Summary

The novel begins with the protagonist, Lois Clary, describing her current situation in life. Lois had moved to San Francisco in order to join a programming company known as General Dexterity. This company specialized in the programming and development of robotic arms. Lois found her job to be overwhelming. Each evening, she returned to her small apartment after a long day of work and would enter a “catatonic” (9) state of recovery.

Lois found respite from her job through a restaurant’s delicious take-out meals. Lois decided to order from a shop known as "Clement Street Soup and Sourdough" (3). Lois had described Clement Street as a “polyglot artery” (4) in San Francisco. When her food arrived, she could not place the delivery man’s appearance, nor his accent. Lois faced a similar issue when she called the restaurant to order her food. The music was peculiar...