At a poor man's port in Long Island, a man rooms in a house owned by an old married couple. The old couple's relationship is rocky, evident by their restless slumbers and constant sighing. The wife, Anita Dale, is a plump woman with gray hairs. The husband, Paul Dale, is gaunt, with a permanent-smile that has no warmth in it. Their house is a mess, with cookbooks, clothes, and cushions lying around everywhere. The cats in the house are always having litters, and there are even goats and ducks outside. Paul frequently spends time outdoors, and goes to town to fetch groceries one day when the roomer mentions to Anita that Paul must enjoy walking. Anita answers that Paul simply refuses to go “any other way than what he’s used to.” There is a second man rooming in their house named Erickson who is rarely seen around. The roomer enters Erickson’s room one day to fetch a flashlight. He catches sight of train paintings in Erickson’s room and leaves to ask Anita about them. She demands that he never mention these paintings to Erickson. Anita tells the roomer more about Erickson’s personal life, and then divulges details about her own by saying that Paul is actually her second husband.  The roomer walks to town and enters the liquor store to gossip with Rhoda Fleming, the store owner. A woman named Mrs. Peterson enters the store to pay her debts. All the townspeople know about how she answered a scam phone call telling her she would receive a grand prize of cash and more once she answered a question. Poor Mrs. Peterson happily signed up for loans and spent her money thinking she would be able to pay back soon. The scammer’s identity is still unknown and the roomer hurriedly leaves the liquor store, glad to escape the thoughts of misfortune revolving around Mrs. Peterson.  He comes home and Anita asks to speak with him, with concern that Paul is getting “queerer and queerer.” The roomer changes the subject and talks about how beautiful Anita’s hair is. The roomer saw something that day, that he cannot reveal to anyone. He thinks about how their small town is separate from the city, just like how Paul is currently outside of the house.