The Petrified Forest

Set against the grim backdrop of the Great Depression, "The Petrified Forest" tells the story of Alan Squier - a failed writer turned drifter. Disillusioned, cynical, and aimless, he finds himself wandering into a diner that stands at the edge of Arizona's Petrified Forest. It is there that he finds kindred souls amongst the workers and the patrons, whether it is a man whose wife left him after the horrors of war had taken their toll on his mind, or a young woman whose dreams have been hamstrung by the Depression. All too quickly do his fortunes change, however, as he involves himself more deeply in their affairs.