Sam is sitting at a bar drinking brandy, even though he usually prefers beer. He shows the bartender a picture of a horse that he once bet on, which won the race only once in its whole career - the exact day on which Sam put money on it. The bartender remarks that there are certain things that can happen only once in a lifetime. Sam confesses that he might not love his wife, Rose, anymore. He leaves his groceries at the bar and promises to return for him. The afternoon sun and the brandy have made the day seem almost golden; Sam walks and dreams, thinking about a girl that he used to dream of frequently when he was younger. This dream-girl appeared to him less and less frequently, but she is here now - and Sam thinks he sees her in the street. He follows the mystery woman, chasing her past shops and down streets, until they are close enough for her to recognize him. But the woman turns sharply and walks away. Sam is left alone. He realises that this is not the girl he dreamt of - and if it was, then he was not the boy meant for her. This realization drains the 'gold' of the day, and the last of his good humor is gone. He returns to the bar to take his groceries, and the day gets dark. Sam runs home to Rose, dropping vegetables from his bag on the way back, and when he arrives he can barely breathe and has to lie down. Rose comforts him, and brings him back to their domestic life very quickly. Lying down, Sam agrees with Rose, but he does not open his eyes as he does so.