Ruth is the mother of Gene, Miriam, and Oliver, who all have different fathers. Her first husband died during World War I and her second was in the army, to be stationed in China, but she chose not to leave her precious home for him. Her home is her sanctuary, located in the Bay Area of California and designed exactly to her tastes. She works in the political sphere, currently undergoing projects to help Japanese-Americans who face discrimination. Gene is in his thirties now, still lives in his childhood bedroom, engaged to Dorie, and extremely talented at chess. He has been invited to an international competition for the American team, but requires five hundred dollars, which he asks his mother for. Though it irks her that he still lives with her and that his only source of income is the property he inherited from his grandfather, she obliges. That night, the family is intended to gather for their Sunday dinner, and Miriam is helping her mother while her own children and husband lounge around the house. Meanwhile, Oliver, the youngest, is at a motorcycle bar where he meets Jo Ann. Oliver has been looking to make money to buy his own motorcycle, but Jo Ann offers him a bike for four hundred dollars. After seeing the bike, he goes back to his house, late for dinner, and asks his mom for the money. Knowing that she already gave Gene five hundred for chess, when she says no, he begins fighting with her about her lack of support. She is afraid for his safety, but he yells at her and criticizes her for leaving him a bastard and not even bothering to be a real mother to him. He storms out of the house, swearing to move out, and Gene follows up with his mother, trying to comfort her.