Red Star

Chapter 24

06.06.78, Tuesday (my 107th day in the USSR)

On Monday, the program "Time" we gathered to watch all together. After work, around seven in the evening, my grandfather arrived, and my mother set a festive table in the living room, opposite the colored "ruby". All our relatives and acquaintances were warned about the upcoming event. My grandfather's Moscow colleagues, who had a video recorder brought by their son, a diplomat from abroad, vowed to record today's program "Time" on tape.

When the second hand on the TV dial showed exactly nine o'clock in the evening, the familiar music began to play and the image of a huge TV antenna turning appeared on the screen.

On the screen, the announcers Kirillov and Shatilova appeared:

- Good evening, comrades! Good evening!

- Today in Moscow on an official working visit there has arrived the Minister for foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany Hans-Dietrich Genscher. At the airport, the distinguished guest was met by the Minister of foreign Affairs of the USSR Andrey Gromyko and other officials...

We moved closer to the TV and waited impatiently for the story about the awards. However, first the announcers reported that the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU, Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR Leonid Brezhnev, who in an interview with the German guest stressed that fruitful, dynamically developing relations between the USSR and the Federal Republic are a reliable guarantee of peace and security in Europe. The sides noted the steady growth of trade turnover between the two countries, increasing scientific, technical and cultural exchange between our peoples."

And now the moment has come!!!

"Earlier, in the Kremlin, Leonid Brezhnev presented high state awards to a group of workers, scientists, military and public figures of our country. Among the awardees are Vasily nikandrovich Oshchepov, foreman of machine operators of the Znamya Truda MPO, Zinaida Petrovna Kunitsina, milkmaid of the Krasnaya Kuban collective farm, Andrei Veniaminovich Rukovitsin, academician of the USSR Academy of Sciences, Hero of socialist labor, and other comrades. Comrade Brezhnev also presented a medal to the youngest of the awardees, a 14 - year-old Leningrad schoolboy Viktor Seleznev, for helping police officers catch a particularly dangerous criminal recedivist. In his speech after the award ceremony, Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR Leonid Brezhnev warmly congratulated all the awardees and wished them further labor and creative success." The text being read was accompanied by a video sequence: large Brezhnev, General background, large me in a pioneer tie, Brezhnev again and, finally, the General background of all for a group photo. All. Further - "in the fields of the country...". Mdya, not thick... I watched

with some surprise as my mother and grandfather enthusiastically exchanged impressions and my grandfather was already rolling the cork from a bottle of Starkey.

They did not have time to drink, from that moment and for about two hours the phone rang continuously in the apartment. As soon as, after the next receipt of congratulations, the phone was put on the lever, so immediately a new call was heard.

Well, apparently, I still misunderstood something about this life...

***

On Tuesday morning, the funny fat girl from Pionerskaya Pravda, who, among other correspondents, interviewed me at school, called home. After the "Oh-Ah" - s about yesterday's program " Time "and the introductory chatter, she offered to stop by the editorial office of" Pionerki " and pick up letters addressed to me by readers of the newspaper. At first, I was surprised at the presence of such, and then cautiously asked about their number. The fat girl, who, by the way, was called Olya, said that while there are not many letters, but after the plot in "Time", the flow will definitely increase. I asked about the number of emails that have already arrived more persistently, it turned out to be nothing, only 943 pieces! Blya!!!

- what Do they all want from me?! I cried in utter amazement.

- Well, the overwhelming number of letters from girls, - Olga said sarcastically, - they just want to meet you! There are letters from children-your peers, these want to be friends, there are from veterans, they praise you ...

- Olenka, - I asked ingratiatingly, - and what do other heroes of your publications do with letters?

- And, in my memory, we have not yet come so much to anyone, - even more maliciously answered "Olenka".

In the end, they decided that I would pick up the letters in the near future, when there was an opportunity with transport.

I had just hung up when the phone rang again. Filled with the expectation of more problems, I picked up the phone. It was Lech, with the message that some senior investigator of the city Prosecutor's office called him and politely asked to stop by today.

"I think it's started..." my "big brother" voice was filled with barely concealed excitement.

"Yes, most likely," I agreed casually, " they will question you, file a protest, and the court will make a new decision.

"Will you come with me?" - like "indifferently" asked Lech.

"I'm a big man now," I say, " and it's not right for me to be friends with all sorts of dubious people."

"Lech

, I was joking!" Of course I'll go ...

Silence... I tensed:

- Lech, well, you Cho? I, after all, really just wanted to make a joke. Are you offended?!

.. I'm trying to understand the word "bad", - this bastard neighed!

***

The Prosecutor's office went boring, at least I did. In fact, all I did was sit in the car for two hours while I waited for Lech. When he came out of the Prosecutor's office building on Liteyny Street, sweating but cheerful, I was already tired of waiting and had served my ass off.

"Tell me," I said, as soon as Lech got behind the wheel.

He started the engine, drove smoothly, and exhaled,

" It's all right...

In the course of the story, the full picture of his stay in the Prosecutor's office became clear. Judging by the pass he received at the checkpoint, a senior investigator with the formidable Prosecutor's name Pukhlikov was talking to Lech. Ten minutes later, after the conversation began, and it was a conversation, since the investigator was extremely friendly and polite, lekhin "an old acquaintance" - the city Prosecutor Solovyov, entered The office, accompanied by one of his subordinates.

Solovyov was also friendly, shook hands as if with an equal, which further warmed up the degree of goodwill of the investigator, and said:

- I don't ask how things are, I know that they will be better now! I must admit that you are very lucky with a friend. My staff will interview you and tell you what to write. Well good luck.

Solovyov shook hands again and went out. And the investigator and another employee who came with Solovyov asked Lech questions for an hour and a half and, periodically, they themselves suggested how to answer them. Also, Lech dictated a couple of statements addressed to the Prosecutor General of the USSR and signed each sheet of his testimony.

- They also said that I will have to go to Sochi soon, for the trial, - Lech gave out, looking at me askance, from behind the steering wheel.

- In General, great, - I rubbed my hands happily, - we are just going to Sochi for two months with my mother, to a sanatorium. Take a vacation and come with us! During this time, at the same time, the trial will take place.

- I will talk at work, - Lech promised uncertainly, - maybe they will let me go earlier, because I still have a vacation in August should be on schedule.

- Ask for another July "at your own expense", tell your superiors what you need, there on the spot, prepare for the court and find a local lawyer! - I gave out an option, offhand.

Lech thoughtfully shook his head:

- Quickly you ... come up with, maybe a ride! By the way, even today Releev called and asked him to stop by or call.

- Yes, we forgot about it... drove - we'll visit! I nodded.

On the way, we stopped at a couple of stores, I wanted to buy Ilyas, as a gift, some good alcohol. However, the choice in the stores was meager and there was nothing particularly good. Then I remembered about the Shpilman family in time and asked a friend who was standing next to me:

- Lyosha, where is your phone number of the Shpilmans recorded?

The reaction was strange, Lech first opened his mouth, then closed it, and then swore.

"What are you doing?" - I was surprised.

- Yes, I forgot about them... - Lech began to mumble.

"So what?" Me, too, but it took and remembered - "did not move in" I.

- Well, there... the suit... " muttered Lech even more indistinctly.

"Holy s**t! - I already swore, - we forgot about the suit! And it's paid for, by the way!

- Yes, so much has already happened recently, - Lech began, - I have never had so much happen in my entire life! No wonder you forgot, " he finished, already looking at me guiltily.

- Aha! - I accusingly put my finger on it, - your suit, you should have remembered!

- you Should, - Lech nodded his blond head, - but I forgot.

- Okay, let's call them... do you have a two-piece? Drive...

The "two-piece" taken from Lehi fell into the payphone, and I heard a young voice say:

"Hello?

".. Boris?

"That's it!

- Hi! And this is Viktor, my brother and I came to you, bought things and ordered a suit

... - Boris laughed, - and the suit is still all, the moth ate! She said she couldn't stand it anymore and ate it!

"Tell her that my brother is a boxer, and not only will a moth knock a suit out of him, but a suit out of any voracious moth!" I joked back, with a hint of a subtle hint of fat circumstances.

The younger Shpilman understood all the subtleties sensitively and assured that the suit was intact and waiting for its late owner, but he would still have to apologize to the older Shpilman, because the old master was not used to being forgotten about his work.

I swore that we" did " repent and were already on our way, and at the same time asked if Boris could get a couple of bottles of good imported alcohol. Boris still could, and we went to the Shpilmans.

Ceremonious scraping and apologies to the senior Shpilman and Lech's subsequent fitting of a magnificent dark blue suit were interrupted by the ever-shaggy Boris, who brought a tempting jingle in a branded bag with a Marlboro ad.

Curious, I looked into the bag and found two boxes of Camus Napoleon.

"Will it work?" Boris smiled.

"Well, if there isn't a Corvoisier..."

- Yes, but four times more expensive, - Boris smiled even wider.

"How much is this one?" I asked.

- 50 each... There's also a box of whiskey with two glasses, you know? 75 rubles...

"You need shoes, a shirt, and a tie to go with this suit, young man... and don't argue, - the elder Shpilman peremptorily declared to Lech, interrupting our alcohol and financial negotiations.

Lech began to look at me helplessly.

- Brother, it is necessary so it is necessary - do not argue with the great master! Can you find everything you need? - I have already addressed this question to Boris.

He bit his lip thoughtfully, looked at Lech and shrugged:

- Everything is there, as long as the size fits. I'll go look for it... - and took off.

While we were waiting for Boris to return from the secret bins, Izya Borukhovich was all the time complaining about the growing young people who are completely incapable of "high tailoring art" and disgrace the profession, not understanding even the simplest task "to put a bobbin on the spindle of the winder, so that the key of the spindle entered the slot of the bobbin". And Boris that at all "rolled down the slope" - contacted "ready-made clothes"! The last words of the old Izzy said as if his grandson - Bob robbed the synagogue and r***d by the Rabbi.

Lech rounded his eyes at the stage of "spindle winder", I sympathetically nodded my head and thoughtfully said:

- What can you do, modern fashion is often such that young people are ready to pay any money to look like tramps.

Spielman took off his glasses and looked at me carefully.

"You are a very clever young man." Did you know that? "no," he said seriously.

Also keeping a serious face on my face, I replied:

- thank you, but it would be better to be a complete fool - it would be easier to roll through life!

While Izya Borukhovich was laughing soundlessly and Lech was snorting with restraint, Boris returned with packages and boxes.

After finishing fitting and shopping, as well as thanks and solemn farewells with Shpilman Sr., we went out into the street, accompanied by Boris.

- Borya, do you have women's things for sale?

Boris smiled mockingly:

- Since this planet is inhabited by women, then Boris has something to offer them. Including good imported items!

"Uh-huh," I scratched my head thoughtfully, thinking feverishly, " you see, I'd like my mother to buy something from you."..

- I would like that too, - Boris laughed, - I hope you have a lot of relatives besides your mother!

"Yes, Yes," I assured him, " but I also have one request... the

Youngest of the Shpilmans I know showed full attention.

"I'd like you to sell her everything for half the price you have."

Boris raised an eyebrow.

- And Alexey will come and reimburse the difference. Or we'll leave the money, for the difference, right away, " I added hastily.

Spielman thought thoughtfully.

"You also don't have to tell her about our arrangement and how we already know each other, "I stammered a little," well, complicated relationships and all that, you know? I finished," embarrassed."

Boris "understood." Whether I believed it or not, I couldn't make out, but I promised to do everything as he was asked. Alexey counted out three hundred rubles in advance to Boris, who protested listlessly, and we said good-bye, satisfied with each other...

From Minstrels we went, straight, to work for Relieve and already after 15 minutes parked at the building Vasileostrovskogo police Department. Lech took a plastic bag of Marlboros from the trunk with a box of Jack Daniels and two solid square glasses, and we stomped across the small courtyard, from our Moskvich to the entrance to the district Department.

It should be noted that there were no gunmen at the entrance and people's passports were not copied. The native militia was not yet afraid of its own people.

We were almost to the entrance when a shadow darted across my path.

I don't know how I managed to react, I left the line of attack, curled up over my right shoulder and punched into someone else's denim jacket...