Middle-aged house wife Maida Allen is devastated when her husband leaves her after eleven years of perfectly happy marriage. Maida's friends, hopeful that she will soon move on, invite her to dinners, parties, and events, but their efforts are unsuccessful, and hosts and guests alike soon tire of hearing her recount the tragedy of her marriage's end. When Mrs. Allen is no longer asked to attend events and is abandoned by her friends, she meets Dr. Marjorie Langham, a counselor and healer who is sure she can help the confused and heart-broken Maida get back on her feet. Dr. Langham explains to Mrs. Allen that her husband left because of a midlife crisis, which is perfectly natural for a man of Mr. Allen's age. Convinced that Dr. Langham is entirely correct, Maida Allen sets her hopes on her husband's eventual return. She has promised herself not to call him. It is Maida who is soon contacted by Mr. Allen, and asks to come by the apartment to pick up one of his suitcases. Mrs. Allen agrees, and greets her husband with an invitation to dinner. Mr. Allen, however, insists that he cannot stay long, and the two have only a brief conversation. Soon, the husband, apologetic but unwavering, tells Maida that he had wanted to leave for six out of their eleven years of marriage. Still, Mrs. Allen denies this truth, even after she discovers that Mr. Allen intends to move to San Fransisco, and remains sure that he will eventually return to her. She plans to serve him crow for dinner when he does.