Aaron Tracy

Finding a wife will focus him.

It'll give him a reason to work and to be successful.

And if he needs to, Marsh whispers, he can always have an affair.

Or a series of affairs down the line.

Awfully cynical, but also sadly common for the era.

For evidence, see Marsh and pretty much every other person we've talked about in this series so far.

Dahl is reluctant.

Not only does he want the spark, but he worries a wife will take time and focus away from his writing, which is where his passion really lies at the moment.

But soon he has to admit to himself all the time and focus he's putting into his writing isn't really yielding results.

He's submitting his stories to every magazine, every publisher, every agent he can get an address for.

But the rejections are piling up.

They're almost eye level with his six foot six frame.

the guy grows monumentally depressed.

And he has to admit, he is pretty lonely.

Maybe Marsh is right.

Maybe my grandfather is right.

Maybe a wife won't be a distraction, she'll be a motivator.

So Dahl finally determines he's gonna find one.

The mask of the writer will have to wait.

It's time to see how husband and father fit.