SYMBOL OF ETERNITY

Chapter Seven

At home, I met my grandmother.

– Tomorrow, on Sunday, go to Buzova on the market. – Solemnly informed me Lavrentevna Eugene. Bazaar was far, six kilometers from Shpitek. The locals call this place «Bazaar in Buzova». Location Farm Buzova ranges from Kiev on the thirtieth thirty- first kilometer of the highway Kyiv Brest- Litovsk. Grandma announced this news, and happily added:

– Maybe I cannot go. I’ll go even in the last…

Morning I was awakened by a light touch of my grandmother.

– Get up already. – She leaned over me in a clean white handkerchief and patted me on the head.

I rubbed my eyes. Rose, sleepily trudged into the kitchen. It stood on a stool bucket of water and a mug, and nearby, a stool near a garbage can. Scooping a mug of water, scored in his mouth, then poured out of his mouth his arms on a garbage can. And, soaped wet hand soap, wash. For my grandmother went to two middle- aged women.

It had two aunts in white colorful shawls. A distant relative, Aunt Manya from the neighboring village from Lychanka. And another, the eldest daughter of the grandmother, Maria, or, as everyone called her, too, Aunt Manya. They were, like the grandmother in white kerchiefs. At Aunt Mans from Lychanki wearing red woolen skirt and brown shoes without heels. Aunt Manya from Shpitek dressed in a light and spacious long cotton skirt in gray and brown peas. On her feet she had sandals. And my grandmother was wearing soft slippers, in which she was, she said, it will be convenient.

The sun with its rays touched the tops of the trees, coloring it with soft pink color. On the grass glistening with dew. Potatoes in the garden bloomed white flowers. It was a calm field work. That time when the crop absorbs moisture, fertilizer and heat – matured.

Farmers could make a break. End of July, beginning of August. Then, to gather strength and to harvest, to stock up for the winter.

– Cam on, let’s go soon, the still us go. – Quickly said goodbye to Kate, we moved on. It was nice to meet tribeswoman as «away» from home and we have to see it, too.

A field passed when the sun warmed significantly in the back. But the first trees by the side of the highway hid shadow walkers, and go easier. Grandma decided to rest under a tree and sat down on the grass, at the same time and shod. Buzova with its bazaar was across the highway. It is enough to just two hundred meters. Noise trading crowd, grunting, bellowing and growling animals, merged into the distant hubbub is near the bazaar.

In the bazaar of Aunt Manya Lychanki bought a pig. He hid in bag wild cries. With this pig, endlessly screaming in the bag, we went to the bazaar, attracting everyone’s attention. Trade here all the horses, cows, puppies, kitchen utensils, shoes, clothing, animal feed, seeds and so on… I could not understand that looking for my grandmother. But when Aunt Manya from Lychanki went to a woman, holding a child in the hands of school uniforms, began to bargain, I understood. Grandma made me wear a jacket. All at once I nodded approvingly, and the form became my ten rubles. Pig in a poke, then died away, then again frantically yelled at the whole market. And only then, when Aunt Manya from Lychanki stayed with fellow villager, fodder- trafficked, we got rid of the pig screeching. She left on a cart with a fellow villager. And we have come in the same way home late at night.

They came. How nice it was after a hot sunny hike dip in the cool clean house. We were met by the mother in a white scarf tied at the Bolshevik- style red kerchiefs. Nice to see her welcoming smile, this was extremely rare.

– Well, bought form? – See the purchase; she said she was glad grandmother. And Grandma pushed the knot. And I got a school uniform there.

– Have you tried on Valik form? – She asked anxiously, – Go ahead, Valik, put on.

I put on a very uncomfortable uniforms jacket with metal buttons, cap with a badge and become like a little cabin boy with a sailboat, only was not the sea, and only the school.

– Well, now you can in school. – Out of nowhere, a voice Nyuska.

Nyuska considered a cousin, but behaved like an older sister and allowing yourself the different educational lunges at me. She was of medium height, she was sixteen. To distinguish malicious endearing demeanor, and now she was trying to be sarcastic:

– You as a minister in the ministerial form.

She was living with Olga Andreevna was a daughter or aunt Feodosia as everyone called her mother, his sister Olga Andreevna, Aunt Fenya.

So the bride went well. Grandmother Eugenia Lavrentevna no longer makes such long journeys and engaged in farming. Cooked food from the oven, cleaned walnuts, assisted cleaning potatoes from the garden. Because of concerns come September 1st. By this triumph mother prepared in full. I had a brand new bag, notebooks, ABC, pen, ink, ink, and all the essentials that you need to first grade…

Chapter Eight

1955 has come, and the day came 1 September. I came with my mother to the school and saw a few familiar boys and girls’ kindergarten. Basically, most of the children I did not know. The first with what had to face, it is a place at a school desk.

I went to class at a convenient place, it seemed to me at the center of a number of school, I sat down at the desk. But then came a girl with a round face and a thick protruding in different directions pigtails.

– This is my place! – Frowning, she said angrily. I tried to argue.

– I first got here! – What the girl said:

– Look under the desk, there is my portfolio.

Lifting the lid desk, I saw a briefcase. As I rose to make room, the class quickly filled with first graders. Without losing a moment longer, I rushed to the vacant lot next. Once settled there, immediately looked under the desk lid, it was empty. But immediately in front of me became blond boy from my growth:

– This is my place! – He said – I took it!

I replied angrily: – Then you do not have your books. I’m not going anywhere from here, you will sit at me behind the back.

The boy wanted to protest, but his mother sat at the next desk behind. When the first bell sounded and the parents left the class, suddenly, I felt a terrible pain in hair. A moment later, I realized that I was that there are forces that pull hair. I instinctively grabbed the enemy’s hands and jumped up. The boy, leaving his fingers to tear pieces of my hair, barely lifted his hands on my head. My rabies was no limit. Losing control because of acute pain, I did my best hit the neighbor in the head with his fist. The boy immediately settled in their place, started to cry, and from his nose gushing blood stream.

At this time, the teacher entered the class. She saw him bleeding, ran to the victim, and a handkerchief to stop the bleeding from the nose. Then, as nothing happened, began the first lesson. She introduced herself:

– Children, I am your first teacher. Call Olga. I will lead you up to the fourth grade. – She paused, and then continued:

– And now let’s get acquainted. I will give the name, patronymic and everyone, and everyone should get up from his place, for all to see it.

Getting started.

When my turn came, I heard his name, felt the paint fills a person stood up.

The whole class was looking at me, and the world seemed to have waited for something not usual, so it seemed to me in those moments (and, because in the future, after many years, will my work, the novel «A SYMBOL OF ENTERNITY» which stir the whole world).

– Sit down! – came the word of the teacher to hearing. And I, in obedience to the voice of the teacher, took his seat at the desk.

– Klivchuk! – Named following the name of Olga.

I got up a fair- haired boy with blood on his nose. It turned out that the boy’s name is Nicky, and he was already eight years old. From the boys’ eyes in the class do not hide my fight with Klivchukom Kolya and the boys started to respect me as well as feared. But the fight for the lead was carried out continuously every hour, and every minute.

The class had to learn good, even excellent, that is worthy leader.

At the break the leader should be the strongest, but the older students loved, on occasion, to show their superiority in strength and leadership. Show helplessness junior school students, particularly prestigious. But the humble leader junior school students no less prestigious front of their classmates.

In this and built were in that distant time, all relations between the rural school boys.

Parents are gone before the first school day ended. For the first time the children as adults, were home alone.

I discovered that behind me is a girl in our class. The next morning, I ran into her when coming out of the gate of his house on the street.

– Hi. – She greeted a small voice, and looked down.

– Hi. – I replied.

And we, silently, went to school…

autumn. Yellow leaves on a slender row of chestnut trees near the church and the blue, blue sky, low pressure invigorating autumn wind, the buzzing of wasps, darting a quick flight pebble, all this Indian summer. Young students walked to school past the street chestnut, churches and school playground. Here is the entrance step. Travel merged with the crowd rushing to school, and disappeared behind the door of the school.

– So, kids, today we have for the second time came to school. – Start lesson Olga.

– Today I’ll show you how to behave in the classroom. – She began to talk about what to do if you want to ask something, etc. Suddenly, with the last batch of the boy she jumped up and quickly rushed to the exit. Slammed the door, he embarrassed the teacher opened his mouth in surprise; listening to the steps the student was removed.

The boy soon returned and went so quickly to his seat. Teacher and this time could not answer, but was lost at the blackboard with his mouth open.

– «Do not even raised his hands and asked to leave.» – I thought. I was not clear why Volodya Tzipa (the name of the boy) did not understand how to ask to get out of class. The teacher, having recovered from the unexpected behavior of the student, said:

– Tzipa, what are you left without permission? – She looked at the student, waiting for an answer. Tzipa said:

– I went out. – He replied.

– Why? – Waited explanations teacher.

– I wanted to write. I went and pissed at the school fence. – With these words, Olga blushed to the ears. The, having recovered a bit, began quietly to explain:

– Volodya, and all children, listen again when you need to go to the bathroom, you need to raise your hand. And when I ask what you need, you say that I need to get out. It was only on my command, when I say go, you can go out. Do you understand?!

The children responded in unison:

– U- under- stay- on!

I came home in high spirits. My grandmother was in the garden. She dug the potatoes. I realized at once, seeing the strap constipation, abandoned without a castle right on the gate bracket. This meant that the owner of the garden and the house is unoccupied. I put the bag under the corridor door and went into the garden to look for grandma.

In the garden, among the dry stems of potato, rosy balls pumpkins and dried leaves pumpkin leaves, low, leaning over the earth, and my grandmother was hooked on working toes black shoveled earth. White potato tubers come to the surface, nimble fingers grabbed them, and each, in size, fell in its strictly assigned to the basket.

– Oh, it’s you, Valik? – Softly she said to me. With difficulty he leveled. – Well go already eat. Today I cooked soup with beans and meat. Even buckwheat.

Grandmother was in a good mood. It’s a beautiful, warm autumn day. Rich harvest and beloved grandson, though fatherless, but the favorite, came home from school, still have a job, still have to take care about someone, and still have a moment when you can relax. Grandmother, groaning and dragging baskets of potatoes, loudly commanded:

– Shovel it!

I obeyed, and we went to the house. Spade dragged me. In the corridor the door I put the shovel and went out into the corridor behind her grandmother. Already in the house grandmother said:

– Wash your hands and sit down at the table.

I washed my hands with soap and water, wiped with a towel and sat down at the table. Grandmother at this time fussing at the stove. And the kitchen room was filled with the fragrant smell of freshly cooked borsch. Soon on the table there was a bowl of steaming soup.

– Buckwheat noodles do not want? – I asked the grandmother, pulling out of the oven another pot with more choice- grain buckwheat. Porridge smelled delicious, making a delicious flavor, and I took wooden spoon porridge and poured it into the soup. Hesitated, and then put another. Borsch overflowed the edge of the bowl; a round red denoting a stroke, cast golden sequins fat.

I ate their fill. Belly became elastic, like a drum, and my grandmother kept saying:

– Take bread, and eat. The school running about?

I ate meat and bone with fat on it left in the bowl.

– Why do not you eat bacon? – Strictly asked grandmother. – Here Ochkolyasy so all eat!

– So Ochkolyasy identity. – I replied and got up from the table.

– Go for a walk, – said, and left.

Lessons are given, because in school I was only twice. It was four o’clock in the afternoon. In the garden, in the crown of high- pear wildings, leaves rustled lazily chirping sparrows. On the road outside the fence sleepy wagon he thundered, raising a cloud of dust. The atmosphere was spicy scent of autumn. Yellowing leaves on walnut fluctuated breeze, calling for the collection of the fruit. In most nuts cracked, it’s time to collect the fruit. There’s a branch in walnut crown flashed orange lump. I looked and saw a red squirrel, nervously hopped from branch to branch.

I threw into squirrel walnut. My journey ended in the garden, to the grandmother returned soon.

– Take a shovel and dig potatoes! – Commanded grandmother.

I said in response:

– No I cannot. I’m so had eaten that will be intestines volvulus.

– Here’s a quitter! – Complained grandmother scolded me – Then go and of my eyes.

I quickly walked away from the garden.

The next morning, on the way to school, I was again faced with the girl. In her form as little governess. This form I had seen in the pre- revolutionary books with pictures that are found in the attic of the house.

White apron on a brown dress is particularly suited to her two pigtails with bows. She was carrying a large briefcase.

– Good morning! – A small voice, imitating the adults, she greeted.

– You Valik name? – She asked.

– Valik, and you name like? – I’m in the school heard her name, but did not remember.

In the class I noticed that she was sitting near the wall with red- haired girl.

– My name is Alex, – she said, looking at me with huge gray and slightly slanting eyes. Her beautifully defined eyebrows were long and sensual, slightly swollen lips broke into a friendly smile.

– So are you in school? – I asked authoritatively.

The girl lowered her eyes and squeaked:

– To school.

– Well, then we go together.

Before the school walked in silence. Near the school the boys saw us together, and away we go:

– The bride and groom, boiled- boiled dough, the bride and groom!

I Alex reddened up to his ears. Each of us is determined to no longer go to school together.

Morning. Sunday. My mats are left with apples on the market in Kiev. The grandmother, as usual, hovered near the stove.

Sun bright pink rays penetrates even into the room. On my soul sad and lonely.

Alas, the village has turned away from me, or rather half of it. Complete boycott on the part of the children, because there are rumors; Olga A. that the house built for the money the collective farm; «… And was born bastard.» Though it feared and respected at the same time, but the kids to be friends with me did not want to. Friends were not. Morning, longing, I want fun and games with their peers. And I decide to go on a visit to his cousins. I got up, put on his unchanging corduroy shorts with a harness- tightening. Shirt and jacket on one button, slippers, and told his grandmother:

– I go out to Bbchenko Koli.

– Tell aunt Ghana to feed you there! – Strictly ordered grandmother. Mom Bbchenko Kohli was the middle daughter Eugenia Lavrentevna, and I had an aunt Ganey, so it was called the familiar children her sons Bbchenko Kohli and younger Shura. She worked on the farm as a milkmaid, and today, on Sunday she had a day off.

I went out into the street. The sun was shining right in your face, a song resounded on the radio: «Get up the country since the dawn of the meeting of the day…»

And the sun and the song, and the joy of being chased away melancholy loneliness, and with them and instill faith in their own strength. Poured all my being inexpressible vigor and energy. It seemed that the road passes by the majestic buildings of the Kieva Street. And this morning, and dawn, and the song was so close I think that has arisen suddenly, the mood, which is particularly acute, I share your feelings with your friends, who did not. I want to share with friends who would understand me and shared with me a sense of joy and harmony of life, but life makes its own adjustments are not insurmountable. And I’m not even tempted in the vicissitudes of life obstacles had to sort out the chaos of relationships between people, children and adults, men and women, living life…

Gathering dust and sand road, almost dust was still pink from the sun early morning sun. Pink road in the smells wafting from anywhere rich ripened harvest, I walked this road in the dark… I like this uncertainty, and even though it was in the imagination, but in reality almost seemed true.

That gate cousins. It was very early. I opened the heavy gate and heard the frantic barking of the dog yard, sitting on a chain next to his booth. On the bark of a dog ran aunt Gan – the mother of Kolya and Shurik Bbchenko, the sister of my mother, Olga Andreevna. She was not bogged down exasperation told me:

– Guys do sleep. – And he threw out of the pelvis, right at the doorstep, the dirty water after washing potatoes.

I realized that he offered to leave. And frowning, I said:

– Well, I’m leaving. – And I shut the gate. A lump of resentment stepped up to the throat, and I decided to go a little further, just next to the house Babchenko, just across the road, lived cousin Olga Shevchenko or relatives and the children call her Leska, she is the daughter of Aunt Manya.

– «Go to Leska.»

I walked through the gate. On the threshold I met Aunt Mary, or at home, Manya, the elder sister of my mother, Olga Andreevna.

– You’re the Valik? And Mom, what does?

– Mom in Kiev. – I answered

– What drove, really apples?

– Yes, apples.

– Grandma, what does?

– Cooks food in an oven.

– And it is not he is going to his brother; Gregory grandfather go?

– No, I do not know. Not going.

– What do not you know? What she did not tell you that he was going in Pereyaslav- Khmelnytskyi go?

– No, did not say.

On the threshold of the hut, covered with straw, suddenly appeared a handsome man in a white shirt and a light blue sports trousers.

– Good Morning, Bob. – I greeted.

The man nodded wheat curls, greeting me.

– Take a photograph you, do you want? – He replied amiably and disappeared into the house.

– Come on, I cooked dumplings poppy. – Carefully told Aunt Manya. Before I could answer, on a table near the threshold there was a clay bowl of dumplings.

– Over there water dispenser, I go wash your hands. – Ordered Aunt Manya. I generously lathered his hands scented soap, rinsed under running from the sink and wiped dry. Then sat down at a table on the bench. I took one hand out of the bowl and began to eat. Dumplings were in honey and very tasty. In the following hand came dumpling. But Bob was already with the camera and I clutched in his right hand dumpling became a timbered wall hut photographed. After photographing me, Bob asked me to take off his. What I gladly complied with. Recent mood disorder in Bbchenko changed elevated mood and cheerful company of senior cousins. Soon I was back at the table, and bright smile shone good location pleasant to me. I returned home at three days. Mother has come from the market and brought the money to the French buns with raisins. The grandmother, as usual, took of the hot oven, delicious- smelling smoke and a piece of pork is not greasy and my mother and I started dinner at grandma’s conversations.

– Until the summer, we go to Pereyaslav, and I will see hut, where i grew and Gregory – wiping his greasy hands on apron, said the grandmother.

– If necessary, it is necessary – did not mind my mother, and added, – and who will cook a meal? Well I’m at work?

– I asked Manu to, yet I will not manage for a while. – I could not resist and put my two cents:

– Grandma, takes me with you.