One Christmas a tramp saves up enough money to buy himself a bottle of champagne. A passerby knocks it out of his hand before he can drink it. He wishes to end his life and stands in the middle of the road to be hit by a bus. He is saved by the Seventh Doctor, who claims to be trying to get one over on his enemy, Death. The tramp joins the Doctor in several adventures. During one, he helps the Doctor stop Mortimus from taking Antonio Salieri back in time to kill the infant Mozart.