Charles Blakey is a black man descended from a line of free American blacks that can be traced back all the way to the 17th century. Charles lives in the house that has been in his family for generations, but, having lost his job, he is behind on his mortgage payments and fears he might lose the place. Then a white man named Anniston Bennet approaches him with an unusual offer: he will pay Charles to lock him in his basement for the entire summer. Not fully understanding why Anniston would want such a thing, but needing the money, Charles agrees to the request. Although Charles is determined not to get involved in Anniston's situation, he finds himself drawn into the man's life--and comes to see Anniston as a prototype--a symbol of the elusive world of white people. Anniston, however, is far from typical. He is, rather, a man whose life is full of dark secrets--secrets he feels a need to share with Charles. As the long summer progresses, both Charles and Anniston explore the meanings of punishment, redemption, power, race, and humanity in the United States. Copyright (C) Muze Inc. 2005. For personal use only. All rights reserved.