This is a story of two young men who first met when they were at art school in their midteens. The story is set in a period between the late '50s and early '60s. Both young men are called up to do their national service. The narrator, Christopher, who is the less adventurous and romantic of the two, does his military service in England, only seventy miles from his home so that he is able to visit his parents and girlfriend on frequent weekend passes. Simon, the other young man, is posted to Cyprus at a time when there is much unrest as it struggles to establish its independence from British rule. During his time there, he is involved in the interrogation of Cypriots, who are suspected of activity against the British. Later, some of the suspects are shipped to a British army base in Egypt, where they are interrogated more severely. He eventually refuses to continue with his part in this in spite of a direct order from his commanding officer. He is charged with disobeying a direct order, and as he is nearly at the end of his two year service, he is shipped back to England, initially to be court-martialed but is finally released with a severe reprimand. He is much embittered by this experience.