Nearing 100 years old, a Vietnamese man, Dao, is living in New Orleans. He is visited by the ghost of his old friend, Ho Chi Minh. Together, they remember the times they spent working in London and Paris, thinking about political and religious ideas. Dao was attracted to Buddhism while Ho flocked to Marx, a movement that would define their eventual divergence. Meanwhile, Dao learns of the death of a Vietnamese man in their community; he later finds out that the murder was politically motivated and orchestrated by his grandson and son-in-law. Dao speaks to Ho one final time in the night, wondering if, in the afterlife, there will be room for politics. Whether there is or no, Dao looks forward to seeing his friend again and continuing on their path of learning together.