Donald Banner wasn't sure if he was unhappy, but he knew he found little pleasure in life. Approaching middle age, he wasn't sure that he shared the values of his family and friends. He wasn't even sure he understood them. The straw that broke the camel's back was the day his job--the one stabilizing factor in his otherwise dully chaotic existence--came to an end. And Donald ran. Thinking that Thoreau may have had the right idea, Donald Banner went off to live on a small island in the Chesapeake Bay where he built a crude cabin. Here he intended to live off the land, experiencing purity and naturalness--a truth he never had. But it's not easy to sever ties. No matter how one tries, others continue to disturb attempts at isolation. The problems and stress that Donald wished to escape continued to invade his newfound peace.