On the way to his father's funeral, Jesse Hunter feels anxious and afraid, and just as alienated as he felt during his teenage years. Drifting back to the memory of his youth, he reflects on one special summer when his grandfather shared his life story with him, hoping that it would enable Jesse to stand up to his abusive stepfather and help end his fears.

Through his grandfather's telling of early days on the ranch, Jesse discovers that the heritage of courage and independence, together with hard work and persistence, give him a sense of belonging and an escape from his nightmarish life.

But everything has a price. In the telling of his life story that summer, which forces Jesse to become a man, his grandfather cannot dodge two long buried secrets-one that's been hidden from Jesse since the boy's birth, and the other which the old man has suffered from since Jesse's father was a boy.

Now at the end of his life, sharing the secrets with Jesse and the impact they had on his family, Jesse's grandfather is finally released from the weight of his earlier decisions. Though the cost is considerable, the old man realizes it must be paid, as this is the last valuable gift he will leave his grandson.