Plot Summary

A retired air force colonel comes on summer vacation to the Crimea. He comes as a non-official holiday-maker, so the main problem is to find night quarters. There is a brim-full of holiday-makers here at holyday season, and for locals the main business is to rent a bunk. And if one also manages to make money on sending pears, apples, grapes, the whole winter will be supported. Thus many locals survive, others become callous, cynical cold fish, concerned only about gains. Anna Ivanovna, the flat owner, renting a bunk to the colonel, starts reminding of the latter. Looking over a photo in a hall, the colonel suddenly recognizes himself in youth with a friend, who died of consumption and who turned out to be the Annas son.