John is an organizer for the campaign of Mason, a Black man who is the center of a political campaign. He works so often that he neglects his wife and children, who he hardly ever sees. His wife sees him as too giving, and hates that he neglects them, but on a certain level respects what he does. John meets a Black child named Donald who volunteers with the campaign alongside many other children and teenagers to put up posters, hand out fliers, and do any other work that the campaign needs. Donald is a difficult and rambunctious child, and since he wouldn't tell John his last name, he dubbed him Donald Bane, because he was "the bane of his existence." John finds out about Donald's difficult home life as a poor child raised by a busy single mother with two younger sisters. John one day helps Donald and his sisters who were locked out of their house. Once they get inside, Donald's younger sisters insist he sit and eat dinner with them. He does, and but upon getting home, he gets into another argument with his wife about being absent. Mason's campaign comes to a turning point where residents of a housing project are ready and gathered to be spoken to by Mason. But Mason is in a bad way, holed up in his house and exhausted by his campaign. Someone needs to talk to the people and it can't be John- he had learned that it is not his place to speak over Black leaders. He convinced Mason by putting pressure on his sense of duty. It works, but it's not appreciated- other Black organizers tell him he should have used positive reinforcement. John drives away where he sees Donald and his friends hanging out around their office building.