In 2025, Woodrow Wilson Nickel dies and leaves behind a locker of notes and a porcelain giraffe. The Veterans Affairs liaison responsible for Woodrow’s remaining belongings begins reading his notes, a love story about giraffes.

On September 21, 1938, the Great Hurricane hits New York. Woodrow has recently moved to New York from the Dust Bowl. When his parents and baby sister died, Woodrow decided to head to New York, where he has a relative named Cuz. After an arduous journey East, Woodrow discovered that Cuz was cruel, so now, Woodrow is on his own.

The hurricane is horrifying, and Woodrow finds Cuz’s body dead from the storm. He checks his pockets for money, finds a lucky rabbit’s foot, and kicks the corpse. Contemplating the stormy harbor, Woodrow agonizes over the injustices in his life. Woodrow is astounded when he sees two giraffes attached to cranes, one alive and one who looks dead until it opens a big eye at Woodrow.

Despite his upbringing that made animals a resource of food, not love, Woodrow loves animals and is immediately taken by the giraffes. He tries to help the seamen unload the giraffes. A truck pulls up and a man exits, heading straight for the giraffes.