In San Francisco, an immigrant Chinese widow welcomes the new year with some unhappiness: She's now 62, and wants to make a trip to China to pay her respects to her ancestors, a fortune teller has told her this is the year she will die, and a daughter, Geraldine, remains unmarried. Gealdine does have a boyfriend, but she's not sure she's ready for marriage, and, anyway, he lives in Los Angeles and Geraldine doesn't want to leave her mother alone in her declining years. Mrs. Tan's cheerful brother-in-law tries to help out. Is there any solution that will enable Mrs. Tan to hold onto her culturally-influenced and deep seated hopes, yet keep those hopes from suffocating Geraldine?