Geoff Fanshawe, an aging man, thinks about his renewed understanding of memory. One day, his younger and quicker wife passes him on the stairs and falls all the way to the bottom. She accuses him later of pushing her, but he can't remember or determine if she's telling the truth. Later, she admits that he didn't push her, but instead didn't catch her which is practically the same. He recalls spending an afternoon with his first wife and children ice skating at the pond. While Geoff speaks to another woman, Lorna Kramer, his son falls in front of him and breaks his leg. Later, Geoff's first wife is convinced he only wanted to go ice skating in order to see the woman. At the beginning of August, Mr. and Mrs. Fanshawe notice two warblers building a nest outside their window. Without so much as a peep, a few weeks later, both warblers disappear. Mr. Fanshawe checks the nest, but it is empty. On Geoff's fifth birthday, a piece of cake magically transported from his plate to his lap, or so he remembers. Later, in fourth grade, he remembers losing his glasses but a week later he finds them encased in a kind of egg. Back in his current neighborhood, Geoff sees a fire engine arrive at his neighbor's house. His neighbor is found sitting upright in a suit, dead. He is confused when his neighbor's daughter thanks him for being a good friend, not remembering being his neighbor's friend at all. Finally, Geoff recalls the first time he slept with Lorna Kramer, an almost entrancing experience.