This short story follows the loveable character of George O'Kelly, an aspiring engineer who sells insurance to pay the bills. George falls in love with the mysterious Jonquill Cary. When he gets a letter from her, he quits his job so he can go to Tennessee to visit her and convince her about their relationship. However, when he arrives, he finds Jonquill with two other younger boys and they then break up. The story picks up again a year later, to find George hugely successful and notably well-dressed. When Jonquill reunites with George, it is hard to know if things have changed for the couple... ´The Sensible Thing´ is the ideal read for fans of Ernest Hemingway and Raymond Carver.