Going Nowhere

South California. 21-year-old Jimmy Evans is going through a hard time. He has a dead-end job at a burger restaurant and most of his money goes to his family. His parents fight all the time, and between the problems at home and the lack of any sort of future, his only shelter is going out with his best friend from childhood, Ryan Bielski. Ryan has a small radio show and, much like Jimmy is going through a hard time as well. His girlfriend left him for another man and has been struggling to carry on with life. The two men have lost faith that the future will be any better. However, Ryan convinces Jimmy to buy a new Felder guitar, as music has always been Jimmy's greatest passion, and believes this could help him to feel better. Jimmy agrees with Ryan's suggestion and, planning to buy the guitar after work, takes his savings along with him. However, after he leaves them in his locker and finds the locker opened by some co-workers, Jimmy finds out that the money is gone. Jimmy confronts his co-workers, leading to a fight. As his boss arrives, Jimmy tries to explain himself but the boss doesn't listen to him and downplays the issue. Tired of both his co-workers and his job, Jimmy suffers a mental breakdown and decides that he has had enough of it. He punches his co-worker, takes away the money from the cash register, and escapes in his car. As Officer Davison has witnessed the incident, Jimmy tries to leave town as soon as possible... but ends up hitting Ryan by accident. A frightened Jimmy wants to take Ryan to a hospital, but since Ryan isn't badly wounded and realizes that his friend is in trouble, decides that he can wait and agrees to leave town along with Jimmy. Jimmy takes Ryan to a medical center outside town. Ryan questions Jimmy on what he plans to do now, to which Jimmy replies that he has no idea. He knows that the best thing would be to go back home and face the consequences of his actions... but doesn't want to. He knows that there will be plenty of problems waiting for him and he has had enough. Jimmy says that he needs to get away from it all for at least a night. Ryan wants to keep Jimmy company while things calm down, and as the two boys wonder what to do or where to go, they meet Reb, a 22-year-old woman who asks them to give her a ride to San Francisco... and after discussing whether or not this might be a good idea and coming to the conclusion that it could be a fun adventure, they agree. Jimmy and Ryan take Reb along with them, and they soon become friends. Much like them, Reb is some sort of runaway who left home after her father got angry at them for being bisexual (her fight with her father was so bad that she even ended up losing a finger). Reb also makes fun of them, asking them if they are a couple, and teasing them with some flirting. Believing that he needs to get back on the game, Jimmy tries to help Ryan hook up with Reb, but Ryan is still too insecure about himself and doesn't feel ready for something like that. As night arrives, they stop at a country bar, where Reb obliges them to sing a hippie protest song in karaoke, which makes the crowd angry and they are forced to leave - a rather fun experience for the three friends. They spend the night in a nearby motel and as they continue sharing personal stories, Reb decides to have a three-way with them. The travel continues the next day. They take Reb to San Francisco and part ways with them, promising to meet again some other time. Ryan thanks Reb for helping him recover his confidence, and Reb advises Jimmy to take things easier and to confront his problems as there is no such thing as an absolute escape from them. As Jimmy and Ryan head back home, Jimmy grows anxious fearing what could be waiting for him back home. Ryan tries to calm him down... but as Officer Davison finds them, things get messy. Jimmy tries to escape, Ryan initially tries to stop him, then helps him... and the two of them end up arrested. Jimmy protests and Ryan explains their reasons to leave as well as what drove Jimmy to do what he did. Since Officer Davison has known them since they were kids, he agrees to help them out. He assures him that he will help him with his boss and that won't be convicted as long as he returns the money he stole and apologizes. Ryan agrees that this would be a good idea... but even though Jimmy initially accepts Officer Davison's help, he ends up changing his mind. Officer Davison drops Jimmy at his home, asking him to meet with him the next day to solve things out on his job... but Jimmy bails. Instead of going home, he wanders through town and meets with a band of hippie friends who invite him to San Francisco. He leaves with them. The next day, Officer Davison searches for Jimmy. He meets with Ryan, who is upset that Jimmy didn't follow through with their plan. As Ryan believes that maybe Jimmy went back to search for Reb, he calls her... and, sure enough, she tells him that Jimmy and his hippie friends are indeed with her. Officer Davison and Ryan arrive at Reb's and find Jimmy. Ryan confronts him and the two friends fight. As Jimmy tries to escape, Reb and Officer Davison ambush him and set things straight with him. Jimmy breaks down, explaining how he is overwhelmed by everything... to which they reply that he is not the only one who feels that way regarding life, but that that is part of growing up and that he doesn't need to face his problems alone, as he has friends and people who care for him. Jimmy comes to his senses and apologizes to them. Officer Davison takes him back home... and Jimmy faces the consequences with both his family and his job. However, as Davison promised, he is not convicted. The story ends with Jimmy coming to accept that what growing up truly means is to become able to deal with the problems life brings along while finding a way to carry on... which, for him, means buying the Felder guitar he wanted and playing again.