Summary

Betty is inspecting her pieces of valuable glassware displayed in the house and cautions George never to break a set of glass figurines of two Chinese children. Thinking that they are precious, George later learns that his father had bought them for only $20 on a trip to Chicago once.

One day while Earleen is cleaning Betty's house, she tells George that she thinks the world of Betty and would do anything for her, especially if George decides to leave. George is uncomfortable with the conversation and changes the subject.

George's cousin, Lucinda, invites George and Betty to a benefit dinner for The Missouri Review and Betty embarrasses both George and Lucinda by making loud and inappropriate statements about the speaker's clothing. Despite her irritation at the event, Betty manages to maintain until she and George are in the car on the way home. The...