Peter Kinski is born and raised in Poland on a large family estate with tutors and more than twenty servants. When the Communists take over Poland, Kinski plans to move with his parents to Paris, but his father dies of a heart attack before his arrival and his mother passes from a stroke soon after. Kinski, now a Count having inherited his father's title, moves to America to attend the University of Chicago at twenty-two, with roughly fifteen thousand dollars he managed to secure from his mother's jewelry. After graduating with a degree in political philosophy, Kinski goes on to teach at the college. Since coming to America, Kinski has maintained many of his aristocratic tendencies. Though he now takes the bus and cooks his own meals, he enjoys attending the symphony or reading Proust in his spare time, and he addresses everyone by Miss or Mister. Now past fifty, Kinski is in his shared office with his much less formal colleague Barney Ginsberg when his student Sheila Skolnik enters and asks to discuss her paper. Kinski is just leaving to catch his bus, but Sheila offers to drive him home instead. In Sheila's red sports car, the professor does discuss the paper with his student, but the conversation soon turns unexpectedly to Sheila's divorce three or four years prior. She is now in her thirties and living with her parents and two children. When Kinski returns to his office the next day, his colleague Ginsberg brings up Sheila, who he calls a Jewish Princess. The professor finds himself spending time with Sheila outside of class several times, and it is not long before the two sleep together. Despite Ginsbergs warnings, Kinski begins to develop serious feelings for Sheila. After dating for some time, the professor even meets her parents and children. As they continue seeing each other, however, Kinski can't help but notice many differences in their interests and lifestyles. Sheila falls asleep at the symphony, and her paper is well below the professor's standards. Kinski enjoys pheasant and caviar but eats McDonald's or other junk food when with Sheila and her young children. Eventually, the professor realizes he must end things with Sheila, since he is unwilling to change his lifestyle, but when he breaks the news to her, he finds himself distraught and crying. Soon after she leaves, Kinski calls a cab and sets off after her, ready to propose marriage.