He has a compulsive addiction to gambling and constantly struggles to pay off gambling debts, including the $100,000 he owes to his loan shark brother-in-law Arno. His domestic life is split between his estranged wife Dinah, who has agreed to divorce him after Passover, and his mistress Julia, who works at his store. One day, basketball player Kevin Garnett visits the shop and during the visit, Howard receives the rock containing the opal, which he had ordered, planning to auction off at an estimated price of $1,000,000.