Kiril Gospodinov

The year is 1948 and a counter-revolutionary gang is active in the Pirin region. A State Security officer managed to infiltrate the gang. He becomes "one of their own", but isn't in a rush to complete his task.

A research worker Robespier Galabov (Yakovlev) lives with his family in a small communal flat with shared kitchen and dreams about a self-contained home. Galabov meet Rangel Lelin (Gospodinov), the well-known amidst the localities as the past-master, when he realized that the new municipal apartment they apply for won't be ready in the next decade. The Past-Master promises to build the private house in a month. After starting the construction, Rangel Lelin constantly blackmail Galabov for more money through treat of "putting the hat". Finally the house was built but the inauguration become gloomy. It turns out that the chimney of the fireplace doesn't work properly. After days of luckless attempts to solve the problem the past-master's brother come into sight. Knowing the Lelin's tricks he find a hat built in the chimney.

Bash maystorat went to sea with his wife and son. The road passes by vegetable garden with watermelons and they filled the trunk of stolen fruit which subsequently discarded as police goes after them. A little later, by coincidence, they are towed by a truck carrying watermelons to Burgas. Bebov fix crumpled front, but does not change the burned furniture and bash maystorat is forced to tour around the country until he found a new one. In a series of cunning finally outwit both remain without what we have agreed.

The three grotesque novels whose action takes place at different times of the recent past are united by a common thematic key – their protest against violence and militarism, expressed by means of a kind of absurd humor.