Two people are sitting on a bench, observed by a third. This is the core from which Marie Malcovati weaves entire life stories in her debut novel. Simon, the third-born son of a Swiss toothpaste manufacturing dynasty, who seems to have everything handed to him, struggles to find his place in this world. Fired from his last job, he ends up in a Roman soldier costume at the Basel train station. By chance, he sits down on a bench next to Lucy. The deliberately cool, successful interpreter unnerves those around her with her complete lack of willingness to plan for the future, as if she knows that nothing can last. But why does the elegant, well-dressed woman sit next to the sweaty, hungover Simon for hours? The two draw the suspicious attention of Marotti. The policeman, who is on sick leave due to an injury, has requested this.