Sam Doonby (John Schneider), a handsome but mysterious drifter, steps off an interstate bus and quickly becomes the talk of a small Texas town. After finding work tending bar at Leroy's blues bar (Ernie Hudson), his musical talents make him a local star, attracting the attention of Laura (Jenn Gotzon), the beautiful but spoiled daughter of Dr. Cyrus and Barbra Ann Reaper (Joe Estevez and Jennifer O'Neill).
Though he seems magically on hand to avert several catastrophies befalling the town, soon suspicion and jealousy drive folks to question his origins and motives. They go to Sheriff Woodley (Robert Davi) but he can find nothing about him. Who is Sam Doonby? It's like he never existed. Finally when Laura starts to doubt him as well, Doonby disappears as quickly as he came and everyone realizes there was far more to this enigmatic stranger than they understood, especially Cyrus and his family as disasters become real once more and his past comes back to haunt him.