A crazy out of work actress, Vashti Blue, spends all her time in her small apartment with her pet owl and her telephone, which she uses to try and solve all her problems with life.

One evening, unemployed actress Vashti Blue (Whoopi Goldberg) returns to the apartment she shares with her pet goldfish and owl. On the answering machine, Vashti listens to her messages, and hears her agent remind her of an audition, as well as a notification about her overdue telephone bill. She also hears a voice she believes is her former lover, Larry (Don Blakely). Throughout the night, Vashti entertains herself by dialing different telephone numbers, talking to the local market, video store, police station, and her friend, Jennifer (Amy Wright). The noise from the calls causes Vashti's next-door neighbor to yell at her in frustration. Later, Vashti's former agent, Rodney (Elliot Gould), and his new client, "Honey Boxe," arrive, asking to use her telephone. However, Vashti refuses Rodney's request. Rodney tells Vashti that her bad attitude always made it difficult to find her acting jobs. Annoyed, Vashti asks Rodney and Honey Boxe to leave. But the best and the most is about to come.