Reverend Peters lives a quiet life as a Presbyterian minister in a small town in eastern Pennsylvania. He works hard on his sermons despite his family’s constant interruptions and endless “caterwauling”. His daughter, Lizzie, thinks she’s in love with a new, “older” man. His daughter, Phoebe, reads and asks questions about everything. Also in their family is Grandma, Peters’ wife's mother, who hasn’t done very well in the love and happiness department. Into this more-or-less conventional family there comes a great wind from the West, a voice from the past. Cornelius is an old friend from Grandma’s school days. He is a big presence; generous, warm, open and charming... and he thinks Grandma is absolutely wonderful. He sweeps them all off their feet. But with him come some forgotten facts about Grandma’s past. Cornelius proposes to take Grandma out to his ranch on the Snake River and give her a wonderful new life, but can she leave her family? The girls think Cornelius is wonderful, and so does Joan. Is Grandma going to accept his proposal to put the top down on his convertible and take the back road to Pocatello?