17
When I came up to the taxi, I noticed a car, parked some distance to the left of us. That is, to the left of Max, myself and the taxi. It was a large car, all covered in snow. Suddenly, the window wipers performed their usual semicircle-and-back. It looked like the car opened its eyes. It was the same Mercedes. It’s strange, but these Mercedes muzzles never appeared menacing to me. Self-important, pompous, smug, well-fed, boring and sleepy, yes – but never menacing. Because of the amount of snow on top of it, the car has obviously been there for some time.
So what? I decided, I don’t care, I have nothing to be afraid of. I got into the taxi with confidence. Let him sit there in his Mercedes like a fool while we get drunk.
“To Miasnitskaya,” I told the driver.
Max sat in the front, I
