Ruth runs into Victor, one of her friend's old boyfriends, at an art gallery. He has aged significantly since they last saw each other. He is morose and needy, consistently asking how the friend--Lora--is doing. He tells her that Lora moved to California and had another baby, though this is very old news, as that baby is old enough now to be in high school. On a different day, at another art gallery, Ruth runs into Victor again. He sees Ruth with her husband and explains that his wife, Virginia, left him. The two had a pleasant if bland relationship and wanted to have a child to create some interest. Victor is unable to have a child, but when Virginia asked him to go under the knife to restore his ability, he refused and she left him as a result. Ruth thinks back to the time when they all met. Lora had a baby and met Victor at a bar. They woke up together one morning and she gave him the opportunity to sit with the baby, which made him deeply uncomfortable, as he is a very stiff and reserved person. He didn't want to watch the baby when Lora asked him to. Lora broke up with Victor and was heartbroken, but she ended up moving to Laguna Beach with her baby and married a new man, like she had always wanted. Victor asks how Ruth and her husband are so happy together. Ruth makes a joke about their sex life, but begins to feel upset after remembering her first husband, who slashed up all the furniture in their apartment. It is implied that there was an incident between the two of them that involved fire.