The thing that left me with such a bitter taste in my mouth is the fact that Daisy ended up taking care of him when he was old/young, which is what he did NOT want to happen when he left. So, he lost all of that time with his daughter for nothing. He could have spent that time with her and gotten to know her. She deserved to know her father and learn about him, not from his journal, but in person. That was the saddest part of the movie. Sure, her stepfather was a wonderful father (according to Daisy), but she DESERVED to know about her dad and only found out as her mother was dying.

Zoom in on the baby Benjamin just as he is about to close his eyes forever, only this time his eyes don’t close at that frightful moment. A cutaway scene shows the dismantling of the “clock that runs backwards”, being replaced by modern digital clock. As Daisy holds the small baby in her arms she awaits the inevitable that somehow, someway, never seems to arrive. As the ensuing days pass Benjamin clings to life as delicate and fragile as any other newborn baby’s life might be. It soon becomes clear to Daisy that Benjamin is… aging normally. Was it the clock? Was it blind fate? Or perhaps divine intervention? Does it matter? As the camera pans back on Daisy holding a sturdy Benjamin, the aged Daisy in the narrative says, “Life can come at us from all angles, some of it we’re prepared for and some of it catches us by surprise. But ALL of it makes us who we are.”

The scene returns to present day with Caroline holding her mother Daisy’s hand as Hurricane Katrina rages just beyond. Hospital staff is busily tending to the distress caused by the hurricane but Caroline is oblivious to the commotion all around her and is instead transfixed to her mother’s words as they hold each other’s hand. “Mom, what happened? What happened to Benjamin?” she pleads. Daisy gently squeezes her daughter’s hand and an almost effortless smile creeps across her face, the kind smile that says I know something that you don’t. She says, very simply, very plainly, “I was too old.” The smile fades and Daisy closes her eyes and dies. Caroline hugs her dead mother and sobs, her emotions spent from all she has heard and all that has happened. She knows her mother as she never has.

From behind her standing at the door to the hospital room a voice interrupts her thoughts, “I’m sorry ma’am; I tried to get her sooner but with the hurricane and all…am I too late?” Caroline lifts her head to look at the visitor. He is a handsome young man, neatly dressed about mid-twenties; he is holding a bouquet of flowers. Caroline stares at him for a moment as the knowledge of something wonderful washes over her. “Are you Benjamin Button?” It was more of a proclamation than a question. Before he can answer she says, “I’m so sorry, you’re too late, my mother just passed away.”

He says, “I am indeed sorry to hear that, your mother was a good woman. She was an important part of my life when I was a child growing up in the old folk’s home in the Quarter. I do believe that I loved her. And yes, I am Benjamin, you must be Caroline. I’m so sorry for your loss.”

“Thank you, I think my mother lived a great life Benjamin. I think she was glad to have been a part of yours.”

The camera pans back and their voices become indecipherable as they continue their conversation with each other. The scene moves to the old clock gathering dust in a forgotten warehouse; the flood waters from Katrina encroaching. The narrative in the voice of the elder Benjamin Button takes over, “Along the way you bump into people who make a dent on your life. Some people get struck by lightning. Some are born to sit by a river. Some have an ear for music. Some are artists. Some swim the English Channel. Some know buttons. Some know Shakespeare. Some are mothers. And some people can dance. My name is Benjamin Button and I was born under unusual circumstances…”

The End.