Ben Stroud, a wealthy, elderly man, lives in the Connecticut countryside. His driver, Frank, drives him home, and as they near the house, the two men hear the obnoxious roar of a tiny car. Ben's neighbor recently gifted his son with a miniature red racing car, and now the boy, Jackie, drives it around at all hours. Frank defends the boy's right to have fun, but the car drives Ben crazy. Ben raises his grandson Harold by himself. His wife Jean passed away long ago, along with Harold's mother, and Ben's son Warren is irresponsible and flighty. Harold desperately wants a car like Jackie's for his upcoming tenth birthday, but Ben is adamantly against it. Frank and Ben stop the car when they see Harold and Roy, Frank's son, on the side of the road. The boys get into the car with Frank and Ben. Harold tells Ben that he and Roy have entered into a competition — a company will send them products to sell, like seeds and religious pictures and perfume, and they can win cash prizes depending on how successful they are in selling the products. Ben tells Harold that the contest is nonsense. Back at his house, Ben smokes a cigar in his library and decides that he will be a kindly and generous grandfather. When Harold runs into the room moments later, he tells Ben that Warren has sent him five hundred dollars for his birthday, and he plans to buy a car with the money. Ben confiscates the money and as Harold yells at him, Ben collapses to the floor. When he regains consciousness, Ben finds Harold hovering over him. Ben tells Harold to get the servants, because he's had a heart attack, but before Harold leaves, Ben tells him that he will help him succeed in the competition he and Roy entered. Once Harold has earned the money himself, he can buy himself a car. Harold runs off to get help, and as Ben lies on the floor, he hears Jackie's car out on the road and swears to himself.