Joey Winters is 17 and travelling by train on his own for the first time to visit his Uncle Fred, Aunt Leona, and cousins Leon, Cindy, and Freida for a week. He will have a number of adventures and meet many interesting people including Mad Dog Norkus, RG3, Kay the redhead, and Erica Andersen who has Joey seeing life in a whole new way. Of course all is not roses. He must deal with Freida, a nine-year-old terrorist-in-training. He will find himself on the receiving end of her evil pranks. Fortunately, with Cindy's help he is able to at least stay even. And then there is Erica . . .