Hilda plays everything by ear. He follows every impulse and is determined to live his life as he sees fit. He believes he can transcend society's views and expectations by simply retraining himself as an uncaring and spontaneous man. He steals for the sake of stealing. He has several sexual encounters with girls he genuinely likes, but won't allow himself to care for. Hilda figures that true freedom can be attained and relished by living selfishly, impulsively and indulgently. Though his solipsism and overly romantic view of himself brings him occasional instances of freewheeling joy, he begins to wonder if he actually cares a little more than he leads on. It isn't until he crosses paths with Melvin, an older man with a truly desperate disposition, that he realizes what makes everyone inherently human and what connects us all as a species.