Sometime in the 1970s, a university professor of English listens to the problems of the people around her. She listens to Laura, a 24-year-old girl who can no longer stand to be with her parents anymore, so she’s decided to take a too-demanding job as a babysitter. She listens to the cries of Ardys, who is exhausted because her son is in prison for the third time after drunk driving. The professor tries to find comfort in her colleague, Peter, but just finds another responsibility when Peter and his wife, Alice, argue that neither has the time that afternoon to attend various meetings, so the protagonist must attend the English department Senate meeting in his place. There, more fights break out. The protagonist goes home, tired, but finds a former student, Steve, who’s unemployed and needs more money. Finally, when Steve leaves, the protagonist gets a call from Laura, asking if she can stay over for a few weeks. The protagonist feels overwhelmed and wonders who exists to help her.