Henry Island is in big trouble. After slaving away for a dozen years to earn his Ph.D. in urban legendry, he can't find work in his field. Pursued by goons from The Company N.A. who are trying to get him to pay off his student loan, the practically penniless Henry flees Back East for Out West, where a single job is rumored to exist. On his long and difficult journey, he gets caught up in many of the legends he has studied, such as THE EXPLODING TOILET, CRUEL GRUEL, THE SLOVENIAN SOOTHSAYER and GAY INSIDE STRAIGHT. He finds himself in the army, a concentration camp, a mental hospital and a sweatshop that mass produces schlock art, and hooks up with three eccentric comrades who are also engaged in a quest for fulfilling work, the answers to life's big questions, and the secrets of championship baseball.