Steinbeck finds evidence about the life of Lonesome Harry, an anonymous man whom Steinbeck names during his snooping, when the author takes an uncleaned hotel room while waiting for his room to be prepared in Chicago. Lonesome Harry is unsure of himself, lives on the East Coast, is married, drinks too much Jack Daniels, and has a probable extramarital affair with a possible professional girlfriend, a paid one-night stand. Steinbeck thinks that Lonesome Harry is miserable in his professional and private life. He is alone while surrounded by humanity.