At the request of a famous theater figure to all Russians, a pensioner is participating in a competition of stories that can become the basis for writing theatrical plays. Professional directors with the participation of famous actors will stage a series of one-man performances based on these plays for the Rossiya festival at VDNKh. The hero encounters the potential author of the play, an ambitious lady; at first there is alienation, but gradually the unusual, sincere material of the narrator arouses creative interest in the appointed playwright. The story was written for the contest “Happy Birthday to the New Book!”