The novel opens on a winter evening. A man named Moses Aloetta goes to pick up someone who has recently arrived from Trinidad by way of boat-train. Moses is a night worker. On the bus ride over, he reflects on the fact that people are constantly sending newcomers to him so that he can help them find food, jobs, and housing in London. He arrives at Waterloo Station and meets a Jamaican friend of his named Tolroy. He learns that Tolroy has come to the station to pick up his mother. They discuss Tolroy's plans to move into a large home. They discuss racial prejudice, noting that white British people don't want them coming to their country.
A reporter comes over to Moses, who is from Trinidad, and asks him about life in Jamaica. Moses lies to the reporter, purporting to know exactly what is happening in Jamaica at the moment. Tolroy's mother arrives along with the rest of his family, though he told her to come alone. Tolroy is concerned, as he does not know how he will find the money to support everyone. They came because they assumed he was secretly making enough for everyone. Tolroy's aunt Tanty Bessy speaks with the reporter, despite his warning not to. She then asks everyone to pose for a photo, as she believes the reporter has good intentions. The following day they find their picture in a newspaper with the derogatory headline "Now Jamaican Families Come to Britain."
Moses watches this all unfold while waiting for his guest, Henry Oliver. Henry appears, looking drowsy, as he was napping on the train. He comes out in a light shirt, without any luggage or winter clothing. Moses thinks he is naively optimistic and decides to call him Galahad, after the Arthurian knight. They go to Moses's house in the district of Bayswater. Moses cooks for Galahad and gives him advice about finding his own place and a job. Galahad says he was an electrician in Trinidad. He then pridefully rejects Moses's help in finding work. However, as soon as he steps outside, he realizes he knows nothing about London and quickly becomes frightened. A police officer shows him the way to an employment office. Then Moses finds Galahad again, much to Galahad's relief. They go to the office and Galahad is told there are no openings for him. He is told to register for an insurance card and does so.
Then the story shifts its focus to another friend of Moses's by the name of Cap. Cap is from Nigeria and spent all the money given to him by his parents on alcohol and women. He originally came to London to study law, but quickly became distracted by city life. His parents stopped sending him money when they realized that he wasn't taking his studies seriously. The narrator notes that he is very charming and is always able to get money on loan from different people, who he never pays back. He never holds a job or remains in one housing situation for very long. He has many affairs with different women who support him financially. He marries a French woman and then abandons her after the wedding, leaving behind a false address. She later finds him and they spend a lavish evening together at a hotel, paid for with her money. Moses says he sees Cap continuing on in the same way, having affairs and drinking every night, undeterred by marriage.
Moses thinks back on meeting a man named Bart during his early days in London. Bart is part of the same social circle as Cap and Moses. He is light-skinned and claims to be South American, thinking that white people will be less likely to behave cruelly toward him. He works as a clerk. He also dislikes other immigrants and tries to avoid being seen with them. He pays his rent on time, but often moves from place to place. At one point, he becomes seriously ill and is taken care of by Moses. He then recovers quickly, after being given proper care. He has an English girlfriend, Beatrice, who disappears, leaving Bart very concerned.
The narrator shifts the story back to Moses. Moses works with Tolroy's brother Lewis. In an effort to bother Lewis, Moses tells him that women in London sleep with other men when their husbands are working the night shift. Lewis becomes concerned about his wife, Agnes. He goes home and beats her, assuming that she is having an affair. Lewis continues to accuse her of adultery and violently abuse her until she leaves him. Tanty claims to know where she is living, but refuses to tell Lewis. The narration then shifts to a more general, bird's-eye view of London. The narrator notes the impact of racism on Black immigrants. The narrator also describes how English shopkeepers create businesses that serve Black customers. They say these stores offer products from the West Indies that are hard to find in other grocery stores. Tanty finds a shop like this in her neighborhood and frequents it often. She never leaves her neighborhood, despite knowing a lot about the public transportation system. One day, her sister, Tolroy's mother, leaves for work without her keys. Tanty is forced to take the train to give her the keys and take the bus back home. The narrator notes that she did both things so easily no one would have known it was her first time.
The narrator then returns to Galahad. Galahad has purchased a large number of fancy clothes since he started work. It is now summer in London. Galahad runs into a white woman and her child. The woman is polite, but the child rudely comments on his race. He pats the child's cheek and she starts crying. The mother turns away from him and leaves. Galahad thinks back on other times when he experienced similar moments of prejudice. He wonders why white people have such hatred for Black people. Later, he goes out on a date. They come back to his apartment in Bayswater where they drink tea and have sex.
The narrator then describes a man nicknamed Big City. Big City moved to London from an orphanage in Trinidad. He received the name "Big City" because he loves the phrase. He is usually preoccupied while waiting for his paydays. He often has money, and expensive belongings like cars, but never reveals his source of income. Everyone assumes he is involved in some kind of criminal activity. One day, both Big City and Moses urge Galahad to talk about himself. Big City then teases him a great deal, and Galahad becomes sullen. Galahad swears that he will get revenge, despite being much smaller than Big City.
Then there is a long, stream-of-consciousness section depicting summer in London. The narrator describes different sexual encounters Moses, Galahad, and Cap have with various white women in a nearby park. They note that, during many of these occasions, they are objectified by white people for the color of their skin. The narrator then recounts a conflict between a man nicknamed Five Past Twelve and another man named Harris. Harris organizes parties in the community and has aspirations of rising in the community. Five, as he is referred to, is always looking for a good time and frequently gets rowdy at these parties, sharing embarrassing stories about Harris in the process. Everyone previously mentioned in the other storylines comes to the party and things quickly get out of hand. Later, Moses and Galahad eat a pigeon that Galahad has captured. They swap stories from back in Trinidad, laughing initially and then eventually growing homesick. Seasons pass and Moses reflects on his life. One of his friends tells him that these days everyone, including cab drivers and porters, is writing a novel. Moses thinks about what kind of novel he would write and happily enjoys the summer night.
