Summary

The never-named 33-year-old narrator of the novel is a writer who has just had lunch with his agent in New York. While sitting and watching traffic afterwards, the narrator explains that everything does and does not seem the same, as if something is different. He feels as if various futures press down upon him. The narrator has been working on transforming a short story into a novel, which all the major companies are already interested in. The narrator is also carrying the weight of a recently diagnosed potentially fatal heart condition. It means the largest artery in his body could rupture at any moment, and will require surgery. The narrator’s closest friend, 36-year-old woman named Alex, offers moral support. She also wants to have a baby by the narrator, having first met him in college and believing her chances of getting married are...