It is the last day of summer vacation, and Patrick—an aspiring writer who has just turned seventeen—has made up his mind to run away from a home he believes has sheltered him from the formative experiences he requires to write meaningfully about life. First, however, he must say goodbye to his older brother, Jason.

Jason suddenly finds himself confronting a “kid brother” who has grown up faster than he had realized, and burdened with a responsibility he never imagined would be his. As Jason struggles to understand the roots of Patrick’s frustration, Patrick reveals that he has never shown his writing to anyone, lest a lukewarm response confirm his worst fears about his abilities

When Jason dismisses these fears as irrational, Patrick loses his temper and demands Jason leave. To his amazement, Jason does. Truly alone for the first time, Patrick cries out for Jason to return. The brothers reconcile, and Jason takes Patrick back home.