Four Olympic gold medals, seven World Championship titles, four World Cup tour championships, and forty six World Cup circuit victories. Once his career as a professional athlete ended however, the other side of his personality emerged into public view in all of its vulgarity. An alcohol dependency, several marriages accompanied by numerous marital problems, petty crime, uncontrolled acts of violence, and greedy hangers-on.

Maria's ex-boyfriend Kristian is homeless and moves back in with Maria. Maria works as a nurse at the home of Eeva, a paralyzed writer.