A brother and sister, Robert and Elizabeth, are sitting on their house’s lawn, looking out upon the colorful autumn leaves. They debate how they can tell the age of the oldest tree on their lawn, then debate why the leaves on the trees have changed color. Elizabeth thinks the change has occurred because it rained paint, but Robert tells her their father once explained to him that the leaves change color because of summer coming to an end. He tells Elizabeth that when the leaves turn yellow and then red, they are dead.

The two siblings hear the front door open, then see their father emerge. They rush towards him, begging him to play with them. Their father has finished a week of work in the city and is now able to spend the weekend tending to his children. Robert and Elizabeth want him to play bear and, unable to convince them to first try other games, their father assents. He chases them around the lawn and even lets Robert ride on his back. After playing bear, their father proposes they play horse. He runs through the lawn on all fours, kicking so hard one shoe flies off. In a show of playful bravery, Robert declares he is courageous enough the ride the horse. Their father runs for a bit again, kicking his leg up, but this time with less force. He pauses for Robert to get on his back, then allows Elizabeth to get on as well. However, when they are both sitting on him, he collapses flat on the ground.

Confused at their father’s stillness, the children ask him why he does not want to play anymore. Robert decides to fetch their mother, hoping she will force their father to play with them. When he returns with her, she believes her husband is simply lying on the ground in rest or as a trick. She approaches slowly with Robert, gesturing for Elizabeth to keep quiet. Once in front of the man, the three of them shout to scare him into movement. When he does not move, Robert and Elizabeth’s mother leans closer to examine him. He is so still insects are crawling over his body. She takes his hand, then screams and drops it. She tells the children to go back inside the house and play amongst themselves. Robert and Elizabeth ask her to call them when their father has woken up so that they may play with him more. Their mother agrees to this request.