Born under unusual circumstances, a man comes into the world as an elderly baby in post-World War I New Orleans. His mother dies during childbirth, and his father, horrified by his appearance, abandons him on the steps of an elderly care home. There, he is taken in and raised by the nurturing staff and the elderly residents, unaware of his unique condition—he ages backward. As he grows younger with each passing year, he struggles with the physical limitations of old age in his youth, which make him an outsider to children his apparent age and challenges him in many aspects of his life, including navigating his family relationships and finding his place in the world.

During his atypical journey through life, the man meets a young girl named Daisy, and the two form an extraordinary connection that deepens as they periodically cross paths. Despite the vast difference in their apparent ages, their bond continues to grow as they share experiences and moments. As he physically becomes younger and she grows older, their lives converge and diverge in various ways, causing them to reflect on the nature of life, love, and the passage of time. Their relationship becomes the center around which many of the man's life decisions pivot as he attempts to find a semblance of normalcy in a life that is anything but ordinary.