Ushman, a rug merchant in New York City, arrives at Mrs. Robert's home right on time. Mrs. Roberts had Ushman fill her home with his expensive carpets a few months ago, but is now dissatisfied with one of them. As Ushman surveys the room, Mrs. Roberts' husband falls off the bed in their bedroom. Mrs. Roberts and her maid need Ushman's help to lift him back into bed. Later that day, Ushman goes to pay for a rug he had inspected and deemed valuable from another carpet merchant in the city. When he arrives at the merchant's place, paramedics carry the man, now dead, on a stretcher. Ushman keeps the 12,000 dollars he would have paid, and he also keeps the rug. Elated, he calls his wife back in Iran and tells her about the "free" rug. As his mother's caretaker, his wife tells him that the money could pay for a nurse for his sickly mother. Ushman, however, is afraid that his wife is having an affair and that her only connection to Ushman is through his mother. He chooses not to pay for a nurse and set his wife free. The next morning, Mrs Roberts comes to his store and falls in love with the new rug. Ushman lies about the price and asks her for $30,000 for the rug, and although she agrees to pay, Ushman can sense her disappointment at the ease of the transaction. He lies again and tells her it's important to his family, so he must double check before selling it. She is very pleased. When Ushman calls his wife the next day, she admits that she is pregnant from her affair. Having had five miscarriages already, Ushman tells her this pregnancy will also not live. Later, Ushman takes the rug to the curb and waits for the garbage truck to pass. He throws the rug to the men on the truck and walks back to his shop.  The next day Mrs. Roberts comes looking for the rug and Ushman rudely tells her it’s not available. Ushman is finally honest with Mrs. Roberts and asks her why she wants to covet things she can’t have. The two lie down in the store side by side and think about their lives.