Part One Summary and Analysis

Chapter One: Margaret

Margaret Hughes finds out that she has a brain tumor. Dr. Leising suggests calling her ex-husband, Stephen. Margaret wanders out of the doctor's office and goes to a pastry shop.

Margaret's son Daniel died when he was a child.

At the pastry shop, Margaret considers placing an ad for a boarder. She needs to consult her "housemates" first, though. Her housemates are things: soup tureens, various figurines; teapots and casseroles. Margaret has been collecting these things for years.

Margaret first decides to talk to a pair of Qing Dynasty garden chairs. Margaret assigns human characteristics to inanimate objects.

Margaret Hughes has lived in Seattle her entire life.

Chapter Two: The First Respondent

Margaret meets Wanda, the first person to respond to her ad. Wanda tells Margaret the story of how she came to her ex-lover Peter...