Harold and Margaret Lewis lived in New Jersey where he worked for a newspaper company, his parents lived nearby and his father worked for the same company. Harolds mother got sick and her doctor recommended a warmer climate, so they moved to Alabama. Harolds dad took a job as a mechanic, but one day Harolds mother saw an ad for a farm that was for sale, so they decided to buy the farm. Harold and his family moved to Alabama to help work the farm and to take care of Grandma. Shortly after they arrived, Grandmas health deteriorated and she passed away. Harold went back to New Jersey, sold his home and moved permanently to Alabama. This is where the family meets Shirley Dresser and she becomes an important person in their lives.