Charlie Beamish is a strange young man. He's very private and leads an insular life composed of only his work as a salesperson, his significant music collection, nightly telephone talks with his sister Leslie (who lives with Cerebral Palsy), and a few one-night-stands. But even these become difficult to hold on to after Charlie loses his hearing, and he comes to lose everything of value: his sister, his music collection, even his grasp on reality. Whom will Charlie turn to, and what will he do to cope? For that matter, can he cope at all, or will he lose himself entirely in the process?