Act 2, Part 1 Summary

McCann sits at the table, methodically tearing Petey's newspaper into mathematically even strips. Indistinct conversation is heard offstage. Stanley comes in. The two men greet each other and introduce themselves, and then Stanley starts to leave. McCann encourages him to stay for his birthday party, but Stanley continues to attempt to leave. McCann whistles an Irish folk song. Stanley tries to move around him, and McCann again blocks him. As the offstage conversation continues, Stanley tries to figure out where they've met before, but McCann is non-committal. They make small talk about the weather, and then Stanley says he'll be leaving soon, since the business he had in the area has run its course. He says that he misses his quiet life in Basingstoke. He speaks at what seems to be nervous length about how he might look as though he's...