Cuba, 1945. An American father observes his young son’s superb performance in a pigeon-shooting competition. Speaking only a few, hoarse words during the contest, the boy has a sneaky way of identifying traps by the unique sound of their release. Yet he is egoistic enough to tell his father—a lesser participant in the same competition—that he doesn’t understand how any shooter can ever miss a pigeon. The father understands his son’s special ability, but urges modesty and warns him never to share such a sentiment with anyone else.