As usual, a brandy snifter and a pair of slippers have been laid out for Henry upon his return from work. Not as usual, his wife's presence has been replaced by a dozen hangers dangling naked in her closet. On Iris's desk lies, not a note, but a dry-cleaning receipt for the suit he would wear tonight. Thus Henry visits Wong, the artistic dry-cleaning employee who apparently shared his love of abstract expressionism with Iris. He is surprised to find out that Wong was expecting him, as if Iris had confided her plans to him. Next stop, his wife's hair salon, where the feisty owner, Coco, shockingly informs him that Iris was working there part-time. In fact, the "receptionist" with whom Henry had left a message for his wife earlier, was no other than Iris herself. Henry tries, in vain, to go to his business banquet, but visions of emotionally neglected Iris stop him, by reminding him of dreams that were important to her, yet never materialized. Back at the house, Henry stumbles on a half-empty beer bottle, a container of auburn hair dye, and a collection of Spanish poetry; it appears that Iris liked beer, wasn't a natural blonde, and spoke Spanish. When Iris comes to life through a Spanish poem's inspiring lines, Henry pictures her going about her day: she poured his brandy, laid out his slippers, and then packed her suitcase to go to places she couldn't while trapped in their marriage.
