The Men in the Trees centers around a teen mother, Meryl Panagos, who's barely out of high school, living on her own and struggling to raise a young son in a small Oregon town. Although Meryl has a good job at a friend's comic book store, it's still difficult to make ends meet or even find time to talk to the handsome university student who keeps hanging around. Then Rose Washington answers her ad for a roommate and it's like a wish come true. A retired school teacher, Rose is happy to help cook, clean and even babysit when needed. But Rose has secrets - including a preoccupation with the surrounding wilderness and a century-old legend which may be more ominous than it first appears. Be careful what you wish for.