Seemingly uncomplicated charm, which disguises a complex and profound character, attracts an aging narrator, a self-made millionaire, and self-styled fabulist into a courtship that takes them from the local dance hall to halfway around the world and the heat and romance of Sicily. This is a strong statement on the nature of love and work in postmodern America, the meaning of home, exile and belonging, and the possibility of fully relating to another human being.