Dave Goggins writes a letter to Mr. Flessheimer, the boss of his wife Peggy. He explains in the letter that he knows about Peggy and Flessheimer's affair. He assures Flessheimer he doesn't blame him because Peggy is "a high-spirited girl." He describes his failing relationship with Peggy in detail. Peggy had started as a stenographer in the office of Flessheimer's undergarments store until he convinced her to model new products. Peggy happily agreed because it meant getting a raise, and Dave was on board as well. Dave worked selling stocking menders door-to-door but left the company since customers stopped buying from him. Then, he was let go from his new job at an insurance company after a month while Peggy was doing well with her modeling job. Dave admits in the letter he's been unemployed for ten months. He's been looking after their son Joe since Peggy was busy with modeling. Dave says he loves Joe more than Peggy and reveals she didn't want to have a baby, even during the time she was pregnant before Joe. Dave discloses that they gathered money for an abortion of the first baby, but it was too late and she had to continue with the birth. However, the baby was born dead. When Joe came after, Dave assured Peggy that he would help support her as much as he could. However, on the day of her birth, Dave knew Peggy still didn’t want Joe. Dave then explains to Flessheimer when he found out about their affair. He noticed Peggy's manner had changed, as she became more absentminded. One night at the movies, Peggy spoke to a friend she ran into without ever introducing her to Dave, who felt that Peggy was ashamed of him. When they got home, Dave confronted Peggy and threatened to take Joe and leave. Peggy encouraged him to do so, arguing there were other men out there for her and Dave wasn't giving her the life she wanted. Dave heard about the affair between her and her boss a few weeks later from gossip. When he asked Peggy about it during a road trip to the countryside, she told him it was a lie that the girls at the office were spreading. After the trip, Dave noticed that Peggy was home much less. She would tell Dave she would go downtown with her friends to eat or watch a movie. Dave felt sympathetic towards her since she was working but wished she spent more time with the family. He received a mysterious phone call one day from a woman while Penny was gone. She didn't reveal her name, simply, "a friend who does not want to see you hoodwinked any longer." She reveals that Peggy visits Mr. Flessheimer every Sunday, and sometimes on weekdays instead of working. The woman abruptly hangs up, and Dave waits all night for Peggy to return. She arrives at five AM, drunk and wearing a sparkling white dress. Dave confronts her about her affair, to which she admits and calls Dave a fool. Peggy falls asleep on the couch immediately after. The following day, Peggy declares she will see Flessheimer and that Dave won't do anything about it. Dave concludes the letter by pleading with Mr. Flessheimer to leave Peggy alone. He tells her that he has no other friends and that Peggy is all he has. He argues that Peggy would be happy with him if she wasn't influenced by Flessheimer. He feels confident that he'll find a job soon and Peggy will treat him right once he does. He tells Mr. Flessheimer he doesn't know what else to do except write him. He begs him to not take Peggy away from him and to finally give him a break.