On the way to a classmate’s birthday party, a girl thinks regretfully about how her whole Saturday will be wasted since she cannot continue reading her book while with her classmates. She does not want to attend the party but remembers her mother’s instructions to stay for at least two hours out of politeness. When she arrives, her classmate Jan’s mother greets her heartily and announces she is the first guest. No one speaks, so Jan’s mother instructs Jan to show her upstairs to see Jan’s new room. The two girls look at Jan’s sketchbook, which is full of poorly drawn sketches and some well-done animal ones, which she compliments Jan on. She also comments that Jan lives far away, hoping to make her feel better that none of their classmates had arrived yet. They then go outside into the backyard, and Jan’s mother says she will stay inside to answer the door. The girl tells Jan about the book she is reading and tries to get Jan excited about the birthday present she brought. When the girls go back inside to ask Jan’s mother if they can eat cupcakes, Jan’s mother momentarily seems as though she is about to burst into tears, but they pretend not to notice. No one else comes to the party. Before leaving, the girl compliments Jan’s drawings again. She promises to let Jan borrow her book as soon as she finishes.