Simon, a young man, lingers outside in Rome, where he lives, and observes others walking by. Seeing a girl and her lover reminds him of a past love of his own, whom he only knew for a few short days. He realizes that he only has eight thousand dollars left and will have to work a traditional job. Simon reflects on his mother and father and considers all of the memories of his childhood. His mother was extremely wealthy and his father worked as a lawyer for a period of time. His father, James, dreamed of moving to an old-fashioned plantation and starting a new life for the family there. This place, the Grange, served as the family's new home for years, and Simon has very fond memories of it, specifically horseback riding. One day, in his youth, Simon was given a tutor, but the young man was fired by his mother for essentially no reason. James became upset and accused Simon's mother of thinking that James was such a failure that he could not even teach his own son. However, his mother visited Simon later and helped him learn French, so Simon began to feel more closely aligned with his mother despite her usual coldness and sharp edges. At age seventeen, Simon decided to attend Harvard. James became very emotional on the night before his departure. Simon received word at school that his father was sick with the Spanish flu, so he returned home immediately. James recovered, but his mother caught the flu and died within hours after serving as his nursemaid. On her deathbed, she told Simon to return to Harvard because he has his own life to live. Simon remained with his father for two years despite her warning. Simon decided to sail on a trip around the world in an attempt to escape the Grange, but on his voyage, he received an unsettling note from his father that described the man's crippling loneliness. He returned home to find the man dead from a stroke while reading. Simon remained at the Grange for a while, then later set sail for Europe, where he now resides. After reflecting on all of these memories, Simon realizes that he must return to the Grange and reconcile with his upbringing because the lives of his parents still deeply affect him.