Everyman Summary

A crowd gathers around an open grave, paying their final respects to an anonymous man. His past co-workers, friends from the retirement community, three children, older brother Howie and Howie's wife, his former spouse Phoebe, and his private caretaker Maureen are among those in attendance. After delivering heartfelt eulogies, each mourner contributes a handful of soil to the casket. The narrative then switches to the evening before the man's final surgical procedure, allowing him to dwell on past relationships with women who were there for him during previous medical ordeals. He recalls his childhood hernia operation in graphic detail, marking it as a pivotal moment that instilled a lifelong fear of death and illness.

This unnamed man's health deteriorates following a vacation with his new love interest, Phoebe. He had left his first wife and their two children for Phoebe, and is burdened with guilt. Back in New York, a therapist suggests his illness is due to his envy of a colleague. After convincing his doctor, he is admitted into a hospital only to find out he has a ruptured appendix. Phoebe and Howie assist him through recovery. However, he falls ill once more twenty-two years later, attributing it to the stress of watching his father slowly pass away. Experiencing the hospital atmosphere triggers memories of his childhood surgery, but the comforting presence of his mother is now absent. This time, Howie arranges for private nurses, one of whom he starts an illicit affair with.

The man's father passes away, and despite his own atheistic beliefs, he's deeply affected by his father's increased religiosity in his later years. The funeral is a harrowing experience, forcing him to confront the inevitability of death. After a period of good health, his health declines once again, leading to a move from Manhattan to a retirement community in the wake of 9/11. He indulges in painting but misses his daughter Nancy, his one source of comfort in his recurring health issues. His existence in the retirement community is punctuated by reminiscences and fantasies, loneliness, and failed attempts at rekindling romantic connections. His final call to a dying former colleague makes him come to terms with the cruel reality of aging and mortality. Contemplating his relationships with his loved ones, he finally allows himself to face his own impending demise.