Tom Hoffman is terrified.
Unable to cope with the emotion of a funeral, he does what he usually does--run away. He stops at a small park in New York city, which is enough for his friend Colin Lane to catch up to him. Tom, a young concert pianist, has been running in fear since a diagnosis of Parkinson’s effectively ended his performance career. Colin, a cantankerous 92-year-old Irishman, has been coping with the disease for thirty years. A mentor to Tom, he is unafraid to encourage, cajole and even berate Tom to prevent his succumbing to paralysis. To that end, Tom relives the effect his diagnosis had on himself, his parents, the end of his marriage--even a suicide attempt.
A year later, Tom has returned to the park to find Colin waiting for him. Tom has gained a certain level of acceptance--he has begun composing, reached detente with his parents, and has even dipped his toe into a new relationship. Still afraid, Tom wants reassurance from Colin that he can have a good life in spite of his disease. Colin can’t give him that reassurance, and to make it clear, Colin relives his failed attempt to reconcile with his own son. Colin reminds Tom that the next to accept that there are no guarantees: his disease might stay manageable for years, or it may not; he might accept the love of others, or he might reject it out of fear. The only option is to keep living. Tom is unsure he is ready for that uncertainty, but knows it’s time to move on without his mentor. It is then that Tom apologizes to Colin for running away from his funeral--and then they say a final goodbye.