Explain Tom Benecke's character?

Jack Finney wrote his story "Contents of the Dead Man's
Pocket" during the post World War II business boom of the 1950s.  This business culture
of the fifties saw many a man aspiring to success through long hours of work to the
neglect of their families.  Living in an upscale apartment in the city, Tom Benecke
represents these men.  He has been spending his leisure hours gathering facts and
figures having stood on four long Saturday afternoon in supermarkets as he scribbled all
his notations upon a yellow sheet. Through copious trade publications, page by page, he
has compiled his data upon this sheet when he should have spent time with his
wife.

So consumed with this project is Tom that he sends
his neglected wife on to the movies with the promise of meeting her later.  However,
when she opens the door to leave, a draft from the doorway and the open window stirs all
the papers on Tom's desk.  It teasingly draws the yellow sheet to it, catches it against
its pane, then lures it to the window ledge where it slides out of sight. It is with
absolute dismay that Tom watches the flight of the yellow sheet.  Incredulous that he
has lost all the labors of so many hours, Tom debates what to do; ultimately, he risks
his life for a chance at a better business position.

Since
his foremost goal is success, Tom ponders that this and other independent projects are
the means to

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mark him out from the score of other young men in
his company.  They were the way to change from a name on the payroll to a name in the
minds of the company officials....And he knew he was going out there in the darness,
after the yellow sheet fifteen feet beyond his
reach.

Driven to succeed in
business, Tom risks his life for a foolish yellow sheet.  After he nearly kills himself
in the effort to retrieve it, he reaches his apartment.  Donning his coat to reach his
dear wife, whom he has learned to appreciate while on the eleventh floor ledge, he
watches the paper waft back out of the broken window.  This time Tom laughs and closes
the door behind him.  He has learned now what is of value, and it is not the yellow
sheet.