In the middle school, the pawn Paul Watrin spends his sad life, in the middle of a people of cheeky and mocking kids for whom he is the enemy, the whipping boy. Only Pierre Launay, a studious child with a pitiful heart, defends the old pawn and his son against the incessant attacks of this cloud of pranksters and his affection consoles the poor man for his daily miseries. However, a drama unfolds in the child's family.