- We begin after the story is over: a nameless, boring Southern mill town.
- At the center of town is a quiet, half-painted house. Occasionally you spot a face in the upstairs window.
- Once, however, there were fun times, when a café occupied the first floor of this house.
- The café was run by Miss Amelia, and a hunchback named Lymon helped to make sure everybody who came had a good time.
- Everything was happy there until Miss Amelia's estranged husband—having done his time in prison—came to mess it all up.