In middle age, inventor Stephen Minch is happy enough with his life, despite the fact that he has never risen to prominence even though his innovations have made others rich. His wife Martha, however, resents his lack of drive, his complacency, his willingness to live hand-to-mouth, and his ever-present and ever-annoying sidekick Hanus Wicks. Confronted by the evidence of Martha's years-long regret over how their lives together have turned out, Stephen decides to use his newest invention to repair her unhappiness. The new invention: a time machine.