On an abandoned beach on the Southern California Coast near midnight, Everett Durant reaches into the pockets of his jeans as he approaches the water's edge. He unburdens himself of all personal belongings as he prepares to commit suicide by drowning but fails. During his unsuccessful drowning, Everett experiences the appurtenance of a Guardian Angel, of sorts. When he wakes, he sees only the impression of a sand angel remaining where he washed ashore. He soon learns that a young girl either jumped or fell from the cliffs above and suffered and died not so long ago. This realization encourages the washed-up emo-songwriter to honor her memory in a constructive way, and that sets the saga in motion. Everett deeply connects with those living in society's underbelly as he gives them a voice through a collection of post-beat poetry. Soon, a quick fifteen minutes of fame lead him into the path of Beatrice Rutherford, otherwise known as "the heiress." With the prompting of the heiress, Everett moves deeper into the disorienting seas of cultural conformity, mass socialization, and geopolitical control, while championing the role of an inspired individualism. He could never have imagined that this incredible postmodern journey would begin with a dark night of the soul on an abandoned beach.