A rescued homeless man becomes trapped between shelter, employment, loyalty, and rejection within Aston and Mick's household.
Story Structure — 5 Plot Phases
Shelter And Employment
Aston rescues Man from a fight, brings him into his London home, and offers him a caretaker job. He also gives Man clothes and shoes.
Key Events
London Home — Aston is renovating his London home. Characters: AstonLocation: Aston's London home
Rescue From A Fight — Aston rescues Man, an old homeless man, from a fight. Characters: Aston, ManLocation: A fight location
Shelter Is Offered — Aston allows Man to live in his home. Characters: Aston, ManLocation: Aston's London home
Caretaker Job Offered — Aston offers Man a caretaker position. Characters: Aston, ManLocation: Aston's London home
Clothes Given — Aston gives Man clothes. Characters: Aston, ManLocation: Aston's London home
Shoes Given — Aston gives Man shoes. Characters: Aston, ManLocation: Aston's London home
Household Pressure
Mick also offers Man the caretaker job but torments him physically and psychologically. The competing forms of authority make the living arrangement increasingly unstable.
Key Events
Mick Offers Employment — Mick also offers Man the caretaker job. Characters: Mick, ManLocation: Aston's London home
Mick Begins Torment — Mick torments Man physically and psychologically. Characters: Mick, ManLocation: Aston's London home
Living Arrangement Strains — The competing offers and Mick's torment make the household unstable. Characters: Mick, Aston, ManLocation: Aston's London home
Aston's Medical Revelation — Aston reveals that he previously received electroconvulsive therapy. Characters: Aston, ManLocation: Aston's London home
Revelation And Expulsion
Aston reveals his history of electroconvulsive therapy while Man grows fed up with the household. Aston then tells Man to leave.
Key Events
Man Grows Fed Up — Man becomes fed up with the living arrangement. Characters: Aston, ManLocation: Aston's London home
Aston Orders Departure — Aston tells Man to leave the house. Characters: Aston, ManLocation: Aston's London home
Man Turns To Mick — After leaving Aston, Man goes to Mick. Characters: Mick, ManLocation: Unspecified meeting place
Loyalty Is Proclaimed — Man declares loyalty to Mick while seeking the caretaker job. Characters: Mick, ManLocation: Unspecified meeting place
Failed Loyalty
Man turns to Mick and proclaims loyalty to him, hoping to obtain the caretaker job. Their argument ends with Mick refusing to employ him.
Key Events
Loyalty Is Proclaimed — Man declares loyalty to Mick while seeking the caretaker job. Characters: Mick, ManLocation: Unspecified meeting place
Argument With Mick — Man and Mick have an argument. Characters: Mick, ManLocation: Unspecified meeting place
Job Is Refused — Mick refuses to give Man the caretaker job. Characters: Mick, ManLocation: Unspecified meeting place
The Unanswered Plea
Man returns to Aston and pleads for the job. Aston stares at the garden shed he plans to renovate, leaving the request unresolved.
Key Events
Return To Aston — Man returns to Aston after Mick's refusal. Characters: Aston, ManLocation: Aston's London home
Caretaker Plea — Man pleads with Aston for the caretaker job. Characters: Aston, ManLocation: Aston's London home
Garden Shed — Aston looks at the shed he intends to renovate. Characters: Aston, ManLocation: Garden shed
Silent Ending — Aston stares at the shed while Man's plea receives no stated resolution. Characters: Aston, ManLocation: Garden shed
Story Breakdown
London Household Setup — Aston's home renovation provides the setting for the unstable arrangement.
Home Renovation — Aston is renovating his London home.
Garden Shed — Aston intends to renovate a shed in the garden.
Man Receives Shelter — Aston brings Man into the household after rescuing him.
Rescue From Fight — Aston rescues Man from a fight.
Living Arrangement — Aston allows Man to live in his home.
Caretaker Offers — The caretaker position becomes a source of hope and control.
Aston Offers Job — Aston offers Man work as a property caretaker.
Mick Offers Job — Mick also offers Man the caretaker job.
Mick's Psychological Pressure — Mick's treatment intensifies the conflict inside the home.
Physical Torment — Mick torments Man physically.
Psychological Torment — Mick also torments Man psychologically.
Aston's Personal Revelation — Aston discloses a significant part of his past.
Electroconvulsive Therapy — Aston says he received electroconvulsive therapy years earlier.
Household Unease — The revelation contributes to the story's uneasy emotional atmosphere.
Repeated Rejection — Man loses access to both possible sources of work and shelter.
Aston Orders Departure — Aston tells Man to leave.
Mick Refuses Job — Mick refuses to employ Man after their argument.
Unresolved Return — Man returns to Aston, but the final exchange offers no stated resolution.
Caretaker Plea — Man pleads with Aston for the job.
Silent Stare — Aston stares at the shed he plans to renovate.
Aston, a quiet, reserved man, lives alone in a top-floor cluttered room of a small abandoned house in a poor London district. He befriends and takes in Mac Davies, an old derelict who has been fired from a menial job in a café. In time Aston offers him a job as caretaker of the house. Aston's brother, Mick - a taunting, quasi-sadist - harasses the derelict when his brother is away, countermanding his orders...
