Norwegian youngster Oddmund Lindeflaten arrives on the central-Kansas buffalo farm reluctantly run by Unitarian widow Helen Hazleton since the founder's recent cancer death, as atypical male au-pair for the two orphaned sons. Nearly same-age Atticus is aloof and gloomy, but kid Beau quickly takes to the Viking jock and even adopts his obsession: soccer. Oddmund proves a fine father figure, winning the confidence of all the kids and their friends, gradually even assembling an odd soccer team. Mother Helen clearly has a crush on him, as on school coach Bobby, but after jumping the Norwegian's bones, she acts like he abused the family and demands his retribution; she has never forgiven her late husband Charlie for being bisexual. She even pushes the lesbian sheriff to investigate an absurd gay assault claim, just when Oddmund's Norwegian ex-fiancee arrives as if they were still engaged, but her sons take the lead in resisting such absurd ingrate injustice.