In a restaurant, a captain sits alone by the wall, surrounded by paintings of "Three Bears" and "The Cursed Knight." The narrator approaches, offering a seat and a drink. They exchange banter about smoking, drinking, and war memories. The captain, drunk, recalls his time as a senior at Kursk, the hardships behind his back, and the futility of fighting. He rants about his father, the cost of life, and the futility of war. The narrator, following him, eventually confronts him, calling him a captain and telling him he will never become a major.
