Alyse complains of her boring family. Her father chuckles that she ought to write about the serendipitous reunion of his him and his childhood friend. Annoyed by this and disparaging coincidence as as weak literary tool, she spends a boring night at home with her uneventful mother and sickly grandmother upstairs. What she does not know is that her brother has seized an incredible opportunity. He has always been fascinated by ships and deeply in love with these maritime vessels. Forced to say goodbye to a ship and its crew member he has grown attached to, he ventures to the dock to say goodbye. While there, his seafaring friend exclaims how perfectly timed his appearance is; a crew member is sick and must be replaced. His brother ponders this wonderful, scary, exhilarating possibility, wondering if he can leave his beloved mother and father who is struggling financially. Alyse’s aunt, who takes care of the often-bedridden grandmother, routinely slips out of the house every Tuesday and Thursday. Where, no one knows. She has been steadily working at clay figurines, building her display as a ceramic artists. One night, she knows her entire life could either change for the better or worse. She goes to a studio, meeting an acclaimed art dealer, and is congratulated for winning his patronage. The man who sponsored her, paid for the studio, and has been encouraging her on this journey also reveals his love for her. Alyse’s sister has also been delving deeper into an internal world of change and growth. She dances with a boy into the night and, feeling powerless, almost enters his apartment. Just before being taken into his room, however, she hears her aunt’s voice. They happened to be in the same apartment complex, so, rescued, she goes home with her. Alyse’s father even had a boisterous night out with his best friend. He and his friend end up getting arrested based on a misunderstanding. The two often bet on and buy unclaimed luggage. While stumbling back home with their new prize, the police stop them and the two act like mischievous little boys, pretending to be sketchy enough that the police apprehend them. He phones home to Alyse, laughing that the two will be home later than usual, and Alyse sighs, uninterested with an air of contempt.