Margit Fliesser is a mathematician in her mid-30s who works in a medium-sized company; she has two children and has been divorced twice. Her colleagues like her and respect her professional skills, but she is somewhat shy and inhibited.

The reasons for this lie in her past. Following her mother's premature death, Margit became a nurse-trainee, but at some point realized this vocation is not for her. She then went to college, where she studied with Bachmann, who later becomes her first husband; in addition to being her first great love, he also becomes her first great disappointment. Her second relationship – to a blind man – doesn't work out any better.

Deciding to take things into her own hands, Margit picks "her third" husband herself, no longer leaving things up to fate. Although this involves considerable effort and the aid of her friend Lucie, Margit achieves her goal: she wins over her colleague, Hrdlitschka, as her third husband.