Mystical Kiev and stories

On Haymarket bazaar merchants have quietly folded. Some carts on the left, selling their goods. Peering closely at the cart, consisting of two horses, carts with straw and sketched empty baskets, and most importantly a man sled as if came out of those early childhood memories. Yes, it was the same as Uncle Vanya, which the first I knew at an early age, the husband of my aunt’s home Ghani. I lost my head from that, I wanted to run to him, to say who I am, and tell all that happened to me. But sober mind prompted to do reckless actions. To how it come to his senses, and make an informed decision, I grabbed his tie and began to take off his sharp nervous movements. To cope with it, folded and put a tie into the inner pocket of his jacket, still watch underwater. By the sled approached the woman, a teen girl in each arm were shopping cart. Skimp on the proceeds from the sales of their goods money, buy different delicacies, and now leave. I heard a woman’s aunt Manya and her daughter Olga, or in a simple way it was called Les. And then saving thought occurred to me how on a whim and that if I pretend to be the nephew of the brother of my grandmother. Especially because my grandmother Sribnaya Eugene Lavrentevna have not stayed in his home town of Pereyaslav-Khmelnitsky. Armed with this decision, I rushed to the wagon of Uncle Vanya.

– Hello, good people! – Approaching the cart, «I said cautiously, waiting for an answer. Leska, unfriendly and looked at me warily, muttering to come out into the cart Uncle Vanya: – Yes, go already! – Aunt Manya shouted at her: – Shut up, you do not ask. We learn what it takes to the young man. – By adopting this sign suggestions made that I need, I started the presentation of his legend.

– I told the people that you are from Shpitek. And my uncle, Gregory Lavrent’evich asked to call my Aunt Eugenia Lavrentevna and learn how she Shpitki lives there. As her health, well, a little of everything to find out. And ask when she’s going to come on a visit to his brother? – All this I made, trying to take the time to hide the excitement and coldness daughter Aunt Mani.

– Yes, and so we can tell you about our grandmother. On that Shpitki go? – Again intervened Leska. I winced at the words. I, as I could restrain myself not to betray his resentment, patiently waiting for an answer Aunt Mani.

– Eugene Lavrentevna will be very pleased to meet you. That you specially came to visit my mother?

– No. I arrived on a business trip at the «Electric appliance» of Pereyaslav-Khmelnitsky.

– A long time to us?

– No, just three days. On Saturday leaving.

– And what are you going? – Not appeased Aunt Manya.

– Course on riding a. How to go there then. – Suddenly our conversation interrupted Uncle Vanya: – So you are coming or not?

– Of course, the food.

– As soon climb to the carriage, and that is get, it will be dark.

I’m in no time jumped on the cart, unusually delicious smelling of freshly cut straw and at that moment felt such peace, and this peace, after troubles experienced that about everything forgotten. The eyes themselves were closed under the swaying rhythmically walking horses and wagon wheels bouncing. I was awakened by a hail of Uncle Vanya:

– You lie down, and then you will fall under the wheels, even cripple. – I did not argue, but simply stretched out on the straw and fell into oblivion. Just I heard the voice of Aunt Manya, who said – I guess not sleep at night on the train? – To whom she said these words, I did not know already, sleep overcame me and just loud:

– Tprr-p-oo-oo! – It sounded in my ear. I startled, opening his eyes. The wagon was standing at the gate of our house, painted in dark red color. Sunset was already in full swing, I threw off his sheepskin hood, which I hid Aunt Manya and you horse carts from the ground.

Pretending not to know what the house asked – So, what’s here? It is home to my Aunt Eugenia?

– And that Uncle Gregory did not show a photo gate, or what?

– Yes show.

– Well, that looks like? – Ask Aunt Manya. – On goodies Aunt Eugenia tell, tell you what we brought from the market.

– Do you have documents? – Asked Uncle Vanya, squinted slyly, smiling at me. I silently took a pass shoved under his nose. – You watch and photograph printing with the arms, Oli will show, and she have power.

I took a bundle with two French rolls from Aunt Manya and walked the familiar path, lined with bushes orange flowers to such familiar wooden corridor.

The door was already locked. I knocked. The door creaked open and the hallway steps shuffled my grandmother painfully familiar steps and her voice:

– And who is there such?

– This is your nephew from your brother Gregory of Pereyaslav-Khmelnitsky.

– From Gregory? – Grandma opened the door, and her wrinkled face broke into a smile. – Kolya, Kolya Well it’s your name?

– Yes – I agreed and added, – I’m on a business trip for three days. On Saturday Pereyaslav-Khmelnitsky train.

– Well, come on, you live here. And when you leave, you pass a letter Grisha.

– Thank you Aunt Zhenya, I’m so give your brother, he still wants to know when you come to visit him?

Well, on this we agree with him. Let him write more often. And you have things no one bundles.

I said that things are in a private hotel, there is a train ticket. I arrived on Friday. Monday handed over documents specifically requested that they gave me more days, so you’ll see. So I’m here.

– Well, come in, come in. Supper will be today.

I’m in awe, I went into the corridor to the pain home with sacks of grain feed for chickens and pigs in a sty. One is forced to look up to the ceiling, but it is, there piled swallow’s nest. And behind the door opposite the entrance to the hall, there was a small pantry, fitted under a chicken coop. All rational and comfortable, but what about sanitation, poor sanitation course in the face, but all naturally and without too much pathos. We entered into a large room, equipped for the kitchen. Almost in the middle of the room stood a stove. It was a magnificent structure. Grandma in the oven in the morning light a fire and put the stew in a clay pot meal. Oh, what a wonderful hot succeed in this dish with a spicy taste of smoke, hot melt in the mouth, causing a fragrant flavor of bay leaf, peppercorns and juicy fried pork ribs. To the right of the entrance stood under the window all the same kitchen table, which was suitable for a family dinner and for cutting of pig carcasses, and I did it once learned, when I was in school. Scary to think that there is in my reality, there is no longer the house with his income, and the people who lived in it. The heart ached painfully, when I saw my mother. Still quite young, and himself, a six-year boy, out-look at me. At this moment, I would like to point to himself those mistakes that will make this boy. As I wanted to protect him from hardship and privation, to reward him, except I have committed the fatal action. But it’s all a dream. Should I hint at how immediately accused of fraud and ambushes behind bars, to perform unpaid work in what may be a colony, in terms of making the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in the struggle for a brighter future. And that was me, they do not dig into your memory to remember the boy’s reaction, that is, I responded to myself. I remembered my grandfather’s nephew Gregory appearance, and I pined after his departure. I’m afraid not enough male paternal affection, and this guest showed me so much attention and care that strongly etched in memory, and helped me to overcome the taunts of others, pointing out that not all people are bad, there are good, for which to live and fight.

My mother and I sat at a table near the window, and my grandmother fussed at the stove, taking a warm hot pots. Mother took a deep dish of servant, who was standing to the left of the door, filed a grandmother, she went into her bedroom and made out a bottle of clear, like a tear fluid, hoisted the bottle on the table, said briefly:

– Moonshine.

The boy sat down on a chair beside him and received a portion of roast meat, and then said:

– Grandma, I will not eat fat. – What grandmother said, – You will not, because you will not.

– That would eat bacon, then would have been strong, but not as thin as a rake. – I told our mother to us and began to pour the vodka into glasses. Filling said:

– Come on, Nicholas, let’s drink to our acquaintance and that we lived and come to pass.

– Tell me what’s making your uncle Gregory? What does?

– Pigeon rides in the morning. – I replied.

– All the same pigeon, as a child. – Could not stand grandmother

– So, except for the pigeons, he no longer any classes? – Pouring a second glass Moonshine, his mother asked.

– Well, why – overturning a glass, – I replied. – First he asked me to Aunt Wife, to the letter she had sent him a bushel foot Valik. And when Aunt Zhenya coming to visit him, will be ready for Valik boots, he sew.

– Yes, he is a good master, golden hands. He told me, and we all sewed boots and shoes, very beautiful. All the girls on our street envied. I used to braid her hair, and go out with the girls stroll in the evening to the river. But how heavily the song, all the guys came running to us at the gatherings. Like this!

– Oh well. – Summed up the mother. – I’ll go to your bed couch Cole, and then get up early tomorrow. And you, Nicholas, if you want, you can go out for a smoke. And in general, when you want, you can go to bed. – Pointing to a spacious bed in her bedroom at the wardrobe, his mother said, adding. – The door is open, we sleep with the door open. – With these words, I went to lay my bed.

At this moment, I remain, as in a dream. I could not believe that this is all reality, not a dream, not a movie, but in reality. Wonderful. Metamorphosis of a continuum in which we live and will live. Using Proposition mother, I went out into the yard. Walk at dusk in the courtyard. He inspected the barn, which was our cow Zorka, and slept in a pig fence. I went to the restroom, which was behind the barn, and remembered Aunt Manya at the request of threshed grandmother coolies bread bat suspended on a stick-taped rawhide strap. And I’m on I unfortunately crawled out of curiosity, and received in the forehead. But it was time to go into the house, go to sleep…

This autumn morning dawned warm and sunny. His mother was already at work. Grandmother swarmed the oven. I left the room and began to wash the garbage as it has repeatedly done in my time here. Gaining from a mug of drinking water in your mouth and his mouth watered at hand. Myles hand then, repeat the procedure, washing hands with soap suds. After washing, wiped with a towel. Grandma was invited to the table and me baby. I have to keep up the conversation, asked: – potatoes dug up already?

– It has long been dug. We helped Niusia and children. – She had a mind of their children, and our aunts with Valiks.

– Auntie, will not mind if I went to the park Valik?

– Go, while I eat cooked.

The kid was very happy, and picked up a ball. I took his hand, and we went out of the gate. There alleys of old lime trees planted since the time Tereshchenko sugar manufacturer, we have seen the way ants. As these workers, moving one after another, dragging on itself who slice the stalk of grass, one tiny leaf and who morsel black beetle wing. I’m walking with my little six year old copy of the park, I told him stories, in which heroes were brave and courageous travelers, the overcoming hardships encountered on their way. I felt like the boy was interesting to me, but what bothered me the most, is that I can not tell a child what to expect at will-present. But I wanted to do in that no matter what, and I could not. I could not because the baby immediately tells his mother, and she sure to tell about me in the village council Zdorenko, chairman. So I decided to build his sly dialogue. After all, I was left for two days.

The next day came a cousin Nyuska. She was sixteen years old and she was considered Valik older sister, even though I knew it was not true. And that her baby could not stand for her hurtful and sociable character. We tried to escape with the baby in the park. There I told him the story about a boy, who at twelve years helped rescue two pilots of an unidentified flying object, or in other words, a spacecraft. And for that, the Rescue of Astronauts, the boy was awarded the unique abilities and even sang three of his best, the most important goal.

– But if in your life will occur such an event that you would ask for?

Kid frowned, thought for a long time, and then said:

– I want to live forever and never die.

– Anything else?

– I want a lot of friends.

– Anything else?

– I want to help other people, not to hurt, and live forever.

– Valik, when you have an event in your life, asks a lot of money, so that you can help people. Without money nothing can be done, even a dog to help.

– And that I will have it?

– All can be, well, just in case you keep that in mind, okay?

– Yes OK. – The kid fell silent and deep in thought. Then suddenly he asked seriously:

– And when it will happen.

– I don’t know. I just told you, just in case, so that in life you take the right decisions. – The boy again seriously looked at me and said: – Uncle Nick, I’ll make the right decisions.

– That’s right, well done. – Encouraged by the praise, the kid beamed a happy smile. And I began to speak to him one more case of his future:

– Well, even when you might be ten years, never pull the colt Uncle Vanya by the tail. Because the colt hit you in the forehead. Horses can not drag their tails. Promise me that.

Kid again seriously looked at me, then asked:

– You, Uncle Kolya pulled the colt, and he banged your head on the hoof?

– Yes. – And I showed him the scar on the right side of the forehead. The kid laughed good-naturedly, saying that he was not such a fool to carry the horses tails.

– And you know how to fight? – I asked him.

– What?

– And the fact that when the son of Uncle Vanya comes to you and starts to tease you insulting words, it is better not to answer him.

– Why? I told him how to give?

– No, I do not. You’re stronger than he is a boy, but he can hit you with a stick of branched apple and will break your skull. Listen to me, do not plant it. Promise me good! So he did not say.

– Well, I will not answer him.

– Correctly. If you’ll remember, and do all that I told you, you will be strong, healthy and full of money.

Kid confidently puffed out his chest, as if he was an adult and confident voice:

– Uncle Nick, do not leave us, please. – Became a whimper. I took out a handkerchief, blew his nose and wiped his tears, to cheer the boy’s words: – Well, well, you’re a man. And men do not cry. – I looked at him, and I myself have a cat clawing like, so I was sorry for him. It was a pity himself. What am I going to do all year, how to live? And anyway, if I survive? The third day I spent with the roll in the park. We played soccer. Viewed birds of different colors, and again I reminded him of his clever stories that he kept himself. Before leaving, my grandmother gave me a letter to his brother. To the delight of my envelope was signed. I had no choice but to drop it in the mailbox in Kiev, when I come to town.

On Saturday, I woke up early in the morning. Grandma gave me on the track in the oven roasted cockerel, boiled potatoes, bread and cakes with poppy seeds, which are specially baked for my departure. All this I hoisted in a plastic bag, which is placed at the bottom of the linen bags wrapped in newspaper.

My grandmother asked me, why do you want bags? I told him that Uncle Gregory ordered me to buy Fodder for pigs and pigeons, and the bags in the afternoon with fire not find. And I was given three bags, the benefit of this stuff on the farm «Bolshevik» were many. Of course, I leave his house did not want to. With a sense of irreparable loss forever, I got nowhere…