Becky is the mother of Jude, a young boy on the autism spectrum. Becky is at an art gala for her husband, Max, who is presumably in the medical field. Becky interacts with a man she thinks looks like Sponge Bob Square Pants; she describes him in her journal. Becky describes all sorts of people and things in her journal for her son, Jude. Jude sees multiple specialists weekly for his condition and will not make friends at school. Becky made this journal to remind Jude of what he would miss if he didn’t eventually pay attention to people.

Becky talks to her son about what he will be missing in his life if he doesn’t try to participate. Jude speaks professionally and does not think his mom understands him.

A man, Ossie Gulliver, approaches Becky at the gala. He is dressed in plaid and reveals that he owns business where individuals dressed up as famous people are his clients. He gives Becky his card; Becky imagines having an affair with him. She realizes she is not creative or bold enough to have an affair.

Becky thinks about her life in Iowa before moving to California. She thinks about how she can’t live for her son forever. Becky wonders what went wrong with her. Max doesn’t view Jude like this.

Becky longs for a comprehensible life—one unlike her own. That is, she longs for a normal life that she can make sense of. She continues to wish she was imaginative so that she could understand her autistic son.

Becky goes to a woman named Vivien’s house to inquire about music lessons for her son. She has heard it may be good for Jude.

She interacts with the women there, questioning how they can so quickly shift from discussing their children’s bodies and minds to admiring their children’s artistic talent. She is off-put that these children have talents they cannot use.

Becky leaves and her purse is stolen. She catches up to the thief who threatens to shoot her. She asks for just the journal back; the thief obliges. Becky contemplates other men she could have married and other women her husband could have married.

Becky sees a scene on a bridge where a man is attempting to commit suicide but is stopped by police. Becky contemplates reasons to live and things to tell her son to keep trying. She thinks she will refuse Jude’s argument that he will have monophobia, fear of being alone, and his assertion that he cannot be anyone but himself.