While Ann is shopping at her local grocery store, a young black boy is caught shoplifting by the store owner. The boy, eight year old David Johnson, claims that his mother was going to buy the pilfered candy bar for him. His supposed mother?: Ann. Ann ends up defending David, who claims that he stole the candy because he was hungry, which Ann infers means that he comes from a poor family. However, David later claims that he lives on Park Avenue, but with his single father, who beats him, and his thirteen siblings. Ann believes the parts of the story that make David sound like he comes from an impoverished background in a less than happy home life. Instead of letting David wander off on his own, Ann insists on taking him home, although she is somewhat loathe to do so if only because of David's violent father. As David seems not to know how or want to get home, Ann takes David on a trek through the streets, slums, buses and police stations of Manhattan, doing whatever it takes to ensure David is taken care of by her high standards. Will Ann ever truly learn where David lives and about his background? If David has his way, Ann will find these things out, but not quite in the good Samaritan way she wants.
—Huggo