The Wood Fire in No. 3

In the October of 1905, a group of bohemian artists gathers around a newly‑installed hearth in Room 3 of an aging ten‑story building. Their host, the ever‑enthusiastic Sandy MacWhirter, has spent his childhood worshipping fire, and he will stop at nothing to recreate that comfort in a cramped, chimney‑less space. With the help of a flamboyant contractor, a makeshift chimney is erected, turning the modest floor into a warm sanctuary that quickly becomes the talk of the whole house.

The fire soon proves to be more than a source of heat—it cracks jokes, sighs, and even seems to converse with its admirers, drawing the eclectic residents into a lively ritual of storytelling and camaraderie. Artists like Boggs, Wharton, and Pitkin each try their own eccentric tricks on the flames, from blackening the grate to stacking logs upside down, creating a comic clash of old‑world reverence and modern experimentation. As the embers glow, the room fills with the scent of hickory and violet, inviting listeners to settle into the easy‑chair comfort of a shared, crackling narrative.