In Eastern Texas during a 1940s summer, working class teenager Jack falls in love with Ginny, the daughter of the town's banker. Jack and Ginny elope to Louisiana, where 17 year-olds can marry without parental consent. Jack gets a job in the oil fields to support himself and Ginny, whose father hires a private investigator to put an end to their summer dreams. When Ginny learns that she's pregnant and the town doctor relays some bad news, the American Dream appears increasingly unattainable for this young couple.