34-year-old Moscow writer Igor Angelevskiy for the third time failed to win Russia's main literary prize. After the award ceremony, the hero's wallet is stolen, which contains the only memory of his mother. Hearing the news about the theft, 20-year-old pickpocket Aldar decides to read Angelevskiy's books and is so fascinated by them that he becomes Igor's student. The writer sees in the young man a brilliant storyteller with rich life experience. After a while, Angelevskiy and Aldar become friends.