The backbone of the story is the daily life of Mitka, whose health is so poor he is not allowed to work. Instead, his wife Raya supports him, despite her heart condition. Nearby lives brother Petka, another impecunious man, who is amusingly tiny when compared to his strong, solid wife: she earns their living as a nurse in a retirement home. Brother Sanya has been in a prison camp for committing murder, and he is only now returning home to join his other brothers.