As the story opens, Czesław is a young carpenter in his twenties and is determined to marry the woman of his dreams. Physically, he lives up to his nickname, “the Pigeon,” because he sports a big nose and feet that turn inward when he walks. However, Czesław proves not only an able craftsman in repairing the Hetmański property but also a devoted suitor, and he wins Anielica’s affection and her hand. Just as his life seems to be going well, the Nazis invade Poland, and the young carpenter becomes a member of the resistance. He saves the people of his village more than once from both the Nazis and the Russians.

After the war, Czesław and Anielica move to Kraków, where his wartime activities attract the attention of the secret police. He’s forced to leave the country and eventually establishes a construction business in New York. Because he’s blacklisted, he can’t return to Poland, and his wife refuses to leave their daughter and granddaughter behind.

Although they never meet again, Czesław and Anielica stay true to each other and correspond until her death. Once the blacklist ends, Czesław finds his granddaughter in Kraków and tries to rebuild his family. His resilience provides an example for his granddaughter, Beata, helping inspire her to use her “golden hands” to build a more meaningful future that enables others to find freedom by revealing their long-held pain.