Pete "Skag" Skagska is a 56-year-old union foreman of a Pittsburgh steel mill until a crippling stroke forced him to stay at home and try to put his life back together and deal with family problems which included his younger second wife Jo, and his three children whom were David (age 24) who worked at the steel mill, the shy and insecure Patricia (age 18) and the rebellious Barbara (age 15) as well as Skag's father Petar living with them as an invalid due to a major stroke of his own.