A Member of the Family is set in Ocean Springs, a small, bedroom community on the Gulf of Mexico, a day's drive from New Orleans, during a period of a year and a half beginning with summer break from school. Ocean Springs is a university town, where residents take pride in their property and community. Neighbors commute forty-five minutes to an hour from Ocean Springs to their jobs while Dr. Lockwood goes to his shop, a five minute walk down their street.

The Lockwoods live in a house built on a canal leading to the Gulf of Mexico, a convenience that allows them to dock their boat, The GIGO (Garbage In Garbage Out), at their home. The semitropical climate facilitates their favorite activities: boating, fishing, and hunting.

The friendly setting contributes to the climate of safety the Lockwoods feel in their community. There is no worry about Tom...