- May I treat her to a carrot?
She looked up sullen. Her cap was as red as the carrot , and both knew better days. So did the treat. The carrot was not fresh. They did not have any other carrot. This one would have to make do.
- She would love it. Just love it.
- OK, so here we go, right?
- Yes.
The small hairy horse was as sullen as the girl, but she brightened up on the carrot immediately. She had big yellowish teeth. They worked at the carrot very well.
- The sort of teeth they have. Formidable.
- She doesn't bite, - said the girl, and smiled.
The Red Riding Hood. She turned and spoke to a family man leading a plump kid by the hand:
- Wouldn't you like a ride for the boy?
The kid clutched at the hand.
- How much is it? - said the man.
- Two nundred roubles.
The couple walked away, the child looking relieved.
- Business looking bad today, - I said.
She did not say anything, but began to brush the horse's long thick grey hair with a wooden comb.
- Must be an old horsey, - I ventured.
- Eighteen. We got her broken.
- What's her name?
- Mary.
- And you are...
- I'm Christine, - said the girl.
She put the wooden comb back where it belonged - in the sack by her side.
- Have a ride. I'll give you a discount.
- I can't.
- Why?
- Horses just don't take to me, - I explained, - cats do, and sometimes dogs. But not horses.
The girl smiled a knowing smile. She was pretty when she smiled, the way all young girls do, even if they have problem teeth.
- Don't be afraid, - she said. - I'll take good care of you.
I thought that over. The idea of my riding a horse down an alley did not look enticing enough to me.
- Perhaps another day, - I said. - Look, here you are. The two hundred. Like I did it, see?
The horse made an attempt at a bowing motion, by lowering her head and scraping the groung with her right hoof. It was amazing courtesy. I felt relieved.
The Red Riding Hood took the two bills and folded them twice. She put the money well away, in some secret inner pocket in her jacket.
- Thank you very much. But the next time you gonna ride.
- Oh, sure, - said I, - the next time. We're gonna ride some.
Some men started looking at us from across the street.
- Well, Christine, I guess I must be going, - I said. - It was a pleasure. Till the next time, bye-bye! Good-bye, Mary!
Only one of the two replied.
- Oh, I forgot, - I said, all of a sudden, as an afterthoughr. - There's just one more thing. Christine, I'm a lucky charm. I bring good luck. Business will look up, just wait and see.
I smiled my nicest smile to her and walked off. I turned and looked back. There was a bunch of people around them, kids and adults. Christine was mounting one of the kids on Mary's back. Business was looking up. I smiled to myself, this time not trying to be nice. I had an appointment at the dentist's. They were going to relieve me of one of my teeth. It was an old one, a veteran tooth. It saw more than I did, or could remember. It would cost them a groaning to take out my tooth. Expensive experience.
Life is never quite what you get. It's what you pay for.
2016.