His father's homecoming from war and angry threats issued by his mother prompt a boy to run away. He is followed into the unknown by his grandfather whose unfortunate mishap prompt the boy to act beyond his years. The boy struggles emotionally at first, recovers and uses the teachings of his grandfather and the loyalty of his dog to save the family patriarch's life. Meanwhile the father's reaction to the homecoming celebration and his uncontrolled anger leads to a perilous accident that disables him and injures the boy's mother. The boy's disillusioned grandmother and the actions of a close friend are entangled in the complex lives of the Nebraska Panhandle family which are examined before and for years after the homecoming day.