It's 1924: Andrew Skigg has reached the age of twenty-one.

Andrew is romantic, indifferent, and imbued with the conviction that he is destined to become a Great Poet. He is also a Dreamer, quite addicted to books, and burdened with many illusions.

Andrew is an only child, orphaned within months of being born. His mother died giving birth. Shortly thereafter, his father was killed by bandits south of the Mexican border. Andrew was adopted by his uncle, a farmer, who found molding his nephew's destiny to be an impossible task; Andrew always had plans of his own.

It is now time for Andrew Skigg, the Poet, to leave the little Western valley where he's always lived – to go forth to find his path, his fate, in the Greater World. He plans to begin by riding the rails, supporting himself selling women's fine silk clothing, out of a black bag, door-to-door.

Adventure, and change, must surely follow…