Carolyn "Peewee" Turner, a spunky red-haired tomboy, survives adolescence while growing up in a dysfunctional family consisting of her mother, Roberta, a call girl whose smashing good looks could stop traffic, Tina, her little sister who had a serious psychological problem, and Howard Turner, her absentee truck driving father who doubts that Tina is his child. Carolyn, whose low-income family lives in a mobile home, has a crush on Buddy Brandon, a very popular high-school football star and son of well-to-do parents.