Texas 1972: Vietnam veteran Jeremy Collier can not get over his war-time experiences and is hautend by horrible daydreams. His family helplessly faces his suffering. His uncomprehending father can not understand why his son does not simply leaves everything behind and gets on with his life, while his over excited mother takes is increasingly unsocial behaviour as a personal affront.
Eventually, on Thanksgiving a quarrel ensues between father and son, as Jeremy accuses him of having forced him to join the army.