[cue Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young Our House[1]]
After canceling a record-high percentage of cocktail parties (approx. 80% – thanks Brayden and Aaron!), Charity heads to the Hometowns of our Final Four: Aaron, Joey, Xavier, and Dotun. First, some foreshadowing from My Girl at @bachelordata IG. Since 2011, The Bachelorette has had only two winners whose hometowns were shown first. The Bachelor has only had three winners whose hometown was shown first. Bear in mind that the order shown is decided by the Evil Genius Producers (EGPs) regardless of the order in which they were filmed.
That first guy was Aaron, about whom Charity says her connection with him has lagged behind the others. The fam is serving up frog legs and catfish, both of which I detest so I suppose I may get asked to turn in my black card. Everybody loves Charity – Brother Erick, Mom, Dad – especially Dad, who tells his son what’s up.
But when Mom asked Charity if she is ready for a proposal from her son, Charity demurred. Hmmmmm.
The date continued to a football field where letterman jackets and L-words were given, and My Girl Lauren Alaina got her second shot of Bachelorette promo for her new album.
Joey serves second in his hometown of Collegeville, PA, which happens to be where Dear Friend and Loyal Follower of These Musings CSP lives, which excited her no end.
Charity’s whole body just lights up when she’s around him. They naturally head to a tennis court and she’s looking totally adorbs.
True story. I used to play a lot of competitive tennis and taught a complete novice ex well enough to make her college tennis team. Sadly, she ended up dusting me off for some dude at said college. Also true story – a friend of mine’s wife who was, uh, how do I put this gentlemanly, extraordinarily hot, didn’t want to play a local mixed doubles tournament with him. She wanted to play with me. We won. But I digress.
As to Joey’s family, they validated his lack of concern about Charity’s being black. And I am validating how cute his sister is.
With things going so well the EGPs seemed to feel the need to stir things up [cue Patti LaBelle Stir It Up] and they found a great stirrer in Joey’s uncle who thinks Joey is fronting to hide who he really is. Here’s the deal. The EGPs have hours of footage to draw from for a 20-minute hometown segment. They are quite skillful at stitching together random pieces of reality on tape to create narratives that aren’t necessarily real.
In the case of Charity, Uncle’s ability to create doubt in her mind about Joey led to an awkward goodbye at the end of their time together. Despite L-words having been given, Charity’s newfound hesitancy with Joey created doubt in him about their relationship and created doubt in us viewers who had been thinking that his getting a rose tonight was a no-brainer. If there’s anything the EGPs hate, it’s no-brainers. So we were left hanging on the cliff.
Xavier is next and he and Charity begin their day knitting. This excited My Daughter Cassandra (MDC) who like Xavier, is quite introverted and also a knitter.
And Xavier came fully out of his shell in ways that MDC enjoyed.
L-words were given and the couple ended their date on the inevitable bench that shows up at every hometown home. It’s kind of like the gazebos that show up at the end of so many Hallmark movies, often at night. Don’t ask me how I know this.
And then an Apothic wine ad that offends me deeply and sounds low-key sexual?
Dotun gets the last visit. No doubt enjoying the doubt they had stirred up with Joey, the EGPs knew we’d get anxious about Charity getting anxious that Xavier’s parents would be in Nigeria during the hometown visit. How could she make an informed decision about accepting a proposal without meeting the ‘rents? Of course, the EGPs knew it was all a misdirection, as Xavier’s folks “surprised” him by showing up unannounced.
A good time was had by all. Charity was impressed with and loved by Ma and Gram. And L-words were given by Dotun and Grandmama.
Time for the Big Finish. Four guys in love with Charity. One fit that is 🔥.
Three roses.
We know that two Dotun and Xavier will get picked before Joey and Aaron who the EGPs had set up for max drama. In the end, Aaron’s demise was foreshadowed by the EGPs who showed his hometown first. And the Joey drama was an EGP misdirection.
This continues to be a terrific season and the next episode’s previews look juicy. Who makes a surprise return? Aaron? Brayden? Another EGP misdirection?
Here’s how and when the season wraps up:
- Episode 7 Fantasy Suites, Aug. 7
- Episode 8 The Men Tell All, Aug. 14
- Episode 9 Season Finale + After the Final Rose, Aug. 21
See you next week.
P.S. This week’s viewing wine was an outstanding Left Bank Bordeaux Chateau Lilian Ladouys St. Estephe. I’m quite happy that I have some more left to enjoy.
[1] Graham Nash’s ode to domestic bliss was written for his girlfriend at the time, Joni Mitchell, who, like Charity, had no shortage of suitors.
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