The Hobo Code – Mad Men Episode Summary 1.8

Synopsis: Pete Campbell and Peggy Olson arrive to work early only to end up having an affair. Their office tryst did little to calm her nerves in anticipation of the Belle Jolie meeting where her ad copy is to be presented. Her worry was for nothing for the client bought the pitch. The whole office to celebrate her success spend the night drinking and dancing at P.J. Clarke’s. Meanwhile, Don Draper decides to spend his bonus in Paris with his lover Midge. Unfortunately, the woman would rather get high with her friends, and so Don obeys. While in the state of intoxication, he recalls the time when his stepmother takes in a hobo.

Episode Summary: Pete Campbell and his wife are moving to their new apartment. He arrives early for work in order to take off at lunch to supervise the movers. Much to his surprise, Peggy Olson is at the office as well. Unable to sleep due to the excitement of her ad copy being presented to Belle Jolie, the young woman decided to come in early. Knowing that there’s no one else at the office, but the two of them, Pete and Peggy let their passions overcome them, and the two make love. The rest of the workforce arrives without suspecting anything.  Continue reading...

Don Draper is called in to the office of the eccentric, but nonetheless wise Bertram Cooper who hands him a check worth $2,500 for his hard work. The old partner also goes on talking about Ayn Rand’s book Atlas Shrugged, and claims to know to have met and seen every kind of person there is enough to know what kind of a man Don is. He makes an assessment of Don Draper saying that the two of them are alike. He finds him to be a productive, and reasonable man, who in reality is self-interested, and unsentimental of other people. Like any other meeting with Cooper, strange would be an understatement.

Lois Sadler is a new addition to the Switchboard department, and already she exudes trouble. The new girl has become smitten with the Italian-speaking gentleman who keeps on receiving calls from his mother. Intent on putting a face to the voice, and to confirm Joan Holloway’s description of the stylish and debonair Salvatore Romano, Lois takes the trouble of dropping by the Art Department. She couldn’t be more pleased at the sight of him. Just like Salvatore, Pete Campbell receives a surprise visit, but he with his wife. Trudy has come to fetch him so the two of them may go to their newly bought apartment together. Pete who had earlier that day had intercourse with another woman feels guilty, and acts defensively at his wife’s surprise visit. Realizing that his reaction is uncalled for, and seeing that he has upset his wife, Pete apologizes, and uses the stress of work as an excuse. Unaware of her husband’s extramarital affair, Trudy accepts his husband’s apology, and even comforts him.

The clients from Belle Jolie have arrived, and Fred Rumsen starts to pitch the ad copy that Peggy Olson created. Unfortunately, the head honcho Hugh Brody is not interested with the route that Sterling Cooper took. Don Draper steps in, and instead of indulging their client, he feigns disinterest with doing business with them given that Belle Jolie appears to want to continue with the path they have already taken even though it has failed, and is not open to a fresh approach, which is what Sterling Cooper set on to provide. Don pushed the right buttons, and Belle Jolie has a change of heart. The mad men celebrate at Don’s office bypassing Peggy Olson who clearly is disappointed until the men call her in to join in with the merriment. Peggy is ecstatic, and she could not wait to tell the girls who except for Joan couldn’t be any happier for her success, and suggest that they continue the celebration at P.J. Clarke’s. Peggy invites Pete Campbell, and the other mad men who had gathered in his office, while Lois Sadler invites Salvatore Romano.

Don Draper leaves work early, and drops in on Midge only to find her in the company of eccentric guests. Don who had just received a bonus from Cooper decides to spend it in Paris with his mistress. Much to his surprise, Midge would rather spend the night getting high with her friends. Following the wishes of his lover, Don joins them. While under the influence, Don Draper remembers his past. He was a child then when his stepmother against her husband’s wishes takes in a hobo who promised to work for food, lodging, and a few cents. He recalls the hobo to be different from other bums. As it turns out, the man actually had a job once, a family, and even a mortgage, but the man left all of those to live a life of a nomad. He also learns from him about the hobo code. People like him would put markings on the gates of the home’s of people who took them in. The markings tell other hobos what to expect, and learn a little about the kind of people who live in them. The hobo after doing a full day of work for the Whitman’s expects the payment promised to him, but Archie Whitman does not give him anything. The hobo just walks away, but not without marking the gate to indicate that a dishonest man lives there.

With the senior ranking employees of Sterling Cooper gone, Peggy Olson’s party starts two hours before work ends. The whole office head to P.J. Clarke’s to celebrate the young woman’s success at her ad copy getting sold. It was a night of dancing and drinking who could ask for anything more? Peggy Olson threw caution to the wind, and let herself loose only to have Pete Campbell reject her, ruining her night of gaiety. In that crowd, it is not only Peggy who feels rejected for Salvatore much to Lois’ dismay is nowhere in sight. The man had decided to have dinner at the Roosevelt with one of the Belle Jolie client. Elliot Lawrence who had instantly recognized Salvatore to be gay makes a proposition to him. Salvatore who hasn’t come out of the closet is scandalized, and leaves.

Spending the night with Midge and her friends made Don realize that the woman is, in fact, in love with her free loving friend Roy Hazelitt. To confirm, he asks Midge once again to go away to Paris with him, and she still declines. Don returns home, and promises his son that he would never lie to him. He finds comfort at the child’s unconditional love for his father, and that night he slept like a stone. Morning came, and it is back to the grind. Peggy Olson once again comes to work early, hoping that Pete Campbell had done the same, but he did not. Moreover, when Pete arrives, the young man did not even send her a glance.

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