Lola Delaney is a vulgar, dumpy, less-than-bright "shotgun bride" who is married to recovering alcoholic Doc Delaney. Their unhappy marriage is made even more unhappy when a sexy stranger, Marie, rents a room from Lola. Lola is a tiresome creature who never stops talking, especially about the "imminent" return of her runaway dog Sheba. Doc is having enough trouble staying from the bottle and resigning himself to his marriage without the curvaceous...

"John Singer, who is deaf . . . moves from a small town in order to be close to his institutionalized friend Antonapoulos, who is deaf and mentally impaired. Singer rents a room with a family whose father, Mr. Kelly, is unable to earn a living due to a serious injury. His teen-aged daughter Mick is at first resentful of Singer's presence, but he ingratiates himself by introducing her to classical music (which he can "feel," if not hear). Singer likewise...