- Dan Shapiro: An urban male in his late twenties
- Bernard Litko: Dan's friend and associate
- Deborah Soloman: A woman in her late twenties
- Joan Webber: Deborah's friend and roommate
Scene: Various spots around the North Side of Chicago, a Big City on a Lake. Time: Approximately nine weeks one summer.[2]
Danny and Bernie balance their mundane office jobs with sexual banter, particularly their experiences and preferences in the bedroom. Likewise, Joan and Deborah frequently discuss the shortcomings of men while at their apartment.
The main plot point is Danny and Deborah's relationship, perpetuating much of the dialogue about men and women. Their romance is quickly established by sexual attraction, but as the play progresses and Deborah moves into Danny's apartment, they are unable to talk with each other seriously. Danny complains in frustration, "Everything's fine. Sex, talk, life, everything. Until you want to get 'closer', to get 'better'. Do you know what the fuck you want?"[2] Eventually, the couple breaks up while Danny and Bernie revert to their usual talk about "broads" and what is wrong with the world.
Joan says,
I don't know anything, Deborah, I swear to God, the older I get the less I know. (pause) It's a puzzle. Our efforts at coming to grips with ourselves...in an attempt to become "more human" (which, in itself, is an interesting concept). It has to do with an increased ability to recognize clues...and the control of energy in the form of lust...and desire (And also in the form of hope)... But a finite puzzle. Whose true solution lies, perhaps, in transcending the rules themselves... (pause) ...and pounding of the fucking pieces into places where they do not fit at all.[2]
