The suburban house of the Bakers adjoins a recreation field, which is useful, for cricket and football play a large part in the story. Peter, who works for Graham Baker, brings his fiancée, Joan, to the house and Graham as usual makes a beeline for her. However, it is Graham’s brother-in-law, Leonard, to whom Joan strays. Leonard, poetic, a fumbler, mooning around and holding conversations with Bernard, the garden gnome, has always roused the bullying Graham’s malice and scorn, especially when he catches the younger man very much with Joan.

Joan and Anna decide that Leonard must tell Peter at once about the relationship. When Leonard half-heartedly tries to do so, the result is wholly unexpected. However, a game of football – and even draughts – supersedes all other considerations for Peter’s sports-mad mind.