Mrs. Bishop is a middle aged woman who is coming home from tea at her friend's house. She discovers she does not have enough money in her purse for a taxi, and is bitter about never having much money. She is resentful of one of her friends, Lila Hardy, who always asks for change for a ten dollar bill during bridge. Mrs. Bishop is annoyed, because her husband always seems to have money when she asks for it. She goes home on the subway. While she is sitting on the subway, Mrs. Bishop sees a man who comes on and stands in front of her. His jacket is a shabby overcoat. One of the buttons has been replaced and does not match the others, the sleeve is threadbare at the cuff, and some of the lining hangs down onto the man's hand. His hands are dirty. Mrs. Bishop imagines that he is a white-collar man who has a large family and is having trouble putting all of his kids through school, so he never spends money on himself. She feels very sorry for him, and when she gets off, she smiles at him. The smile does not come out right, and the man looks away, embarrassed. At home, Mrs. Bishop sees her husband lying on the couch. He is wearing grey slippers that do not fit him, and she suddenly hates him for letting himself go. She envies Lila Hardy, because even though her husband drinks he is somebody. Mrs. Bishop complains to her husband Robert that she had to come home on the subway, and it was dreadful. He digs into his pocket and pulls out a crumpled five dollar bill for her, but she says she wants her own money in the form of an allowance at fifty dollars a month. Robert says he always gives her money when she asks, which she agrees with, but she still insists on an allowance. Roger is nervous about the amount, but he says that he could manage it for the next month. As Mrs. Bishop walks out of the room, she sees Robert's coat on the chair near the door. One sleeve is hanging down, and she sees that it is threadbare at the cuff and the lining is falling out; it is the same overcoat she saw on the subway. Mrs. Bishop has a horrible sinking feeling.