The action takes place in Moscow. The mother of the protagonist, thirty-seven-year-old engineer Viktor Dmitriev, Ksenia Fedorovna was seriously ill, she has cancer, but she herself believes that she has a peptic ulcer. After the operation, she is sent home. The outcome is clear, but she alone believes that things are getting better. Immediately after her discharge from the hospital, Lena’s Dmitriev’s wife, an English translator, decides to urgently meet with her mother-in-law so as not to lose a good room on Profsoyuznaya Street. Need an exchange, she even has in mind one option.

There was a time when Dmitriev’s mother really wanted to live with him and with her granddaughter Natasha, but since then their relationship with Lena has become very tense and this could not be discussed. Now, Lena herself tells her husband about the need for an exchange. Dmitriev is indignant - at such a moment to offer it to his mother, who can guess what is the matter. Nevertheless, he gradually gives way to his wife: after all, she cares about the family, about the future daughter of Natasha. Moreover, upon reflection, Dmitriev begins to reassure himself: maybe not everything is so irrevocably with the mother’s illness, which means that they will be eaten up will only be good for her, for her well-being - her dream will come true. So Lena, concludes Dmitriev, is womanly wise, and in vain he immediately attacked her.

Now he also aims at an exchange, although he claims that he personally does not need anything. Due to illness of his mother, he refuses a business trip in the service. He needs money, since a lot went to the doctor, Dmitriev is racking his brains on whom to borrow. But it seems that the day is turning out to be successful for him: money is offered with her usual sensitivity by employee Tanya, his former lover. A few years ago, they were close, as a result, Tanya broke up a marriage, she was left alone with her son and continues to love Dmitriev, although she understands that this love is hopeless. In turn, Dmitriev thinks that Tanya would be his better wife than Lena. Tanya, at his request, brings Dmitriev with a colleague who has experience in exchange affairs, who does not communicate anything specific, but gives the broker's phone number. After work, Dmitriev and Tanya take a taxi and go to her house for money. Tanya is happy to be able to be alone with Dmitriev, to help him with something. Dmitriev was sincerely sorry for her, maybe he would have stayed longer with her, but he needed to hurry to the cottage to his mother, in Pavlinovo.

Warm childhood memories are associated with this summer house belonging to the Red Partisan cooperative. The house was built by his father, a travel engineer, who had dreamed of leaving this job all his life in order to write humorous stories. The man is not bad, he was not successful and died early. Dmitriev remembers him sketchy. He remembers better his grandfather, a lawyer, an old revolutionary, who returned to Moscow after a long absence (apparently after the camps) and lived for a while in the country until he was given a room. He did not understand anything in modern life. He looked with curiosity at the Lukyanovs, the parents of Dmitriev’s wife, who also visited Pavlinov in the summer. Once on a walk, my grandfather, referring specifically to the Lukyanovs, said that no one should be despised. These words, clearly addressed to Dmitriev’s mother, who often showed intolerance, and to himself, were well remembered by her grandson.

The Lukyanovs differed from the Dmitrievs in their adaptability to life, in the ability to deftly arrange any business, whether it was the repair of a summer residence or the device of a granddaughter in an elite English school. They are from the breed "able to live." The fact that the Dmitrievs seemed irresistible was decided quickly and simply by the Lukyanovs, only by one guided path. This was an enviable property, however, the Dmitriyevs, especially his mother Ksenia Fedorovna, who was used to disinterestedly helping others, women with firm moral principles, and Laura’s sisters, an arrogant grin, caused such practicality. For them, the Lukyanovs are petty bourgeois who care only about personal well-being and are devoid of high interests. In their family, even the word "to swear" appeared. They are characterized by a kind of spiritual flaw, manifested in tactlessness in relation to others. So, for example, Lena outweighed the portrait of Father Dmitriev from the middle room to the aisle, just because she needed a nail for a wall clock. Or she took all the best cups of Laura and Ksenia Fedorovna.

Dmitriev loves Lena and always protected her from the attacks of her sister and mother, but he also cursed with her because of them. He knows well the strength of Lena, "who bite into her desires, like a bulldog. Such a pretty woman-bulldog with a short haircut of straw color and always pleasantly tanned, slightly swarthy face. She did not let go until desires - right in her teeth - turned into flesh. " At one time, she pushed Dmitriev to defend a dissertation, but he did not master, could not, refused, and Lena finally left him alone.

Dmitriev feels that his family is condemning him, that they consider him “foul,” and therefore cut off with a slice. This became especially noticeable after the story with a relative and former comrade Lyovka Bubrik. Bubrik returned to Moscow from Bashkiria, where he was allocated after college, and for a long time remained without work. He looked after his place at the Institute of Oil and Gas Equipment and really wanted to get there. At the request of Lena, who spared Levka and his wife, her father Ivan Vasilievich was busy in this matter. However, instead of Bubrick, Dmitriev was in this place, because it was better than his previous work. Everything happened again under the wise guidance of Lena, but, of course, with the consent of Dmitriev himself. There was a scandal. However, Lena, protecting her husband from his principled and highly moral relatives, took all the blame upon herself.

The conversation about the exchange, which Dmitriev came to his summerhouse with his sister Laura, causes amazement and sharp rejection, despite all the reasonable arguments of Dmitriev. Laura is sure that her mother cannot be well next to Lena, even if she will try very hard at first. They are too different people. Ksenia Fedorovna just before the arrival of her son was not well, then she felt better, and Dmitriev, without delay, started a decisive conversation. Yes, mother says, she used to want to live with him, but now she doesn't. The exchange took place a long time ago, she says, referring to Dmitriev’s moral capitulation.

While spending the night in the country, Dmitriev sees his long-standing watercolor painting on the wall. Once he was fond of painting, did not part with the album. But, having failed on the exam, he rushed to another, the first institute, with grief. After graduation, he did not look for romance, like the others, did not go anywhere, remained in Moscow. Then Lena was already with her daughter, and the wife said: where did he go from them? He is late. His train left.

In the morning, Dmitriev leaves, leaving Laura money. Two days later, the mother calls and says that she agrees to meet. When finally coordinated with the exchange, Ksenia Fedorovna becomes even better. However, soon the disease worsens again. After the death of his mother, Dmitriev has a hypertensive crisis. He immediately passed, turned gray, aged. And the Dmitriev's summer house in Pavlinov was later demolished, like the others, and they built the Petrel Stadium and a hotel for athletes there.