In the early twentieth century, a narrator watching from a window notices two beggars on a busy street: an old man with a wooden leg and a young, barefoot woman. They each claim one of the two sidewalks as their own and compete for alms from passersby. Their daily lives are filled with contempt, envy, and quarrels. After a winter confrontation, the old man is never seen again, while the woman indifferently carries on begging. The story portrays the struggles of those living in poverty, the lack of compassion, and the competition for survival.
