简介：OnDecember23rd,KoreanWarveteranGeorgeHaverstickandnurseIsabelCrane-whoGeorgelovinglyreferstoas"LittleBit"-getmarriedinacivilceremony.TheymetwhenGeorgewasadmittedtoBelvedereGeneralHospitalinSt.Louisforanervousshake,withIsabelbeinghisnightnurse.Theygotmarriedimmediatelyfollowinghisrelease,whichoccurreddespitethedoctorsneverdiscoveringthereasonforhisaffliction.TheyplanonhoneymooninginMiami,andstoppinginsuburbanHighPoint,TennesseealongthewaytovisitGeorge'sbestfriend,fellowKoreanWarvetRalphBates,andRalph'swifeofsixyears,DorotheaBates.BythetimetheyarriveontheBates'doorsteponChristmasEve,GeorgeandIsabelarehardlyspeakingtoeachotherwhentheyaren'tyellingateachotheraseachhadapreconceivednotionoftheirroleinthemarriageincompatiblewiththeother,andaromanticizedviewofhowtheothershouldbehave.Ralph'smarriageiscurrentlyinnobettershape.Dottiehasjustlefthim,takingtheirinfantsonJuniorwithher.Althoughheneverstatedsuchtoher,RalphmarriedinsecureDottiedespitenotlovingherbecauseherwealthyfather,forwhoheworked,promisedhimthefamilybusinessasaninheritance.RalphandDottie'scurrentproblemisprimarilybecauseRalphcouldnolongerstandherparent'spretentiousandoverbearingways,bothprofessionallyandpersonally.AlthoughRalph,GeorgeandIsabelseemblindtothesourceofandsolutiontotheirownmaritalproblems,eachseemstohaveaclearerviewofwhatailstheothercoupleandhowbesttofixtheirmarriage.…