Dewey Lynn Bugler is a man at a precipice. He is aware that he is losing his memories and his mind, his past, present, and future, but he is not willing to seek medical treatment. He would rather collect his memories and tell his stories while he still can. He wants others to know why he lived his life the way he did so that they can learn from his mistakes. This story is the one that he feels he must begin with because to him it is the most important. That night of the dogfight changes Dewey Lynn's life forever. As a child and a teenager, he has been torn between the two great influences in his life: his hardworking Daddy and his lazy Uncle Boog. But on this fateful evening, the die is cast as Dewey Lynn discovers a pattern that will shape his character and actions for the rest of his life.