Plot summary

Having just moved as a plant operator in small town Mansfield, Ohio with his wife Nancy, engineer Fred Staples has just started working in industrial relations of the executive at the New York City headquarters of Ramsey and Company, the executive offices located on the top, fortieth, floor of the Ramsey Building owned by the company President/CEO, Walter Ramsey. Unknown to either man until they meet, Fred is taking over that responsibility from his sixty-two year old superior, the Senior Vice-President, Bill Briggs, who has just returned to work on Fred's first day after recovering from the latest bout of a chronic health issue, only one of a few. Briggs is the last of the original company founders, which does not even include Ramsey himself as it was originally Ramsey's father Jim Ramsey's company. From the first executive meeting that morning, the groundwork is laid for what Briggs, who was Briggs' faithful secretary Marge Fleming reassigned to Fred, and Fred slowly come to feel but which is laid in stone when Ramsey states it directly to Fred a few months down the road: that he was brought in as Briggs' replacement. While Ramsey is seen by those working for him as being ruthless in his attitude and behavior in running the company, he will not fire Briggs but wants to make it as plain as he can without saying the words that he is no longer wanted and that he should resign. Within this context, Fred has to decide how to approach the issue as egged on by Nancy in following what she believes is truly in his heart: that he really would like the position, but does not want to walk over Briggs who he likes both personally and professionally.—Huggo