A shy American librarian and her abrasive mother travel to Italy, where a visit with a beautiful Italian countess stirs up the daughter's insecurity about her terrible teeth — and re-animates her rage at her mother, who neglected to have them fixed.

A New Yorker in HR is sent to her company's branch in a midwestern town for six weeks, where she finds herself taken by a minimalist lifestyle. However, her husband's criticism leads her to slink back to her old city life.

A middle-aged man attends a self-help seminar in hopes of finding the resolve to confront his quirky and off-putting sister and ask her to move out of his home.