The author introduces the story by comparing the Declaration of Independence to quitting a job without notice. Steve joins a new company for his first week and struggles with the codebase, needing help from the architect, Bill. Bill is unavailable due to a mandatory Friday company meeting. Steve anticipates the meeting might be informal, like a party, given the company's startup status. However, he recalls his interview focused on time management and dealing with difficult personalities. Steve soon learns the difficult personality is Frank, the boss, who admonishes him for spending time in the break room. Frank is extremely controlling of the developers' time and activities. During a planning meeting, Frank aggressively berates Bill for taking a break. On Thursday, a feature demonstration meeting is derailed by Frank's tirade about Steve's personalized computer desktop. Frank believes developers should not personalize their workstations to ensure anyone can use any computer. By Friday afternoon, Steve is given a mop for cleaning duties, which are Frank's orders. Frank mandates that developers clean the office themselves, distrusting the cleaning crew. This experience leads Steve to seek employment elsewhere, applying Frank's time management lessons by quitting.