Ofka has fallen into a strange lethargy: while most of her high school classmates continue their studies, she refuses to leave the deceptive comfort of childhood, which is quickly turning into a stifling trap. She works in her brother-in-law Eda's 24-hour shop and lets the fragments of wasted lives of regular and random customers, as well as those of her old friends who, like her, only really live at night, flit around her. Sometimes she drops in on a group drinking in the Vltava harbor, wanders the streets with the eccentric Ubre, who is fascinated by fishing discarded items out of trash cans and hopelessly in love with her, and avoids Míra, who, on the contrary, has stopped loving her. However, it is becoming increasingly clear to her that one day she will have to say goodbye to her childhood, cross the borders of her native neighborhood, and start doing something with her life...

Lt. Franta Slama is a top pilot in the Czech Air Force who is assigned to train a promising young flier, Karel Vojtisek, and they soon become friends. When Nazi Germany invades Czechoslovakia in 1939, they both reject the authority of their new leaders and escape to England where they join other Czech exiles in the RAF. While flying a mission over England, Karel crash lands and happens upon the farmhouse of Susan, a young woman whose husband is in the Navy. Karel soon falls head over heels for Susan but, while they enjoy a brief fling, in time Susan decides she prefers the company of the older and more worldly Franta. As Franta and Karel struggle to maintain their friendship despite their romantic rivalry.