The baker is Mickey Lerner - family man, ex-boxer, Jewish merchant, a man of confused passions who exists in a community polarized by racial mistrust. One day, Mickey's life is changed by a shocking crime, forcing him to explore the mysteries of his marriage and the awkwardness of life with his eighteen-year-old son. Mickey must also face the racial tension surrounding him - a legacy of violence between blacks and whites that threatens both his family and his bakery. Above all, Mickey must confront himself: his feelings, his desires, and the memory of a tragic event from his past.