Claudine is a single mother in New York City who endures an exhausting commute to the suburbs where she works as a maid for wealthy families. In one carefully tended white community, she meets Roop, a charismatic but irresponsible garbage collector. Romance quickly ensues, but Claudine doubts that their relationship is good for her six children, and Rupert, despite his good nature, is reluctant to take on fatherhood.

When a nurse leaves her job to walk home, a young boy tries to grab her pocketbook, but she wrestles him to the ground, gets her pocketbook back, and drags him to her apartment in a headlock. There she feeds him and teaches him some valuable lessons before sending him home.