September 5, 2005
Friday, March 2017
This is perhaps the first timeline hangup, the POstables are technically still in 2016, yet the time jump indicates it has been twelve years. Technically this installment picks up about about a week and a half after Lost Without You, as Oliver specifically states..... The POstables find themselves gathering postal related materials from Eleanor's office in anticipation of a new Passport supervisor. There they happen upon Gabe's letter, and begin their quest to track him down. Their initial search ends up unfruitful and even tragic when its determined that Hattie is still missing and presumed dead. At the same time, Rita and Norman adopt and Eleanor's abandoned pet potato. Oliver also visits his dad, who expresses his intention to start dating again, Kate, who is in charge of the community butterfly garden, in particular. |
Saturday
Oliver picks up Shane for their second attempt at a first date, their endless conversation causing them to miss their Montaldo's reservation. Shane and Oliver share their first kiss, but their evening is abruptly interrupted by the appearance of Steve Marek with his request for Shane's assistance for an undisclosed period of time. |
Monday Norman and Rita lament Oliver's situation and their loss of Shane, while Oliver fills in Papa O'Toole on the situation. March-April Oliver keeps faithful to his promise to Shane to try and track down Gabe and to tend to her home. Norman and Rita continue to raise their potato, which is now producing sprouts. |
April-June
The following Saturday is the first Blues event at the Mailbox Grille, and, sure enough, the musicians lead pans out and Oliver, Norman and Rita are eventually able to track down Gabe at the Denver state capital, where plays every Sunday morning. They meet Gabe and hear his story, rather than deliver the news they have about Hattie being listed as "missing, presumed dead," Oliver reassures Gabe they will do everything they can to track down her whereabouts. The commitment gives Oliver a second wind as he waits for Shane, choosing to aggressively track down Hattie.
Meanwhile, Papa O'Toole and Kate break up, and Norman and Rita raise their potato at the community garden.
Slowly losing hope, Oliver moves Shane's desk out to a remote corner of the DLO and expresses his position that Gabe should be allowed to know what they do because they still haven't tracked down Hattie and he shouldn't be obligated to "wait for someone who's never going to come," speaking more to his lost hope over Shane than anything. As Oliver excuses himself, Norman follows and reveals that he had already gone to visit Gabe. Norman declares that "[they] have a lot more to hope for than Gabe does now." The statement resonates with Oliver, who doesn't know what to do next. Norman, however, knows exactly what his plans are. |
Oliver follows up on Shane's lead about Hattie in Austin, finding her and bringing her to Denver, where Gabe is performing for Blues night--it's Saturday. Later that night, Norman proposes to Rita. After wandering the streets of Denver, Oliver observes Gabe and Hattie sharing the sunrise on the steps of the capital building at One Mile High. Oliver returns to the office to find Shane's desk returned to its rightful place, her coat hanging on the rack and eventually Shane awaiting his return in his chair. Much like Gabe and Hattie, they share an emotional reunion where the two of them finally express their mutual affection for one another. |
So what's so great about this timeline? If you'll recall, we first met the POstables in June of 2014. If our calculations are correct, this movie ends in June of 2016, almost two years after it began. Throughout the series, two years is often used as a mile stone. It took two years for Oliver to write a letter to Holly, remember? Listen back and it can be heard as a milestone in many other cases. But it's most significant that Shane and Oliver both met, and shared their first kiss, in June almost two years to the day. Can't get enough of Higher Ground? Don't forget to check out A&D's Higher Ground review and the rundown of the incredible soundtrack! Deciphered, ~C |