Meet Perry Melstone... an aging single gentleman in his 80s retired on the Oregon Coast. As he makes his way to Montana for a medical check-up he discovers the joys of modern hospital visits. As a diversion he goes to the small town he grew up in to find several people killed by a strange growing wire coming from nowhere. It begins to seal the town off from the rest of the world. He escapes via Yellowstone Park and heads for Bozeman where one of his sons lives. While there he gained a new admiration for his boys.
As he goes back to his home in Oregon he finds he must deal with other problems including his dog, his neighbors, unusual weather and his boys. He also finds out the shocking truth of the strange wires in his hometown. He remains independent to the end, causing surprise to those around him.
