Summary

The novel begins with a description of the narrator, named Kevin Pace, and a painting he is creating. The narrator first describes the dimensions of the painting -- twenty feet tall and thirty-five feet across -- and then reflects on the various colors he plans to use on the canvas. No one is allowed in the large barn-like structure where he is painting, although he has a public gallery filled with other artworks.

Kevin states that he achieved success for a brief period years ago, and is thus able to support his family and enroll his children in private school, although he believes that the private school his children attend is inferior to the nearby public school.

According to Kevin, many people are awaiting the creation of his secret painting, which he mockingly calls his masterpiece, but he does not concern himself with...