The words above say (May your dreams come true!)
”INTO ETERNITY I HURRIED … ….. ”
I was born in Uraym, a remote village in the Southern Ural Mountains , during an ice cold winter. Our Zaimka, (so are named the small settlements in the Urals), was rather unusual and, since times immemorial, served as a place of settlement for those who actively rejected the doctrines of the Russian Orthodox church (and so it was of the old-believers’ ilk). My grandmother Anastasia, by the time of my happy birth, was the head of this small community. The Bible always served as the basis of our beliefs and sermons. There were no severe interdictions and restrictions. Only our faith protected the people in our community from the usual vices for which the Russian society is so famous (drunkenness, laziness, rudeness, nationalism, religious intolerance, spiritual dogmatism, communist extremism).
But in fact, I fully realized this only when I found myself in a KGB prison. This institution, as dreadful as it was, had, nevertheless, allowed to me to fully appreciate how lucky I was to grow up among most remarkable people, who were full of true spiritual strength and love. The reason for my imprisonment was rather mundane. In those stagnant 80s, my friends and I were too zealous in our attempts to defend a small slice of God’s unique creation on Earth: the Commander islands. Therefore, as you see, I was no dissident, nor an admirer of the idols of a new wave of the Russian Pseudo-democracy. Anyway... Shall we leave it behind because the evening sun is setting outside the window: “Over Canada, over Canada, the low sun is setting!! I should sleep long time ago, but sleep escapes me.” And so, I am sleepless… I read Astafiev’s stories about Russia, our poor Motherland. And sadness comes over me.... Time is ripe to edit this collection of my stories. They asked me to edit it some more. And so, lately that’s what I have been doing: I edit, I read lectures, I write, and I wait.... Good God, this pressing feeling of expectation - be that for a project’s completion, a new expedition, or simply a tender touch of a hand and an encouraging word... What a dangerous thing this is – expectation. Not long before one goes insane... But, as the dear to my heart Americans and Canadians speak " Anyway...”Let's go some where and somehow further”.
I should have left, thrown away this silly idea to write verses... It is just not a talent I have, not at all… But I can’t help it! The sticky pain of self-preservation clouds my heart... All I wish is to save myself for work and family. Who will ever want me this tormented? But no! My irrepressible nature hastens me to take a path, with even an illusory dust of creative turbulences. Are you frightened yet after such an introduction? Not yet...?! Therefore, my lovely friend, these verses are for you as well. I very much wish that they find a response in your kind heart: feelings of empathy and compassion. Just as our poet Vysotsky sang: "Here I am before you, as if naked "....
(I will leave translating the verses for last. I am not good at rhyming). Here go the stories.
A Story of Love in Taiga
Dedicated to Isabel Hindalova
As a guide to the solution of mysteries of the
Russian soul.
”Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.” Ecclesiastes 7:28.
Dreams of long journeys entirely preoccupied my imagination since childhood. Undoubtedly, both the wonderful nature of the Southern Ural Mountains where I was born, and the books I read by Arsenyev, Asanov, Fedoseyev, Seton-Thompson and Jack London encouraged this within me. I dreamt of the taiga wilderness, remarkable people, and, somewhere deep within my heart there throbbed a hope of the certain and magical meeting with the taiga "princess,” the one you meet reading Kuprin’s "Olesya.”
Time went on. Upon my graduation from school, without a regret, I had left behind my native home. As usual, the horizons bared their immense depths. And there I was, still "a green" student, under the patronage of my companion, an upperclassman, included in an expeditionary group assigned to work in a scientific laboratory located in the depths of taiga in the Republic of Komi.
As a matter of fact, I had first learned about this land from my friend’s stories of the dense taiga, logging roads, an abundance of wild animals and birds, and small settlements, with fantastically-sounding and romantically-fascinating names, such as “Sinegorje.”
Our scientific group consisted of seven persons. Two people were scientific employees from the institute. Then there were we, the students from various classes, and Sergey Marakov, who was presented to us by the senior colleagues as a big expert on the Kamchatka and the Commander Islands.
That was when I made his momentous acquaintance. Momentous, I say, because soon, Marakov, became the Managing Chair of Biology of Animals and Birds. It was from his light hand and his fascinating stories about the Kamchatka and the Commanders that my first expeditions to that extraordinary land had started. The land, «where Russia begins». But hold on…
For now we have loaded the expedition equipment into a small truck and got on our way at dawn...
Within twenty-four hours, traveling by highway and by country roads, we had crossed the Kirov region. By the second night, we had reached the home of our scientific center in the Tulashor settlement.
Tulashor was an absolutely tiny settlement of no more than thirty houses, and it had been in the past a lively logging operation in the system of the GULAG, but as the surrounding forests were cut down, so the people and the machines moved on farther north. The settlement died out, and only a small part of the local residents and loggers with their families carried on.
All around, for hundreds of kilometers, there lay the taiga, seriously thinned out, however, by cuttings of varied ages. These naturally grew, forming oases astonishing in their biological diversity. In a word, it was a true paradise for numerous animals and birds.
Upon arrival, as usual, the local residents gathered into our small scientific house. The custom was to celebrate the opening of the field season of an expedition. Thus, the local snacks such as fish, mushrooms and berries, mixed on the table with the city delicacies: sausage and instant coffee. Pure alcohol was the drink of choice with its stocks threateningly large as it was supposed to be used mainly for preserving the internal organs of mouse-like rodents.
The feast lasted long past midnight, and in the morning, around nine, I was awakened by a delicate touch of someone's hand to my shoulder. I opened my eyes and saw the somewhat rumpled and sad physiognomy of our chief. With a pleading voice, he begged me to go down to the local medical aid station to bring him some medicine for his headache.
I quickly washed up, put on my clothing, and went in the specified direction.
As I was told, the first-aid station was located nearby, in a log house, lop-sided by reason of old age. Upon entering the court yard, I saw a padlock of rather impressive dimensions and a scratched-up and faded tablet on the doors.
What shall you do... The establishment was closed, but the thoughts of intolerable suffering of my fellow friend, made me, after some hesitation, sit down to wait on a bench near the wooden fence around the yard... Perhaps, the pharmacist would shortly appear.
In barely a hundred yards from the fence, there lay the forest, and how free your chest breathed, inhaling the resinous aroma! How interesting and unusual were the heavy-timbered log buildings, blackened with time! All around, the mud was knee-deep, and only the central street of the settlement was paved with logs along both tracks. It served as the logging road.
Having waited, thus, for about a half an hour, I was ready to leave. I shut the half-collapsed gate behind myself, but turning towards the street, I stopped in my tracks, thunder struck!
Upon this logging road, amidst all the dirt and the mud, an airy being moved towards me in the image of a young woman. She was dressed in a white, graceful pantsuit! Black hair freely fell to her shoulders and wonderfully framed her perfectly formed and tan face. Shining, big eyes, sparkled with a smile! With a light slightly balancing gait, she came nearer to me, and the closer she approached, the more my face reflected my awkward amazement. And indeed! Anyone would be caught silly and open mouthed in amazement! All but such a meeting could be expected in this god-forsaken and remote place!
«Hello! Are you here to see me?» - With a darling, silver voice, she asked.
"Yes" – unable to make a step, I mumbled in reply. «And you are…?» «I am the local medical assistant and my name is Raya!» Stumbling, I followed her into the yard and while she dexterously unlocked the lock on the door, I was barely able to explain to her the purpose of my visit! With a lovely, slightly crafty smile on her lips, she handed to me a pack of aspirin. As if bewitched, I looked at her and awkwardly reached my hand out. She had to take a step towards me to put the medicine into my palm. Our hands had touched, for a brief instant...
What I have felt during this moment, it is impossible to explain. I remember only, that from this fleeting contact, I became speechless. I blushed hotly and stumbled on my way to the open gate. And behind me flew, as it seemed, her gentle, murmuring laughter, words of farewell, and an invitation to come by to sit by the fire.
Without feeling my feet under me, I quickly reached our dwelling where I found all «the fair company» at breakfast. My dumbfounded looks and behavior have turned up the fun quite a bit... And having caught my breath, I told my curious friends about the amazing meeting!
As I told my story, delighted and excited, the company grew livelier by the minute! Bursts of laughter interrupted jokes and inquiries! Only one scientific employee, a young guy, did not share in the general fun. Moreover, he has soon risen, and with a darkened and intense face, quickly walked out the door...
«Watch out! Our kind chief has complacently remarked. Don’t upset the poor good fellow before his so long-awaited meeting! After all, they have been engaged for half a year now»
And all has at once fallen into place! Has grown dim! Ah, a bride, a bride! The unwritten code of field expeditions strictly dictated to treat such things with the utmost respect.
And then, our interesting work in the taiga has begun! Nights spent at camp fire, observing the animals, fuss at the laboratory... But during the short days of rest, we students, nevertheless stopped by Raya’s. Sometimes, a girlfriend also visited her in the evenings, and then guitar sounded. I sang, read verses... But mostly, I sat silently, listening to conversations and looking...
Her beauty was not of the classical kind. And it was absolutely far from the conventional everyday, stereotypes.
But nature and providence had given her with a much bigger gift, what we call in folklore, a divine harmony of soul and body!
She had a perfect, slightly aquiline nose, and glowing eyes always filled with warm light... slightly swarthy complexion, with crow-wing black hair...Slightly taller than average height, she was endowed with a graceful figure...
Yes, she was undoubtedly the taiga "Princess,” the one from my youthful dreams and visions!
There was in her a sea of natural charm, sincere empathy, and interest in life! Her speech was simple and harmonious! The smile of her slightly pale lips was charmingly modest and alluring...
Her smile made all of us simply melt, immersing us into the slow and mellow state of sheer bliss. We were happy beyond all words.
But such meetings were rather short. As a rule, in an hour or two, came her groom! He was a good guy, an excellent scientist and field researcher, but how awfully jealous! With his arrival, conversations quickly faded. Songs and laughter ceased... The charm of a fairy tale disappeared... After hasty goodbyes, we left! And he always returned to our general house-laboratory by daybreak.
Our relations with her were quite good, but without any special sympathies. His undisguised arrogance and a feeling of superiority in science and life in general, clearly oppressed us. We were but students, pupils, and so, we carried our "cross" patiently, but with dignity.
Only in late fall, as soon as the first snow fell, we left hospitable Tulashor. The farewells were crumpled and inexpressive. I thought everything was over, for ever, but the destiny had decided differently...
I need not even say that the image of that girl, the taiga beauty, always remained with me! Both at lectures, and in a reading room, and among the noisy student parties... I kept trying to write her a letter and tell her about my feelings... But my lines laid down on paper, with the powerless rustling of last year's straw. The words felt dead and dry!
And yet, closer to the New Year’s, I had sent her a card warmly congratulating her with the holiday! I sincerely wished her good luck and said everything that was required, adding, just at the end, how I wished to spend my holiday vacation in Tulashor. But, I hastily added, this was only a dream of mine... mentioning just how busy I was and that my friends were calling me to explore the unknown far away lands.
A couple of weeks later, entirely unexpectedly for myself, I received an answer in which Raya told me about her life in a lovely and interesting way and, as if fleetingly, she mentioned that for her, my visit would have been the best new year’s present!
My God! My head began to spin! I rushed to the Aeroflot cash desks. I broke through the holiday crowds, and, with numerous transfers from the big planes to the tiny ones, I made it to Sinegorje.
From this settlement, I still had to walk on foot or hitch-hike for about 40 kilometers to Tulashor. But this was no distance for me, who considered myself even at that time, a real taiga tramp! A light little back pack with some presents behind my back and on my way I went!
The winter logging road to Tulashor was well packed with travel. Taiga and Frost! And the sun! My heart struggled to dash out of my chest and to fly faster than my poor feet!
«Where?! Where, are you rushing, madmen!?» - The wise old black ravens called from the tall pines... «There! There, where the scarlet dawn fades on the snow...», the carefree titmice interrupted them with cheerful twitter...
And only in the full darkness of a winter night had I reached my destination. There it was: the familiar house, the light in the window, and the footpath to the porch... My face was on fire and my soul ablaze! I flew onto the porch and knocked on the door. It flew open! In the frosty clouds, I saw a nice face, a smile and questioning eyes... A dash towards each other... And a kiss!
And never again, before or after, had I ever experienced such feelings of love and rapture! Happiness and chaste delight! Yes, my lovely reader, I loved and was loved!!!
Then… Then there were so many conversations, touches, flaming passion, and happy languor!
Raya told me that at first glance, at the moment of our first meeting and that fleeting touch of our hands, she felt what they call "love at first sight"... And then, those songs and verses, those stories about taiga adventures... It all made her heart race.
But I was so young and so sincerely naive! So far removed from the life’s rough truth... And she already had a groom, prospects of a married life... She never loved him, but respected him... That’s how life is! And I?! A hungry and poor student... What could I could give her, a woman living on this Earth?... What? Only my love and adoration!
But the sky glowed with stars and the dam had given way... The stream rushed through, seething and unstoppable!
The time flew, unnoticed, or perhaps it simply ceased to exist. Only the shaggy firs indulgently shook off the snow from their paws... And the slender moon looked down with surprise at "the sinful" earth!
Soon, came the spring, and I had to leave for my first expedition to the Commander Islands. Being apart for a few months, seemed to us an eternity... But all passes...
And in the autumn, directly from Moscow, upon my arrival there from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskij, I flew to Kirov. A transfer, another one, and yet another one… For a piece of salted salmon, some bush pilots picked me up in a small plane and brought to Sinegorje. And here they were the familiar road and the long-awaited meeting! We were together again and nothing, it seemed, could separate us!
And, as though celebrating our happiness, the taiga generously painted everything with its bright autumn colors!
At our scientific station at that time, there was only my colleague, my kind first instructor. We got along great, and together we went into Taiga on the second day.
By the evening, we were on our way back. At the outskirts of the settlement, a woman cheerfully greeted us: «We have guests over! Raya’s groom has come to his bride, right in his military overcoats!!!»
My feet had stopped in their tracks! My arms grew weak! My head had begun to spin, and in my chest there appeared a pressing lump! Silently and any without words of consolation, my friend embraced me by the shoulders, and we silently wandered on to our house – laboratory. Upon entering, having somehow pulled off my boots, I fell onto some bed.
I do not remember what was around me, how my teacher called me to drink some tea, or offered me some pure alcohol; how he talked something about the calamities of life and that everything that happens will be somehow endured... I had regained consciousness only at midnight! It was dark! In the next room there ticked a clock, and a lamp barely illuminated our room.
Like a spring set loose, I jumped to the door, quickly pulled on my put boots, grabbed my storm jacket, and rushed out into the darkness.
I walked and ran, without discerning the road, stumbling and falling in the utter darkness. I walked and walked to see, and to tear my poor heart into pieces! Without rage, without jealousy! I walked!!! I ran towards the frightening uncertainty...
Their window was alight. I resolutely knocked on the door. Raya opened it. She wrapped a shawl around her shoulders, as if chilled, and silently, she receded into the depth of the room.
Her former groom sat at the round table! He was indeed wearing the somewhat dandyish uniform of a lieutenant. His face was tense and gloomy. Judging by their appearance, I could tell that they were having this long and difficult conversation sitting across the table from each other.
Raya offered me a chair, and I silently fell onto it and froze, motionless, as if waiting to be sentenced.
In this way, the minutes imperceptibly began to fly! The silence was burdensome and tense. It was long and exhausting.
At last, in a hoarse voice, with his head gloomily bent, he said that my presence was obviously inopportune. He also said that it would be better for everyone if I left!
I could only answer that I would leave as soon as the mistress would tell me so!
But she was silent! And only her slender fingers continued to rumple the edge of her shawl, uneasily. And I thoughtlessly watched and watched these fingers, these hands... They were so tender and loving only a few hours back...
I had not seen his fist fly. I just felt the power of the blow which struck my head with such power that I would have been thrown onto the floor, were it not for the headboard of a bed nearby...
And, just like a wild animal, having sprung in extreme effort, I flew up and straight off threw my body at him in retaliation. And he was unable to withstand this! The back of his chair shattered with a loud crash. The tea cups flew from the table! And with a howl, unheard since time immemorial, without letting him come to it, I fell straight onto him, while he clumsily moved on the floor!
And immediately, another shrill scream, the scream of a wounded woman, had forced us to recoil from each other!
She stood there, pressing her hands to her chest, her face distorted by untold torment and suffering, her mouth convulsively disfigured with the silent cry frozen on her lips! And her eyes... Yes, I managed to seize their expression... They were full of horror and fear! They flared with untold disgust!!!
He had quickly recovered! And to her repeating, loudly and obstinately: «Leave, leave both of you!», ripping off his overcoat, he moved towards the door. «Let’s talk further outside»!!!” he had hastily blurted out at the door...
"Yes" I answered, «give me a few minutes»... And the door slammed shut behind him.
«Raya! What should I do? I muttered as a madman, stretching my arms towards her.
But her figure, slowly, as if clouded with fog, moved away... And only the whisper of her words, continued, «Leave, leave, leave!»
Having abruptly turned, I rushed out! The pain of anger, the torment of loss, bitterness... It al mixed in my poor chest at that moment!
The crude, cold, autumn wind, with a sobering gust breathed over me, breathed into my face. Having come to my senses, in the utter darkness of the yard, I looked around, to guess the contours of my opponent... But I saw nothing... Then, I wandered on, without discerning the road...
Only by daybreak, soaked and frozen to the bone, I returned to our laboratory. My instructor was awake and waiting for me! With my teeth clattering against the edge of a glass, I drank pure alcohol and slipped into unconsciousness.
I regained consciousness only by noon time and learnt that early in the morning, my noble "opponent", without having said goodbye and having said not a word, had left Tulashor.
Was it my arrogance!? My crushed vanity!? After all... I had been rejected… treated as a mere rag doll…
Thank God, it became possible to leave, and so, I too had left Tulashor.... What became of Raya? I do not know! And what business do I have in the human joys and disasters, I, a taiga tramp. Moreover, one always in the middle of some expedition...»
A month later, I had received a letter from Raya, filled with tears and attempts to explain everything...
But how long ago it all was... «And it is all unknowable... Who could comprehend it...»
Dedicated to the blessed memory of my friend, Vanya Sokol.
He left me ...
One blustery, early morning, chilled to the bone and shivering at dusk, trying to keep myself warm, with a large backpack behind my back, I came to the place of our meeting. Even from afar, I heard the impatient and infrequent yelping and barking of the dogs in their harnesses. I saw the mountain-high loaded sled and my new friend, a local veteran of the Commander Islands.
He had a simple Russian name, “Vanya!” Yet, his surname sounded truly romantically: Falcon! Extremely tall and powerful, with a permanent smile on his broad face, he personified the character of a true and irrepressible adventurer of the North, possessed of the inexhaustible imagination of a prankster combined with extreme energy, and excitability.
At the same time, he had a phenomenal mind and played chess, as well as God himself! Enthusiastically, he also wrote remarkable and naive verses and was an inveterate hunter, the last one in the village of Nikolskoye, to mush a team of sled dogs.
As tall as a good calf, they were shaggy and savage to each other and yet fully obedient to man. Soon, having grown entirely accustomed to them, I would unhesitatingly fling myself into the thick of their fights, unafraid to be bitten in their hoarsely-roaring scramble. This I had to do quite often, because while running, one of the dogs would inevitably become entangled in the harness and fall into the snow. She would continue to be dragged, until her neighbors began to bite the annoying anchor, leading to a new fight.
-“Vanya, but how shall we go, where shall we seat on the way?” – Timidly I asked, staring with a doubtful eye at the up-to-the-chin-loaded sledge. “After all, there are only nine dogs! – The sled is so heavy, and our first run to the Buyan harbor, must be no less than forty kilometers!”
-“Everything’s going to be f*cking awesome, I mean, OK, Vladimir!” - confidently thundered Ivan.
Relying on his experience, I took a place in the back of the sled. Vanya pulled out the «ostol» and shouted: “ Lapka, let’s go forward!” – and the dogs raced! Slowly the sled went faster and faster. That’s the village leaved behind. Some well known valley of streams just flickered back to back.
It seems to me that we went a bit heavy. I jumped out from the sled and tried to help dogs at the deep – snow distance, but it wasn’t necessarily indeed! Slowly, but steady, not less than 10 kilometers per hour, the sled moving to extinction.
The opposite term to stories by Djek London, where the leader of the team of dogs were most strong one, our Lapka was old, but very wise! He knows all commands and also chooses the right way by himself. That’s why he draws the sled in semi force range, runs easy and often haves a look around.
“Lapka, le…le…le…le…le…”- cry Vanya, and the dog tamely was turning the sled to the left. “ Ra…ra…ra…ra…f.ing hell” – and the dog was turning to the right!
Stand up, forward – that’s all simple commands of the Commander dogteam drive.
Also, I have to say, that the other dogs, without any doubt, all are great workaholics. Of course, they clearly understand some privileges position of “Lapka” and were badly upsetting.
That’s why we try to save him from their aggressive behavior. Especially of the end of the trail near the night staying cabins! First of all, when your reach the shelter you have to stop the sled and then quickly run to “Lapka” and get him free. After that he immediately disappears into the open door! The other dogs can only revengefully barking! Well, if they have any opportunity to hold him even for a little while they tear the poor leader for death!
Nevertheless, one by one, the tired dog were free too. Separately they were taking by chain to the poling. It was very important business, because during the feeding time they can bite each other in strong competition.
From the box of feeding supply we took out some special dried humpback salmon call “chikna” by Aleutian language. By big pieces we drop its to the hungry dogs. Instead of water they have been gulping the fresh snow!
Anyway, little by little, some vanity of vanities and big noise calm down! The dogs peacefully roll themselves up into the balls on the surface of the snow and fall a deep sleeping until the next morning.
You know, how long the winter’s evening could be? Well, but not for us for sure and during that time we talk a lot about everything! Sometimes the snow storm has been closing our way even for a few days. Then, all our conversations had been turned to the dramatic show! I Love it very much!
Can you imagine that??? Some poor room into the cabin, which was stingily lightening by oil lamp… Some cracking wood into the small stove…Some damped, but even uncontrollable howling of the stormy wind…Sometimes get through across the old shelter…And all around the World was covering by snow!
My dearest friend Vanya, such a huge and break down the shade have been dash around the room and with great enthusiastic had declaimed to me some poems about history of heroic people, who in the past was discovering the Northern part of the Pacific Ocean, about beautiful Nature on the Commander Islands, which he was really thinly feeling and love!
Or his endless questions about science…Biology of the ocean…Eventually it ended his graduation at the university, indeed!
Actually he was simple fellow and his professor told in one day, that the Vanya almost good student, but a very passion person. “You know”- he complained to me – “during some examinations he becomes so unrestrained in answers and often used some folk’s idioms!”
Well, for that time being, Vanya and I, have been building a lot a projects about different kind of expeditions. Without any tiredness was roaming around the Island! Sometimes felt down with them to the icy chasms and even slept with dog under the snow and strong storms…
There are ineradicable thirst of adventures, inexorable fate, natural feelings of involvement and real friendship had been organic parts of our unity! Even though we were different by education, by practical occupation and social status…
In any situation all things have been running towards to the good resolutions!
In one day, after long waiting under the snow storm we got a sunny weather. We quickly gathering our staff and after a long rest our dogs were full of forces. The sled was almost flying on the thin crust of ice over snow. The ocean was calm and in low tide condition. Just before 10 kilometers to the cabin for our night staying, Vanya decide to go by walk along the sea shore for keeping some garbage. Among it you will easily find out some wood barrels, plastic can, fine bottle, jogging shoes from Japan and many other useful things.
I leave him for that and soon reach the shelter. After feeding the dog I make some tea and eat a bit. As I said, the day was really sunny and after all I sit down on the terrace steps with big mug on my hand and waiting…
Eventually I noted Vanya, but a bit far away. By binoculars I sow on his back something big and pretty heavy luggage. “Well, he found a good staff”- I guess!
Soon, hard breathing and red faced friend was beside me. On his shoulders I see absolutely new and made from fine wood the barrel!
“What a wonderful finding”- he smiles happily! “ You know, I drag it along the beach about 5 kilometers! You see, it will be very useful at the household, indeed!”
He had sniff loudly and with huge relief bring down the barrel near his feet.
Unfortunately, to the evening some melt snow was transform to the strong ice and the barrel with a big cracks just crush to the separate staves!
It was happened in a moment that we both only look at that change with open mouth. Almost synchronously with his yell of despair I started to laugh! Poor Vanya was so loud to cry that the scared dog began to howl!
By crying he lightens the soul and finely he accepts the situation like a real man, but all the evening, we both, all of sudden, started to laugh and joked about “loosing good barrel”!
To say the truth, at the village he feels by himself not comfortable, indeed! So boring and crowd environment. It’s one of the reasons why he likes to joke of the average men and tell them some unbelievable stories! And most of the people under those circumstances preferred to stay apart from him.
Actually it pretty ordinary situation in all over the places, indeed!
Anyway, he had been continued to live…But it seem to me that his soul always try to find something miracle… Even the life is life and sometimes she gets their constant amend…
In one early morning my telephone rang…His wife by horrible voice told me that Vanya was die… At the last night… By some stupid accident…
Well, his soul always try to find something miracle…
Where she is? This tiny and roaming piece…In what kind of direction…In what kind of measurement…And when we will meet again!
Translation partly from Russian to English by Tatiana Taranova
Translation partly from Russian to English by Vladimir Sevostianov