Two unlucky World War II veterans become, despite all differences between them, best friends for life. Archie Jones, a true-blooded Briton, marries a young, big girl from Jamaica. Samad Iqbal marries by arrangement and has to wait until his wife is brought into the world. And if only both friends had a happy future ahead! Children bring headaches, the past catches up at every turn, and no one gets any peace in this multi-layered novel.