Two kids take a book from a trash can. They begin to read the story of a poor neighborhood in Mexico City. Carpenter Pepe "''El Toro''" (Pedro Infante) lives with his adopted daughter "''Chachita''" (Evita Muñoz) and woos pretty Celia, known as "''La Chorreada''" (Blanca Estela Pavón). Around them, a group of people live their lives in many different ways: a pair of always-drunk women are known as "''La Tostada''" (''Toasted'') and "''La Guayaba''" (''Guava''); a beautiful woman (Katy Jurado) who's a sleepy-head ''La que se levanta tarde'' (''The one who wakes up late''); and a mysterious prostitute named: La Tisica ("TB ridden one") with tuberculosis and a dark past.