The story is about the narrator’s journey to Newfoundland fishing village. The narrator uses the journey structure to re-imagine the history of this village. Eleven years ago, the narrator sired a boy in this village. The boy’s name is John. He is returning to the village to know the fate of both John and his mother, Jennifer. The narrator finds John fishing with other young boys. He chats with the boys before walking from the harbor. On the way, they meet John’s grandfather, who ushers the narrator home. John is surprised to realize that his grandparents know the narrator.
The narrator and the old man start taking rum and sharing stories together. During this time, John is doing homework while his grandmother is knitting. The old man narrates about Jennifer and her husband and how they get killed in a car accident. The narrator is upset to learn that his former lover is dead. He then goes to John’s room, where he reminisces his relationship with Jennifer. The following morning, the narrator bids the grandparents goodbye and leaves for the Midwest. As he departs for Midwest, John gives him a stone.
The narrator’s return to the village involves the conflict between values and priorities. He is John’s biological father, and he should prioritize living with him. However, he has been a deadbeat father for eleven years. The narrator learns the death of Jennifer after so long. John’s grandfather brands him as a lost and faithless lover. His journey seemed to have changed nothing. Indeed, he leaves feeling troubled by the past choice of human value.
