Grania “Granny” is a young girl growing up in the 1920’s. She lives with her single mother, an actress, who she adores. When Granny is about nine or ten, the nanny quits, and her mother doesn’t know who will watch Granny when she is at work. Granny tries to convince her mother that she doesn’t need to be watched, and that she can talk to the building operator if she gets lonely. Eventually, her mother agrees. 

Granny starts sitting with the operator in the evenings while her mother is at work. She gets to know the building characters. The operator retention rate is low, so Granny also gets to know many different operators. Her favorite is Gerald.

Gerald is a young and handsome boy. He lets Granny stay in the lobby past her bedtime, and they exchange stories. Granny loves spending time with him, and her mother boasts about how much she adores Gerald. Granny’s grades even improve because Gerald helps her with her homework.

One night, there is a party in the building. Gerald, in a moment of joyful spontaneity, dances with the janitress and spins her around. Right at that moment, the landlord walks in, and the janitress’ slipper flies off and hits him. He tells both Gerald and the janitress that they are fired. He then turns to Granny and asks why her mother lets her spend time with a grown man every evening.

Gerald tells Granny that it is okay, and that she should go to bed. He comes up to the apartment with her, since it will be the last time he can see the pictures of famous people her mother has met that are hung in the apartment. As Granny is showing him the pictures, she sees that he steals some of her mother’s jewelry, but doesn’t say anything about it. Gerald kisses her good-bye on the cheek, and leaves. Granny waits up for her mother to return, and meets her new boyfriend.

Years later, Granny passes by the apartment building and looks in the lobby. She’s never tempted to walk in.