The misanthropic spirit of a mantle clock, given to Jane by her mother in law, offers the theory that people have accidents because they let their feelings overwhelm their judgment, their powers of observation, and their presence of mind to simply watch out. A mechanic lose his temper and break his hand; a car strikes an alcoholic whose anxious wife spills hot soup. Jane’s bratty sons and her boring housework get the better of her - and she has accidents. The clock makes fun of humans, who don’t face their feelings, beware of boredom, or watch for danger. We then see Jane follow those adages, to the clock’s dismay.