Alyona, a provincial from Salsk, drives into Stalinka inside the Garden Ring. Alyona has just divorced her ex-husband Serega, rented an apartment (with Serega's money) and found herself in an unfamiliar world for herself - the world of the Moscow intelligentsia. There are three apartments in the stairwell, besides Alyona, Fedor Sadovsky, the son of a Soviet cosmonaut, the owner of a cleaning company, and Aunt Shura, the widow of a diplomat who has known Fedya since childhood, have lived there for decades.

Fedya and his friend Boris help Alyona with the move, while Alyona and her friend Varya visit an astrologer. During the transfer of the boxes, Borya drops the "most important" box with things - there is a valuable thing there - the plaster head of the Gorgon medusa - the only school prize and a symbol of the happiest day in Alyona's life.

Early in the morning, Alain is woken up by a call from alcoholic parents - he needs money - 40,000 rubles. Alyona doesn't have them. Alyona tries to borrow money from Varya. Varya gives Alyona invaluable advice instead of money - to ask Serega for money (but he does not just give it) and Fedya.