Three young people arrive from different parts of the country to go to college in Sao Paulo. On their first day there, a strange and intense attraction unites them. Together, they rent an apartment and begin living together, in close quarters. Sharing kisses and fond embraces. They exchange words of endearment with the naturalness of ordering a sandwich at a diner. They threaten to break up and the next moment they are all laughing together again. College days however soon come to an end and, with each having different paths to trail, separation is imminent. And consequently, their gestures, words and attitudes take on a new weight. Touching each other now takes on a new significance. Words of love are weighed down by consequences.

Five maids in São Paulo are observed in this episodic, impressionistic film. The women interact with each other, ride busses, work, and have longings: Rai for a husband, Créo for her lost daughter, Roxane for a career in modeling. Quitéria is naive, a gull for thieves. Cida has a husband and also a lover. While each woman gets what she wishes for (more or less), it doesn't always make things better. As Roxane says, no child sets out to become a maid. But once there, are all other doors closed?