In her captivating style, Nancy Demme weaves a tale of what it means to be human and growing up in deep Texas. Diego Ramirez, 15, anonymous, obsessed by fire, flees his home in 1952 El Paso after setting fire to the barn where his abusive stepfather is working. Believing he has killed the man, Diego steals his mother's life savings and hitchhikes through Texas, accepting rides from anyone who offers, a bigoted truck driver, a woman who only gives rides to children of crippled spirit, a salesman who feeds Diego's dreams of success, and a lonely widow, who takes him in only to have to let him go. Through loss and love, redemption finds a way to help Diego unravel his crime and the crimes against him.