Journalist Adam Shepherd. Is being driven to an airport by a journalist friend. An interview has been arranged with an important Italian dignitary.
A temporary detour due to cleaning work on an old bridge leads Adam to imagine Johnny Budd. A guard on the bridge who collects the tolls. The bridge is known as the old girl.
The construction job leads to Johnny getting crank calls from Mr Platino, an Italian labourer. He is worried that the work is destroying his flowers. Only no one is listening to him.
One night Platino plans to make people listen. He wants to blow the bridge up. It is up to Johnny to talk him out of it.
A slight story, the flowers are important to Platino. Johnny talks about his wartime experiences. A reason why the bridge is important to him.