Ronnie Bracken has had a sexual relationship with his cellmate Doug Northrop since his sentence started about two years ago. When a guard delivers the mail one night, however, Doug receives a letter telling him that, in a week, he will be moved from their current penitentiary in Florida to Chicago for parole. Doug celebrates the news, but Ronnie can't help but feel disappointed that his closest companion is leaving. Even his friend Artie moves from a nearby cell to a whole different area of the penitentiary. Doug arranges to have another inmate, Bud Larrabee, move into Ronnie's cell after he's gone. Doug teasingly calls Ronnie a widow and says that Bud will help protect him now that he's single. Though Ronnie protests, insisting that Bud is unpredictable and may not be mentally stable, Doug ignores his complaints. Doug doesn't seem to grieve the relationship's end as Ronnie does, but the night before he leaves, Ronnie notices that Doug only plays ballads on his trumpet during the combo's regular dinner performance. During his first night in the cell, Bud and Ronnie get high on Bud's amphetamine stash, and Bud shares some of his poetry with Ronnie. Ronnie dislikes the poetry, so when Bud asks him to share his thoughts, he is very critical of it. Bud is hurt by Ronnie's pretentious tone and, shortly after hearing his feedback, hits him hard on the head. Though they are up for most of the night afterwards, they hardly speak to each other. The next day, Ronnie goes to see his friend Billy, who holds a certain amount of power even as an inmate, since he is secretary to the captain and controls cell transfers and other logistics. When Ronnie mentions that Bud hit him and he wants to move cells, Billy offers him the vacancy in his four person room. Billy is currently in a sexual partnership with his cellmate Polack, but their third cellmate, Ronnie's friend Artie who just moved in, is single and apparently interested in Ronnie. When Ronnie moves into the new room, the other inmates begin to treat him coldly, since his new cellmates, Polack especially, have a bad reputation. When Ronnie asks Billy about the situation, the friend explains that the other inmates are scared of Artie and Polack. Artie and Ronnie get along for the most part, but Artie is controlling over Ronnie and often tells him what to do and wear. Several visitors come to Ronnie's new room, including an inmate known as Doc who brings Pentathol in a syringe and, later, the head of security Captain Miller, who Polack seems to be bribing with various drugs. A few days after moving in, Ronnie is summoned by Mr. Darby, an official in the prison. Darby seems suspicious and questions Ronnie about his change in rooms. Darby finally leaves after several vague threats, but not before telling Ronnie to be careful with his new friends. When Ronnie tells Billy about the conversation, Billy worries that Mr. Darby is onto Polack for his arrangement with Captain Miller and tells Ronnie to keep a low profile. Ronnie becomes stressed by the situation and starts to get high on amphetamine every day, even when he goes to play the organ at Mass. One day, Bud sends a messenger to give Ronnie a gold Rolex as a gift. When Ronnie shows Billy, he realizes that Bud is trying to send a message to Artie and Polack. In return, Polack plans to find Bud and start a fight, but later that night, a night guard comes to get Polack and tells him to pack his stuff. The next day, Billy explains to Ronnie that Polack is being sent to a penitentiary in the Everglades. According to Billy, Polack will soon be reported missing and will be dead in a week. After Polack leaves, Artie and Billy confess to Ronnie that they're interested in each other. Ronnie is unbothered and says he's happy for them, but he does ask Billy to switch rooms. The only vacancy is in his old room with Bud Larabee. According to Billy, the situation is perfect, since Bud's looking for someone who can help him with his poetry. A little while later, Billy sees Ronnie wearing the gold watch. When the two men catch up, Ronnie realizes that Billy turned Polack in. Billy admits to it and explains that a fight between Bud and Polack would have gotten everyone into a lot of trouble.