Recent college graduate Roofus Coombs moves to New York and finds an apartment in Washington Heights and a job in the interoffice mailroom at Carter’s Home Insurance. He originally applied for a professional-trainee position, but was told there were none available. Roofus’ boss Ernie, an older Black man from Georgia, tells Roofus the company hired two white PT’s the day after they rejected Roofus, who is Black. Mr. Drew, a light-skinned Black man, is their supervisor. Bernard Averill, a white man, is in charge of all nonprofessional company employees. While delivering mail, Roofus often sees a white woman, Mona Donelli, laughing and wearing cocktail dresses. Once, he is surprised to see her wearing a sweater on a different floor.  One day, Roofus runs into Mona and mentions he can see why she’d wear a sweater at her desk. Mona doesn’t know what he’s talking about. After she leaves, Roofus notices a fly buzzing around the office. When he’s finished delivering mail, he goes to Mona’s office and finds her wearing a sweater. The woman is not Mona Donelli but Lana Donelli, Mona’s twin sister. The two chat. At his apartment that evening, Roofus observes a metallic green fly. The next week, Roofus starts leaving gifts on Lana’s desk each day. Lana rarely responds to them. Ernie expresses concern that Lana is white. On Thursday, Roofus buys an expensive crab-apple tree to leave for Lana on Friday. That night, Roofus’ pet fly does not show up. On Friday, Roofus is called into Mr. Drew’s office at work. Mr. Drew informs him Lana has filed a sexual harassment complaint against him. Mr. Drew thinks it’s best to fire Roofus, but it’s up to Mr. Averill. Before his meeting with Mr. Averill, Ernie tells him this wouldn’t have happened if Roofus was white. Roofus goes to apologize to Lana, who claims she had no idea they would fire him. When he meets with Mr. Averill, Mr. Averill expresses that he could get any woman in the office if he didn’t go around leaving presents. Mr. Averill promotes Roofus. That night, Roofus finds the green fly dead in the window frame.