Victor, a Native American who lives on a reservation, finds out that his dad died of a heart attack in Phoenix, Arizona, and left him some money and a pickup truck. Victor calls the Tribal Council for money to get to Phoenix to make arrangements, but they can only give him $100, which isn't enough. Victor runs into Thomas Builds-the-Fire, a childhood friend of his who is always telling stories that nobody wants to hear. Thomas seems to have premonitions; for example, he told Victor years ago that his father's heart was weak. Thomas is a social outcast, and the two are no longer friends. Thomas says he heard about Victor's father's death and his lack of funds and offers to give him the money if Victor takes him with him to Arizona. Victor goes home to think. He remembers his friendship with Thomas, decides he needs him, and finds Thomas outside. He remembers a day when they were both fifteen and got in a drunken fight where Victor almost killed Thomas. On the plane to Phoenix, Thomas starts a conversation with a gymnast. Victor cringes at first, but then wishes they could talk to strangers so freely all the time, off of airplanes. Victor apologizes for the fight years ago; Thomas brushes it off. Victor's dad's trailer smells awful since his body lay there undiscovered for a week. Victor remembers when Thomas saved him from wasps at age twelve. After they find nothing important in the trailer, Thomas tells Victor about a time when he had a dream that told him to go wait by the Falls at Spokane for a sign. He walked there the whole day. Then, Victor's dad came up and told him he'd get mugged, drove him to Denny's, bought him dinner, then drove him home. For awhile, he thought his dreams lied about waiting for the sign; now, he thinks Victor's dad was a sign to take care of one another. Victor's dad told Thomas he wouldn't tell anyone and get him in trouble if Thomas would watch out for Victor if he ever needed help. That's why Thomas came on this trip. Victor remembers a time Thomas jumped off the roof of the school as if he could fly, and how he felt jealous of the moment Thomas flew before he crashed to the ground. On the drive home, with two boxes of his dad's ashes, Victor drives most of the way. When they switch, Thomas hits and kills the first living thing they've seen for hours — a jackrabbit. Victor drives again. When they arrive back at the reservation and Victor drops Thomas off, Thomas says not to worry about paying him back for the plane tickets; that it won't make any difference. Victor realizes Thomas is right; he still will never be Thomas's friend. He gives Thomas the second box of his dad's ashes. Thomas makes Victor promise that, just once, he'll stop and listen to Thomas when he tells one of his stories on the street.