A deluded, histrionic old man pursues his whimsical follies in a barren Moscow suburb with his dim-witted country bumpkin companion turned footman. Fuelled by lack of sleep and a misguided sense of responsibility, the old man bumbles through the streets undertaking bizarre selfappointed tasks, which include building a boat in a nearby pond, relieving a neighbor of her long hair, painting his coat fluorescent colors and changing the location of a public bench. While the two are busy helping out humanity, the old man's bewildered daughter tries to pry them apart by introducing rationale into their make-believe universe. Ultimately, she does more harm than good.