Jefferson street is a middle-class street with tennis courts at the end. On it live numerous families, including the Warders and the Tuttles. The Warders have many family members who are lower class, and they are terrified that the neighbors will discover this, so they are trying to blend in. They feel that the Tuttles look down on Jefferson street, but in reality they are happy to be there. Frank Tuttle had a nervous breakdown years before due to his mother always comparing him and his brother, so he and his wife Mary are glad to have a happy life now.
One day, the Warders see in the newspaper that Don, the husband Bert's brother, was arrested for stealing from the bank that he worked at. The family is terrified of what the neighbors will say and think of them, and they are also scared that the neighbors will discover that most of their family is low class. So, Bert decides to get back at the neighbors before they can insult him. However, the Tuttles are not thinking about the shamefulness of the situation; they feel bad for the Warders, and want to help. Frank Warder has begun to be self-conscious of his thinning hair, and Bert lashes out at him and makes fun of it. The Warders continue to think that the neighbors are speaking poorly of them, and Bert makes jibes at everyone before they can bring it up. Frank becomes his primary target, because Frank is the only one who won't insult him back. 
One day, Bert accidentally stumbles onto one of Frank's secrets when he is teasing him. He jokes that Frank never gets elected to anything, and Frank begins to feel the old bitterness that his brother Roger has always been elected to things and he has not. Frank becomes terrified that Bert will accidentally discover his other, larger secret, that he hates and is jealous of his brother Roger for all of his successes. Frank develops a nervous habit of pushing his hair over the thinning spot, and he is terrified every time that Bert speaks to him. Frank's wife Mary has to go away to look after her sister who is dying after giving birth. 
Alone in the house, Frank becomes more and more paranoid. One day, he opens a letter his brother Roger has written him, saying that he is now one of the vice presidents at the company where Frank works. Frank is scared that when people talk about the news to him they will be able to see his jealousy and hatred. One day, Roger's car pulls up to Frank's house, and he hides in a closet so he does not have to see him. Then, he is afraid that someone has seen him hide and knows his secret. He becomes convinced that Bert saw him hide in the closet and will tease him about it. The next day, he pushes the fridge onto his hand so he cannot play tennis with Bert. He is sent home on sick leave because he cannot hold a pen. Frank begins to sleep all day, in fear that if he is awake he will do something that will reveal his secret. He wants to keep his wife Mary safe from knowing what kind of a man her husband is.
One day, Frank hears a car in the driveway, and his wife speaking downstairs to the cleaning woman. He hears her footsteps coming up the stairs, and panics. In an effort to save and protect her, he flings himself out of the window. The next day, the Warders hear the news. They have just gotten back from the trial of Bert's brother, who was found to be not guilty of stealing. The neighbors all cry, and they do not understand what could have happened, since Frank had a happy life. Bert insists that Frank was not insane, and that they were best pals.