Albert Gottwald is a retired dance teacher and has been a widower for three years. He misses his wife so much that he has lost all courage to face life, buries himself in his semi-detached house - and meticulously plans his death.

Richard lives apart from his wife. He is unemployed. His life is really not running smoothly right now. Rather by chance, he gets into conversation with the director of his daughter's school, who is desperately looking for teachers - which gives Richard an idea. He is a mathematician. And after all, everyone can become a teacher!