Men Are Like That

J. Aubrey Piper, a lowly railroad clerk with an irritating laugh and a gigantic ego, constantly brags about his knowledge and success. Despite the strenuous objections of her parents and sister Clara, Amy Fisher sees another side of Aubrey and accepts his proposal of marriage. Ma Fisher predicts financial ruin and unhappiness for Amy, but agrees to let them marry in the family home, and Frank Hyland, Clara's well-off husband, loans Aubrey money for their honeymoon. Eight months later, Amy and Aubrey must move from their small apartment because their building is being torn down. Amy still loves Aubrey but is so worried about money that she breaks down in front Ma. Meanwhile, the pompous Aubrey borrows Frank's car to go to an auto show, gets a parking ticket, then foolishly antagonizes a traffic cop and causes an accident in which the cop's arm is broken. Frank pays $1,000 to cover the costs, but Aubrey faces criminal prosecution for injuring a policeman. That night, the family learns that Pa Fisher has died of a stroke. Although still refusing to take responsibility for the accident or his financial failings, Aubrey tells Amy that, because he is now the head of the family, they should move in with Ma and Amy's brother Joe, a budding inventor. That same night, Aubrey sees a letter Joe has just received from Morgan and Jennings, two patent attorneys who are interested in an automobile process Joe has invented. A few days later, when Aubrey faces the judge, he is so impertinent and contemptuous that the judge increases his fine from $500 to $7,000, which Frank takes care of. Meanwhile, after Ma signs papers to receive Pa's life insurance, she and Clara talk about Aubrey, and Clara admits that she envies her sister because Aubrey is such a loving husband, while Frank, though an excellent provider, is too busy to pay much attention to her. After court, Aubrey goes to see Morgan and Jennings. When the lawyers tell him that they have already met with Joe and he signed a $50,000 contact with them, Aubrey insists that he is Joe's representative and would not think of allowing Joe to accept anything less than $100,000 and fifty percent of the profits from his invention. Aubrey's obnoxious bravado, and his threat that they can sell the invention to General Motors, so alienates Morgan and Jennings that they tell him he is detestable and they are no longer interested. For the first time, even Aubrey begins to realize the terrible effects of his actions. A short time lat