Brother Eli is a mountain of a man, bald of his free will, in the thrall of a gargantuan appetite. His robe is stained, his classes are demanding, his attitude cynical, and his breath sour. He smokes, drinks, fights against the forces of darkness—parents and school administrators. He does not lack for opponents in the Church, his family, the student body, or his order—the Most Holy Family. Now, even that war in Vietnam is coming close to home and school.