Norman Spectre is a New England professor who lives with his wife Annie, who is slowly slipping into the grips of dementia. As Spectre deals with that there are allegations of his use of a racial slur in class. His best friend, and the new president of the college, a black man named Mr. Donoghue is forced to investigate the situation.  To further complicate his life, Spectre also begins an affair with a black doctoral student, Latasha, oddly at the behest of his wife. Hurt by some of his behavior in their relationship and his complete unwillingness to help her find a job after graduation, Latasha, on the eve of Spectre’s hearing about the racial slur incident, accuses Spectre of calling her a ‘nigger,’ in hopes that his departure will create a new space for someone more appealing, someone more like herself.  To make sure that happens she begins to casually see Mr. Donoghue as well.  Spectre is put on leave while the matter is deliberated. After being confronted with her actions by the unassuming yet incredibly clever friend of Spectre, McGully, Latasha is forced to drop her allegations and drop her pursuit of her dream job. Annie has died and Latasha is finding she perhaps loved Spectre. Spectre is found not guilty and may return to work in the fall. However he decides not to. Latasha is left without prospects, being infamous for what she has done and is definitely not welcome at her alma mater as a teacher. To add insult to injury Spectre admits he did in fact call those students that name. They are left wondering if they could or should still love each other and if they can get past the violence they’ve done to one another and the world. We are left to fill in the blank.