Shevard Goldstein

Set in some affluent, Edwardian part of the United States, a father congratulates his son on graduating from Harvard. The father soberly points out to the son that a certain tradition must follow, a tradition dating back through the family, a tradition dating back to Sir Charles. The son must drink from a chalice.

Another disturbing glimpse at a day in the life of pitiful bumbler Norman Krasner. Returning home from a business trip, a visibly weary Norman must negotiate the baggage check and an airport parking lot. Mundane tasks for most, but for Norman a blank canvas soon to be smeared with failure. This time Norman does rate his own theme song, in the form of a bored singer-songwriter droning out the humdrum details of Norman's life.

Just before quitting time Norman's boss makes the fateful decision to delegate tomorrow's big presentation to his least accomplished and most accident-prone employee. Norman works on his speech throughout the night, despite several interruptions, but the next morning he delivers it with typical Krasnerian results.

Norman Krasner, to all appearances an average businessman, finds himself taxed to his breaking point by a simple trip to a public restroom. Is it merely a combination of bad luck and incompetence, or has fate itself taken a hand? Will Norman even survive?

Somewhat surprisingly, Norman Krasner is not only still employed but his firm trusts him to go out on the road unsupervised. On the eve of a big meeting, Norman checks into a hotel overrun by a taxidermy convention and things go downhill from there.