The episode is split into three vignettes that take place almost entirely during a single day in a
non-linear narrative following the lives of
Peggy,
Roger, and
Don.
Peggy The episode begins with Peggy's day and a heated argument with her boyfriend
Abe, over her preoccupation with work and the effect this has on their sex life. The argument ends with Abe's leaving in a huff. After Don pulls
Megan away for an impromptu trip to a
Howard Johnson's hotel in
upstate New York, Peggy has to pitch to the
Heinz executives without them and unsuccessfully tries to sell the Heinz executives on her concept. Frustrated, she leaves work, has a couple of drinks, and goes to see the film
Born Free (1966). She sees a young man smoking marijuana behind her, partakes herself, and eventually gives him a
hand job. She returns to her office to see
Michael Ginsberg arguing with his father. After being told off by Ginsberg for eavesdropping, she falls asleep in Don's office. She awakens to a call from Don, who seems alarmed for unknown reasons. Don hangs up on her, and Peggy returns to her office. When Peggy asks about Ginsberg's life, Ginsberg initially claims to be a Martian, stating that
Morris Ginsberg is not his father. Michael was born in a Nazi concentration camp and, after its liberation, Morris claimed him from a Swedish orphanage when he was 5 years old. Peggy returns home, affected by this story, and calls Abe. She tells him about Ginsberg and asks him to come over to be with her.
Roger In the morning, Roger invites Don to go on a trip with him to a Howard Johnson's in
Plattsburgh, New York, hoping to get out of a dinner party with his wife
Jane's "snooty friends" and is subsequently disappointed when Don decides to take Megan on the trip instead. Roger and Jane go to the party, which is hosted by Jane's therapist and her husband. After dinner, Roger asks Jane if they can leave, but Jane reminds Roger that he agreed to take LSD with the group and begs him to stay, as she doesn't want to go through the experience alone. Roger is initially unimpressed with the drug but comes around after his consciousness begins to change with vivid audio-visual hallucinations. Roger and Jane return home via taxi and take a bath together, during which Roger imagines he is watching the
1919 World Series from the bathtub. The couple then talks candidly about their marriage for the first time. During this moment of awareness, Jane admits that she knows the marriage is over. Jane shares with Roger that her love for him has always been true, and asks him if he feels the same. He confesses that he used to love her and still finds her beautiful. The next morning, a jovial Roger says goodbye to a shocked Jane, telling her that she looks lovely, as always. Jane appears regretful about what she said the previous night. Roger says he never felt more connected to her than he did the night before, reminding her that they discussed philosophy and that she even "spoke in German", to which Jane replies she doesn't even know German and that it must have been Yiddish. Jane dolefully turns away Roger's final kiss after commenting that the divorce will "be expensive", and they linger together on the bed for a few moments longer.
Don The episode's finale is Don's day and the trip to
Howard Johnson's Restaurant and Motor Lodge in Plattsburgh. As he and Megan eat in the restaurant, Megan expresses her frustration at having her needs and desires take a back seat to Don's. The discussion escalates into a fight, during which Megan makes a hurtful remark about Don's mother, and Don storms out and drives off without her. Don returns sometime later and begins to worry when he can't find Megan. He spends hours looking for and waiting for her, calling Peggy (the other side of the conversation from the first part of the episode) as well as
Megan's mother in Montreal. After waiting for hours at Howard Johnson's and phoning home repeatedly, Don drives home in the early morning to find Megan in their apartment with the
security chain on the door. Don kicks the door in, violently struggles with Megan, and chases her through the apartment. Megan and Don trip and collapse on the floor as Megan weeps. Don tearfully hugs her at the waist and tells her he thought he had lost her.
Epilogue That morning, Megan and Don return to Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce. Don is beckoned to the conference room, where
Bert Cooper admonishes him for being "on love leave". Don replies that his love life is none of Bert's business. Bert retorts that it is, in fact, his business and admits astonishment that the firm is running as well as it is with how little Don is actually working. Bert leaves Don standing alone in the conference room as Don looks through the picture windows at the employees going about their business. Roger, full of enthusiasm, pops into the conference room and tells Don he has an announcement: "It's going to be a beautiful day!" ==Production==