Joe Doakes finally receives the letter he’s waiting for from Henry M. Maartleson at the Pentagon requesting a meeting, which they will arrange once he arrives in Washington DC on August 25th. All Joe’s colleagues and family know about the meeting is that it is about an important top secret issue, which they infer could lead to a covert mission of national importance. Beyond the problem of getting a suitable train compartment for his trip to Washington, Joe ends up facing another problem: actually getting a hold of Maartleson by telephone as requested once he reaches the nation’s capital. Not having a place to stay in Washington, there is no way for Maartleson to get back to Joe. By the time he leaves Washington, Joe comes to the realization of what a lowly cog he is in the national security scene, but that doesn’t stop him from telling those in his hometown of Plainville otherwise.