Charlie, who is to arrive after six, Burt steals six pies from the kitchen counter. On the 26th Vera does not want to talk to Burt; she doesn't have the time, she has plans. Burt apologizes but Vera does not think it's very sincere. Burt notices cigarette butts that are not Vera's regular brand collected in the ashtray, "their ashtray," and feels out of place. While Vera is the bathroom the phone rings and she shouts at Burt to answer it. It's a call for Charlie and Burt responds curtly, saying he's "not here" before leaving the phone off the hook. Vera comes back into the kitchen, and it's clear she cannot tolerate Burt sticking around. The phone rings again (it's for Charlie again) and Vera says she'll answer it from the bedroom. Instead of hanging up when Vera commands, Burt takes a knife from the cabinet and cuts the cord in two. Vera realizes what's happened and yells for Burt to leave, saying she'll get a restraining order. Burt leaves calmly and, as he drives away in his car holding the ashtray, he is deludedly positive that in a few weeks they'll have a "serious talk" and get back together. The manuscript version titled "Pie" appears in Beginners (2009). "The Calm" A man sitting in a barber's chair getting a haircut listens as three men waiting their turn argue about a hunting story one of the men is telling. The manuscript version of the same title appears in Beginners (2004). "Little Things" (aka “Popular Mechanics”) A man is packing a suitcase; a woman swears and yells at him, glad he's leaving. Their baby is crying. The man decides he wants to bring the baby with him but the woman doesn't want him to. The parents get into a tussle and a tug-of-war over the baby. The story ends with the man and the woman pulling tremendously on the baby, with somewhat ambiguously grim results. Titled "Little Things" in Where I'm Calling From (1988); the manuscript version titled "Mine" appears in Beginners (2009). "Everything Stuck to Him" A father tells his 21-year-old daughter what life was like for their family when she was a young child. The manuscript version titled "Distance" appears in Beginners (2009). "One More Thing" At the kitchen table, L.D. argues with his daughter Rae, age 15, about her beliefs. Maxine, the wife, comes home and notices