In Montana in 1971, Ignatius spends the summer with his older brother Doke, who has recently gotten divorced. During this visit, Doke tells Ignatius about his new, young, and part-Native girlfriend Samantha, who he claims is the most beautiful woman he has ever seen in his life. Doke explains how otherworldly Samantha is, all the trauma and abuse she has survived, and how she has been with hundreds of lovers. Samantha soon joins the two men, and Ignatius is horrified by her appearance, finding her unbelievably ugly. They all begin to talk, and Ignatius notes how Samantha’s comments about herself contrast with many of the details Doke has told him, such as the possibility that the father of Samantha’s child could be Mick Jagger. In the middle of one of Samantha’s stories, Ignatius tries to turn in for the night, uninterested in listening to her lies. Doke follows Ignatius as he tries to leave, upset that his brother has disrespected Samantha, and beats Ignatius up so badly that he ends up in the hospital. As a kid, Ignatius was often beat up as well.   At the hospital, Ignatius meets Hildie, whom he marries within a few months. They stay together for twenty years until their relationship grows sour, and Hildie becomes physically abusive, hitting Ignatius just as Doke had. One night, he tells Hildie about Samantha, and she becomes upset at how judgemental Ignatius is about women. As Hildie gradually gains two hundred and fifty pounds, Hildie insists that Ignatius finds her ugly, and they drift apart even more, with Hildie bringing home other lovers. Ignatius reflects on how he never complained and tried not to get mad. Hildie soon brings home a woman named Grace and tells Ignatius he needs to get out, and Ignatius recognizes that Grace is actually Samantha. As Ignatius packs his things, he listens to Grace tell Hildie about her life — she is no longer claiming to be Native American but does claim to be extremely multi-talented — and he asks her questions, such as if she has ever been on a reservation or to Montana. Grace answers that she has been almost everywhere but Montana, and Ignatius bursts out laughing and cannot stop.