The Old Place

A bighearted and moving debut about a wry retired schoolteacher whose decade-old secret threatens to come to light and send shockwaves through her small Texas town. Billington,Texasis a place where nothing changes. Wellalmost nothing. For the first time in nearly four decadesMary Alice Roth is not getting ready for the first day of school at Billington High. A few months into her retirementΓÇöordistrict mandated exile as she calls itΓÇöMary Alice does not know how to fill her days. The annual picnic is coming upbut that isnΓÇÖt nearly enough since the menu never changes and she had the roles mentally assigned weeks ago. At least thereΓÇÖs Elliewho stops by each morning for coffee and whose reemergence in Mary AliceΓÇÖs life is the one thing soothing the sting of retirement. Mary Alice and Ellie were a pair since the day Ellie moved in next door. That they both were single mothersΓÇöMary Alice widowedEllie divorcedΓÇöwith sons the same age was a pleasant coincidencebut they were forever linked when they lost the boysone right after the other. Years laterthe two are working their way back to a comfortable friendship. But when Mary AliceΓÇÖs sister arrives on her doorstep with a staggering piece of newsit jeopardizes the careful shell sheΓÇÖs built around her life. The whole of her friendship with Ellie is put at riskthe fabric of a place as steadfast as Billington is questionedand the unflappableknotty fixture that is Mary Alice Roth might have to change after all.