 On one of his bratty son Eric s annual visits, the plutocrat U.S. Bates (Jackie Gleason) takes him to his department store and offers him anything in it as a gift. Eric chooses a black janitor (Richard Pryor) who has made him laugh with his antics. At first the man suffers many indignities as Eric s "toy", but gradually teaches the lonely boy what it is like to have and to be a friend.