Moving boxes are scattered around a cramped New York City apartment. A songwriter (Man) sits at a piano desperately, yet fruitlessly, trying to write the opening of a song “BOUNCY OPENING”. A second songwriter (Woman) enters talking on a cellphone. While Woman begins to unpack the moving boxes, Man continues experimenting at the piano; neither one sees the other.

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Becoming frustrated by his writer’s block, Man begins pacing around the room. Woman,, intrigued by the piano, sits down and begins experimenting with a few chords. Without realizing it, they serendipitously begin to compose the beginnings of a song. 

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Suddenly, an argument from the upstairs neighbor interrupts the mysterious moment. Man and Woman both retaliate by making as much noise as they can. The neighbors end their argument and Man and Woman return to composing their song “The DUET DEVELOPS”. As the song continues to take shape, they realize something strange is happening: they are not alone. Woman, a new resident of the apartment living in present day, is composing this song with Man, a resident of the apartment living in 1954.

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Pushing through their fear and hesitation—still unable to fully grasp what is happening to them—Man and Woman both lose themselves to the moment and sing their newly completed song together “BITTERSWEET LULLABY”. Their voices connect through time and for a brief moment, Man and Woman,, can see each other.

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The song ends and the two songwriters return to their separate timelines. Both writers struggle to understand what just happened but are overcome with excitement from composing a new song. Man grabs his hat and exits out the door while Woman searches for a piece of paper to write the song onto. Her search takes her to the old piano bench where she finds the sheet music for “Bittersweet Lullaby” dated 1954. As she stares in wonderment and bafflement at the sheet music, beginning to take in what’s just taken place, her cell phone rings and she answers the call.

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Bittersweet Lullaby is a musical sequence that also functions as one song.