Replaced at work by a box, Victor embarks on his enforced retirement but finds it exasperatingly difficult to adapt to his directionless new existence. As he struggles without his security guard job, he begins magnifying mundane aspects of everyday life into major dramas.

Victor goes to work to discover that he's been made redundant: replaced by an automated box that can do all the things he used to - except moan about the air conditioning. On top of this, and despite his decades of loyal service, he doesn't have so much as a farewell card.

On the walk home he passes many reminders of old age, which only cause in depressing him further. His wife, Margaret, is equally shocked when she hears the news but tries to encourage him to make good, positive use of all the free time he has. Swearing that the last thing he will do is resort to moping around the house, it's not long before he's doing exactly that.

Searching for new employment, Victor battles first with a broken down car and is then astonished to receive a visit from chirpy Age Concern worker Nick. He cheerfully invites Victor to join a range of care in the community events for the elderly, which Victor finds the mere idea of both tedious and insulting. At Margaret's suggestion he recovers the remnants of a previous hobby as a magician from the loft, and begins practicing some of his conjuring tricks on her friend, Jean - who soon leaves utterly terrified!