Arnie Bush, having stayed in many places and traveled as a seaman, settles in New York City as a barber. Once, he was married to a woman who owned a barbershop in Texas, where he lived for some time and began a family before he went back to the sea. Later, he returns to land in New York and a friend leaves him an alligator that he keeps in the bathtub. Although he knows alligators live in fresh water, having the animal nearby keeps his memories of the sea alive. Bush does his best to keep the alligator healthy, but the animal eventually dies, leaving him alone with his memories of the sea, Texas, and the city.