Michael's life has always been a joyless routine. He barely made ends meet until one day a mysterious circus came to town. Its owner was an equally mysterious man in a black suit. After a break from work, Michael came to see the show too. The sprechstallmeister needed an assistant for one of his performances. From the whole crowd, he immediately noticed the red head of Michael. He gave him his hand, offering to go on stage. Michael resisted, but the people pushed him forward. Stepping onto the stage, he was numb under the eyes of the crowd.

The man in the black suit cheered him up and explained what was required of him. He handed him a deck of cards and told him to choose one. Instead of one, Michael took the whole deck. Each card in it turned out to be of one single suit and the secret of the trick was absurdly revealed. The audience laughed, but the man in black was not upset. He liked Michael and decided that he could make a good companion who would contrast with him on stage.

After the show, he found him at a beer bar and asked him to join his traveling circus. Michael did not trust the man in black (as, indeed, to any person) and refused. The next day he returned to his usual routine, which contrasted so sharply with the atmosphere on stage. He began to understand that he did not want to live the way he is now. And at the last moment, when the train with the circus began to leave, he chased after him. The man in black caught his hand and dragged him onto the last carriage. Since then they have traveled together.