The small town is asleep. Only the young wife of the elderly pharmacist Chernomordik, the owner of the pharmacy, is awake. She has already gone to bed three times, but sleep stubbornly refuses to come to her. Suddenly, footsteps can be heard in the silence of the night. A short while later, two figures in white officer's tunics appear outside the window: one is large and fat, while the other is smaller and thinner. A moment later, a bell rings in the pharmacy, and the worried pharmacist opens the door to the officers. The young officer, Obtesov, orders 15 kopecks worth of mint cakes. Meanwhile, the more experienced doctor strikes up a casual conversation. Soon, a bottle of wine appears on the table, and the young pharmacist agrees to have a sip...