The narrator, Karson, wakes up to knocks on the door and finds Clarin, a scrawny man in a clown costume, who presents him with an invitation to a party at Clarin's home. The narrator lives a reclusive life and is hesitant about attending social gatherings. Despite his reluctance, he agrees to go to the party after noticing a mysterious figure in the shadows, which Clarin dismisses as a figment of the narrator's imagination. After Clarin leaves, the narrator examines the invitation, which is colorful and features cartoon skeletons, titled "Dead Man's Party."