George’s journey through time. Meeting the First Humans

AN UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER

«Dear George, do you remember your good old Aunt Maggie. True, when we visited her, she was very young, and you were so small that when she and Uncle Lucas gave you a teddy bear, at first you were very scared, and then you liked it so much and you played with it so much that you even forgot to thank your aunt.»

George took a lazy sip of the cold, foamy beer and continued reading.

«Aunt Maggie has not forgotten you at all and is inviting you to visit her for the holidays. Of course, a small provincial town is not the beaches of Miami Beach or Hawaii, and there will be less entertainment there, but my dad and I believe that before you start working in your father’s company, you should relax a little. And Aunt Maggie makes your favorite apple pies so deliciously that I think you’ll like them. Go George, you won’t regret it. However, if you want to relax in Florida or at another resort, we will immediately send you a check. Congratulations once again on the successful defense of your thesis. Your Mom.»

George re-read the letter again, leisurely finished his beer, stretched with pleasure and thought. «What, shouldn’t we really give up for a week or two in my aunt’s wilderness. Plunge into this sweet provincial life, slowly, drink tea with cherry jam at your aunt’s in the garden, throw off all this annoying burden of worries and concerns, often small and unnecessary, finally feel like a person, and not a cog in a big city, and at the same time, if there is time, work on the project of your electric motor.

George looked with pride at the sheets of Whatman paper scattered randomly all over the table. Here it is his brainchild, an electric motor with a fundamentally new design, which was approved by Professor Carrigan himself.

«You have a great future, my boy,» he said to George after a brilliant defense of his thesis, patting him on the shoulder approvingly. «Your electric motor is fraught with great possibilities, however, this is still only a project, for now only an idea that still requires hard work, but don’t be afraid, contact me, and I will definitely help you.

In the hot summer silence a fly buzzed loudly. «As a matter of fact, no one is keeping him in the city, they can send him a diploma with all the documents by mail. His wedding with Lucienne is in exactly a month, besides, she now has an internship in some reputable law office, so there will be no need to relax together anyway. It’s been decided: I’ll warn Lucienne and go to my aunt.» He impulsively jumped out of bed and dialed a familiar number. «Unfortunately, I’m not at home right now,» he answered. in the melodious voice of Lucienne the answering machine, «if you want to leave a message, speak after the long beep.»

«Lucienne, dear,» George spoke in his rich baritone, «my aunt is inviting me to her place for apple pie and tea, and this, if you want to know, is my favorite dish, so tomorrow I’m going to her on the first train. I’ll stay for a week or two. Don’t be bored, dear, and don’t worry, I’ll bring you real strawberry jam from there. Kisses, George.»

Going down to the dormitory lobby, he sent a laconic telegram. «I agree, I’m going to my aunt. No money needed yet. George.» The sun was just rising, and the first morning train was already taking George away from the huge, stuffy New York to the north.

…

«But you haven’t changed a bit,» his aunt told him in a ringing voice, «except that you’ve grown a little and grown a mustache, now I have to stand on tiptoe to kiss you.»

With these words she stood up and kissed George first on the forehead and then on the cheeks.

«What clear young eyes she has! — George was amazed, «but mother wrote in a letter that she recently turned seventy years old, or does the provincial air have such a beneficial effect on her?»

— Where is Uncle Lucas? He’s probably digging in the garden right now?

«You guessed right,» she answered, «especially for your arrival, he picks the largest, ripest cherries.»

«Here I am,» said a short, stocky old man with a thick wheat mustache as he entered the house. ABOUT! How big you have become, my boy. But he came to us when he was very tiny. Do you remember the big teddy bear we gave you back then?

«Yes, I remember,» George answered, «and I even apologize for my behavior at that time,» he added with a sly smile.

«Well, now let’s eat the cherries,» said Aunt Maggie.

George, leisurely, ate cherries, answered questions from his cousin and enjoyed the peace, quiet and homely comfort.

— You are probably tired from the road and want to rest a little? — Uncle Lucas asked sympathetically, — your room is on the second floor. Of course, we don’t have the same apartments as your parents, but you are guaranteed fresh air and birdsong.

Lying down on the bed, George wanted to read the latest newspapers, which he had taken with him. But the sun shone so brightly, and the birds in the garden chirped so cheerfully and carefree that George’s eyes closed of their own accord, the newspaper fell from his hands, and he fell into a young, healthy sleep.

He woke up when the luminary was already completing its leisurely, measured course. «How long have I been sleeping? — out of habit, he thought with alarm, but remembering that everything was already behind him, that the thesis defense was successful, that his electric motor project was approved by Professor Carrigan himself, he smiled carefree, — Rest, George, and enjoy life! — he said to himself and began to slowly dress, feeling, literally with his skin, how this measured provincial life envelops him.

The sun was already almost setting, and its last golden rays were still illuminating the Earth when he, having talked enough with the old people, left the house. A warm, pleasant breeze was blowing, George walked along the evening street, inhaling with pleasure the air filled with the thick smell of herbs and the aroma of ripening apples; soft, pleasant music was heard from the windows of the houses.

«How about I go to the nearest tavern and have a couple of glasses of beer before bed,» he thought. And after a few minutes, having asked a local resident, he headed to a small local restaurant with the lazy, relaxed gait of a man who has done a good job and knows his worth.

Having sat down at an old, but neatly worn wooden table, and happily sipping cold, foamy beer, George slowly began to examine his visitors. These were mostly local workers. In their knobby, tanned hands they held mugs of beer tightly.

«This is probably how they hold a shovel or pickaxe in their hands, firmly and reliably,» George thought with unexpected warmth. The men, resting after hard work, had a quiet conversation and were clearly expecting something. An elderly gentleman was sitting at the next table reading a newspaper.

«Nothing special,» he thought, «so he can finish his regular drink and calmly go home, especially since in a month he has a wedding with Lucienne, and he hasn’t even had his wedding tailcoat sewn yet.»

«Incomparable Margot,» the loud voice of the restaurant director interrupted his thoughts, and an angular teenage girl in a modestly tailored dress came onto the stage.

«Probably some third-rate singer with the voice of a broken gramophone,» George decided to himself, «well, there’s still time, we can listen to her too.»

Meanwhile, the girl smiled into the audience and began to sing. Her unusually strong, enchanting voice literally crushed, crushed, and shook George. From amazement, he was even speechless for a moment. Bravo! Bis! More! The enthusiastic audience screamed. Bravo, encore, having forgotten about everything in the world, the stunned George shouted along with everyone else.

And the girl sang and sang, and her voice, now tender, like the breath of a spring breeze, now rumbling, like the ocean during a storm, now insinuating, like cautious steps in the night, touched the most intimate, most hidden strings of George’s soul, carried him far, far from this small provincial tavern, from this small provincial town, called and beckoned him along. The entire hall at this time was in her power. But she sings without a microphone, George noted in surprise.

Seizing the moment, he collected all the cash he had and bought a large bouquet of roses.

«Madam,» he wrote, embarrassed and blushing, «an admirer of your talent wants to meet you. Having inserted a note into the bouquet and handed it to the waiter, he impatiently awaited an answer.

The answer came within a few minutes.

«My program ends in half an hour, and if you don’t mind, we can take a little walk. Margot.»

George’s sleepy calm vanished. For some reason, his hands suddenly became sweaty.

«What will I tell her, what will we talk about?» — was he feverishly spinning in his brain?

— Aren’t you tired of waiting for me? — rang a clear melodic voice. — I am the same Margot you wanted to meet.

A short, slender girl stood in front of George’s table.

— George said, embarrassed and blushing.

From excitement, all the words that all guys usually say when meeting girls flew out of his head.

The long awkward pause was cleared by Margot.

«I live not far from here, she said, smiling, «very close, and if you’re not in a hurry, we can take a walk and look at the stars.»

«But her smile is similar to the smile of Mona Lisa,» noted the amazed George, «just as simple and just as mysterious.»

Wanting to take the thread of the conversation into his own hands, he solemnly said:

— You have a wonderful voice, madam. With such a voice you can only perform in Lascala.

«I know,» she answered simply and seriously.

During a leisurely conversation, it turned out that Margot was Marie’s stage name. «That’s what the restaurant director calls me,» she said — she is the only daughter in the family and has a passion for singing. She even sang in the church choir, and it was the local priest who advised her to continue her musical education. But her poor parents cannot pay for her studies at the conservatory, and she is forced to perform in this restaurant every evening for $100 a week, and on Saturday and Sunday also during the day, thus earning a living and somehow supporting her elderly parents.

A wave of infinite tenderness suddenly overwhelmed George: «We’ve known each other for about 15 minutes, and there is no one closer and dearer to her,» he thought with horror and delight, «Eh!» «If someone attacked us,» George suddenly thought, «I would have protected Marie; it’s not for nothing that I am the university boxing champion.» But as luck would have it, no one wanted to attack them, and even the cats, who usually stage their concerts at night, this time behaved unusually quietly.

The moon was shining softly.

So they approached, peacefully talking about all sorts of trifles, to a small modest house, buried in the greenery of trees.

«Well, here we are,» Marie said with a smile, «Look!» — she suddenly said quickly and unexpectedly, «look, George, the star is flying.» Make a wish George.

«Let Marie love me,» George suddenly thought unexpectedly.

As if guessing his desire, Marie looked long and hard at George.

«Goodbye, George,» she said quietly and thoughtfully.

«Goodbye, Marie,» George replied.

He did not go home, but flew. The meeting with Marie literally turned him around. No, he was not new to meeting girls at all. He enjoyed attending discos, parties, in a word, all those events where guys usually meet girls. But when communicating with them, George did not experience even a bit of embarrassment or timidity; on the contrary, feeling his masculine superiority, he allowed himself to lazily draw out his words, as if inadvertently, during a conversation, take beautiful, spectacular poses, showing off his muscular torso, or strain his trained biceps, noticing at the same time from the corner of his eye the effect this produces.

Marie was not like that. This strange, incomprehensible, incomprehensible mixture of an adult woman and a girl simultaneously attracted and repelled him. This unexpected transition in conversation from quiet, deep sadness to an explosion of unbridled joy even frightened him at first.

This lively, genuine interest in life, literally in everything that happens around, reflected in her beautiful live eyes, in her every movement, literally attracted him to her like a magnet. «Only Mona Lisa can smile like that,» he repeated to himself, confused and happy.

Arriving home, he quickly undressed and went to bed. The moon was shining high in the night sky. The night breeze quietly rustled the leaves in the garden. But sleep did not come. Completely unexpectedly for himself, he jumped out of bed and went to the window:

«If only his classmates would see him now: a university boxing champion, a graduate of New York University, a future leading engineer, what would they say,» he thought with a smile.

«Am I really in love?!» «He asked himself with joy and anxiety, «was it really possible that some girl, some pretty girl, his dear Marie, could turn his life around like that in just one hour»?!

«What about Lucy? «He suddenly remembered, «after all, we’re getting married to her in a month?»

«What about Marie? «How can I live without her beautiful, wonderful eyes, how can I not hear her deep, strong voice for at least a minute,» he thought.

Emotions took over George again. He stood and stood and looked at the starry sky. A luminous bright point flashed in the sky.

«Make a wish, George,» he suddenly remembered Marie’s beautiful, deep voice.

«I want you to love me, Marie,» George said quietly and soulfully.

«And I would bring her coffee in bed every morning,» he suddenly thought and laughed joyfully.

Morning has come. A fresh summer breeze ruffled George’s hair, and the first golden, mischievous ray of sun first climbed into his eyes and then settled comfortably on his nose. «I’ll lie down a little longer,» George decided through his doze, but the persistent ray burned his nose and didn’t want to go away.

Apchhi!!! — echoed in the room.

Be healthy, George,» he said to himself and jumped out of bed elastically.

Going down to the dining room, he found his aunt there too. The cousin, despite the early morning, was already busy with breakfast.

«Good morning, aunt,» said George and, unable to contain his emotions, hugged her and spun her around.

«Careful, you’re such a bear,» the aunt jokingly fought back. — What’s wrong with you? Your eyes are shining so much, you might think that a beautiful fairy came to you at night and fulfilled your deepest desire. I know, I know,“ after a pause, she added with a playful smile, „you and Lucienne are getting married in a month, so you’re buzzing like a streamer in the spring.

«I won’t tell her anything yet,» George decided to himself.

After breakfast, he wrote a note to his aunt and went to the post office.

«I’m leaving urgently, wait,» the telegraph operator read. — Is that all? It’s 25 cents.

We were only able to get a ticket for a flight leaving after lunch. The wheels of the train were still carrying George towards his fate, and his worried and perplexed parents were already waiting for him.

……………………………………………………………………………………………..

«What happened to him»?! — the mother was at a loss.

George arrived home late in the evening. It was cold, not at all like summer rain. A gusty, sharp wind was blowing. Raising the collar of his raincoat and exposing his hot face to the rain and wind, trying not to fall into the puddles that squelched disgustingly under his feet, he slowly walked through the night city.

«Of course, the conversation with parents will not be easy. Especially with my father, my mother will probably understand me, but my father? — Thoughts got in the way and were confused in his head, «Yes, he will be very dissatisfied with my decision, he will probably take away from me the magnificent bright red jaguar that he gave me in honor of the successful defense of my diploma»…

And suddenly everything fell into place. What does he actually lose by deciding to marry Marie? A magnificent car and several more expensive, but, in general, unnecessary trinkets typical of his circle of people, rich and wealthy people.

«Of course, it would be nice to go to work on a red jaguar,» he thought with regret, «but without Marie, without her wonderful voice, without her sweet eyes, he wouldn’t be able to live a day, and I’ll somehow earn money for a jaguar,» George decided with the self-confidence characteristic of youth, «in the end, my diploma project for the electric motor was approved by Professor Carrigan himself and at work, as it was already agreed with my father, he will be fine-tuning it. So I’ll work,» George decided calmly and confidently.

The rain was still pouring down in buckets.

«Uh, yeah, I’m completely wet. It won’t do. — George raised his hand.

And a few minutes later the bright red light of a taxi was already taking him home.

Literally, not running up, but taking off, up the stairs, he impatiently pressed the bell button.

The mother opened: «He’s very excited about something!»

What’s wrong with you my boy? — she thought with alarm. — Father has been sleeping for a long time, tomorrow he has difficult business at the company, and you have dinner and go to bed, we’ll discuss everything in the morning.

…

«George, and George, it’s time to get up,» he heard his mother’s voice, get up, you’re so sleepy. Your father has been involved in the affairs of the company for a long time, and you are still sleeping.

«Mom, I need to talk to you,» said George.

«First, brush your teeth, then eat your omelette for breakfast, then we’ll talk,» she answered with a smile.

«Seriously, mom,» he said.

— Why are your eyes shining so suspiciously, George?!

— Mom, I’m in love.

— I know, George, and in a month you are getting married.

— Not Lucy’s mom.

— Who? — The mother even shuddered from surprise.

— Her name is Marie, mom. She sings in a small restaurant.

— Is that so? How long have you known her?

— Exactly one day.

— I hope you didn’t have anything to do with her.

— No, mom. Marie is like that, like that,» George’s voice was a little hoarse from excitement.

«Son,» the mother said with gentle warmth in her voice, «you are young.» And youth tends to idealize everything. And some singer from a third-rate restaurant may seem like a fairy to you. Believe me, son, years will pass and you will learn to look at life more soberly. In the meantime, let’s wash your hands quickly, otherwise the omelette has long since cooled down.

— Mom, I love her! — George said clearly and clearly, — and I want to marry her.

— And she you? — she asked.

— Yes! — For some reason, George quickly and suddenly answered.

«Stubborn like his father,» the mother thought with a sigh, «we should at least go and see this singer.»

«Well,» she said cheerfully, «I’ve been planning to visit my sister for a long time, but somehow it never happened, but this evening we’ll go, and at the same time we’ll see your princess.» Father won’t come with us, he has important business at the company, but now let’s hurry up and have breakfast.

The two remaining days before meeting Marie passed for George in a kind of fog. He mechanically did all the things, answered questions, and before his eyes stood the lovely appearance of Marie.

Before going to the restaurant, he carefully shaved and exchanged his shabby jeans and colored shirt for his best suit.

— Yes, you are my real dandy! — the mother said with admiration, — but why is the dandy so pale?

«Or is he serious,» she thought with alarm.

It was Saturday. Arriving at the restaurant, George and his mother sat down at the very first table.

— What do you want? — the waiter flew up and respectfully opened the menu in front of them.

Without looking at the menu or the waiter, but tensed up in anticipation of Marie, George randomly pointed his finger at several lines, but George never touched a single dish; he could neither eat nor drink from excitement.

«And how did she bewitch him?» the mother thought with alarm, looking at George.

— Incomparable Margot! — the restaurant director announced in a loud voice.

And George’s eyes shone:

«Look, mom,» he said in a whisper, «look, it’s Marie.»

Marie came on stage. This time she was not in a simple teenage dress, but in an elegant dress with frills, which surprisingly suited her slender figure. A blush covered her cheeks. But it was not a healthy peasant blush caused by natural food and being in the fresh air, but a feverish flush of excitement. To put it simply, her cheeks were on fire.

«Eh, she’s not indifferent to my boy either,» George’s mother noted with alarm, «Good God, what will his father say.

Meanwhile, Marie looked around the hall, her eyes were clearly looking for someone. Her eyes and George’s met for a moment, and in the depths of them George noticed warm sparkles, it seemed that they were talking, they were shouting: «My beloved, I am yours.» But this lasted only for a moment, so fleeting, so short, that the elderly gentleman drinking coffee at the next table noticed absolutely nothing and complacently applauded Marie in anticipation of a good concert. George’s mother didn’t notice anything either, although she was watching him closely.

But like an electric spark ran between the lovers, and from that moment on, Marie sang only for George, and George looked only at Marie.

This time she sang surprisingly well. Starting with a simple Neapolitan song and singing it in her sonorous voice, Marie then moved on to operatic arias. Her beautiful, strong voice literally captivated all listeners. And at the end she sang such a complex part from Cio-Cio-San in her unique voice that even George’s mother, who carefully hid her emotions, raised her eyebrows in surprise: «The girl undoubtedly has great vocal abilities,» she thought.

As for George, he did not hide his admiration for Marie, with a look full of love, he caught her every movement, her every sound, and she, flushed and charming, flattered by the attention of the entire hall, and especially her dear George, sang and sang.

Having finished singing, Marie, again casting a quick, grateful glance at George, hurriedly ran off the stage.

With a bouquet of flowers prepared in advance, George knocked on her dressing room. There was no answer. He knocked again and again, and the restaurant director came out at his loud knock. «Miss Haggis was unfortunately very tired, so she went straight to her house after the concert,» he said.