Bluestone is a Broadway composer who is in the middle of writing a musical when he discovers via a mysterious visitor—implied to be the Devil—that he has suffered a fatal heart attack. After stewing over his own loss and his widow's proposed reaction to his death, Bluestone is offered a small gift by the visitor, whose name is Prince. He can traverse time and history to relive any moment, but must play music for the ones "below decks" from time to time in return. Bluestone's wish is to "make it" with gorgeous Mary Ellen Cosgrove - his high school crush - back in October 1948, so he accepts Prince's offer. Bluestone, whose real name is Blaustein, finds himself at a party in his teenhood. He interacts with his old friends, then approaches Laura, a classmate who is possessed by Prince. Bluestone has a conversation with Prince and then sees Teresa Golowitz, who he claims is one of "the plain girls" Mary Ellen invites to make herself look better. Prince reminds Bluestone that Golowitz is the girl who committed suicide that night because she wanted to escape as much as he did. He suddenly remembers that and how much of a scandal at school it was. She took the bus back to town and after reflecting on the grief and loneliness that haunted her for the past sixteen years and how the future might be, she stepped in front of the next bus en route. After an attempt to help her, Bluestone gets Teresa to sing while he plays a Broadway tune. The party appears to love their chemistry, but she still feels out of place. So, he attempts to explain how she could be a fantastic singer and change her life. She leaves and he ends up in Mary Ellen's bedroom, but he decides to leave as well. He finds Teresa outside and they arrange to meet thenext day. Bluestone returns to the present and discovers that Teresa Golowitz, under the name “Terri Gold,” has become an award-winning singer, with Bluestone composing for her. The "top siders" are upset, as they do not like people changing history, so he has to lay low for awhile with the ones "below decks." They enjoy his music.
