Narrator Seth Barham is 17 years old and lives in Redwood City, California. As a little boy, he loved golf as a little boy. His father was a golfer. Now, however, Seth is completely into baseball. When Seth was seven years old, his father died in a hotel from a stroke; though his dad called the hotel switchboard operator for help, the operated assumed he was drunk and ignored his request. Thus, Seth’s father died without anybody coming to his aid. A neighbor told Seth at the time of his father’s funeral that Seth was now “the man of the house” (2). His mother immediately disputed this, telling him he was a little boy and he didn’t have to take care of anyone. 

Seth’s narrative flashes back five years to when Seth was in sixth grade.

Seth’s mother waited for a year before suing the hotel where his father died. The hotel dragged the case out for four years, and it was ruled a mistrial after three days. Seth went to San Francisco for the trial because he wanted to find out more about his father, whom he only vaguely remembers.

Ushered out of his house while his mother and grandmother talk, Seth goes to a playground and meets