John Hodges has been a printer devoted to his work. Now, at 65, he is automatically retired by his firm. But Hodges isn't ready for retirement -he feels he has many years of productivve employment ahead. Furthermore,life without a job becomes tedious. He feels unwanted in the house and finally flees to the park where he sits, contemplates the injustice of his retirement, and plots ways to be reinstated. Finally he hits on a daring maneuver. Knowing that the president of the parent company is a mysteriously remote figure, Hodges decides to impersonate him, change some of the rules and get his job back. Excited, he starts to compose an interesting letter!