In this story, we learn about Tom, who is a man with a heart condition that suggests that he will die young. Because of this, he tries to avoid intense emotions or exciting events that can trigger his heart problems. When he meets a girl he likes, Ruby, he has to make the choice between a long, dull life, or a short, exciting one.
Tom resolves this conflict at the end of the story by choosing to have a long, dull life. He stops seeing Ruby, gets a serious, but dull job, and allows his fear to win. This resolution is not effective, as we later learn that Tom regrets this choice, and would have rather been with Ruby.
