A man named Rub, not too young and not too old, lives in a sinking skyscraper and works for a personal-injury lawyer who's slowly losing his mind. Every day Rub stares out at the tiny boats on the San Francisco Bay, wanting to be there and not filing paperwork for a cloistered madman. Finally Rub goes to a rickety dock by the sea, seeking sailing lessons. He meets the singular Sanravelle, a barefoot captain, who leads him out of the blight and into a life of speed and cold and light.