A boy's eighth-grade classmate named Augie Sheean moves in a vacant house four doors away. Augie’s mother, Margaret, is a very religious woman with determination and a disapproving view of America. The boy is commissioned to give Augie a tour of the Catholic vocational high school and introduce him to their peers. Mrs. Sheean gives Augie and the boy some chocolate cake and tells them stories. This happens during the boy's several visits to the Sheeans' over the course of a month. The boy grows fond of Mrs. Sheean and Augie.  The boy and Augie begin to walk home with Doris, the “plump, flirtatious” girl of their grade, and her boyfriend, Lindy. One day, Lindy says something blasphemous and insensitive and Doris gets offended. From then on the group of four disbands, and Doris and Augie walk home alone together. Mrs. Sheean, however, disapproves of Doris and forbids Augie from associating with her.  Augie also becomes annoyed with the boy and tells him to stop following him. The boy is sad, but decides to invite Augie to his 13th birthday party after spending some time apart. To his surprise, Augie does show up. Despite his apprehension about lying to his protective mother, Augie has the time of his life at the boy's party. However, the kids play a kissing game and just as Augie is about to kiss Doris, he shrieks and runs away. Chasing after Augie, the boy finds him kneeling in front of the statue of Saint Joseph. Suddenly ignoring their doubts, the two boys laugh like lunatics and run back to the party.