In nineteen-seventy-two...
The "me" decade was dawning.
And people everywhere were doing their own thing.
Letting it all hang out.
And setting out to find themselves.
The world was...Changing.
And my family was right in the middle of it.
So, what do you think?
It's...nice honey.
Yeah! We got a real deal on it.
Michael's gonna paint it and fix it up.
Aren't you, Michael?
Uh, yeah. Sure.
Well...whatever you do...don't get rid of the mattress back here.
Face it. The Arnold family was undergoing...A radical shift.
Everybody comfortable?
We were in a period of readjustment. A state of...flux.
After all, after twelve months of turmoil, we were back together again.
There was, of course...A reason.
Ah, the lovely bride and groom-to-be.
My sister was getting married. At last.
I'm always pleased to bring together a man and wife.
You mean...man and woman.
Well, of course.
Not that it was gonna be simple.
When it came to my family, nothing ever was.
So... What kind of a ceremony do we have in mind?
Well, we haven't really...talked about it, but...
We thought...something simple. But, traditional.
We did?
You know...Something with flowers, and music...And hymns...
Not too formal, but...Kind of...elegant.
Of course the whole thing was still...In the planning stages.
Uh, Mom?
Uh, Michael and I were actually...thinking of something a little less.
Well, that's OK, honey...Whatever you want.
Good...good, good.
We don't...have to have the hymns.
Excellent! Now...
When shall we schedule our pre-marital counselling sessions?
Pre-marital counselling. What is this? The stone-age?
You don't understand.
I don't want my wedding in some musty old chapel.
Well, then...how about something...Unitarian?
Trouble was, the oranges seemed to be winning.
I don't believe this. / But, honey...
Mom...
Mr. Arnold?
Do you think you could... / ah. Don't ask me - I just pay the bills.
This is going great, so far - don't you think? / Mmmmm. I know what you mean.
You want me to talk to him?
No.
It doesn't make sense.
Why can't we just get married...and go on with our lives?
Yeah.
But even I knew enough about weddings to know they weren't about getting married.
Done. It's beautiful - don't ya think?
It's gorgeous, Mom.
It's also yours.
what do you think, Jack?
Well...
Don't ask him...he just pays the bills.
And there ya had it. Between Dad's wallet and Mom's good...Intentions...
Now let's try the veil.
Things were getting a tad out of hand.
Michael!
You're not supposed to see the bride in her wedding dress.
Mom... He's seen me naked.
So, Michael...how are things going up at the house?
Oh. Well, I've just about finished up the carpentry work.
So...the owner's gonna try to sell it.
You mean ya gotta move out? What are ya gonna do for a job?
Well, I've been... Looking around.
For other work.
In fact, we've...
Actually..we've been meaning to -
Michael!
Now, it was pretty clear something was up, here.
Something big.
Why haven't you told us?
And as usual...Mom nailed it.
Well...
Cause if you two need a place to stay...
You can stay with us.
Uh-oh...
Jack...maybe you could check for openings at NORCOM...
What?
Uhhh...
And that's when the lid blew off.
Mother, no!
I can't do this!
I-I can't wear this dress...
And I can't have this kind of wedding!
We have to do it our own way.Can't you understand that?!
And finally...The truth had been told.
this...isn't what you want?
And with that, the great Arnold prenuptial crisis...Of nineteen-seventy-two...
Passed into history.
This must be a relief, huh?
How?
I mean, making your own plans.
Having the wedding at your house, and all.
Heck. Seemed to me, the lines of communication...Had been firmly re-established.
Karen! You ready?!
I'll be right there!
In fact, the only one who didn't seem convinced...Was the groom-to-be.
Michael? You OK?
Can you keep a secret?
Well... Yeah.
I got a job.
Well...that's great!
And it was.
At least I thought it was.
There's just one thing.
It's in Alaska.
Alaska?
OK, Michael! I'm ready.
Bye, Kev. / Yeah.
Ready?
And right about then...
I knew for sure what I should have guessed all along.
Take care!
We weren't gaining an in-law...
Bye!
We were losing a family.
That weekend we set off for the first marriage in my family's brief history.
You know, Jack...
maybe it's better that Karen's having the kind of wedding she really wants.
I think so.
Little did my parents know their only daughter...
Was about to be whisked away to an igloo, in the...Land of the midnight sun.
Do you have the check, honey?
Right here.
Check? What check?
For Karen and Michael. A little wedding gift.
How much is it? / Never mind.
It's for a down payment when they find a house.
But as much as I wanted to stay out of this...
I knew somebody had to break the news.
Mom? Dad?
Listen. / Yeah?
About...Karen and Michael.
What about 'em?
Great gift.
It just didn't seem like my place to tell them.
And so, we arrived.
Well? This is it.
I just...hope this whole thing is legal.
Oh, don't worry, honey.
Karen said she found an ordained minister.
Yeah...
Ah...welcome, welcome.
To the happiness and joy that was...
And is to be.
Yes?
Ahhhh, yes? Your aura is one of paternal love.
It is a very strong vibration.Clearly, we were...In new territory, here.
Karen's mother.
So like the fountain springs of *Kalu*.
Thank you.
Brotherly love.
Positive supportive vibrations. Very good.
Yeah...
Nice to meet you.
Let's put it this way...
And these are my friends...Rainbow and Wind.
My family.
We were kinda like strangers in a strange land.
It's...nice to meet you...Wind.
No, no....I'm Rainbow.
This is Wind.
Oh, yeah? And this is Butthead.
Still, that afternoon...
A funny thing started to happen.
Little by little...we were drawn in to Karen's world.
For the first time in a long time....
Mom and Dad...Actually smiled. I mean really smiled.
Maybe there was a reason.
Maybe it had to do with...family.
Hey. Still, by around four o'clock...
Hey.
I was beginning to feel time running out.
It's a great party.
Yeah.
OK...
I'd never been real good with interpersonal dialog with my sister.
So I figured...approach this sensitively.
So, when are you gonna tell 'em?
Mom and Dad.
About Alaska.
Oh..
I mean, what are ya gonna do?
S-send 'em a post-card... With a...polar bear on it?
No, I just...I haven't found the right moment, yet.
Besides... You know how they are.
And that was the problem.
Unfortunately, I did.
That night, we joined together to celebrate the next day's wedding.
Sure, maybe it wasn't exactly the kind...Of bash my parents had in mind.
But in its own funky way...
It was...classic.
The food is wonderful, Michael.
Oh, thanks, Mrs. Arnold.
Yep - the grub is great.
You'll have to teach me these recipes, honey.
Sure...
Still, I couldn't help noticing the bride looked a little...Nervous.
Mom...Listen...
Excuse me...but I have something I have to say.
Uh...ya know...this has been... A heck of a day.
I mean... Seein' the way you live...
And meetin' your friends...
I guess we never really had the time before...
but I hope that can change, now.
You know...
I don't know when you grew up, Karen
But we're very proud of the way you did.
And, Michael...
Norma and I both feel...Lucky...that you're joining our family.
All in all, it may have been...The best speech Dad ever made.
So...we, um...
We have a little something...To help you get started.
And that's when it happened. /OK, come on...
Of course, it all seemed innocent enough.
What's this? / It's homemade.
Oh, Jack! Isn't that lovely?
And it was.
A work of art. A creation of joy...and celebration.
I think we all saw it at about the same moment.
"Alaska or bust"?
Honey...What's that mean?
Uh...But Karen's face...said it all.
I don't understand.
Still...It was pretty clear...she did.
Mom...
Mr. Arnold..
Somehow...
Dad?
It was just too little...too late.
I wasn't quite sure what to say.
I didn't mean for you to find out this way.
When were you gonna tell us?
I don't know. Tonight.
Now.
I just...I didn't want to spoil everything.
Karen!
We're your parents.
Don't you think we have a right to know?
Mom!
This doesn't change anything.
Michael and I have a life. You have to let us go.
In a way, it was a plea.
From a child who'd grown up...
And who's parents could never understand.
Know what I remember?
I moved you a thousand miles away from home.
Look, honey...
if you have to leave...we're not gonna stop you.
But where ever you are...
we will never, ever...let you go.
Karen?
They, uh... Want us, outside.
"He is now to be among you"
"At the calling of your hearts"
"Rest assured this troubador"
"Is acting on His part"
Karen and Michael, it is a joyous journey you begin today...
The next morning...I watched my sister get married...
And welcomed a new brother into my family.
Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of life's longing for itself.
You may house their bodies, but not their souls.
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow...
For life goes not backward...
Nor tarries with yesterday.
I watched my mother send her firstborn child out into the world.
And felt her sorrow.
And her joy.
And who brought Karen into being and now presents her to be united with Michael?
Her mother and I.
I watched my father give away his only girl...
To a stranger he hardly knew.
I said goodbye, myself.
Although they are separate, they will always be together.
We are as one.
One pain, one joy.
One coming together, for all our lives.
One dream of tomorrow.
It is more than love.
It is life.
One life.
One being. Together.
Looking back, maybe it all seems a little silly.
But being there, in those passing moments...
I saw that something real and important was happening.
Not just for Michael and Karen...
but for all of us.
In our small and fragile, almost-insignificant...Suburban family.
After all, those were...Passionate times...
When children were pioneers...
On the road to find out,
wherever that road might take them.
When brothers and sisters, looking back...
Wished they'd known each other better.
What are you doin' out here?
I don't know...
Nice night.
Yeah.
Which way is Alaska, anyway?
That way.
I think.
Sounds like a pretty good place, huh?
Yeah.
And parents...filled with love and despair...held on to the past...
And kept a quiet vigil, for the future.
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