Paris, 1994, night: as the Leningrad Cowboys sing "Those were the days," a solitary man leading a donkey is turned away at a restaurant door. He and the beast walk down to La Maison du Vin where, despite a "no donkeys" sign on the wall, they enter and he proceeds to feed the donkey with provisions from his pack. His care and feeding of the donkey impress the woman who sings with the house band. She and the visitor connect, but if they slip away, who will watch the burro? The visitor's shoes and most everyone's hair, except the donkey's, points forward.