chunk: In 1969, child prodigy William Miller struggles to fit in with the world. His widowed mother Elaine â who has led him to believe he is 12 years old, until Williams older sister, Anita, tells their mother to tell the truth, his age is actually 11, from being placed into First Grade at the age of 5, and skipped 5th grade. Their mother strictly controls and protects him and his older sister Anita, forbidding rock music and other unwelcome influences, driving Anita to leave home and become a flight attendant.