ances ▁for ▁success , ▁and ▁his ▁brother ▁Phil ▁is ▁extremely ▁negative ▁concerning ▁his ▁own ▁possibilities ▁for ▁finding ▁any ▁job ▁at ▁all . ▁Paul ▁resol ves ▁to ▁go ▁out ▁on ▁his ▁own ▁so ▁he ▁is ▁not ▁dependent ▁on ▁his ▁family ▁or ▁appears ▁to ▁be ▁taking ▁advantage ▁of ▁them . ▁He ▁finds ▁a ▁job ▁with ▁a ▁locally ▁broadcast ▁or chestra ▁in ▁which ▁Sid ▁Jeff ers ▁is ▁the ▁pian ist . ▁ ▁At ▁a ▁party , ▁Paul ▁meets ▁the ▁host ess , ▁Helen ▁Wright , ▁a ▁patron ess ▁in ▁a ▁lov eless ▁marriage ▁with ▁an ▁in effect ual , ▁ag ing ▁third ▁husband . ▁Helen ▁is ▁a ▁self - center ed , ▁ad ul ter ous ▁woman ▁who ▁uses ▁men ▁as ▁sexual ▁play th ings ▁and ▁is ▁initially ▁b aff led ▁by ▁the ▁strong - w illed ▁and ▁independent ▁Bor ay . ▁She ▁is ▁r ude ▁to ▁him ▁during ▁the ▁party , ▁but ▁the ▁next ▁day , ▁she ▁sends ▁him ▁a ▁gold ▁cig aret te ▁case ▁and ▁a ▁note ▁of ▁ap ology . ▁" P apa " ▁Bor ay ▁is ▁im pressed , ▁but ▁Paul ' s ▁mother ▁is ▁susp icious . ▁ ▁At ▁first , ▁Helen ▁seems ▁interested ▁only ▁in ▁Bor ay ' s ▁talent ▁rather ▁than ▁in ▁him ▁as ▁a ▁person , ▁though ▁he ▁is ▁quick ▁to ▁press ▁her ▁on ▁the ▁second ▁issue . ▁He ▁g ains ▁a ▁manager , ▁B auer , ▁from ▁her ▁connections , ▁and ▁is ▁now ▁in ▁love ▁with ▁her . ▁On ▁the ▁beach , ▁near ▁the ▁Wright s '