Randolph Carter, seeking to escape the mundane reality of adult life, uses an heirloom key to unlock the gates of his childhood dreams. He travels back through time and space, merging with his younger self and stepping into a world where wonder still exists. The story is a philosophical meditation on the loss of innocence and the fluid nature of identity. It suggests that the past is a solid dimension that can be revisited by those who possess the right talisman.