Howard Spoon is fed up with his mundane life in Decatur, Illinois. He divorces his wife, sells his dental practice, then moves to Santa Fe, New Mexico to marry a rich widow. Howard knows Santa Fe is overrun with rich widows because he read it in a magazine. With help from George Bad Toe, a full-time entrepreneur and part-time scam artist, Howard meets Charlie Malpin, a wealthy Santa Fe heiress. What Howard discovers about Charlie (and ultimately himself) throws his satirical world into a tailspin.