Matthew and his grandpa and father are gathered around the table, discussing the poor growing conditions on their farm.  There has not been rain for a long time and they are afraid that the crops may never grow like they used to.  Grandpa has hope and begins to tell a story of when he was a young, newly married man, making a living on that very farm.  He talks about the lavish crops they grew and all of the wheat they had.  Soon, a horrible drought came, leaving grandpa and grandma with no crops and dry land.  The dust was horrible and he talks of all of the things they had to do to keep the dust away. As if this wasn't bad enough, they also had a grasshopper infestation that destroyed anything that they had left.  Families began to leave town and look for a better way of life, but not grandpa.  He stuck it out and eventually the rain came and life was back to normal again.  Grandpa finishes his story and Matthew's hope is restored.