Sam Jellicoe, 15, didn't want to visit his mom in Winnipeg. He can't stand her flashy, boastful new husband Alvin. Sam would have way preferred to stay in Vancouver with his actor buddies. To escape Alvin - and the stifling prairie heat - Sam goes into Rafferty's Department Store on Portage Avenue. There he finds his problems are just beginning: a gunman takes him and several other people hostage. To find a way out, Sam must draw on his wits and his acting skills, and above all, keep his cool.