The story features Soapy, a homeless man staying in New York City. Soapy spends his time in Madison Square Park during summer. However, during winter he plans to get himself arrested so that he can spend his time in jail to evade coldness. As a result, he plans to go to a deluxe hotel to order food and then fail to pay so that he can be arrested. However, his mission aborts once he is spotted by the head waiter. Soapy is escorted out of the premises. When that plan fails, Soapy breaks a storefront window with a stone in a place where a cop is standing.
Nevertheless, the cop goes for someone else. After realizing that his plan has failed, Soapy walks away and plans his next step. Subsequently, he enters a hotel and orders food. After consuming the food he informs the waiters that he doesn’t have money hoping they will call the cops. Unfortunately, the waiters throw him outside. When this plan botches, Soapy pretends to harass a woman in front of a policeman to get arrested. But the woman responds positively to his advances. Soapy tries other tricks but in futile.
When all Soapy’s plans to get arrested are botched, he decides to change his ways and become a productive person in society. On the way to the park, he hears a beautiful anthem being played in a church. The anthem inspires him and takes him down memory lane. From that point, he starts thinking about his future. During this time, a cop arrests him for loitering. The story warns us against wishing ourselves troubles.
