- After a string of crushing personal and professional humiliations, Jack Lee accepts that at age 39 he is a failure. Worst of all, he's let down his selfless immigrant parents. To get back on track, Jack reaches out to others: an almost famous guru, a respected arts administrator, and two fellow computer programmers, all of whom have problems of their own.
- Andrea Absolonová was a talented Czech professional diver with a bright career ahead of her. However, her sports career had been cut short by a spinal injury during a training session at the Atlanta Olympic Games. She then embraced a professional career in the adult entertainment industry, where she became an internationally recognized porn actress. She died at the age of 27.
