After the disastrous fallout of a starter marriage, which culminates in a prolonged custody battle and a considerable loss of inherited wealth, Arthur Kidder, self-deprived of a fortuitous beginning in life, reinvents himself as the honorable head of a new household. Yet he little suspects to what extent a man's life, despite the sincerity of his efforts and intentions, is governed by the all-encompassing and indifferent force of Chance - the very same force that, for better or for worse, has made him the father of a son who's apparently well on his way to being enrolled at one of the most prestigious universities in America, and a son who's mental condition will require lifelong care and supervision. As the former of these finds himself coming of age in a rapidly changing and unpredictable world, he faces a whirligig of unforeseen events that will shape his character and future within the course of a few days.