Quartett im Herbst

They work in the same office and are about to retire: Marcia, Letty, Norman and Edwin. All four live alone, yet they have little contact outside the office - even though they share coffee and tea water every day. They observe, resent, advise each other and try to play over their loneliness.
Letty, who lives in a sublet, likes to read and attaches importance to her clothes, is overshadowed by her friend, to whom she wanted to move to the country in her old age. Suddenly, however, all plans are overturned. The one major event in Marcia's life, a cancer operation, causes her to have a crush on her doctor. When she doesn't have a follow-up appointment, she devotes herself to organising her milk bottles and canned goods. Edwin is a widower and spends his time looking for a church service. His eternally nagging colleague Norman prefers to visit a sick relative whom he actually dislikes as much as the rest of humanity.
When Marcia and Letty retire, the four go their separate ways - but life always brings the fated community back together.
Ironic, blackly humorous and yet with quiet optimism, Barbara Pym shows her outstanding skills in 'Quartet in Autumn'.