In the border town of Imperial Beach, south of San Diego, a man becomes involved with a homeless kid whose only goal, besides panhandling for beer and staying stoned, is to get back to his hometown of Evanston, Illinois. The kid reminds the man of his own brother, whose life was nearly ruined by substance abuse, and so purposes to help the kid get back to his home and the family who left him. But there are people living in the homeless camp who are less welcoming, and the man finds that no good deed is ever done without evil following close behind.