The story of two New Yorkers living next door to each other and worlds apart: Walt Koontz is a retired security guard, ultra-conservative and proud of it, living in Manhattan's Lower East Side. Late one night, while trying to help a neighbor in trouble, Walt suffers a stroke which leaves him with partial paralysis. Too self-conscious and prideful to be seen as a 'stroke victim' Walt throws himself into exile in his own apartment. Refusing to leave his apartment for therapy, Walt reluctantly agrees to an 'indoors' rehabilitative program. As a part of his rehabilitation he must take singing lessons--and ends up taking them from his upstairs neighbor, Rusty, a street-tough drag queen performer. The two are forced to work out their differences and learn to appreciate one another along the way.