Red Star

Chapter 25

... Mdya! And laughter, and sin!  

We are sitting in the office of the chief of regional Department and continue silently smiling and looking at each other. We - I, Lech, Retlaw and the head of the police Department Colonel Timesin. On the sofa, near the window, a doctor and a nurse finish bringing a rather young long-haired guy in a shabby denim suit to life.

From my "successful" blow to the liver, he had already recovered, and now he was moving away from the blow that came after him, from Lehi, in the forehead. The guy's name, as I was enlightened, was Nikolai Zavadsky, and he was the father of Sasha Zavadskaya, the same girl I saved from the maniac Grigoriev.

Nicholas wanted, at all costs, to meet with the Savior of his daughter. He already figured out my school, but got to the beginning of the holidays, my home address was not told to him at school, and in response to persistent questions, the police were called. Then Zavadsky began to come to the police Department every day, and finally Colonel Zaymishin could not stand it and ordered Retluev to talk to me about the possibility of our meeting.

And today our paths" successfully " crossed! Nikolai was sitting on a bench near the police Department, and immediately recognized me from the photos in the Newspapers and a report in the program "Time". Without hesitation, he jumped up and rushed to hug me. Here and "caught" from both. From me not strongly, and from Lehi decently. As the doctor was correcting now, the Ambulance was called, because, at first, Zavadsky was unconscious.

However, when the "innocent victim" finally recovered, we had a rather heartfelt conversation. Nikolai was immensely grateful, Lech and I were very confused, both cops selflessly enjoyed the situation! When Zaymishin, as the owner, began to treat everyone to tea, I took a moment to whisper in Lech's ear, and he quickly ran to the Moskvich to change a box of whiskey for two identical "Napoleon". The bottle I handed Samishiku and Relieve as well as "Souvenirs". They first refused, and then thanked them with restraint. But it was clear from their faces that they were stunned by a truly Royal gift. Well, it may be useful...

For tea I, for Zavadsky, was with him the story of my meeting with the maniac, and for Zimesana and Relieve told about the trip to Moscow. However, without much detail.

About an hour later, we said goodbye to the police chiefs and left the district Department. Nikolai began to actively invite us to his home, wanting to introduce us to his wife and daughter.

"Are you sure Sasha should be reminded of that day?" - prudently asked Lech.

Zavadsky was taken aback.

"Let's go to a cafe and meet my wife and Sasha later," I suggested. Nikolai hesitated, but agreed. He still managed to tell us in the police that his daughter, after the incident, had a nervous breakdown and realized that Lech was right.

We went, however, not to the cafe I suggested, but to the Aragvi restaurant. It turned out that Nikolai works as a keyboardist in the vocal and instrumental ensemble "Raduga"and his VIA constantly performs in this restaurant, so we have a good reception there.

There was a restaurant quite far away, in Kupchino, besides, it was logical to assume a drink, so it was decided to go there by taxi. The car was caught pretty quickly, loaded and rolled. On the way, with understandable curiosity, I began to ask Zavadsky about his VIA. Although Nikolai did not think to hide anything, except for a few funny stories, he did not get any particularly interesting information.

Dreaming of the glory of the "Beatles", several guys joined together and created a"group". Somewhere they performed, composed something, sang to someone... "Beatles" did not work out of the guys, but they got eternal problems with the authorities on the topic of "parasitism". Then some of the members of the "group" had wives, and then children. It became necessary to support families. Someone remained true to the romance of youth and continued to play in other people's apartments and at underground concerts, and someone wandered off to earn money at restaurants and weddings.

Nikolai was among the second.

- Family: wife, daughter... You understand... Nikolai shrugged his shoulders and sighed philosophically.

The taxi driver, who was warming his ears but didn't join in the conversation, sighed too. For a while, the only sound in the car was the steady click of the taximeter.

- So we sing mostly "songs of Soviet composers", "Beatles" is rarely ordered in restaurants, - Nikolai laughed exaggeratedly, shaking his head, - And the Newspapers wrote that you also compose songs?

"Well, they wouldn't have printed rock' n 'roll," I smiled.

- Can you rock and roll?!

"He can do a lot," Lech said proudly.

-So you should try to offer one of the famous ones, - Nikolai perked up.

Lech grinned and opened his mouth, then closed it and looked at me.

"The hammer, after all, the guy, does not say too much. Besides, obviously, he recognized my superiority, and this is very good. " - I thought and, looking at Lech, slightly nodded.

- Already offered, Senchina will sing... he said casually.

- Wow... - breathed Zavadsky, - Senchina, in General, with the whole orchestra performs, can turn out first-class. What will she sing?

"Just one song... maybe two, " I said evasively. An idea popped into my head, and I saw no reason why I shouldn't try to implement it...

we were well received At the restaurant. A spacious hall with thirty tables, sparse decor was designed in Caucasian motifs, and a lot of coinage hung on the walls. However, the Maitre d ' was in evening dress, and the waiters were all Slavs. There were almost no customers, so the kitchen cooked delicious and fast. The waiters who knew Nikolai were helpful and polite, and after we made an extensive and expensive order, they became sweethearts in General.

Even after getting out of the taxi, Lech, at my instigation, categorically warned Zavadsky that today we are paying in compensation for his injured health. Almost all "his" money he spent at the Minstrels, so I quietly gave him my stash. Somehow the habit of always carrying five hundred rubles was born by itself. It was completely unrealistic to spend five hundred rubles, but I still stubbornly carried them with me. They'll come in handy today...

At the table, after a few drinks, a complete brotherhood was established. Even I "slammed" the shot "slynchevo Braga" until Lenin fist loomed warning in front of my nose. Drunk, Nikolai put his arm around me and began to tell me in a confused but completely sincere way that I had saved not only his daughter, but also his wife and himself...

"You see," he said, looking at me with absolutely miserable and frightened eyes, " everything would have collapsed... my wife did not want to go to the country without her daughter... I insisted... we left in the morning to get back faster... and why did it had to carry, if only to get there and back?.. she would just be tired... his eyes filled with tears.

Nikolai convulsively grabbed the stack, coughed, and continued hoarsely:

"She loves me, and I love her, but she would never forgive me for my daughter... and I wouldn't forgive myself... it's a small one... as if it is... he would have torn everything up for her... f****d up... you Bastard! I HATE it!!! the

Maitre D ' looked at our table with alarm.

Lech moved closer to us and pinned both of Nikolai's hands with his paw:

- Kolya! Everyone, calm down... This scum is already in jail and will never get out. I am sure that the "tower" will be given! Your Sasha is safe, and your family is safe, everything is fine. Let's drink to Vitka!

They downed another glass of cognac, and Lech took Zavadsky, who was still crying, to the toilet.

The Maitre d ' immediately approached me, who was left alone:

"Are you all right?"

- Yes, thank you, everything is fine.

- It's just that we've never seen Nikolai in such a state. So I asked... " the meter explained apologetically.

- No problem, - I politely smiled in response, - Nikolai avoided VERY big trouble, and this is just a "rollback".

- Yes, we know about the story with his daughter. This is just a horror that could happen! - the man really shuddered, - I have two daughters myself, although they are already adults, if it wasn't for that boy... - he suddenly stopped in the middle of the sentence and stared at me.

"Yes, "I agreed," the ' boy 'came in handy...

" is That ... you? "the Maitre d' asked quietly.

- Nikolai is very hard to looking for me, I shrugged my shoulders.

"May I shake YOUR hand?" his tone and voice changed and became formal and solemn.

I tore my eyes away from the barbecue and looked at him carefully. A man of about forty-five, of medium height, with a large receding hairline, speaks absolutely seriously.

I got up from the table and held out my hand, and he grabbed it with both of his and shook it hard. Quite sincerely and clearly from the heart. My heart warmed.

As I sat down, I caught a group of completely stunned waiters watching the scene out of the corner of my eye.

Finally, Lech and Nikolai returned. They looked completely sober, but Lehi didn't show any signs before leaving. What's a big guy like that going to do with a few drinks?

- Kohl, do you play here every day? - I'm interested in.

"Yes, almost... in the evenings... - according to Zavadsky quite seamless, that ten minutes ago he was "too high".

- Will you play today too?

- Yes, from seven in the evening... the guys will be here soon, why? - Nikolai noticed my interest.

- I have one song, I promised the girl one... Your will be able to pick up a melody if I sing?!

- Offend, I'm a keyboard player and sound engineer, and the guys will take any melody from the voice, we all have a musical education, - said Nikolai.

- Who is your lead singer, "he" or"she"?

- Both of you! - Nikolai laughed, - plus we, almost all, are singing along...

- Well, - I was satisfied, - then I went to put the words on paper...

dropping Out at the next table, and asking the waiter for paper and a pen, I began to remember Guba's "netlenka" about Lisa. It is worth noting that the waiter brought pen and paper, almost running and smiling. I see, so everyone already knows. Well, well!

"Well, why?.. Quite normal in size, and the rhyme "Vera-boldly", compared to" Lisa - close", and, in General, even better than in the original! "

Trying to make my Doodle as readable as possible, I finished writing the text and returned to the guys.

Leh with Nicholas, already in perfect harmony, discussing the problems of the world.

My appearance was greeted with unprecedented enthusiasm. We drank to the" appearance", and Nikolai led us to the stage where the musical equipment was installed. He removed the keyboard case and started plugging in the wires and power. Meanwhile, I was remembering the nuances of Guba's melody and arrangement...

...At first, I hummed the whole song to Nikolai in a low voice, trying as best I could to portray sound losses with my voice. Then he reduced the sound to a minimum, during my second "tune", sometimes began to play along. Then I took a five-minute timeout: conjured with my installation and recorded something. And the third time, he played the tune almost unmistakably!

While I was "polishing the nuances" and expressing my delight to Zavadsky, I did not notice that four men and a girl appeared at the stage. It turned out that it was Nikolai's colleagues from VIA Raduga who came to work.

Zavadsky quickly introduced them to the course of our "creativity" and now two guitarists, a saxophonist and a drummer are trying to adapt to Nikolai and Vladimir - the lead singer of the group. I only sang a song to the latter once, and he immediately grasped the essence with half a sound.

Finally, it began to work out and the song was performed with the soloist at full sound!

Well, what to say... I liked it much more than "Little country"! The melody for the performance was simple, and Nikolai and Misha-the saxophonist completely pulled out the losses and the arrangement.

Naturally, I decided to make some adjustments to the music and asked Vladimir to sing more slowly and afterward, he laughed, but the second time he performed perfectly.

In General, I was surprised to note how easily the guys understood what was required of them, and the fact that the hassle and tension that was in working with Beavis were completely absent.

Lech was also delighted. Nikolai was beaming. The guys were surprised and happy with the new song. The crowded waiters and a few customers gave a standing ovation. In short, everything turned out very quickly, calmly and wonderfully!

The three of us returned to the table and celebrated the success, I-Morse, under the watchful supervision of Lehi.

After that, Nikolai went to his friends to prepare for the evening performance, and I went to the Maitre d ' in search of a phone.

The phone was immediately provided to me, a service phone in someone's office, and I, on guard, dialed the number written on a dirty piece of paper in a beautiful handwriting:

- Hello? a sad voice answered me.

- Faith? "so as not to make a mistake."

"Yes," he said warily.

Then I sang softly and "soulfully":

Vera, I wanted to tell you so much,

That I am forever indebted to fate

For what we with you have met, Faith,

Once upon a time on a vast land.