It is the 4th of July and, man, is it STIFLING! The arrival of Stella-Rondo is about to push the emotional temperature well past the boiling point. Not only has she come home to announce that she has left her husband, Mr. Whitaker—whom she stole right out from under Sister—but she’s also got a two year old daughter named Shirley T. Stella-Rondo explains that the girl is adopted, but Sister alone is suspicious about that because, after all, little Shirley seems to take after Papa-Daddy, their grandfather on their mother’s side. In fact, if Papa Daddy cut his beard off, he would look very much like Shirley T. The suggested to Papa Daddy that Sister thinks he should cut off his beard only serves to turn up the heat as he gets angry at Sister and repeats his believe that she’s been made at him ever since he helped to get her the job down at the post office.
The appearance of a drunk Uncle Rondo later in the evening wearing kimono that Mr. Whitaker had given to Stella-Rondo initiates a heated argument between the two sisters over the jealousy Sister feels toward Stella-Rondo. Later Sister accuses her mother of playing favorites with Stella-Rondo before making more accusations about both the lineage and the mental capacity of Shirley T.
By now, Sister is convinced that everyone has turned against her at the reappearance of Stella-Rondo except for Uncle Rondo. This situation is upset when Stella-Rondo insinuates that Sister was making fun of his wearing the kimono and the next morning kicks off with his setting off firecrackers in Sister’s bedroom. Having made the decision to start living at the post office now that the entire house has been turned against her by Stella-Rondo, she goes around the house and started collecting items that she considers hers. Mama steps in to debate these considerations and Sister brings up the issue of Shirley’s parentage again before refusing to sit down to a game of cards with everyone.
Finally, Sister tells everyone if they ever want to see her, they can feel free to come down to the post office. Papa Daddy says he won’t bother. Sister points out that if none of them ever come to the post office, there will be no way for Stella-Rondo to stay in touch with Mr. Whitaker. At the suggestion that Mr. Whitaker was the one to initiate the separation, Stella-Rondo runs from the room in tears.
It has been five days now since Sister started living at the post office and in that time no one from the family has come to visit. Some of the other people in town sided with her family against her, but she claims to be happy and wouldn’t even bother listening at this point even if Stella-Rondo finally came clean about what really happened between her and Mr. Whitaker.
