Three stories:  Homecoming:   A young soldier dies in mysterious circumstances during the Vietnam war.  The only son of his parents, who are torn from their life of polite estrangement.  Islands: Two sophisticated professionals manage a successful long-distance relationship until the delicate network of social rules supporting their emotional lives begins to unravel. Alexander The Great: A middle-aged scholar believes he's found sanctuary in  a university college, but his private life and work are threatened by gathering forces of gossip and academic intrigue.