The narrator introduces us to a new character, a young woman named Coraline, who has just seen an ad in the paper for a job as a nanny. Coraline tells us that she has four brothers and an elderly uncle, but that she would be happy to take care of an adult child. She explains that her main role in the job is to teach an old man how to play the piano again. The narrator tells Coraline that she is a little lost in the world of this new position, and that she should brace herself for the drop. He also tells her that he has some letters of recommendation for her.