Archie's brother Alfred shows up at the Bunker doorstep after being estranged for twenty-nine years. Archie becomes enraged and refuses to reconcile, but reconsiders when he reads the contents of a letter that Alfred gave him and told him not to read until three weeks after he left.

On the Stivics' last night in New York, Mike accepts a short notice invitation to have dinner with his new superior, who happens to be in town. This creates an awkward and potentially explosive situation since Edith has been busy preparing a special farewell dinner for them.