A young girl gets a job as a caretaker for an upper-middle class older man, Mr. Crozier, who has leukemia. Mr. Crozier has moved into his mother’s house his wife Young Mrs. Crozier. Young Mrs. Crozier, Sylvia, has a college education and teaches summer school. Mr. Crozier lives in a bedroom on the second floor of a suburban home. Old Mrs. Crozier only really cares about her garden and her massages from Roxanne, a coquettish, energetic masseuse who visits the Crozier resident multiple times per week. Roxanne is playful with Old Mrs. Crozier, whom she calls Dorothy. The young girl listens as Roxanne works on Dorothy’s back to the tune of yelps and groans as she massages out the knots. The young girl reads copies from Mrs. Crozier’s collection of Oxford Classics. Old Mrs. Crozier is confused that the young girl would read her copies in a different room than the old books normally sit. Meanwhile, Roxanne goes to meet bed-ridden Mr. Crozier. Her friendly, playful flirtations as well as her joking comments that she could take care of him (better than the young girl could) win over Mr. Crozier. He begins to call her Dorothy-doodle and looks forward to her weekly visit for Old Mrs. Crozier’s massage. The young girl is insulted by the flirting, especially when Roxanne begins to tell dirty jokes, which make even Old Mrs. Crozier laugh, while Mr. Crozier stays silent as always.   Summer passes and it is suddenly Sylvia’s last day of teaching, which means it’s the young girl’s last day of work. Roxanne comes for Old Mrs. Crozier’s massage, and Mr. Crozier calls the young girl into his room. He asks her to take the key from his drawer and lock the door so that no one can get in. She does as she’s asked. She sits at the bottom of the stairs, so that Old Mrs. Crozier’s groans drown out any sound she might be expected to hear coming from Mr. Crozier’s room. Roxanne finishes the massage quickly and business-like, then runs up the stairs. Neither she nor Old Mrs. Crozier can get the door open. Mr. Crozier doesn’t make a sound. Roxanne tries to break down the door. Old Mrs. Crozier scolds her. Roxanne says she will go to the police. Old Mrs. Crozier scolds her again. She leaves to get the constable anyways.   Sylvia gets home and rushes upstairs and then back down to speak with Old Mrs. Crozier, who is working in her garden. Sylvia drives the young girl home. She tells her that it was very brave of her to obey his order so loyally. They see Roxanne’s car driving back and forth along the street. Having not gone to the police, she is waiting to see what will happen. Sylvia tells the young girl to feel the breeze and watch the clouds for rain. But the clouds were white and the only breeze was from the open window of the moving car.