A series of short, realistic sketches depicting riverbank life in winter, with attention to routine, idleness, and the social rhythms of taverns and shared work. Episodes examine modest economies, seasonal unemployment, and small solidarities among men who make their living on the water; one narrative focuses on an aging boatman forced to sell his treasured trained blackbird, a sale that provokes friends' efforts to intervene and highlights themes of loss, changing livelihoods, and communal compassion.