This is the story of a family against the backdrop of the 20th century, set out in memories, reflections, letters, archival documents, work books and certificates of rehabilitation. If the first part, “I Pay Off Debts,” talks about how the principles of communication with the outside world are formed in the family , then in the second - “Circles on the Water” - the author describes how these principles operate in everyday practice. Dotted through all the vicissitudes of this story, the fate of the Simonovs - grandfather, father, grandson - is told, why they are the Simonovs and how the main one them became Constantine instead of Cyril.