A man complains about the industrial revolution and constantly asks his wife to run away to the desert with him. His wish is to live in an oasis away from Western civilization, but he knows his wife does not believe such an escape is possible. The wife feels tension in their conversation but hides her own bitterness and concerns to avoid further argument. In an abrupt scene change, Frank enters his sister’s house and sees his sister, Lila, sitting on her armchair as always. Lila asks him how the men at the Coffee Pot were behaving. He says they were the same as always, and she takes that to mean noisy and busy. Lila continues to prod, inquiring why Frank continues to go to the Coffee Pot if he feels so estranged. He says he enjoys knowing he is estranged while the others around him do not. Tired of the conversation, Frank says he is going to bed. His sister, however, thinks about how Frank lies to her and finds excitement in digging for the secrets her brother conceals.