The story is biographical fiction, largely true, about an Italian American teen drafted into the army during the Second World War. He is traumatized by the experience of combat, but settles in Le Havre where he spends the remainder of the war, away from the frontline. His commanding officer requests him to be his valet, and also assigns him four German soldiers who he is to keep watch over in the American kitchen. His commanding officer sees himself as a teacher of sorts, attempting to shape the protagonist by arranging opportunities, such as driving a priest to the frontlines. He, along with the head cook, supervise the German prisoners' day to day responsibilities as cooks for the Americans.
He befriends a German soldier who is taken by him. He fulfills his obligation as a valet and mess supervisor, but is blinded sided by the expectations imposed by his commanding officer. Things are further complicated when he falls in love with a French girl. His love interest causes him to self-impose his own expectations, and he begins to scrutinize himself. He is ordered to drive a priest to the frontlines, but isn't able to, because he doesn't know how to drive. An inner conflict becomes center to the story. The protagonist feels pulled in too many directions, leaves France promising to return for his romantic interest, but never does. His inner conflict doesn't fully resolve.
Christmas is a large part of the family experience to the protagonist, but Christmas, or the idea thereof, is taken away during the war, not returning for years. At least twice in the story it is voiced, "It was December, but not Christmas..." which symbolizes loss, and sacrifice of faith in a time of survival. Near the story's end the narrator states, "I was in the winter of my life..." which strips even the name of the month away. This symbolizes that time and circumstances eventually take all, and memories become our only record of life. The protagonist realizes that he lost himself years previous.
