An in-depth portrayal of the environment of workers - former countryside dwellers who moved to cities in search of work and found their new home in workers' hotels. The screenplay is based on a true story of tragic death of a young man that shocked 1960s Poland. The film focuses on problems of sociological nature: lack of industrial working class causes the gap to be filled with people who have been living in the countryside for generations, and who due to low wages and lack of housing have to live in overcrowded workers' hotels without any prospects for improving their situation.
One of the scenes features Maryla Rodowicz as herself: she sings the song "Najgłębsza z cisz" by Jerzy Matuszkiewicz.
Natalia is writing a thesis in sociology: she researches and depicts the reality of workers' hotels. While conducting a survey, she meets "Little One", a young man from the countryside who lives in one of the hotels, sharing a room with three colleagues. "Little One" is intelligent and sensitive; he attended a construction technical college, but did not finish it. Driven by sympathy, Natalia decides to help him. "Little One's" dream is to spend some time in a normal, urban home. Natalia invites him to her place for the weekend, but her parents are planning a trip out of town and forbid her to have a guest around while they are gone. Eventually, Natalia goes with them, but she leaves a letter for "Little One" which housekeeper Ania is supposed to give him. When the man finally shows up, Ania is convinced that he has come to see her. The contents of the letter dash her hopes. In turn, "Little One" is greatly disappointed with Natalia's absence and in a fit of rage destroys her thesis notes, roughs up the housekeeper and storms out of the flat. Later, he calls Ania, who explains Natalia's behaviour to him.
