Brian's little world revolves around his shop, a business built up from nothing. Lonely and unmarried, somewhat at odds with the world, his self-righteous world-view cadged from the Daily Mail, he believes in things as they should be, not as they are. When teenage scally Mathew breaks into his shop, the fire of Brian's resentments flares up. He holds the boy captive and unleashes on him the fury of his bitterness at the world. Mathew fears the worst. But Brian and Mathew have much in common: both are desperately lonely, observers rather than guests at life's feast. And they share a desire: for something better than their lot, a longing for meaning, for an end to the pain, for transcendent happiness. And Brian is determined that things will not continue as they are he will send them both to a better place, one way or other.