A native of Birmingham, Alabama, exiles himself from his hometown. His father is a member of the KKK, his mother died giving birth to him, and he is saddened/sickened by the violence associated wit...view moreA native of Birmingham, Alabama, exiles himself from his hometown. His father is a member of the KKK, his mother died giving birth to him, and he is saddened/sickened by the violence associated with the Civil Rights struggle. He supports himself selling Romanian rugs (imitation of Persian rugs at one-third of the price) and sex toys. The whole novel is in the form of letters he writes to a friend who collects first day of issue envelopes/stamps. The exile continues until 1971, when, as the title indicates, he returns to Birmingham somewhat the worse for wear.view less