The book revisits the theme of the fairy tale about the dying rich man, a story that has been retold since the Middle Ages. The character, now called 'EveryThen,' narrates in a monologue composed of prose poetry and rhymed forms about his journey from a wealthy egoist to a redeemed person. EveryThen experiences gluttony, debauchery, betrayal, and a descent into hell on his journey toward death. He describes this path in interplay with the fictional characters of the narrative (the fat cousin, the thin aunt, the company, the mistress, death, Mammon, the mummy, harem women, the devil). Ultimately, he reflects on the misguided paths of his now fading life in the face of the grave and philosophizes about the possible effects of money.