The veteran Vietnam lieutenant Jake Neeley lives alone in a cabin in the woods and his only contact with the civilization is through the owner of a small store, Kate, who periodically supplies his provisions. The solitary Jake helps other lonely veterans that live in the forest giving them part of his supplies and receiving wood in return. When Jake is visited by the former private of his platoon Henry R. Hocknell, who has lung cancer, Henry asks him to raise his Vietnamese daughter Lenny Hocknell. The widow Henry has no family and he will be subjected to a severe treatment of cancer. The reluctant Jake says no, but Henry leaves his daughter and vanishes. Along his contact with the young girl, Jake improves his behavior until a tragedy happens.

The storyline for the film was inspired by the Lee Teter print "Reflections". The film's screenwriter, retired U.S. Army Major Ken Miller, who served in Vietnam, saw Teter's famous illustration in an art gallery and immediately was filled with war-related emotions.

Jake:
I'm not going to explain some damn thing to you that you'd never understand anyhow.

Miscellaneous: When Jake visits The Vietnam Memorial Wall, Henry Hocknell Jr.'s name is up there. But Henry didn't die in Vietnam, he showed up at Jake's place with his daughter 35 years later, sick, but very much alive.