Mrs. Lavery hears a knock on her door and remembers that a Mr. Peters is coming by for an apartment viewing. The old man comes into her home, and she notices that his clothes are in perfect condition but clearly very old. She shows him the apartment, and he compliments her furniture, her Oriental rug, her armoire. Mrs. Lavery is really happy that Mr. Peters points out the details of the apartment and that he thinks that she has good taste, but she cannot get over the feeling that she knows the man. She also is suspicious of the fact that the old man would choose to rent her place, a two bedroom apartment, since he does not mention a wife or family. When she inquires, Mr. Peters responds that he likes to rent out his own property in Montauk in the summer and stay somewhere in town for a cheaper price to turn a profit. Mrs. Lavery accepts this explanation for a moment and offers Mr. Peters a drink.

Mrs. Lavery is still skeptical of the fact that Mr. Peters would want a two bedroom, and, as he is drinking his sherry and looking at Mrs. Lavery's liquor, she realizes how she knows him. He bartended at a few of her friend Nancy's parties a few years back, and he was a retired butler. Mrs. Lavery realizes there is no way Mr. Peters could afford her rent and that he must be sizing up her belongings so that he can steal them. Mr. Peters catches on that Mrs. Lavery is suspicious of him and leaves, but Mrs. Lavery, in her premenstrual craze, decides to follow him and accuse him of thievery. Mr. Peters explains that he is not a thief and admits that he is not actually interested in renting the apartment. He has made it his hobby to view apartments only to look at beautiful belongings and to make good conversation with the owners. Mrs. Lavery apologizes, realizing the old man is merely lonely, and, when Mr. Peters leaves, she thinks about how she will never see him again.