In the spring of 1945, young mother Ruby and her 10-year-old daughter, Pug, live on a small farm in North Carolina.
Frank (Ruby's husband and Pug's father) is fighting in World War II and has been missing in action for three years in the Pacific.
Ruby comes to his defense and, to avoid a vagrancy charge, she hires Tom as a farm hand and lets him live in a large shed on the property.
Tom acts in a fatherly manner towards Pug by taking her fishing, celebrating her 11th birthday, and teaching her how to dance.
Later that night, Tom reveals to Ruby that his younger brother fought and died in the Spanish Civil War, and the loss has left him disillusioned.
During a town celebration, Pug gathers the bullies in a shed to try to convince them that Tom is a brave man by telling tall tales.
It's revealed to the townsfolk that Tom fought alongside his brother for the Republican faction in the Spanish Civil War.