After moving with his mother to live with his grandfather in Raystown, a young white boy begins exploring town with this elderly relative and learning more about the history of the land. His mother is escaping from an abusive household, so his grandfather begins to act as a surrogate parent for the boy, helping him as he transitions into school. One day, the boy watches his mother have an interaction with a Black man who hauls materials for people in town. His mother reveals that she and the man, Joe, were high school friends; Joe was an activist for the Black community, but the boy's grandfather, who was the town judge, ended up sending Joe into the army to keep him from getting any more outspoken. Joe was threatened due to his work to educate himself and promote other Black scholars. Later, the boy calls Joe by his first name and Joe reacts angrily because he sees this as a disrespect to his heritage. Joe and the boy later have a moment of connection and understanding despite the grandfather's bigotry. The two load a truck together and find peace in the repetition and teamwork of manual labor. The boy tells Joe all about how he and his mother lived in an abusive situation; it is inferred that he has not told anyone this before. Joe realizes that the boy's mother desperately needs his support and friendship once again, as she has no other allies in the world besides her son and her father. Joe tells the boy that his mother can call Joe's hometown if she needs help and people will support her. In adulthood, the boy reveals that his mother, grandfather, and father are dead. His father went back to jail for twenty years and died there.