Douglas is a lonely college student who has a friendship with his English professor, Ivan Williams. In recent months, Douglas and Dr. Williams have begun spending time together outside of class - playing racquetball, watching movies, and discussing literature over coffee. Dr. Williams is divorced and enjoys the company of anyone intelligent, but Douglas's feelings for Dr. Williams are deeper and more complicated than he wants to admit. On one particular day, Douglas joins Dr. Williams and a few other students at a bar, where he witnesses his hero fall from grace - numerous times, and in increasingly painful ways.