Caney Paxton wanted his cafe to have the biggest and brightest sign in Eastern Oklahoma - the ''opening soon'' part was supposed to be just a removable, painted notice. But a fateful misunderstanding gave Caney the flashiest joke in the entire state. Twelve years later, the once-busy highway is dead, the joke is old, and the sign is as worn as Caney, who hasn't ventured outside the diner since it opened. Then on a blustery December day, a 30ish Crow woman blows in with a half-dead three-legged dog in her arms and a long-buried secret on her mind. Hiring on as a carhop, Vena Takes Horse is soon shaking up business, the locals, and Caney's heart...as she teaches them all about generosity of spirit, love, and the possibility of promise - just like the sign says.