An Irish painting contractor struggles with the complications of befriending a Black worker. A boy who helps his father fake accidents for insurance claims reaches a turning point. A woman from a rough patch of South Shore remembers her first girlfriend. And a Census taker learns empathy as she counts people. Their lives weave through colorful, gritty streets in "The Plan of Chicago", Barry Pearce's absorbing debut of heartbreaking division, unexpected intersections, and dim but possible dreams.