Nikiema is a farmer from Burkina who sees fate come down upon him. His fouryearold son dies from a simple case of measles. He sells off his cotton crop at a good price, but he still faces a lot of debts. His fifteenyear old son, who had been helping him with the farm work, flunks out of school and moves to Ouagadaougou, where he finds a job guarding people's bicycles. Nikiema tries to commit suicide because he cannot fulfill his promises to his creditors any more. He is saved at the last moment by the arrival of one of his many sons living in the Ivory Coast.