In the final scene of Tennessee Williams's The Glass Menagerie, Jim gets caught up in a moment of shared memories, atmosphere, and friendship, and he kisses Laura.

Jim O'Connor is at the Wingfield house for supper, and he reconnects with Laura. They knew each other in high school, and Laura always had a crush on Jim. After supper, Jim and Laura have a glass of wine as they sit in the living room. It is dark, for the lights have gone off (thanks to Tom's not paying the electric bill). Jim invites Laura to join him on the floor, and they talk. Laura is normally an extremely shy person, but she begins to open up to Jim in a way she rarely, if ever, does with anyone.

Laura shows Jim her collection of tiny glass animals, indicating that she trusts him. Then the two dance. They are having fun, but they bump into a table, and a glass unicorn falls. Its horn breaks off, but Laura remarks that now it is like the other horses.

The intimacy between Laura and Jim continues to increase. Jim tells Laura that she is different from anyone else he knows and that she is pretty. He insists that he is speaking sincerely and says that he wants to build up her confidence. “Somebody,” he continues “ought to—kiss you, Laura!” And then he does, right on the lips.

Jim seems to really like Laura. The two are sharing a moment of friendship and enjoyment. The kiss happens quite naturally, and Jim likely really means it at the moment.

Yet the moment passes. Jim has to tell Laura that he has a steady girlfriend, someone he means to marry. He likes Laura, and he is sorry to have hurt her.