Interstate

In a bar, a college student asserts the United States has no folktales about wish-granters. An elderly man interrupts him, insisting such tales exist and mentions O.W. Grant, who carries a monkey-head pipe. He explains Grant travels the country granting wishes, but often with mischief unless he likes you.

Neal Oliver works in a St. Louis grocery warehouse and longs to be an artist. His father and girlfriend offer little support for his dream, pushing him toward a conventional path. He secretly hopes for a life where his art matters.

At Neal's 22nd birthday party, O.W. Grant appears as the waiter serving the cake. Neal wishes for an answer to his life, hoping for direction. His father hands him an admission letter to law school, and a red BMW gift seems intended for his father, not him. Later, a falling bucket knocks Neal unconscious.

Neal wakes in the hospital and meets Dr. Ray, who gives him a sight test with playing cards. Neal tries to name the suits, but Ray shows that the cards are miscolored—red spades and black hearts—emphasizing that things aren't always as they seem.

After leaving the hospital, Neal encounters a billboard image of the woman from his dreams. The billboard initially appears blank, then a new picture appears with a framed inscription reading 'Call 555-1300'. Neal calls the number and is told to come to 555 Olive Street, Suite 1300.

At the appointment, Ray gives Neal a package to deliver to Robin Fields in Danver, Colorado. He is told to locate Danver by taking Interstate 60, a road that doesn't exist on Neal's map. Realizing he'll have to travel west in search of answers, Neal sets out.

Leaving the hospital, Neal meets O.W. Grant on the road and Grant offers directions to Interstate 60. The encounter hints that the journey may be more than a simple drive.

As Neal travels, he encounters several unusual characters: a man who can consume enormous quantities of food and drink, a woman seeking perfect sexual experiences, a mother searching for her son in a city addicted to a government-controlled drug, a dying ex-advertiser spreading a crusade against dishonesty, and Mrs. James, who runs the Museum of Art Fraud housing real masterpieces posing as fakes. Each encounter hints at the strange rules of the town and Grant's power.

In the town of Morlaw, where all citizens are lawyers who sue each other, Neal finds Lynn—the imprisoned woman from his dreams and paintings. They have sex in a motel, and Neal paints the motel itself. The encounter deepens Neal's connection to Lynn and his quest.

Neal leaves Morlaw to deliver the package in Danver while Lynn stays behind. A radio report about a murderer on the loose mentions a car matching Neal's, prompting him to hitchhike rather than press on with his own vehicle.

In Danver, Neal meets 'Robin Fields', who turns out to be O.W. Grant in disguise. Neal opens the package to reveal a replacement monkey-head pipe for Grant's broken one, symbolizing the ongoing cycle of manipulation and revelation.

Grant uses his powers to warp Neal back in time, and Neal wakes up in the hospital just before he first met Ray. The scene suggests that Neal's experiences may be a loop or test arranged by Grant.

Neal confronts his father, asserting that he has the right to live his life without parental interference. The confrontation marks a turning point in Neal's resolve to sculpt his own path.

Neal's sister takes him to an art gallery where his painting of the motel appears—submitted on his behalf by Grant after Neal had left it there. The discovery hints that Grant continues to shape Neal's artistic opportunities.

Lynn approaches Neal at the gallery and reveals that she works with Danver Publishing. She expresses interest in commissioning Neal to paint more roadside motels and diners, suggesting a potential future collaboration.