Stoke Newington, the present. Alvin and Portia Archer are shocked at the return of their son Jason, who left home six years earlier for an unspecified job in Sweden and last wrote twelve months ago. Jason is back in the country to renew his passport, as there were complications with the British embassy in Sweden. Alvin is suspicious as to why this should be.
Jason visits his former girlfriend Irene, now married with a child. She also fails to get him to admit what he does. He tells her she'd like Africa. She says she's West Indian. He says she's black first, West Indian second, and that West Indians can't see the whole tree, just the branches.
Portia is taken ill. While Jason comforts her, she tries to glean information about his work, but equally unsuccessfully.
Jason examines weapons catalogues before zipping them into his case. Going out for a walk, he recognises an old friend, Trevor, and they go to the betting shop together to reminisce. Trevor works in the post office while waiting for his music career to take off, a slow process because of his refusal to compromise.
Jason goes to visit his associate Albert Charles, for help regarding his passport.
Alvin comes home complaining about black people being called lazy when they do all the work. This leads to a political argument with Jason. He asks Jason how long he's planning to stay, and Jason reassures him that he'll leave soon. Later, Portia agrees to lend him money.
Jason goes to see Trevor to ask if he knows of a private room. Trevor offers him his cousin's, and asks how to go about being successful in Europe. After dinner with Irene, Jason takes her to the room, which is too squalid for them to consider making love in.
Jason goes to see Albert, who has a job for him, selling arms to Chad. Jason is worried about the dangers, but it's a condition of Albert obtaining a passport for him.
On Sunday, Alvin orders Jason to accompany him and Portia to church. When Jason refuses, he launches into a tirade about how ashamed he is of the younger generation. Alvin came to Britain 24 years ago to work hard. Jason says that he lived well in Sweden, made money and plans to do so again, and he's not impressed with Alvin's job as a railway porter. He finally admits that he's an arms dealer. Alvin is shocked, and orders him to leave by the end of the month.
Jason goes round to Irene for support, and admits that his long silence was because he was in prison in Angola, and he's temporarily broke because he bribed the authorities not to kill him. Irene attempts a reconciliation, but Jason says that he's a roadrunner, never in one place for too long.
Jason goes home to find Portia in bed following a collapse. She asks him not to fight with Alvin so much. Jason wonders why people always need to come back to their roots.
Portia dies, and Alvin is distraught. Jason receives a letter from Albert, saying he's sorted out the passport situation. In a private meeting, he hands him a ticket to Sweden and expects him to leave in two days' time.
Jason goes to see Trevor and breaks the news of Portia's death. Trevor says that one day he'll turn up in Sweden, by surprise.
Jason tells Irene that he has to leave soon, and invites her to come with him, to cast her fate to the winds. She explains that she's nearly thirty and has a child to support, wondering why everyone goes on about black-white conflict when the real battle is between men and women.
Jason takes Alvin for a drink at the Cunard International Hotel. Alvin tells him that he's worried that his arms dealing will bring about the prophecies of Armageddon in the book of Revelation, and refuses to bless him. At the last minute, he asks to accompany Jason to the airport, but Jason rebuffs him. He promises Alvin that he'll stay in touch. Alvin ruefully reflects on what Jason's promises have amounted to in the past.
