Basil Randall Beale Jr, the hardworking senior editor at a family-owned publishing house, has just a month left before retirement. He feels as if he is being pushed out and is frustrated that he has been assigned to edit a "bad" book by an unknown author before he leaves. His interns and staff play pranks on him by adding to an unwanted collection of ceramic warthogs on his desk. He is pick-pocketed on his way to work, losing his wallet and credit cards. Life continues to spiral out of control when his boss, Sangria, one of the sibling owners, adopts a comfort chicken to raise in her office. Basil is violently allergic to feathers so daily meetings with become miserable. Unfortunately, his wife and daughters like Sangria, so they are unsympathetic to his misery at work. Basil's former and unstable barber, Mac, shows up driving a cab and takes Basil for rides and adventures that could land them in jail. Basil tries to run from the increasingly dangerous events in his life. The pursuit is on.