Rose, who has just left her husband, finds residence at a local boarding house run by a woman mourning her husband's death. While there, she meets Marion, an amateur magician who, after a modest performance in the house, needs help getting out of his handcuffs. Rose is busy with her new job as a phone sex operator, which has her listening to the poetry of Nigel, a lonely used bookstore proprietor. Nigel also seeks compassion while on the job - in his attempt to flirt with a customer, he recommends a certain book because none of the characters in it know who they are. Otavie, an American originally from Nigeria, is the other stranger to town; he makes his way to the roadside insect museum that his recently deceased daughter had hoped to visit. While there, he meets Sarah, who wishes to escape both from town and her boyfriend, David, whose new job has him wearing a bunny outfit. David becomes jealous of the time Sarah spends with Otavie and tension slowly mounts.