Jackie Gleason is U.S. Bates, the wealthy owner of a department store. When his bratty young son Eric (Scott Schwartz, A CHRISTMAS STORY) makes one of his annual visits, Bates offers the boy the gift of anything he wants in the store. When Jack Brown (Richard Pryor), an out-of-work journalist working as the store's janitor, makes Eric laugh with his antics, the boy chooses the Brown as his gift. Brown suffers through many indignities and embarrassments in his new position, but eventually teaches the selfish child what it means to have a true friend.