Twenty one year old Donny O'Brien, a recent college graduate, dreams of moving to Los Angeles to pursue a songwriting career. Only one thing stands in his way: an inability to confront the guilt associated with a car accident that left his mother mentally handicapped for the rest of her life. This is the story of how Donny comes to deal with his conflict and the unexpected wisdom he gains - both from his mother and his struggle to write a song for her.