to be alone forever?

That's weird.

- People need each other to survive. - Concord, last stop.

Not according to Thoreau.

Mr. and Mrs. George Gould?

- Yes? - No. We're not married.

Well, this is Concord. End of the line.