Remy(short for Remiel) is a middle-aged family man who is the grandson of a Spanish immigrant, Serafin. After he loses his job he re-examines his life and motivation, or lack thereof. In his quest for survival in the face of limited opportunities he realizes that the majority of the social safety nets aren't designed to help a middle-class man, who falls on bad luck. After he breaks out of his self-pity, he decides that commiserating about the way things are won't accomplish anything. After he reflects on the difficulties of his grandfather's path, he decides to enter the world of politics with the ambition of being in a position to change his world. The story alternates between his grandfather's initial life in America and Remiel's.