Portrait of a family struggling quietly with a crisis. Willie is a compulsive gambler and disregards his wife Arlene's plea for a house. They live together in a small backroom of the depot where Willie works, and have one six-year-old daughter, Lark. Since Willie can't save any money, Arlene decides to start her own typing business. She and Lark dream of the day they can buy the Cape Ann house they've chosen from a house catalog. Willie's gambling threatens to drain Arlene's down payment money. Will Lark and her mother's dream ever come to fruition?