Miss Peggy Schofield considers herself to be the lynch-pin of the office she works in, and over the years has developed a complex, meticulously-timed series of routines that ensure that everything is done to schedule and that she gets to the canteen in the all-important five-minute window before the avalanche. Her table is the envy of the building, full of laughter and gossip.

But one day, Mr Slattery asks her to run off a mass photocopy before lunch. She initially refuses, but is persuaded when told that it's on behalf of her boss, Mr Skidmore, whom she idolises. The photocopying incident makes her late for lunch, and she ends up with the last of the steak bits, which turn out to be mainly gristle. She borrows the salt-cellar from the management's table and has a brief chat with Mr Skidmore, who denies all knowledge of the photocopying. Miss Schofield realises that Mr Slattery has deceived her. That afternoon, she falls ill.

Dr Copeland jokes that if he saw his other patients as seldom as he sees her, he would be out of business. He interrogates her as to the steak incident and asks if there's anything else wrong with her life. Her mother is dead and her father is in a home, but she feels he deserves it for being unfaithful. After kneading her stomach, she recommends a consultant, Mr Penry-Jones, who says he'd like to admit her to hospital for some tests. He thinks there's nothing to worry about

In hospital, she has her hair done and develops new routines to replace her old office ones - delivering newspapers, running errands for less mobile patients, acting as intermediary between them and the nurses. They tell her that they don't know how they managed before she came and call her their star patient. Mr Penry-Jones asks his students to guess what's wrong with her. He's preparing to operate on her stomach. Mrs Boothman nearby can't move or speak and communicates with her eyes. Miss Schofield shows off her get well soon cards.

Life continues in the hospital. Mr Skidmore visits to chat about work. Her job is still open for her whenever she feels up to it, even if the office is revamped. The nurses gossip about her "gentleman friend" and say that she's been there the longest of any patient who didn't need resuscitation. Mr Penry-Jones brings his students every week to show them her scar. A porter calls her his sweetheart.

Her strength and her mind start to fail her. Medical updates, visitors, reported work anecdotes and long-buried memories intermingle freely. She makes friends with a fly.

Her bed is stripped in readiness for the next patient.