When widows Irene Spencer (Maureen Lipman) and Vera Small (Anne Reid) meet at Irene's daughter's wedding reception, they embark upon a correspondence unlike any other in the history of letter-writing. Beneath a veneer of civility there lies a constant battle of one-upmanship; each letter is laced with carefully crafted barbs as they regale each other with stories of 'blissful' holidays, 'delicious' recipes and 'grateful' children. In reality, Irene and Vera are lonely, taken for granted by their family. It's doubtful either would admit it, but their correspondence is a lifeline for them: for all the unspoken animosity, they need each other.