After her favorite client dies in her taxi, Shirley Simmons inherits his company, Grayson Industries; she decides to run it with the help of Grayson's secretary Nancy and nephew Barton, facing off against her nemesis Mr. Cushing.

Shirley causes laughter in Congress when she is appointed to a Presidential commission on youth, then runs into trouble with an opportunistic congressman who discovers she has a police record.

Cushing begins his 50th birthday at the funeral of a friend and ends it in a hospital after keeling over into a surprise birthday cake from Shirley.

While Shirley entertains snobbish Cushing at a soul food dinner, Max woos Nancy, who is too nice to tell the old "Romeo" that she isn't interested.

In a heated argument, Shirley hastily accepts Cushing's resignation, and neither knows how to back down.