Mills, Magnus

In the Great Field, bounded on three sides by a broad bend in a river, on the other side by wilderness, there are many tents, and inside those tents are people hoping for the promise of great days in the future. However, with the arrival of more people setting up camp in the lush pastures, resources becomes scarce, emotions run high, and change threatens the delectate balance of the Great Field.

The unnamed male narrator is camping in England's Lake District before going on his dream trip to the Orient. When the campground owner, Tommy Parker, asks him to do a small paint job, the narrator agrees. But that one job turns into a series of many odd jobs, keeping him from his travel plans. The main character feels like he has become a servant in this strange town, but perhaps it is just his own fear of leaving familiarity.