A Man of Ideas Summary

Joe Welling is like a man who suddenly throws fits, his body convulsing, except his fits are of ideas and thoughts instead of physical seizures. He is captivated by ideas and engages people against their will with his maniacal monologues about them. Joe is a Standard Oil agent who travels to Winesburg stores. One day, Joe enters Sylvester West's drug store, where four men are talking about horse racing. He announces that the water is up in Wine Creek, poking at Ed Thomas's chest. Joe states that he could not believe it at first, so he went and got a rule and measured it. He doesn't know what to think, as it hasn't rained in ten days. He eventually realizes that it must have rained in Medina County. Joe is excited to find out that they can...