The Best of Everything (Masterplots II: Short Story Series, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: Richard Yates
- First Published: 1954
- Type of Plot: Fiction of manners
- Time of Work: The early 1950's
- Setting: Manhattan, New York City
- Principal Characters: Grace, Ralph, Martha
- Genres: Short fiction
- Subjects: 1950’s, Husbands, New York, North America or North Americans, United States or Americans, Wives, Love or romance, Twentieth century, New York City, Marriage, Despair, Lower classes, Single people, Loneliness, Conformity, Weddings
- Locales: Manhattan, NY
The Story
The Friday before Grace's weekend wedding, her coworkers give her gifts and treat her to lunch. Ralph gets a bonus from his employer, but when he calls Grace to arrange a date for that evening, he harbors a secret disappointment. His male friends have ignored the occasion. He has to stop by his friend Eddie's house to pick up a suitcase he is borrowing, and then he will travel into Manhattan to see his fiancé that evening.
With the wedding so near, Grace finds she still doubts her choice of a husband. Her sophisticated roommate Martha has been quick to point...
[The entire page is 1385 words long]

