Plot

Frasier and Niles are thrilled to catch sight of T.H. Houghton, a reclusive author from their youth. They are aggravated, however, when Martin forms a friendship with the man but they are consistently unable to meet him.

From an outdoor table at the Cafe Nervosa, Frasier and Niles spy someone they recognise across the street. The man is T.H. Houghton (Robert Prosky), an author they idolised from childhood, whose one and only work was a landmark novel called Time Flies Tomorrow. They try to seize the opportunity to speak to him, depositing their father at a nearby sports bar, where he begins to watch the Mariners game. They return later to find him conversing with T. H. Houghton himself. It transpires that he is visiting Seattle and knows few people, but has much in common with Martin. He also hates talking about his work. These two truths prove a source of great frustration for Frasier and Niles, with increasing frequency as Martin and Houghton spend more time together. Then one day, Martin has plans to go to a Mariners game with Houghton, but when he calls round to Frasier's apartment first, he accidentally leaves his satchel behind. It contains a manuscript of his new book, The Chameleon's Song. When they discover this, Frasier and Niles cannot resist the temptation to read it, but are unable to cover their tracks before Martin and Houghton return. Martin is furious and embarrassed, but Houghton's reaction is ultimately not what any of them expect.

While at Café Nervosa with Martin, Frasier and Niles spot T.H. Houghton (played by Robert Prosky), the reclusive one-hit wonder author of Time Flies Tomorrow, a classic novel. Desperate to have a conversation with him, they track him to a bar. While the brothers continue looking for Houghton, Martin parks himself in front of a TV in a bar. Houghton joins him and they watch sports and start making small talk. After a long search, Frasier and Niles come back, see Houghton and try to compliment him about his book, until another one of his fans approaches him and Houghton brushes him off. Shortly afterwards, Frasier and Niles come back to Frasier's apartment after going to an art exhibit and run into Martin and Houghton as they are leaving. Learning from Daphne that Houghton spent the entire afternoon at the apartment, the Crane brothers become frustrated that Martin is able to spend so much time with him and learn so much about him while he isn't interested in talking to them.

The next day, Frasier finds out that Houghton is picking up Martin for a double-header Mariners game, which will give him another chance to approach Houghton. When he and Niles learn from Martin that Houghton has written another book, they become ecstatic and want to learn more about it. After Houghton leaves with Martin, Frasier and Niles find the manuscript for Houghton's new book, The Chameleon's Song. After bribing Daphne into leaving them alone, they sit down and read the entire manuscript from beginning to end and find it a breathtaking masterpiece even better than Time Flies Tomorrow. Just as they've finished, Martin and Houghton come back from the game. Martin is upset that they went through his things, but Houghton asks them what they thought of it. As Houghton is about to leave, Frasier and Niles praise him for his work. However, when they compliment him on how the book's plot structure mirrors Dante's Divine Comedy, it turns out that Houghton didn't do that on purpose. Now feeling that the book is worthless, Houghton throws the manuscript out the window and thanks Frasier and Niles for saving his reputation. After Houghton leaves, Niles begins to consider that they may have cost the world a literary masterpiece, but Frasier advises him not even to think about the possibility. Niles offers a rare, unconditional compliment, saying this is why Frasier is the elder brother.