Edward lives, somewhat reluctantly, in a rambling hospice for the aged, of which his parents are the managers and owners. He is fascinated by death, but more interestingly, by what happens after death. Surrounded by the elderly, he is intrigued by ghosts and the paranormal. His distracted and overworked parents tolerate his interests, but Edward obsessively pursues the meaning of death, toting his tape recorder around in an attempt to find clues that will help him understand mortality. With the arrival of the bitter, burned-out Clarence, who unwillingly finds himself an inmate of the hospice, Edward's interests take on an entirely different dimension...