Abel Shaddick (Peter Ustinov), a grumpy owner of a Jewish deli in upstate New York, is a man turned cold by his son's death in World War II. He remains closed off until a rich woman (Marlyn Mason) connects the man with Herman Washington (N'Gai Dixon), a young black boy from the inner city. The two are standoffish at first, and their disparate backgrounds don't help matters much. But gradually they connect, learning that they have plenty in common and many reasons to open up.