Tod is working at a cotton mill in the small town of Lake Chisholm, Tennessee while he waits for Buz, still in hospital in Cleveland. He has been befriended by Skeeter, a co-worker, and his girlfriend of nineteen years, Elva Dupree. Skeeter and Elva are like most people in the town, born and raised in town, not knowing of any other life than what happens in town. One day, a middle aged man wearing a tuxedo steps off the bus, only looking to buy a pair of shoes to replace his ruined ones. On a whim, he decides to stay, at least for the three days until the next bus rolls through town. They will learn his name is Julian Roebuck from Hollywood. Part of his enchantment is sensing an opportunity to learn about the southern culture, important to him as an artist, especially the local folk music. Another part of the enchantment is Elva. In return, Elva, who offers him a room in her parents' house, is immediately smitten with him, believing she has fallen in love. Tod ends up being caught in the middle of what is happening. He can understand Julian's need to stay to create something of meaning to him - his folk opera - but Julian, by his sheer presence here which to some like Skeeter seems to be mocking their way of life, makes them see Tod too as an outsider. Julian has to decide how important this work is to him and how far he will go to achieve it, which, if he goes too far, may end up ruining Elva's life, like the path of destruction he has left in his wake so far, such as was the case in Hollywood.
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