Gary Frank, a veterinarian, recalls his childhood: The death of his mother in a car crash, his father going to Japan for a year and sending him to live with relatives he scarcely knows, and having to leave behind his German shepherd dog, Joey, and Chappie, the young handywoman next door, who is mute and whom he idolizes. Set in Long Beach, California; Keystone, South Dakota; and Minot, North Dakota, the story begins with Gary being terrified of dogs and his parents giving him a puppy on his sixth birthday. The dog, it turns out, has epilepsy. He also has healing powers, or so Gary believes. Chappie, who communicates via a note pad she wears on a chain around her neck, goes along with this to spare Gary the pain of disbelief. Later, when living with his relatives, he is devastated to learn that his father, Lawrence, was driving recklessly the night of the car crash, and that his mother had airs and made his dad change his name from Larry to Lawrence, and thought he could do better than be a teacher. Gary also learns from Grandma Louise, his aunt's mother, that God came to a tea party in her playhouse and told her she could choose one person to live forever. But once she made her choice and said it out loud, it couldn't be changed.