Last Night at the Telegraph Club

Joseph takes Grace to Forbidden City, a Chinese nightclub. The children stay with another family. Throughout dinner, Joseph remembers his time in the war and the different moments in which he had to tend to fallen soldiers. He doesn’t understand why they keep popping up in his mind.

They discuss the situation in China, with the Communists acknowledging the Nationalist Party as rightful leaders. Given the tension, they hope that the US will maintain a good relationship with China. His family hasn’t yet been able to visit, and Grace’s family is coming to visit that week. He notices how Grace looks, having gotten dressed up for the evening. The war has been hard on them, with his deployment keeping him away. He tries to keep himself present, not stuck in the past. He takes her hand.

As Lily gets ready to go to the Telegraph Club, she thinks of how differently Shirley would prepare, that she’d know what to wear. Putting her anxiety aside, she feels recklessness take over as she finishes getting dressed.

She moves through Chinatown at night, never having been out this late before. When she arrives at their meeting place, she doesn’t see Kath and immediately realizes the danger of staying out alone, but as she rounds the block again, she sees Kath.