Ardis Bascombe is a tobacco heiress who spends most of her days getting drunk and waiting for her child Carrie to come home. But in her youth, in her college days, she was known as the most beautiful girl at Chapel Hill and would spend her days with frat stars who adored her. Unbeknownst to her, Walpole Greene, a fellow classmate has been watching her with hatred and develops thoughts of killing her until one day where she drunkenly kisses him and says she loves him, which prompts him to fall in love with her.

One night Walpole Greene tracks her down to her house in San Francisco and sees the toll alcohol and time have taken on her. They chat and Carrie comes into the house to see them and immediately thinks Walpole is a creep. Ardis falls asleep after a few too many vodkas and Walpole searches for something to eat. Carrie, after smoking weed, gets the munchies and she and Walpole share a meal. Afterward, Walpole tells Carrie he can get her sober and will take care of everything. Carrie agrees and goes back upstairs, forgetting all about the bad vibes she previously got from him. Walpole goes back outside to Ardis and begins coaxing her to come get sober so she can beautiful again and be his girl.