One day, a modest accountant, a resident of a seaside town, adopted a dog. The dog became attached to its lonely owner, but it soon became clear that the dog had been trained by its previous owner to steal things from unwary beachgoers. An honest man, yelled at the dog, but then came to terms with his friend’s shortcomings, and even began to encourage his dubious abilities.

An author - a passive young man - enters the Soviet-controlled bureaucracy of Georgia attempting to get his novel published only to be neglected and compartmentalized at every turn.

The film's protagonists are children. The film depicts the aspirations of adolescents to achieve their goals, the formation of character and personality, and the struggle for self-determination.