Attempting to impress his ideologies on religion, relationships, & the randomness (and worthlessness) of existence, lifelong New York resident Boris Yellnikoff rants to anyone who will listen, including the audience. But when he begrudgingly allows naive Mississippi runaway Melodie St. Ann Celestine to live in his apartment, his reclusive rages give way to an unlikely friendship & Boris begins to mold the impressionable young girl's worldly views to match his own. When it comes to love, whatever works is his motto, but his already perplexed life complicates itself further when Melodie's parents eventually track her down.