Before her lies a summer in which she knows there is an entire continent between her and her family: While her parents sail to Europe, 17-year-old Grady remains alone in a sweltering New York without air conditioning, but full of promise. Grady can do whatever she wants. And she wants a lot, just not to fit into the high society that only tires her out. She falls in love with Clyde, a Jewish boy from Brooklyn, who works as a parking attendant after returning from the war. She doesn’t care that her mother dreams of a different son-in-law - a suitable, secure match. But a comfortable, risk-free life is the last thing Grady is interested in. She flits through these hot months with Clyde and his friends - filled with a longing for a world full of unknowns, where nothing is predetermined.