The play opens in Montreal in Germaine Lauzon’s kitchen. Her daughter, Linda, who is 20 years old, enters and expresses surprise to see four large boxes. Germaine informs her that the boxes contain the million stamps she won, describing the attractive young man who just showed up at the door with the crates. The stamps are promotional materials that stores use to reward and promote customer loyalty. Customers collect and then exchange the stamps for goods from a catalogue. Germaine is ecstatic, but Linda notes that it will take an eternity to glue all the little stamps into booklets so they can be used. Germaine tells her daughter that she has bought Coke and snacks to throw a party and that she has invited her sisters, her sister-in-law, and her neighbors to help. She asks pointedly whether Linda is available. Linda protests, reminding Germaine that Thursday is her usual date night with Robert. Germaine wheedles, complaining that she needs Linda because 15 people are planning to come. Appalled, Linda replies that 15 is far too many people to fit in the kitchen (the rest of the house is being painted) and calls her mother “dumb.