In response to a letter from his old friend, the narrator visits Roderick Usher at his house. Upon approaching the mansion, he feels a profound gloom and dreariness. It's showing the signs of some neglect. In the letter, Roderick had complained of a mental disturbance. When the narrator is shown into the house, he notes immediately that his old friend doesn't look well.
Miss Kate and Miss Julia Morkan are hosting their annual dinner and dance. The event is always a resounding success. The hostesses are anticipating the arrival of Gabriel Conroy, their nephew who will be giving a speech; and Freddy Mallins, a friend who might be drunk. Gabriel is a bit nervous about his speech.
On an invitation from the Commandant, a Traveler is visiting a penal colony. In particular, he's being shown the special apparatus used there. It consists of a Bed, an Inscriber, and a Harrow, each of which serves an unpleasant purpose. This device and the whole philosophy of the penal colony are the work of the previous Commandant.
A young man's parents are trying to decide what to bring him for his birthday. This is difficult—their son is incurably deranged and takes exception to common items. Their trip is fraught with problems. The subway is delayed, the bus is late and crowded, and it rains on their walk to the sanitarium. When they arrive, they're informed of another incident.
Muriel and Seymour Glass are staying at an expensive resort in Florida. Muriel calls her mother, who is very worried that she hadn't called sooner. She's concerned about Seymour's behavior. Her husband talked to a psychiatrist who believes Seymour could lose control. Muriel says there's a psychiatrist at the hotel, so there's nothing to worry about.
