Jenny Smith, a young journalist, secures a career-making interview with a famous but reclusive author, AJ Kenton. Jenny's time with Mr. Kenton, however, is not spent in her asking questions but in his telling one last story. During three afternoons, Kenton describes a pivotal point in his life. As a twelve year old, he went door to door in his neighborhood and sold packets of flower seeds. His goal was to earn a prize from the seed company's catalog. His memories reveal the hidden struggles of middle-class life in the early 1960s, a time that many people living today picture as ideal. When neighbors invite AJ into their homes, they also invite him into their private worlds of successes, failures, and dreams. At the same time, AJ discovers his true talents, and he faces the dysfunction that may tear his family apart. By experiencing an intimate look at a cross-section of American life from the past, Jenny realizes how our present American life is painfully similar. Ultimately, she must decide whether to unmask harsh realities or to maintain pleasant illusions.