One Day

In Emma Morley’s cheap rented room on Rankeillor Street, she and Dexter Mayhew lie in bed discussing their futures and aspirations after graduating. It’s four o’clock in the morning, and Emma, a first-class graduate in English and History, says she dreams of changing the world, while Derek plans on traveling to France, China, and India. He hopes to be rich and famous by 40, which Emma finds shallow. She teases him about his future, envisioning him as a “typical” rich man. Dexter offers to leave if Emma thinks he’s so awful, but she insists he stay.

Dexter reflects that Emma’s room is a “manifesto,” where everything “display[s] an allegiance or a point of view” (15). Puzzled by Emma’s individualism, he wonders if their night together was a mistake and wants to leave. Emma grapples with the same uncertainty. They hear blackbirds singing outside—day has come. Dexter says that July 15 is St. Swithin’s Day, and, according to tradition, if it rains on St. Swithin’s Day, it will rain for 40 more days. Emma and Dexter agree to meet later.