Roger McElroy wrote one incredibly successful novel in the 1970's and has not published anything of merit since that time. He is 76 years old and lives alone in his cabin home in the Blue Ridge Mountains. He recently had a heart attack and had to have surgery. He comes home from the hospital where his adult children try to convince him to sell the cabin where he has lived since writing his novel. He reveals to his daughter Heidi that a movie producer has offered him 3 million dollars for the movie production rights to his novel but he is not interested in having the movie made and that she should keep this information from her brothers. She reluctantly agrees.

When the brothers arrive, the frustrations at Roger's refusal to take his health and safety seriously cause an escalating argument which brings out an accusation by the eldest son that he does not believe Roger is the true author of his famous novel but that he stole the idea from his mistress who committed suicide in her late twenties. This accusation causes Roger to suffer a cardiac episode which forces Heidi to choose between supporting her father in continuing to live a lie or facing the truth with her brothers.

 

The conflict between the siblings comes to a head and Heidi relents, leaving the decision about the movie rights and their father’s living arrangements in the hands of her brothers. Roger reveals that he has been haunted by his actions towards his mistress and her work and he has never been able to finish the novel they started together. The play ends with his youngest son Phillip stealing the outline and notes of the dead woman’s novel, leaving the audience to reflect on the patterns of family dysfunction that may never fully heal.