My city 3: records Emmanuel
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Luda told:
– Here so there lived once Soviet citizen.
Emmanuel took an interest:
– This whose apartment?
– Ours.
– I understand that yours, but who lived here earlier?
– My mother. – Luda answered. Then she with despondency and chagrin added. – She sits now. – then she explained. – For speculation during the Soviet period. – it having made a long pause, gloomy added. – Year remained.
Emmanuel having listened to Luda, heaved a deep sigh. She approached Luda, and having embraced her, in a consolation told:
– Anything. You awake together. – then having made a pause Emmanuel added. – Never it is necessary to despair. Despair sign of hopelessness.
Luda having looked at Emmanuel, firmly told:
– I do not despair.
Emmanuel having looked at Luda told:
– It is good. – then she departed from it, and having approached the refrigerator ZIL, opened it, and having glanced inside, saw that it is empty. Having looked at Luda, asked Emmanuel:
– And where here nearby grocery store?
– Nearby. – Luda answered and asked. – And what?
Emmanuel looked in the refrigerator again, and with chagrin told:
– It is similar that in the refrigerator is empty.
– Cannot be? – Luda was surprised. She quickly approached the refrigerator, and having glanced found in nothing. – We will probably have dinner and supper here.
Emmanuel took an interest again:
– Where grocery store? – then she kind of for fun added. – to go to bed on a hungry stomach …
And without having managed to finish this phrase, she heard Luda's voice.
– It is similar that today we have a visit of shop. – then Luda asked Emmanuel knowing already that that will tell in reply. – How about that to go to grocery?
– I, for.
– I too.
Women left the apartment. Luda having closed a door gave keys Emmanuel. She told:
– They now yours. – then she added. – Live.
In the nineties, shops – supermarkets just that gained the steam. In few places it was possible to buy something from products, without overpaying and without being afraid that you will get poisoned. Tents occupied all center of Moscow. In any case Moscow! All Moscow region, all Russia. In each of tents there was the range of goods. But it was monotonous. Ninety nine and nine percent of the range of goods made alcoholic drinks and tobacco products. It seemed that those years Russia became an inveterate drunkard and smoked. And what? After Gorbachev crisis with alcoholic drinks – two bottles in hands how not to get drunk. Suddenly again alcohol will be gone – offensively. As for tobacco products, as for tobacco products, then too that for a sin to be smoked. I remember Gorbachev when I made crisis with alcoholic drinks then cigarettes disappeared somewhere. I remember malicious smokers and smokers nearly went for storm of the White House if only to achieve that cigarettes or at least cigarettes of "BELOMOR-KANAL" went on sale. Whatever you may say, life then was more interesting. We looked for something, stood in a queue, overpaid extremely expensively. Life was more interesting. As for Luda and Emmanuel, they had to go to do shopping to the center of Moscow. On the street being Gorky, the present Tverskaya. In Eliseysky shop. Having made purchases there Emmanuel approached cash desk, and having seen how many all their purchase costs nearly was terrified. The price was more than in Europe on extremely measure by hundred twenty times, and even is much bigger. Emmanuel having stupidly looked at Luda thought of what the cashier was mistaken, appeared is not present. The mistake was not. This was the actual price at the prices of the ninety third of the ninety seventh of years. Luda having paid off the cashier for purchases, left shop, and having addressed Emmanuel, told:
– This Russia – the mother, here everything is expensive, and salary is lower, than in the Third World country, for example in one of the countries of Africa.
– Yes? – agreed with Luda Emmanuel. – Whatever you may say, Russia is Russia. – then she asked. – As soon as here people live?
Luda it is multiple-valued shrugged shoulders.
– We can be … – she said with grief. – Sometime in the future?
Emmanuel with grief sighed.
– Can be. – she said. – Sometime. – then she added. – But not now.
Having arrived back home, they met at an entrance of that guy which helped to carry them things to the apartment last time. He then hurried, and could not get acquainted with women. Now, when it returned after the urgent matters, he sat on a bench at an entrance and watching absolutely already dark sky thought of something. Having seen the women leaving a car, he immediately recognized them. He got up from a bench, and having approached them offered once again the help. Luda with it is inherent in the woman interest took an interest:
– Do you pursue us?
– No. – immediately the guy answered having taken bags in hand. – I do not pursue you, just passed by as last time.
Luda smiled:
– And at the same time sat on a bench at an entrance? – then she added. – We saw you.
The guy convicted that it nevertheless did not pass by, and
– My crime seems it is solved.
Luda with interest took an interest:
– And in what it consisted?
The guy looked at Emmanuel, and then at Luda, and said:
– I like your girlfriend. – not to offend the woman with whom he spoke he added. – I like also you.
Luda knowingly nodded, and then asked:
– And which of us is pleasant to you more?
The guy for a second thought. He did not want to be impolite to women. But something it was necessary to answer, and he told:
– You are pleasant to me both, everyone in own way. – then he added. – Both of you are beautiful and mysterious.
– Yes. – Luda smiled having agreed with the guy. – In the woman – a riddle. – then she told. – Well, help us.
The guy informed of bags their apartment on the fifth floor, and Luda having invited him on a visit, asked his name.
– Zhora. – having presented it having looked at the interlocutor, asked. – And you?
Luda did not understand:
– What I?
Zhora asked:
– What is your name?
– And. – became the woman awkwardly. Then it was presented. – Lyudmila. – she looked at Emmanuel, and presented it. – Emmanuel. – then she explained. – she arrived from abroad, and does not speak Russian. – then she added. – but she well knows English.
– I speak English too. – he addressed to Emmanuel in English. – I am very glad to get acquainted with you.
Though without knowing Russian, she understood that someone from them it was pleasant to this person. She answered in English.
– And me too.
Author: – Further dialogue happens in English.
Zhora went to kitchen, and having put bags on a floor began to get from them products. When women entered on kitchen, all products from bags already stood on a table.