In the first act, a letter arrives for Grandpa. Pete Waters is an old friend of Grandpa's. In the letter, Peter invites Grandpa to a reunion, a time to see their old friends again. Will Grandpa go to the reunion?
[ In the Stewarts' house on a Saturday morning. Robbie and Grandpa, Malcolm Stewart, are speaking with each other in the kitchen. ]
Robbie: The mailman just dropped some mail in our box, Grandpa.
Grandpa: Probably a lot of advertising and bills. [ joking ] Why don't you write to me, Robbie, so I can get some interesting mail? [ He goes to the patio to plant some seeds. ]
Robbie: [ He enters the patio and looks through the mail. ] You were right, Grandpa. Advertising, bills, bills, advertising.
Grandpa: Yes. It's just like I said, Robbie. Nothing interesting.
Robbie: You won't believe it, Grandpa, but there's a letter here addressed to you, Mr. Malcolm Stewart, and it looks like a personal letter.
Grandpa: Oh, it must be a bill.
Robbie: I don't think so. The return name and address is Pete Waters, RFD Number 1, Chesterton.
Grandpa: You're joking. Pete Waters?
Robbie: Pete Waters, RFD Number 1, Chesterton. You know him?
Grandpa: Do I know Pete Waters? You bet I do! [ He takes the letter from Robbie. ] He was my roommate in college. He visited with Grandma and me in Florida about five years ago. [ He opens the letter. ]
Robbie: What does he say? Is he OK?
Grandpa: [ reading ] Yeah, he's fine. Just fine. He's writing to invite me to spend a weekend with him at his farm. He's planning a get-together with two or three other college friends. A kind of a fifty-year anniversary reunion.
Robbie: Sounds like fun. Fifty years? Wow!
Grandpa: It sounds like fun to me, too, Robbie.
Robbie: What kind of farm does he have?
Grandpa: I've never been there, Robbie, but he has chickens and cows and all. That means fresh eggs and fresh milk.
Robbie: Does he have a family?
Grandpa: No, he doesn't, Robbie. He never married. He's not as lucky as I am to have a family and grandchildren. I'm a lucky man.
Robbie: How come he never got married?
Grandpa: That's a good question, Robbie. A very good question. He never married because the girl he was in love with in college married someone else. As simple as that. He never got over it.
Robbie: He must have loved her very much.
Grandpa: Yes. Very much. Lillian Winters. She was in our class.
Robbie: And what happened?
Grandpa: She was in love with Donald McGrath, the quarterback on our football team.
Robbie: Football players are always popular with the ladies.
Grandpa: She liked Pete, and they went to dances together. But her heart was with Donald.
Robbie: Did he ever get over it?
Grandpa: No, he never did.
Robbie: Where is she today?
Grandpa: I don't know. Maybe Lillian will be at the reunion.
Robbie: You think so?
Grandpa: Pete's full of surprises.
Robbie: I wish I could go there with you, Grandpa. What do you think the surprise will be?
Grandpa: With Pete, you never know, Robbie.
Robbie: Won't it be exciting to see all your college friends there again?
Grandpa: It is already. I'm kind of excited about going now. [ He thinks aloud. ] Next weekend ... sleep over Friday and Saturday night and come back Sunday. I can't wait!
Robbie: Don't you think you ought to call Pete and tell him you're coming?
Grandpa: You're reading my mind, Robbie.