Angela Throgmorton is leading a somewhat lonely life when a strange, scruffy, creature appears on her doorstep. Feeling sorry for the poor thing, she takes it in, feeds it and cleans it up. However, when the creature manages to flood the house, Angela decides to find another home for it. This soon teaches Angela two lessons: firstly, that no-one wants the creature; and, secondly, that she really quite likes him. However, Old Tom and Angela get separated, and Angela goes home alone. Then a storm hits. Angela, learning that the creature has taken shelter in a storm drain, goes off to rescue him. Surfing through the drain on her ironing board, Angela snatches her new friend just before the storm-waters can wash him away. Angela takes him home and calls him Old Tom.