Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller

Summary
When
Willy awakes the next morning, Biff and Happy have already left, Biff
to see Bill Oliver and Happy to mull over the “Florida idea” and go to
work. Willy, in high spirits with the prospect of the “Florida idea,”
mentions that he would like to get some seeds and plant a small garden
in the yard. Linda, pleased with her husband's hopeful mood, points out
that there is not enough sun. Willy replies that they will have to get a
house in the country. Linda reminds Willy to ask his boss, Howard, for a
non-traveling job as well as an advance to pay the insurance premium.
They have one last payment on both the refrigerator and the house, and
they have just finished paying for the car. Linda informs Willy that
Biff and Happy want to take him to dinner at Frank's Chop House at six
o'clock. As Willy departs, moved and excited by his sons' dinner
invitation, he notices a stocking that Linda is mending and,
guilt-ridden with the latent memory of his adultery with The Woman,
admonishes her to throw the stocking away.


Willy timidly
enters Howard's office. Howard is playing with a wire recorder he has
just purchased for dictation. He plays the recorded voices of his
family: his cloyingly enthusiastic children (a whistling daughter and a
son who recites the state capitals in alphabetical order) and his shy
wife. As Willy tries to express admiration, Howard repeatedly shushes
him. Willy asks for a non-traveling job at $65 a week. Howard replies
that there is no opening available. He looks for his lighter. Willy
finds it and hands it to him, unconsciously ignoring, in his nervous and
pathetically humble distraction, his own advice never to handle or tend
to objects in a superior's office, since that is the responsibility of
“office boys.” Willy keeps lowering his salary request, explaining his
financial situation in unusually candid detail, but Howard remains
resistant. Howard keeps calling him “kid” and assumes a condescending
tone despite his younger age and Willy's reminders that he helped
Howard's father name him.