, ▁is ▁about ▁a ▁young ▁man , ▁H omer ▁Well s , ▁growing ▁up ▁under ▁the ▁guidance ▁of ▁Dr . ▁Wil bur ▁L arch , ▁an ▁obst et ric ian ▁and ▁abort ion ist . ▁The ▁story ▁rel ates ▁his ▁early ▁life ▁at ▁L arch ' s ▁or phan age ▁in ▁Maine ▁and ▁follows ▁H omer ▁as ▁he ▁eventually ▁leaves ▁the ▁nest ▁and ▁comes ▁of ▁age ▁in ▁the ▁world . ▁ ▁Background ▁The ▁story ▁about ▁W ally ▁being ▁shot ▁down ▁over ▁Bur ma ▁was ▁based ▁in ▁part ▁on ▁that ▁of ▁Ir ving ' s ▁bi ological ▁father ▁( wh om ▁he ▁never ▁met ), ▁who ▁had ▁been ▁shot ▁down ▁over ▁Bur ma ▁and ▁surv ived . ▁ ▁Plot ▁H omer ▁Well s ▁grows ▁up ▁in ▁an ▁or phan age ▁where ▁he ▁sp ends ▁his ▁child hood ▁trying ▁to ▁be ▁" of ▁use " ▁as ▁a ▁medical ▁assistant ▁to ▁the ▁director , ▁Dr . ▁Wil bur ▁L arch , ▁whose ▁history ▁is ▁told ▁in ▁flash back s : ▁After ▁a ▁tra um atic ▁mis ad vent ure ▁with ▁a ▁prost itute ▁as ▁a ▁young ▁man , ▁Wil bur ▁turns ▁his ▁back ▁on ▁sex ▁and ▁love , ▁choosing ▁instead ▁to ▁help ▁women ▁with ▁unw anted ▁pre gn an cies ▁give ▁birth ▁and ▁then ▁keeping ▁the ▁b ab ies ▁in ▁an ▁or phan age . ▁He ▁makes ▁a ▁point ▁of ▁maintain ing ▁an ▁emot ional ▁distance ▁from ▁the ▁or ph ans , ▁so ▁that ▁they ▁can ▁more ▁easily ▁make ▁the ▁transition ▁into ▁an ▁adopt ive ▁family