Moe Sohn, a seventy-eight-year-old retired shirt manufacturer, calls Sam Lipshitz, his ex-business partner. They haven't spoken in over a year following a bitter dispute over the terms of Moe's departure, but even when they worked together, they often disagreed. Now, Moe wants to check in on an order that he promised a small-time customer — six weeks ago. Moe seems to have forgotten that he is longer in business. Lipshitz is immediately worried and asks for Ida, Moe's wife. Hours later, he calls back when he knows Ida will be home. He explains to her that Moe has been calling people at the office for weeks. His mission is to convince Ida to stop Moe from interfering with the company, but Ida begs Lipshitz to indulge him. Lipshitz remembers Ida's past kindness towards him and knows how miserable his ex-partner is without his work, so he reluctantly agrees. Later that night, the wizened, diminished Moe has trouble sleeping. At 1:30, he gets up to look for the morning paper, and Ida puts him back to bed and reminisces about how he single-handedly provided for her, their family, and all of his relations as an immigrant. Moe wakes up and calls Lipshitz again. They argue, and despite his absorption in the conversation, Lipshitz finds it very difficult to stay in character. Afterward, Ida comes home to find her husband gathering his prayer shawl and phylacteries to "go home." He has forgotten that his apartment is his own. Ida tamps down her fear and, with love, coaxes him down and makes sure he stays. At least, she smiles, he wouldn't leave the apartment without his phylacteries.