Robert is a lonely widower who lives an eventless life. He shares his days with pictures of his late wife and pays no mind to his neighbor Rose, who wants to befriend him. One day, he receives the news that he's won a contest - a trip to Malibu - but quickly dismisses it, as he is not comfortable with swimming. However, his wife's pictures seem to pressure Robert to at least give it a go. He reluctantly accepts, and sets out to learn it in his backyard: he builds a contraption on which he practices his movements, and decides to accept his neighbor's help in the process. They grow close, and quickly become friends. When the day comes to swim in Malibu, Robert realizes that he didn't really learn how to swim, and also that he must let his wife go. While strolling by the beach, he finds an old whiskey bottle that reminds him of Rose - a sign that points him to the start of a new life.