Eddie Fitz is an epileptic fifteen year old whose dream it is to be a race car driver. His brother Brad, a former three-star athlete, has just returned from Vietnam-disabled from a lung injury. Bullied at school by Mog and his gang, Eddie meets Chloe Morgan, a winsome senior who convinces him to go on a road trip to Berkeley to protest the war. Before embarking on their journey, Eddie witnesses a shocking event, something no son should ever see. On the road, Eddie and Chloe encounter a cast of bizarre and often frightening characters, including Chloe's sister Dolly, who breeds snakes and hawks drugs to get by. Eddie is plagued by seizures which threaten his relationship with Chloe. Brad is at Berkeley praising the war. He taunts Eddie about Chloe. Chloe and Eddie argue and split up. Eddie returns home as does Brad. Brad suspects the horrible truth that Eddie is hiding and confronts him. What happens afterward threatens to break the Fitz family apart.