Parsons Pond, a pocket park in a suburb west of Chicago, is an idyllic, tree-shaded neighborhood of disparate souls proud of having created a friendly and sociable community. Among them, two men who retired to the pond from their careers in the city, searching for less stressful lives after decades of corporate servitude, who develop a close friendship. One is a decorated Vietnam veteran and the other adopts maintenance of the pond as a daily regimen. Common experiences of failed relationships distance them from family and old friends, but they each sense a feeling of belonging on the pond.
Among their neighbors – a civil engineer; a creative writing teacher; a contractor; a corporate counsel; a MAGA curmudgeon; a real estate agent; a network engineer; an art restorer – they find acceptance and friendship. One of the men spends his time reading on his front porch, reveling in the view of the pond and its twin fountains, greeting passersby as they walk their dogs, stroll along the sidewalk, or jog and cycle.