By Daniel | Season 4 | Episode 7 | Aired on 10.20.2013
At the Thompson house, Eli is getting good-natured grief from his oldest daughter for saying that a girl doesn't need college the way a boy does. "There are plenty of girls at Willie's school, isn't that right?" says Kathleen to Willie, who is sitting sullenly in the room. Eli says all girls need to know is cooking, cleaning and maybe typing, and Kathleen is aghast, wondering what if she wants to learn. Eli gives Nucky a "Can you believe this?" look. Meanwhile, June is puttering around refilling everyone's tea.
Willie says she can take his spot, and Eli wants to know what the hell that means, and Nucky looks a little curious, too. Willie says he's leaving school, which he then upgrades to having already dropped out today. Eli, as you can imagine, can't believe what he's hearing. He tries to tell Kathleen to go do the dishes, but she of course wants to hear this. Willie offers up the defense that Uncle Nucky never needed college, and the fact that Willie thinks that will help his case here is the best proof possible that he's got a lot of learning left to do. "Things get tough, so you just quit? What kinda man are you?" asks Eli. June tries to point out the business with Willie's roommate (I really can't wait for Eli to find out what really happened there) and Eli says, "People die, and that's life, and people go on." "Listen to your father, Will," says Nucky, which pisses Eli off. too, snapping that he doesn't need Nucky to tell Willie to listen to his father.
Willie defiantly says he was the one who made money for the family when Eli was in jail, and Kathleen's surprised "Jail?" response indicates this is news to her. But her speaking up only reminds her parents that she's still there, so they send her to her room. Eli finally gets out of his chair to say he'll talk to the dean, and Willie will enroll again. Willie's not interested though, and Nucky stands up to try to cool Eli off and suggest they talk about it tomorrow, with clearer heads. Eli says his head is clear now, and he puts his hand on Willie's shoulder and says he'll do as Eli says. "Get your hand off me," says Willie. So, this is going to end ugly. Eli makes him repeat himself, and then Eli smacks Willie across the face and they tumble to the floor. Nucky has to pull Eli off his son, and Willie heads for the door. "You leave school, you leave this house!" yells Eli, and Willie yells back that he's leaving the house anyway. He stomps out, leaving his mother sobbing against a door frame and Eli pacing in the sitting room, Willie's younger brothers watching sadly from the stairs. Jesus, Thanksgiving is going to be rough this year.