Set in an old style orphanage, the story opens with one of the main characters (Alice) chewing gum in class, which draws the attention of the teacher. Her classmate Robert takes the fall for Alice, and for his heroic deed Alice gives Robert the rest of her gum. The exchange of the gum is used as a metaphor for love and trust. The early scenes present key symbols such as rainbows, the full moon, and a single gum tree on a hill. The initial text defines Alice's and Robert's innocent beliefs that will define their characters as they grow up. Alice is adopted, and Robert goes to Uni and finishes a degree. He contacts Alice and true love blossoms. Robert cannot contact Alice and starts to worry. He goes to her parents house and is told that Alice is dying from an incurable hereditary disease. Robert presents the gum that has kept for many years and changed Alices mind, and they spend the last few days of Alice's life retracing their past and reliving their memeories. In the last scene the gum falls from her hand as she dies while Robert is carrying her to the gum tree.