Short stories (Kouznetsov)

by Dmitrii Kouznetsov

Care

There is a heap of dry foliage at the scene. Fellow in the raincoat with the bug on his shoulder is reading the book. Fellow is freezed up. He turns the page, looks at the hall, goes a few steps, reads again. The voices of children,

the squeal, the foliage rusting heard.

The elderly woman with a provision bag appears.

• Woman (shows to the hall): Excuse me, are they your children?
• Fellow: Yes.
• Woman: Why are they undressed?
• Fellow (gently): You are wrong.
• Woman: They are without caps and jackets!
• Fellow: But they are in pullovers, trousers and choeses.
• Woman: You think, they could run without trousers!.. You

will let them catch cold, and then you will regret!

• Fellow: No.
• Woman: Why not, the air is so cold!
• Fellow: Your children, are they ailing?
• Woman: My daughter is grown up.
• Fellow: And your grand-children?
• Woman: Glory to God, I have no grand children.
• Fellow: You can say to your daughter, that you will help her, and then they will appear!
• Woman: What is my profit? If they make a child, they are to look after him themselves!
• Fellow: You don't like children, do you?
• Woman: I don't like them! (goes away)

Awaking

Cherkashin is not in the habit to waking up so early. Cherkashin was warmins at the radiator, put the head on the box and dozed. The dreams was about a hot beach; admirable girls bathing...

• – Cherkashin, welcome to the castration.
• – Why is that me? What about girls? What is the reason? Is there a low?!
• – Cher-ka-shin, go to the castration!
• Cherkashin twined; the box fell, opened, and Tom softly jumped out to the floor looking around.
• – Is Cherkashin absent?
• – I am here! – Cherkashin caught the cat and gone to the call.
• "Poor Tom!", Cherkashin thorght, "But it will be better for him, he will not walk at night, he returned so much scratched, pitiful"...

Klava for 40 roubles

I met Klava when she was a girl. This is a story about her. I am to start far.

Asia was marying Vova. She already had a small child. They prepared the request for its registration. At a long party, Vova get tired, and he gone home. His paper-bag was with Asia. Between papers there were 4 chervontses^[1]. One Asia's Friend said to Asia, that he needed a credit of 40 r. This was the moment when chervontses passed to Friend. Vova said that Asia began to spend his money before the marriage registration. If the sum of debt where be greater, the registration would not happen, and I would have nothing to say about Klava. This debt was the reason why Asia and Vova had neither common credit, nor common homework. Sometimes Vova reminded to Asia that was the price of the celebration that the bird (Vova) was cached by the trap (Asia). Vova believed that if he give to Asia a cash greater than it needs to buy a milk and bred, the money will go to the wind.

A few months pass; the Friend called, that he is ready to return the debt. He can't do from house, he told; he wanted Asia to come to his home in order to pick up the debth.

– Where are you going in the late evening?, Vova asked.

– "I shall return your money!" Asia said.

– "Do you become a street-girl?" – Vova asked.

– You are full! One returns my the debt, exactly to one kopeck^[2]! - She closed the door with force.

It was warm summer evening. The Friend lived far, in Chertanovo ^[3]. The Friend retells that he could not to use 4 chervontses because he needs Asia and not - another girl. He was one of those men who are true enough to say what they want, but have not enough of humor to say this with a smile. Therefore I am to describe a boring dialog instead of an erotic etude. Asia was about to fall, but she remembered how heavy happened the 40 rubles; she took her ridicule with moneys and come out.

The bus was absent very long when Asia reached the Metro, it was too late. She could not come in. It was impossible to take a taxi, she had only 1r.32k., while the 40 rubles were to be returned in holly. Asia was walking along the street..

One bus stopped and opened the door. Asia came in.

– What do you want? – the driver asked.

– May I go with you so long as go the same way?

In the car's sound, the driver listens only solitaire words. When it become clear what Asia goes neither to pay, nor to measure the wide of the voyage-bed, they reach the Sadovoe Koltso. He stops the bus. She thought, that he will open the door and she can go by walking. But he turns back and let Asia go out only at the place where he picked her up. Happened again fare of her home, again, Asia sadly walked along the road.

The black car stand near she.

– What are you doing here? – The man asked, – May I help You?

– I'm going home.

– Where are you live?

– In center.

– Enter, please!

His name was Vasia. Asia explained her story. He begun to retell about his unfortune love, when he founded what the gasoline was finishing. But he said that there is enough of gasoline to reach Asia's home. Asia was not to adopt this solution; after a discussion they approach to the petrol station. The slipping cashier said that the gasoline is absent. The same fiasco repeated at two other stations. The engine stopped.

Vasia found the telephone ^[4]. Then he returned, he finished his story. They become friends, when a military lorry happened and pumped out some gasoline. Vasia reached the Asia's home. He said that his heart is crushed in the second time. Asia was full of admiration, and she was to explain what Vasia is wrong. It happened not so easy – to dive the proof in the car. Asia come home at the first sound of trolley-bus and the first cry of her hungry little son.

Do not worry, and do not interrupt me! I remember, I promised to tell about Klava. She born at the spring.

References

1. chetvonetz was soviet money banknote of 10 rubles
2. kopek, smallest coin in the CCCP
3. That time, Chertanovo was considered as well remote region
4. that time, the celphones were not popular