Ted, a college student, gets a letter from a pal from home in New York. It describes a weekend road trip five of his friends took to Atlantic City. The road trip includes Schlitz, Springsteen on tape, a stay at the Eleanor Hotel, meeting some girls, noise, getting tossed from the Eleanor, sleeping on the beach, sunburn, bar hopping, and going home. The narrator's enthusiasm contrasts with the dull events. Ted hasn't missed much.