A series of episodes follows a destitute yet oddly dignified man whose tattered appearance conceals traces of a former life. After falling asleep on a train and being briefly detained, he discovers he has lost an important letter and pursues a comic, sometimes poignant quest through stations, streets, and encounters with officials, fellow travelers, and well-meaning strangers. Misadventures, misunderstandings, and small acts of kindness combine to produce light satire and social observation, examining chance, identity, and the fragile line between respectability and poverty.