Following the death of his wife, Arthur Pratt (Philip Baker Hall) is on the verge of taking his own life. However, just after he had finished burying his wife’s ashes at the park, a duckling crosses his path. Noticing that the duckling is all alone, Arthur decides to help it find its flock. Unfortunately, they end up finding the flock as roadkill. As a result, Arthur then chooses to take the surviving duckling back to his apartment, where he bathes and feeds it. No longer on the verge, Arthur is committed to raise and take care of the duckling, which he names “Joe.”