Oxford Circus Summary

A woman rarely out of trouble, Frankie often turns to the unnamed narrator, who relishes rescuing her from wrongful arrests. When Frankie gets a job with the BBC, the narrator worries that she will broadcast her troubles to all of England. Frankie is incapable of seeing cause and effect in her behavior. She has recently gotten out of an abusive relationship. On a rare evening when the narrator and husband Clive are home, sorting old pictures, Frankie drops in to borrow a sweater and skirt for her first day at work. While the narrator searches, Clive bristles at being left alone with Frankie, who coos over a baby picture that he has barely tolerated keeping. Frankie innocently embarrasses them both with stories from her and the narrator's romantic pasts.

The next day, Frankie phones the narrator at work to invite her...