Rudy Pardo, retired fire chief and guardian of order, comes upon a young African American apparently burglarizing his house. There is something challenging and mysterious about Munro, the brazen young thief, but also something disturbing personally to Rudy. His own prejudices and preoccupations erupt all too quickly. Issues and questions of race and social justice arise that intrigue both men equally.

In this twentieth-century comic opera, one delicious dialog and face-off after another eventually brings this unlikely pair into an uncomfortable contract of mutual respect and wariness. The ex-fire chief is determined to impact the younger man's life, but Rudy is not a free soul. He has family obligations to his son, his sisters, to his nephew and even his deceased wife. After much sparring with all concerned, Rudy hatches a plot that should satisfy everyone.