Rachel (who we find out is 28 years old) calls her sister, talks about a man. She wants him, wants to ignore him. She's clearly very conflicted. Her sister tries to discern whether or not their father would approve (he wouldn't - Don's not Jewish, is married), but Rachel rebuffs her. "Why do you always have to be so cynical?" her sister asks. "Because... Sometimes things come. Good things, but there's no future in them," Rachel responds, her eyes slightly watery.
Meanwhile, Don is visiting Midge. Their beginning throes of passion are interrupted by Roy, a "gentleman" caller. They head down to an artspace in Greenwich Village to see a friend of Midge perform. They discuss theater, while a man reads a police log on stage. "I bet Don can tell you first hand, Broadway is the birthplace of mediocrity," Roy comments. "Well, maybe it's born there, but I think it may be conceived right here," Don retorts. Roy asks what Don does for work - "I blow up bridges," he answers dryly. Midge tells Roy the truth. "How do you sleep at night?" Roy chides. "On a bed made of money... If you had a job, what would you do?" Don just rakes this guy over the coals - it feels to me like the first and only time Don has had the upper hand the entire episode, which spans several days. Roy and Midge's friend comes on, and performs the traditional song "Babylon" as the credits roll.
Stray Observations
*"This is Urine, from Israeli Tourism." "It's pronounced "Yurim.'"
*Love the symmetry between Betty's Rosenberg and the infamous Rosenbergs.
*"It was like watching a dog playing the piano."
*First mention of the Waldorf Astoria happens at the table in Greenwich Village. I'm not sure if it's intentional, but I hope it is.
*Music - "Babylon" - Traditional. Though I think this particular arrangement is anachronistic - it sounds like Don McLean's version, which came out the same year as American Pie - 1971.
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YES! GO BOSTON! - Naye