Dorothy is a writer and editor for Metro-Chic magazine, and lives in Manhattan. She meets Sherman at a party held by his roommates. He helped her free her legs from the fire escape, and was immediately attracted to her. He ran into her a few days later at the bookstore where he worked, and asked her out.
The two quickly started a relationship, which annoyed Sherman’s roommate Jane. She and Stephen had lived with her before and warned Sherman about her habits, but he wouldn’t give their concerns any value and it become a sourse of tension in the apartment.
Over the course of the story, Sherman became bogged down by her drinking, mood swings, messiness, and habit of lying for no reason. After he kissed Caprice at another party held by his roommates, he felt guilty and moved in with Dorothy to keep her content. It is inferred that they don’t exactly live happily ever after, but do remain unhappily living together for several years.