Full Synopsis

 

In present day San Francisco, John Clark and his wife Sabrina are going through their late mother’s safe deposit box. They come across a clue to the identity of John’s biological parents. They are both intrigued with the photos they find of someone named Aaron Thomas.

 

We now flashback to 1970 in San Francisco. The Viet Nam war is at its height. The antiwar movement is reaching the boiling point. Aaron Thomas has come to the Haight- Ashbury district of San Francisco to hone his musical skills. He is a Berkeley student and lives with his band mates in a small apartment. He is a guitarist, composer, poet, antiwar activist, and lover of the arts. The band is rehearsing their latest high-powered antiwar anthem.

 

Aaron and his band mates call the local radio station for the lottery numbers for the Vietnam war draft. They are very concerned. Aaron is the only one with a number low enough to be eligible for active duty. Despite being a student, Aaron has slipped below the minimum units allowed for exemption. He is now eligible for active military duty. Aaron begins to panic.

 

The scene now moves to the present day. John and Sabrina continue looking through their mother’s safe deposit box. John is convinced that the photos are clues to the identity of his biological parents. As they examine the three photos of Aaron Thomas and his band, Sabrina notices that the same Chinese girl is in each photo. Again we flash back to San Francisco’s Chinatown in 1970. Jing Po is the youngest of two daughters born to immigrant Chinese parents. She attends UC Berkeley and minds the family Chinatown store. We are introduced to Jing’s parents and older sister, Ling-si. The scene moves to present day San Francisco. John has fallen asleep at the computer late at night. His quest is becoming an obsession. Sabrina wakes him. John has found only a few clues concerning Aaron Thomas. He is disappointed and concerned that he may not like what he discovers. John shows Sabrina his latest findings: Aaron Thomas and his band were regulars at the San Francisco anti-war rally scene and played in local coffee houses. At a Haight-Ashbury coffee shop, Jing has come to watch Aaron perform his music and poetry. Both Jing and Ling-si, Jing’s sister, know their parents would never approve of Jing’s interest in an American boy.

 

The next day Yao, the landlord of the Po apartment and shop, comes to collect the rent at the Chinatown store. He is very interested in Jing. While visiting with Mr. and Mrs. Po, Yao suggests that Jing has become too Americanized and needs a mentor to teach her the traditional Chinese ways. He manipulates the conversation in order to have Mr. and Mrs. Po persuade him to be Jing’s mentor. He accepts the position as Jing’s mentor but adds a further incentive. Yao will give the Po family the apartment and store if they can make the relationship between Yao and Jing a more permanent one. Yao leaves the store and Aaron enters a few minutes later. Aaron pretends to be shopping when Mr. and Mrs. Po come down from their apartment to the shop. A comical scene ensues as Mrs. Po waits on Aaron as a legitimate customer. Ling-si tries to usher Aaron out, but before he leaves, he and Jing make plans to meet later that night at Portsmouth Square.

 

That evening Jing and Aaron meet amid the noise and bright colors of the Portsmouth Square night fair in Chinatown. They wander among the many booths and shops. They speak of the similar situations in which they find themselves: cultural intolerance, family expectations. Yao comes across Jing and Aaron and reprimands her for fraternizing with an American boy. But before Jing leaves, Aaron invites her to the anti-war rally the next day in Chinatown where Aaron’s band will be playing.

 

As we move to the present day, a disheveled John is in his robe sitting in front of the computer working feverishly. It is early morning and Sabrina is dressed and ready for work. John has taken the day off to pursue his latest clue. Sabrina is concerned about John’s increasing obsession. John has discovered that Aaron Thomas was a Cal Berkeley student and spent time in prison. Both John and Sabrina are disappointed that Aaron might be a criminal.

 

We return to the 1970 time line. Jing attends the rally the next day. Aaron addresses the crowd informing them of his recent report for active duty notice. He proclaims his intention of refusing to serve in the military. He publicly credits Jing for helping him come to this revelation. Jing is moved by his beautiful songs and moral stand.

 

That evening Aaron invites Jing to his Haight-Ashbury apartment. They stop by Jing’s Chinatown apartment to pick up some food. Aaron has brought his acoustic guitar along. Jing invites him up to the roof where he sings a few songs. The San Francisco skyline is beautiful as the sun sets. The romantic scene culminates with the consummation of their relationship. Ling-si bursts in on the scene and announces in a panic that Yao is pounding on the front door. Yao has been informed by the neighbors that Jing has been seen with an American boy on the roof of the apartment. Aaron flees via the fire escape. Yao lets himself in using his passkey. Jing is furious that Yao has entered their house uninvited. Yao storms up the stairs to the roof in order to apprehend Aaron. Yao threatens to tell Jing’s parents about her American boyfriend.

 

The next day Yao visits Mr. and Mrs. Po in the Chinatown shop. He offers them ownership of the shop and apartment if Jing will consent to a more permanent relationship with him. Mrs. Po is convinced that the only way to curb Jing’s American tendencies is an arranged marriage, as well as helping them with their financial trouble. Mr. Po is not convinced but reluctantly agrees. Jing is crushed. A tearful Jing tells Lingsi that Aaron has been sentenced to two years in prison.

 

The scene now moves back to the present day in San Francisco. John and Sabrina are seated at their individual computers in the beautiful San Francisco public library. They finally discover the true reason for Aaron’s incarceration. John is elated that Aaron is really a hero. While searching the Pacifica Archives and the Berkeley student newspaper, Sabrina has discovered the name of the mysterious Chinese girl in the photos: Jing Po. They quickly look for the Po name in the San Francisco phone listings. There are over one hundred. Undeterred, John is convinced someone in Chinatown must know something about Jing Po.

 

A few months later in the Po apartment Jing confides in her sister that she is pregnant with Aaron’s child. She is beginning to realize that she has no option but to marry Yao. Yao hears of this and says he will not marry Jing until she gives up the half-breed baby for adoption. Her parents agree and are angry for the dishonor she has brought upon the family. Six months later Jing has given birth to a son and is about to marry Yao on April 25, 1971. Her parents have forced her to give up the baby for adoption a few days before Aaron is released early for good behavior.

 

 Aaron is released and rushes to the Po apartment to see Jing. Jing’s parents throw him out of the shop. Aaron is crushed. Jing is resolved to see Aaron and explain all that has happened. Jing arrives at Aaron’s apartment to find the door open and all the lights off. She finds him sitting alone in the dark in despair. There is a tearful reunion and they resolve to be together at any cost. Jing will not return home but stay with Aaron. Aaron’s band is scheduled to play at the huge anti-war rally on April 24th in Golden Gate Park. The band will perform at the rally and both Jing and Aaron will leave town shortly thereafter. Meanwhile, Yao and Mr. and Mrs. Po have returned home to find that Jing has left the apartment. Ling-si refuses to tell them anything.

 

The storyline moves forward to the present day. Both John and Sabrina have spent the day searching Chinatown for clues to the identity of John’s biological parents. They enter the Po shop. An aging Ling-si tells them of her sister. They are confused when Ling-si talks of Jing in the past tense. We now move back to April 24, 1971. In Golden Gate Park there are 150,000 people in attendance. Aaron’s band plays. The famous orator Reverend Marshall Logan delivers a stirring speech. While on stage, Aaron asks Jing to join him on stage. The crowd cheers and the band is ecstatic. Yao, who has been working his way through the crowd, sees this and is infuriated. As he approaches the stage, he whips out a gun and gets off three shots before he is subdued by security. Pandemonium ensues. Aaron falls to the stage, slightly wounded. Everyone gathers around Aaron. Behind Aaron, Jing has fallen down, mortally wounded. There is renewed pandemonium as everyone realizes Jing is truly injured. Aaron struggles to his feet and goes over to Jing. He holds her in his arms as she dies. He screams in fury and anguish.

 

We again move forward to the present day. John knocks on the door of Aaron’s home. An aging Aaron Thomas answers. Aaron finally stands face to face with John, his only son.