Zac Zap is our hero. Born with spina bifida and unable to speak except for at most two words at a time, he finds adventure when he and his wheelchair are mistakenly loaded onto the mail car a westbound train.

Hundreds of miles away he is discovered after the railroad company sorts things out, he is sent home by bus with two of the most inept bus drivers. When the fall asleep, Zac steers the bus to Smartinville, LA just as the Great Big Canoe Race is set to start on the Bayou Teche. He is recognized by a hometown friend, Amy (a stellar athlete who has Down syndrome) who is in need of a partner for her two-person canoe.

Boo Gweebeau, the organizer of the event is wary of Amy andhas carefully "fixed" the race so that his sons, Fartimore and Nbread -- but just in case, he has a backup scheme waiting at the finish line.