On an idyllic morning in New York City, in the African American neighborhood of Harlem, “Flipper” Purify and his wife, Drew, make love. Drew’s passionate outbursts awaken the couple’s young daughter, Ming, who giggles and pretends to fall back to sleep. After walking his daughter to school, Flipper goes to work at Mast & Covington, an architecture firm in mid-town Manhattan. There, senior partners Jerry and Leslie introduce the architect to his new secretary, Angie Tucci. After welcoming her, Flipper storms into Leslie’s office, where he reminds the partners that he wanted an African American assistant. Leslie and Jerry consider the request discriminatory, but Flipper argues that they should be trying harder to diversify the office staff. That night, Angie Tucci returns to her home in Bensonhurst, an Italian American neighborhood in Brooklyn, and cooks dinner for her father, Mike Tucci, and her brothers, Charlie and Jimmy. Meanwhile, Flipper and Drew cook dinner together. They discuss Flipper’s imminent promotion, which he intends to ask for at an upcoming meeting, but Drew cautions him to be prepared if they say no. Back at the Tucci residence, Angie’s boyfriend, Paulie Carbone, stops by and invites Angie out. Jimmy and Charlie harass the timid man, reminding him to treat their sister with respect. Afterward, Angie urges Paulie to stand up to her brothers. In Harlem, the Good Reverend Doctor Purify reads the Bible to his wife, Lucinda. The doorbell rings, and Lucinda ushers their son, “Gator” Purify, into the kitchen. She offers to make him some food, but he declines, asking instead for $100. Rev. Purify insists that Gator leave. Lucinda cajoles her husband into returning to the sitting room, before giving Gator the money. Sometime later, Angie and Flipper remain at the office after hours. When Flipper encourages her to go home, Angie jokes that her commitment to her job will force her father and brothers to learn to cook. In the weeks that follow, Flipper and Angie routinely work late, order takeout food, and share long conversations. One night, Angie tells Flipper about her childhood sweetheart, Paulie, but confesses she has outgrown the relationship. As she turns to go, Flipper pulls her toward him. They kiss passionately and have sex on top of the desk. The next morning at Carbone’s, a cafe and newsstand in Bensonhurst, Paulie reads a book while his Italian American customers drown their sorrows in egg creams. Vinny, a tough young man, looks askance when Orin Goode, a confident young African American woman, stops in to buy her daily newspapers. Orin encourages Paulie to apply to Brooklyn College, and Paulie shyly thanks her, unable to take his eyes off her as she leaves. Later, at Mast & Covington, Flipper meets with Leslie and Jerry and proposes they make him partner. The two senior architects claim they cannot accommodate his request, and Flipper hands them his resignation. That night, Flipper hangs out with his best friend, Cyrus, who admires his friend’s decision to leave the firm. However, Cyrus is shocked when Flipper reveals he is having an affair with Angie. Meanwhile, in Brooklyn, Angie shares the news of her relationship with Flipper with two girl friends. They are appalled to learn Flipper is African American, and warn Angie not to tell her father. Back in Harlem, Cyrus dismisses Flipper’s affair as nothing more than a black man’s curiosity about being with a white woman. Just then, Flipper’s brother, Gator, passes by and asks his brother for money to buy drugs, threatening to beat up an old person if he rejects. Flipper reluctantly gives the addict twenty dollars. In the days that follow, Flipper and Angie spend time together in public, receiving disapproving looks and comments from passersby. One night, Flipper returns home to find his wife throwing his belongings into the street. She curses him and tells him to find a new place to live. Flipper moves in with his parents, and endures his father’s moral pronouncements about the situation. The next day, Flipper brings flowers to Drew, but she refuses his apology. Later, in Bensonhurst, Angie ends her longstanding engagement to Paulie, breaking his heart. When she returns home, her father, having learned of her affair with Flipper, beats her with his belt. The next morning, customers at Carbone’s offer their condolences to Paulie, blaming African Americans for all their problems. A few days later, Angie and Flipper move into an apartment and look forward to starting a life together. The architect arranges for Angie to meet his parents, but Rev. Purify uses the dinner to recount historic tales of slavery and rape, offending her. On the sidewalk in front of their apartment building, Flipper and Angie get into a mock argument. Police arrive and hold Flipper at gunpoint, as Angie protests that their quarrel was merely a joke. After the incident, the couple retreat to their apartment, speechless. Paulie’s attraction to Orin intensifies, and he asks if she would ever date a white man. Although she is amenable to the idea, she indicates that she does not have romantic feelings for him. The exchange provokes an intense argument among Carbone’s regulars, but Paulie admonishes his friends to mind their own business. Meanwhile, Flipper’s mother informs her youngest son that Gator stole a television set from the Good Reverend’s house. Flipper locates his brother at a crack house in a rough part of Harlem, but he cannot convince Gator to reform. Later, Angie confronts Flipper about the status of their relationship, wondering if he would ever have children with her. He says no, and when he awakens the next morning, she is gone. On returning to Bensonhurst, Angie attempts to mend her friendship with Paulie, but he is not ready to forgive her. She knocks on her father’s door, and he welcomes her home. Back in Harlem, Gator waits for Rev. Purify to go out for his evening walk, before ringing the doorbell and demanding money from his mother. Lucinda protests, and Gator ransacks the house searching for cash. Rev. Purify returns and shoots his son with a handgun. Gator dies in his mother’s arms. Unaware of the tragedy, Flipper awakens in bed with Drew, and the two make love as morning breaks, much to their daughter’s delight. However, Drew does not consider the intimate encounter a reconciliation. Deep in reflection, Flipper leaves. At the end of the block, a prostitute solicits him. Embracing the girl, Flipper throws back his head and cries, “No!”