At 17 Marguerite Buckby tried to kill herself. Her adopted mother had long since stopped answering her phone calls, her glib father's new girlfriend was evil, and all of her "friends" were nasty retards. Sensing her depression, the powers sent Matthew Arnold (1822 - 1888), a dead flamboyant poet and culturist to help her. Can he save her? After having apparently saved her, Arnold is allowed to linger. This is a mystery as in every other case, once his guiding as been finished, he has returned to the misty netherworld. While wondering why he is with her, Arnold and Marguerite go on a road trip across America. They find Marguerite's adopted and biological mother. And, while he gets to know about her, he also gets to impart his philosophy. But to what end?