The Nature Faker

A young, affluent man whose heart is broken by the woman he loves decides to abandon society’s usual comforts and devote himself to the natural world. He transforms an abandoned Connecticut farm into a series of meticulously designed gardens and a sprawling game preserve, turning the land into a living laboratory for his ideals. Surrounded by dense woods, hidden streams, and a modest menagerie of squirrels, rabbits and birds, he comes to view the wilderness not as property but as a community of guests.

In his new sanctuary, he spends hours tracking the movements of the wildlife, tending to their habitats and even acting as their protector against predators. The routine of sunrise walks, quiet observation, and gentle stewardship gives him a sense of purpose that he feels human relationships cannot provide. Yet his friends, amused by his eccentricity, eventually coax him back into the city’s bright lights and noisy entertainments, setting the stage for a clash between his cultivated serenity and the chaotic world he left behind.