Ben, the teenage son of a Sydney bookmaker, prefers football to practicing piano. His mother Gloria is convinced he is a genius and enters him in an eistedford. Ben has a younger brother, Joe. Joe arrives. It turns out he and Ben took the family car out last night without asking. A policeman arrives with their father Kevin telling the boys that a car that matches their family car's description ran over a woman. The boys are forced to confess what they did and say they were with two girls (who think Ben is eighteen). The sergeant calls the girls who confirm the account and then the sergeant leaves. Kevin threatens to thrash the boys but Gloria says no, Ben needs to go to the eistedford. Ben would rather take a thrashing but Kevin backs Gloria.