Charlie spends the whole day by the fish counter in a large supermarket. He likes the cheese department salesperson and Emil, who introduces Charlie to reading. Someone calls Charlie autistic, but his view of the world and people is deeper and more honest than for many.
One day, Emil shares a secret with Charlie: he got a job at the store to film a report on how much food ends up in the trash. Gradually, Emil and Charlie come to understand that many things in life—relationships, books, and even garbage—are much more complicated than they seem at first glance.