An American man sits by a river in Africa, waiting for his friend to return, as he is unwilling to wade across after him due to a cut in his leg that he worries will become infected by the water - but his insistence on staying where he is leads to cultural misunderstandings.

Extraterrestrial visitors promise solutions to America's financial, environmental, and energy problems - in exchange for the country's black citizens. A cultural struggle breaks out to determine whether the trade will be made.