When he's not invited to a boardroom luncheon with the company president and his executives, during the company's merger and downsizing phase, purchasing manager Jim Fry fears he is to be laid-off.

Middle-aged middle-manager Jim Fry, with the same company for fifteen years, is in a comfortable rut. But life becomes less predictable when he doesn't receive an invitation to an important luncheon being held by the new company president. Convinced that he's about to lose his job, Jim begins to mull over his limited prospects when his wife confirms that she's pregnant.—Chris Stone <[email protected]>

After nine years of the well-oiled machine that is their loving marriage, Jim and Ginny Fry believe that Ginny is pregnant, unexpectedly, with their first child, Ginny needing to confirm such with her doctor. If Ginny is pregnant, they will need to rely on Jim getting an anticipated promotion as they are in debt having lived largely on credit. Like his best friend Steve Heyward, Jim is an assistant to a department head at Lynden, a manufacturing company where Jim has worked for fifteen years, Jim currently the sole assistant to Charlie Blake in the Purchasing Department. The anticipation of the promotion is due to Associated Industries having bought out Lynden - officially a merger - a move that should benefit both companies and thus the current employees of Lynden, that is if they get a good word from their supervisors and impress the incoming executives from Associated which should not be an issue for Jim. But as the merger proceeds and the Associated executives begin to plan for their middle and senior management staffing changes at Lynden, Jim increasingly begins to believe that not only will he not get that promotion, but that he will be fired, the strongest indication being his exclusion from an upcoming luncheon that most that have been invited, including Steve, believe is for those who are on their way up in the company. In his frustration and anger in not being able to do anything about his imminent fate, Jim contemplates taking drastic measures.—Huggo