An Italian man recounts how his father came into money upon arriving in the United States but spent and then lost it all when his factory caught fire. Despite his Papa’s veritable financial ignorance and dangerous pride, the son asserts none of it was ever his father's fault.

A young Black girl and her great-grandfather begin a journey on foot following a death in the family. In their search for education, they must face the dangers of their poverty, the racism of the area, and their physical capabilities.