One Day

From Wolverhampton, Emma writes to Dexter, who’s in Rome working as an English teacher. After a series of wrong turns and abandoned projects, Emma has taken a job at a theater cooperative. After graduation, Edinburgh bored her, and she moved back in with her parents. Despite occasional meetups with Dexter and an underlying attraction, their relationship settled into the “maddening familiarity of friendship” (25). As Dexter travels, they exchange letters and postcards.

Emma is on tour with a play about the slave trade. She plays the lead—a spoiled girl whose possessions are tainted by human suffering. She writes that she likes the job and enjoys changing young lives through art; in reality, she wonders if she is making a difference and is unambitious about acting.

In Rome, Dexter is in his room with Tove Angstrom, a Danish girl and one of his students. They kiss and smoke until Dexter leaves to see his mother, Alison Mayhew, who is at a café in town. Alison asks about the letters Dexter is receiving back home, but Dexter insists that Emma is just a friend. Alison asks when he will come home and start working, but Dexter isn’t rushed and expresses his interest in photography. His mother tells him that “[he]’ll have to get serious about life” (35) and find purpose. She says she has something important to tell him the next day.

Emma works, somewhat aimlessly, as a server at Loco Caliente, a Tex-Mex restaurant on Kentish Town Road, London. Scott McKenzie, the restaurant manager, introduces the new hire, Ian Whitehead, and asks Emma to give him a tour. A letter from Dexter is weaved between scenes of Emma fulfilling her duties as a server and engaging in conversation with Ian, who hopes to become a comedian.

In the letter, Dexter, currently in India, is traveling and taking photographs after being banned from teaching for sleeping with his student. He shares that his mom is unwell and expresses his belief that Emma fears happiness. Dexter sees her potential, recognizing her intelligence, talent, and attractiveness. He urges Emma to leave her job and join him in India. They can meet at the Taj Mahal on August 1, with him covering all expenses. He proposes living together when they return to England, as he can afford an apartment. He ends the letter: “Dex and Em, Em and Dex" (45).

In Bombay, Dexter worries about being too forward in the letter. Ultimately, he genuinely wants Emma to join him. He places the letter in an envelope, tucks it into a book for future mailing, and heads to a bar, where he forgets the letter. A German girl discovers it and reads the letter, but without an address on the envelope, she can't do anything. Years later, she still has the book on her shelf, the letter safely tucked inside the cover.

Scott gathers the staff of the Tex-Mex restaurant to go over the day’s menu. Emma is close friends with Ian. Scott calls her into his office and delivers surprising news—he’s leaving the restaurant and wants Emma to take over, as she’s dependable and “isn't going anywhere” (49). Emma tearfully interprets this as a belief that her life is going nowhere. She considers the offer.

Later, Emma laments that a third of her life has already passed. Her initial dreams of a successful life in London, attending parties and literary salons, were crushed by the city. She hoped to get into publishing—inspired by her friend Stephanie Shaw, who’d gotten a job upon graduating—but was unable to find a job. Ian informs her that Dexter is in the restaurant with his new girlfriend. Emma spots them at a booth, drinking margaritas. Dexter warmly hugs Emma—now working in the TV industry, Emma notes how Dexter exudes a TV host’s charm. Dexter introduces Emma to his girlfriend, Naomi, and leaves her a tip.

Later that day, Dexter and Emma lie on the grass at Primrose Hill. Dexter reflects on abandoning his dream of being a professional photographer; he quickly achieved success as an assistant producer in television. He hopes to introduce Emma to his world. Emma expresses annoyance, believing Dexter is mocking her job. Dexter denies this and clarifies that Naomi isn't his girlfriend—they just sleep together. Emma thinks of leaning over and kissing him, but she isn’t brave enough. She tells Dexter she “quite [likes] […] growing old alone” (60), and Dexter playfully suggests they get married if she's still single at 40. Emma tells Dexter about her promotion, and he instead offers to find her a job in the media. Emma is reluctant to work in the media. Dexter proposes spending the night together, but Emma declines.

Emma and Dexter are on holiday together in Greece. They established rules before departure to avoid complications. These rules include separate bedrooms, no flirting, and no sleeping with other people. Dexter is now a successful TV presenter, drawing recognition from admirers. Emma, on the other hand, is volunteering for Amnesty International alongside her restaurant job. As they travel to a different island, they find themselves in accommodations with only one bed.

As Dexter is applying lotion, Emma notices a tattoo on his ankle. He explains it’s a yin and yang tattoo he got in India, representing “the perfect union of opposites” (74). They end up at a nudist beach, but Emma, despite Dexter’s compliments on her body, keeps her clothes on. They decide to share secrets: Dexter confesses to kissing a man and enjoying it. Emma admits to having a crush on him at university, even writing poems about him. Dexter tells her that he liked her but wasn’t ready for a relationship. He proposes getting together now, with no strings attached. Emma, feeling foolish and finding Dexter arrogant, declines the offer.