A summary of Emil Braginsky’s "Almost a Funny Story" Automatic translate

This book is a light, lyrical comedy, written in 1976. With warm irony, the text tells the story of the late awakening of feelings in two elderly people long accustomed to their solitude. The narrative centers on touching, sometimes absurd, everyday situations through which the characters gradually come to understand their own need for love and human warmth.

The work was successfully adapted into a film. In 1977, director Pyotr Fomenko made a two-part television film of the same name. Olga Antonova and Mikhail Gluzsky starred, winning the story widespread acclaim.

An incident on the platform and a broken suitcase

Two sisters arrive in the ancient provincial town of Drevnegorsk. The elder, artist Taisiya Pavlovna, is completely absorbed in art. The younger, thirty-five-year-old Illaria Pavlovna, shoulders the entire household chores and carries heavy luggage. On the train platform, a fellow traveler, an elderly man named Viktor Mikhailovich Meshkov, offers to help them. He lifts Illaria’s heavy suitcase, but the handle can’t support the weight and breaks off.

Meshkov finds a rope and helps the women reach the hotel. There are no rooms available, but Viktor Mikhailovich graciously offers up his reserved room to the sisters. He decides to wait for his colleague Lazarenko to arrive and stay with him. Illaria instantly takes a liking to her savior.

Soon, Meshkov and Illaria set off to repair the suitcase. After wandering around the city for hours, being turned down at a repair shop and a motor pool, they unexpectedly find help from watchmaker Ivan Matveyevich. While they fix it, they begin to chat. Illaria is spontaneous and open. Meshkov, on the other hand, is a bit reserved and cautious, trying to appear like a stern safety engineer who values rules over emotions.

Hotel misunderstandings

Taisiya Pavlovna is openly suspicious of Viktor Mikhailovich. She considers him a scoundrel looking for business trips. Illaria, however, ardently defends her new acquaintance. That evening, she decides to take Meshkov a receipt he forgot at the telegraph office. She catches him in his room drinking with the construction site’s chief engineer. Viktor Mikhailovich, in a foul mood, forces Illaria to drink vodka. She becomes ill.

The next day, Meshkov comes to apologize. Illaria, embarrassed by Lazarenko’s comments about her overt pursuit of the engineer, goes to the hairdresser. There, she gets a trendy perm, hoping to impress Viktor Mikhailovich. Later, they go to a football match together. Illaria knows nothing about the game, but she’s a passionate fan. In a fit of emotion, she confesses to Meshkov that she’s fallen in love with him.

Meshkov is frightened by such direct pressure. The man declares to Illaria: "I’m exactly fifty! I’m old, after all!…" He explains that he’s accustomed to a nomadic, solitary life on construction sites. Illaria walks away proudly.

Upon learning of the confession, Taisiya Pavlovna bursts into Meshkov’s room and causes a scene, demanding he leave her sister alone. Meshkov physically carries the enraged artist out into the hallway. Meanwhile, Illaria climbs across the balconies to bring Viktor Mikhailovich food for the journey. Soon, Meshkov leaves for Moscow. Illaria tries to go with him, but he coldly rejects her.

Moscow everyday life and Meshkov’s torments

In Moscow, Viktor Mikhailovich returns to his apartment on Planetnaya Street, where his adult daughter, Masha, is. He tries to live his former, measured life, playing dominoes in the courtyard and arguing with his annoying neighbors. However, thoughts of Illariy haunt him.

Lazarenko reminds Meshkov of Illaria’s upcoming birthday. Viktor Mikhailovich goes to the public address system to call Drevnegorsk. There, a young man named Tolya, whose wife has run away, pesters him. Tolya becomes Meshkov’s constant shadow, following him around and even meeting Masha. He can’t reach Illaria — the hotel administrator informs him that the sisters have been evicted to accommodate foreign tourists.

Time passes. Meshkov heads off on another business trip. At one of the train stations, Viktor Mikhailovich’s and Illaria’s trains end up on adjacent tracks. They see each other across the platform. Meshkov wants to rush toward her, but a long freight train begins to move between them like an insurmountable barrier. By the time the cars are gone, the platform is empty.

An attempt to explain

In the fall, Illaria arrives in Moscow. She stalks Meshkov’s house. In the courtyard, she meets Tolya, from whom she learns that Viktor Mikhailovich is a bachelor, not married as she thought. Illaria then goes up to the apartment and meets his daughter, Masha. Frightened by her own boldness, the woman runs away. Meshkov, having barely returned home, learns of the visit and gives chase.

He catches up with Illaria on the bus. A quarrel breaks out between them. Illaria acts distant, declaring that she no longer feels anything and that it was just a temporary infatuation. She refuses to go to lunch with him and leaves on the trolleybus. Meshkov is left standing on the street, angry at himself and at her unapproachability.

Exhibition and empty stadium

Viktor Mikhailovich realizes he can’t just let the woman go. He doesn’t know her last name, so he heads to the All-Russian Art Exhibition. Meshkov methodically wanders through the halls, reading the artists’ initials on the picture frames, until he stumbles upon Taisiya Pavlovna’s work. Through her workplace, he obtains the coveted phone number.

Meshkov calls Illaria and arranges a meeting. They arrive at the empty Dynamo stadium, covered in autumn leaves. Viktor Mikhailovich again tries to distance himself from his feelings. He says he’s accustomed to an itinerant profession, loves airports and train stations, and finds a sedentary life with its frequent visits a burden. Illaria, without a word, turns and leaves. This breakup is extremely difficult for both of them.

At home, Meshkov takes out his frustration on Tolya, who continues to hang around Masha. The tension eases when a street vendor enters the apartment with a basket of fish. The men begin to laugh, and Viktor Mikhailovich realizes the absurdity of his stubbornness.

Return to Drevnegorsk

Winter is approaching. Taisiya Pavlovna and Illaria are getting ready to leave snow-covered Drevnegorsk. They stand on the platform, and Illaria again struggles unsuccessfully to lift her heavy suitcase. Taisiya leaves to find a porter.

Suddenly, Meshkov appears on the platform. He approaches Illaria, silently takes hold of the shiny handle of her suitcase, and orders her to hand over her luggage. Illaria begins to cry uncontrollably with relief and joy. Viktor Mikhailovich puts his arm around her shoulders and says, "You fool, you stupid woman!…"

They walk along the platform together, clinging tightly to each other. Suddenly, the suitcase handle breaks off again. The suitcase crashes to the concrete, but the lovers don’t even notice. Meshkov continues walking, carrying only the torn handle, while an indignant Taisiya Pavlovna remains behind, screaming and waving her arms.