I came out of the guard house and saw him running after me. “How are things?” – he asks. – “The things,” I said. “all depend on me. They won’t take care of themselves.” – “Why are you so unfriendly?” – “I’m kind of tired,” – I say. – “I feel quite exhausted after the shift.” – “Well, you’ve got to get some rest, then.” – he laughs, – “Do you like going to the cinema?” – “I’ve gone to the cinema enough.” And I think to myself: to last me to the end of my life.
“You shouldn’t be like that with me, Antonina,” -he says reproachfully, – “I mean well.” – “Well,” – I say, – “See you. I’m going to Gostiny.”
I got on a trolleybus, and looked out the window: there he is, waving to me. He’s not that plain after all I, I think: he’s kind of all right when he smiles.
The trolleybus is driving down N
