Mystical Kiev and stories

Chapter First

Street Andrew’s Descent in Kiev, famous for the works of Bulgakov. Here, in his house at Andrew’s descent, now a museum of the writer, he started writing his famous-make of «The Master and Margarita», full of wonder and adventure. It is no accident the writer inspired lo mystical location street. At the beginning of Andrew’s descent is St. Andrew’s Church, then, just below the towering Gothic building, «Castle of Richard – the Leonhard», storing a set of mysterious rumors about any devilry that roam there at night. This explains the fact that this structure is a Gothic castle did not manage to restore. That suddenly burned wiring, the collapse of the plaster, and even glass, glazed windows for no apparent reason suddenly fly apart into small pieces. On the opposite side of it, just below the visible steps stout wide wooden staircase specially built for tourists. This pedestrian staircase leads to the equally famous the Castle hill. According to the legend in this mountain castle was the residence of the Prince, ruling Ancient Russ in the time of the Mongol invasion. If you climb the stairs, then gaze from this mountain offers a magnificent view of the Dnieper, Kiev. Hence it is clearly visible from the height of St. Andrew’s Church and the Gothic House, which overlooks the St. Andrew’s descent, like the ghost of medieval architecture. Sunday was a lovely day in May. My wife and I have been married for Lilichka six months, and this spring day ran away from home for a walk through the hassle of favorite places in the city. This time, the purpose of our walk was the Castle Hill. Climbing the stairs, we came to a clearing in front of the old park. My attention was caught by a tree with an unusual crown. Equal covered with black bark trunk without branches and twigs up to two branches, reground from the trunk at the same level and on the opposite sides. The thickness of the branches is equal to the thickness of the tree trunk. From these branches are drawn up thin branches. And further from the trunk of branches stretching above one meter and it grows in spreading crown. I stepped closer to the tree, to take a closer look its bark and his family.

– Valic! What did you see?

I turned to her: – I want to look closer at this tree.

– So what?

– It turns out, alder. And growing a tree, usually in moist areas near bodies of water. It is strange that there is very Tall Mountain, clay soil, no water, and the alder beautifully caught.

– Well, so what? – He looked at me in surprise Lily – went on to see what’s next? Maybe some remains of the castle still remain?

I did not mind. Going behind his wife on a narrow path in the grass trodden by tourists, I noticed with interest on the opposite side of the clearing, in front of strange tree, dilapidated gravestone fencing. «Aha, so that’s ancient cemetery. This tree looks like a cross, overgrown branches "– I guessed, and gestured to the place, and on a per-deserted wife’s grave. She looked at me and said quietly: – I’m horrible here, something to become.

– What can leave? – I suggested.

But, seeing a couple of young men appeared as if from nowhere in the meadow, Lily said: – Well, it’s not! And we’re not seemed to be alone. I looked around and saw another couple sitting on the southern slopes of the mountain, on the green carpet of grass under the warm rays of the May sun. We went into the bushes spreading trees and found a few ruined their graves scattered here and there gravestones made of black granite. Delving further, we saw a spacious well-preserved brick vault. Inside the vault was a lot of different garbage and trash. Rusty mangled iron fences sticking out of the ground. The coolness of the shady crowns of trees, ancient tombs and silence this ominous place inspired discomfort sadness and anxiety, and to get rid of the surging emotions, I suggested: – Let’s go closer to the southern slopes of the mountain, maybe there found the remains of an ancient castle? His wife, gripping the proposal as a straw for the rescue, making it possible to get rid of fear, creeping under the light T-shirt, looked at me encouragingly. Soon we were at the ruins of the masonry, apparently a fragment of the wall that once protected the castle from the south side. It was bright and warm. Sunlight penetrates well here, as the walls were practically on top of a steep southern slope. At our feet the remains laid out in small cobblestone street. The southern slope of Mount makes a sharp turn to the right and has become almost the steep western slope, the base abutting on the Old Hem. The impression that we are on the top of a truncated pyramid closed yellow clay. Standing on top of it, inevitably creeps into the consciousness of the idea of the library is not found priceless ancient manuscripts Prince Vladimir, who baptized Russia. The library was sheltered from the destruction of ancient Russ invaders and not found until now.

Wander through the Castle Hill Lila tired, and she offered to leave as quickly as possible from this peak home. And I have only inflamed the excitement researcher of antiquity and I was not averse to still continue to study this place, but the desire of a loved one, primarily, and we moved along the southern slope in the opposite direction in the direction of the stairs. I curiously looked around and suddenly underfoot on the closely packed cobbles saw inconspicuous three concentric circles. A more attentive and curious tourist can easily track down the southern slope of the Castle Hill and see at his feet, these stacked concentric circles of stones, burrowing into the ground and become almost invisible. The stones were set up and the sharp edges of this structure, certain ritual, apparently, for some magical action. The outer circle diameter of about 1.5 meters, the inner circle diameter of about one meter. Around the place was surrounded by bushes and trees, and from the south, pure space, as there is a steep slope, goes into a deep ravine, at which there was a road that led to the Podоl and Podolsk church. There was intensive construction of the elite of the town offices and hotels.

Lily quickly walked forward, and I, not to be outdone by his wife, did not have time, as it should, consider this interesting patch of exciting the imagination of their uniqueness. We already came to a clearing with a wooden cross roster there is the smell came out of the bushes, Ms. Ranch kebabs and voice. I looked to the side and saw there under the arches of the crown of old trees freshly dug pit with a bunch of yellow sand dredged hushed and two guys staring at us. The boys looked at each other, one of them in an orange T-shirt, jumped up and headed in our direction. At this time, Lily noticed him and hastened his step. Later she told me that was very scared that she thought they were black archeologists conducting illegal excavations of ancient cemeteries in search of valuables. And that they could beat us up and buried in the pit. But, back to the guy who accelerated pace approaching us. He came up with every step nearer and nearer. But the stairs were already there and we were the first to go down on her. I looked at the pale, and his wife to reassure her, offered:

– Lilichka, let’s skip this boy forward. He obviously somewhere in a hurry. – My wife is looking at me, I took a deep breath and stood on the top of the observation deck, as if pretending that examines opened away from the height of the panorama of Kiev. The guy is not looking at us, he ran down the stairs and out of sight. And just now my wife hid pink blush, which replaced the pale of concern on his face.

– Judging by the looks of this guy, he is clearly of Western Ukraine. – Expressed it’s I guess, where this person.

– It can be seen on the brutal mine, I knew immediately that he was a stranger. Be slaughtered, without batting an eye.

– Well, so would be killed? You are that one is, perhaps, the wife?

During the conversation, we got home. And in the evening, lying in bed, Lily said:

– You do not work for a month after retired from OKTB. And my salary from the factory «Medtech» will not be enough.

– Tomorrow, get settled, I promise.

The morning is sunny and warm. Outside the windows the first leaves have already turned green trees in the yard and, hence, from the height of the seventh floor, well seen everything that grows down there. I Throw a growth on his face, filling out into a neat goatee. After a morning coffee with his wife in the kitchen, I began to gather in search of new work.

– Let’s go out together, – has offered the wife. – I was at the plant foot, spend?

– Of course, I walk with you to promise success. – I joked, to which his wife replied sternly:

– Home can come back if you do not stand. – And, having sustained a significant pause, – to understand?!

According to her strict tone of voice, of course, I realized that the joke with my employment ended once and for all. We left the house. Our way laid along the lake on a paved road builders Underground, smashed Obolonske lake in half. Near Lili work was household chemical plant «Zarya». The plant did not care about the environment and merge any garbage in the western part of the lake. And when that happens, then the part of the plant was suffocating smog. Lily often complained about the bad smell and nausea when her «little factory» wind blowing from the plant. I’m worried about her health, but could not do anything. We were silent all the way. Gorky was a lump in my throat from her parting words on the occasion of my job search, and scraped the soul cat. In the distance it seemed plant «Medtech», and said goodbye to his wife, I walked to the subway station «Petrovka». Left alone with him, and collecting ideas on finding a new job, I continued on my way. Metro «Petrovka» as calm Human River has always acted on me with his free and easy passage of time. The passengers in the car in which I entered, made an impression on me is always some kind of estrangement, each busy with their concerns and affairs and do not care about a neighbor riding and sitting next to or in front of you. Since being treated around, I saw a beggar old man with a cane, hobbling on the car with a plastic sack tied to a rope encircling his battered jacket. He threw passengers every little thing in the bag, and he thanked those words of thanks and I wish you all prosperity and health. I also decided to give him something, some little thing and began to rummage in your pocket suit. Not finding anything there, except for 2 cents, he pulled out his empty hand and decided that it will, suddenly found a beggar next to me. He emphasized, but stood staring at my gaze. I had to get these two a penny and stick it in the outstretched hand of. The old man looked at the coin, muttering something unintelligible evil threw a coin in my face. I managed to dodge, and a beggar, shaking her, like a shovel, gray beard, spewing curses, clearly in my direction, I went on to the platform in the open door. My station «Red Square», today «Kontraktova» was next, and I decided to get out here. Going underground passage, I found myself at a tram stop. Rode a tram №11, without hesitation, I walked into it. Tram drove me to the factory «electrical appliance» and follow the intuitive feeling that this is where my future job, I found myself in the personnel department. Engineering and technical staff of the plant employees to work took the head of personnel, so I find a sign on the door proper, opened the door of his office. At the window of a conventional desk what the factory equipped with the technical department, was a man of middle age and over his glasses in silence, staring at me. Armchair for another massive table was empty. Deciding that the owner is not there, I cheerfully asked:

– Where is he? – And she pointed to a chair.

– Who are you? – Rustles piece of paper in his hands, with a question, in turn, asked the sitting.

Pose as an important «person», I decided to catch the tail of luck, and without thinking, blurted:

– I’m from the design department. – Pecked man and asked:

– From Golde? – Having no idea who this Golde, I continued my dialogue – He sent me to the head of the personnel department for registration. The man anxiously rubbed his right hand his massive nose, then gently asked:

– And who wrote you a pass to the factory?

– Yes, I saw that in a booth are people without permits, but so has passed. I have never asked a pass, but if I had stopped, of course, I would have written out.

– Anyway. – The man scratched his nose again. Apparently, part of the procedure by massaging him this body has grown so impressively. We silently stared at each other. Pause delayed. After enduring a long pause, he suddenly asked:

– The documents you have with you? – I did not hesitate, rapped: – That’s right.

– Let’s here, let’s go to register you. Yes, and by the way, where you Golde take, well, what position? – I guessed that my idea with my employment success. It remains to determine the position. In my work it was written that I’m an engineer designer of the first category. I’m currently adding titles, said: – On the position of chief engineer

designer.

Man carefully scrutinized, he looked at me and said.

– Well, we do not have a job; there is a vacancy lead design engineer for maintenance of products in production.

– Head of the office had in mind; I’m just so mechanically repeated.

– Oh well. Here’s a sheet of paper and a pen.

He handed me a sheet of paper, write an application for the post. Here sit here. – He pointed to the table where she sat, and he sat behind a massive, adding on the go – There’s an application-sample was under glass.

I got out of the breast pocket of his work record, passport and handed it to him. He became flipping, studying my working career. Having looked through, and carefully looked at me, he added: – When Golde sign a statement to me at once. I’ll let you fill in the blanks and you can go to work.

Concealing his triumph, and trying to write as calmly as possible, in a statement to the letter obtained more exactly, I asked: – Here in the «goat» stated salary that I write, put a dash or amount?

– Leave the place Head of the salary he would write when will sign the statement.

– Good! – Trying to sound more confident, solid I replied. After writing the statement, I gave it to the chief of the personnel department. He put a mark on the statement that the vacancy is free, gave it to me with the words:

– Go to our archive, where Zinaida Maksimovna write you a pass, I’ll sign it, and go to the Signature Department Golde. Then to me for forms.

– There is! – In the military, I snapped and walked out.

The head of the design department was looking at me through the massive spectacles hung on the nose as hooked on a branch Kaloxylos chameleon, and his gray eyes boring into me like two sparkling lenses. He was holding my statement, and a piece of a little shudder in his arms covered with black curls of thick hair, clearly visible because of the short-sleeved T-shirt colorful.

– Well, young man, I’m just so you can not take the position. I need some sort of probation, and we’ll see. I’ll sign a statement later. Now go to the Lubchenco Alexander Vladimirovich for an interview, will work in his design and technology sector support department in the manufacture of products.

Alexander turned terse, but still not old, not young-looking chief of forty-five.

When he saw me, he was silent, and looked at me, gestured to a chair that was set to his desktop with folders drawings. I silently sat down on a specified location

– Well, tell me that you know how, who recommended you to come to us?

– Let no one. Just passing by, give, I think, I go. Well, that’s gone. Personnel Department sent to Golde.

– Alexander Askoldovich, of course, only takes on the recommendation of tolerances on the object is not lower than the first.

– So I have a number of first admissions of the secret part. It’s all right.

– Well, then everything is fine. We work for the defense industry, and there are no random people.

– So I finished university subordinated to the engineering industry, and all of these institutions are exclusively trained specialists for the military industry.

– Well, then this will be no problem. Basically you do for us.

With these words, Lubchenco scored extension phone and said:

– Alexander Askoldovich, in principle, even if issued. It suits me. – He paused, listening to what Golde replied, then added – and that with a salary? Yes OK. – And turning to me, he said, go to Alexander Askoldovich he will write you a salary for department frames, and when you plan to work?

– Today is Thursday, May by the street, I want to still breathe the spring. From Monday.

– Good. Our work at the plant begins with eight staff engineers out of nine, so please come on Monday, though I need you yesterday. – Speaking these words, he drew on my statement that the interview conducted and set release date to work.

Alexander Askoldovich silently signed the statement. I noticed that the salary is not checked.

– Sorry, Alexander Askoldovich and what my salary?

– To go to work. The wage will see their salary.

As the unexpected bee sting hurts sounded these words. In response, I said nothing, and thought to him that the defense industry is financed smoothly and stable charge card I provided. Goodbye to the new leadership, I signed the statement ran for the checkpoint to the head of the personnel department. In the office, he was already waiting for me. Silently, he took a statement, saying:

– Work-book is with us, because you are employed. Here on Monday, will go to the personnel department will give the completed forms and bring two photos, so we can issue you a permanent pass. Time will be at the entrance, call his name, and you miss out on a job. Good luck.

– Wait, that with a salary?

– I thought I would write you a personal Golde supplement to the salary, but we have an engineer-technologist designer of the first category one hundred and twenty rubles plus quarterly bonus forty-five percent. So consider, with all deductions accumulates one hundred and sixty a month.

– Well, what – Well and that’s thanks.

– And why you said that you sent Golde take shape? When you met with him?

– Because I need this job. Bye.

– All the best.

I have opened the door to the study, when the head of personnel called me.

– Wait! I forgot to say that as long as you were to me, and demanded Lubchenco called you back to the department.

I chill crept bad feeling: – «And what if he changed his mind to accept this Lubchenco,» – I thought, I said aloud: – Yeah, well, I go already.

Head thrown after: – a temporary pass is already at the entrance, the cabin number six.

Lubchenco met me a friendly smile. Next to him stood a woman and a youngish man.

– Meet Valentines Albertovich. – Began Lubchenco – you go in a group to Isai Alexander Vasilyevich.

The man held out his hand to me, – Alexander, head of the support group. And note next to me Tamara Petrovna, too, of our group.

The woman handed me a little, and a strong hand, shook my hand, saying, – I’ll suggest you and bring you into the swing of things. I will hold the workshops and departments that you, Valentin, went into the swing of things.

– Well, do not settle, so Tamara Petrovna, – intervened Lubchenco – let will get used bit. – And, turning to me, he said, – Come Valentine Albertovich, I’ll show you your job, right there next to mine, for the drawing boards.

We walked along the row of drawing boards, mounted on metal racks to my workplace. There were already a folder with drawings on my desk now, which I have summarized Alexander.

– This is where you park and you can see the drawings. We check the accuracy of the drawing and make changes according to the current standards. Hopefully, this is familiar to you.

– Of course. I in fact worked as a designer of first category in the Ministry of OKTB of Commerce and Industry of Ukraine, and all existing guests know.

– Very good. Well, look, and it is advisable that you sat eighteen zero, zero. By the end of the work. This day you will be credited as a worker. Well, even if you want to leave early for work, then you are welcome. While you’re in the department, the workshops will be able to go after receive a special pass, since our agency belongs to the Navy and the many developments that run at us with secrecy. You also have a number of first admission, that after appropriate checks, which will last a month and a half, you will be given a pass guild.

I sat down at his desk and began flipping drawings, carefully considering the details of the mechanism, and found a few mistakes. Lubchenco praised me. The work time flashed Snack-ro. Lily workday ended before she met me in tears and reproaches:

– What could the cattle call that you are already working well?

I, of course, was justified as he could. Wife soften certainly helped my employment. Then, wiping his tears with a handkerchief, he said:

– Well, how much money you were given? – To which I could not answer clearly, he said only that we learn in salary. And in the end, everything went peacefully.

I liked the work, but was very monotonous and boring. From this sleepy, and often with the staff I went out for a smoke, to somehow get rid of sag drowsiness and, of course, never smoked.

Chapter Two

I have worked for four months. He received an advance and regularly paid on time. As the Lubchenco said that he was going to Peter, so at the «Electric appliance» called Leningrad at that memorable time when we lived and worked in the Soviet Union. His trip was supposed to last two weeks, for himself Chief of the engineering department left Isaiah Alexander Vasilyevich. Alexander unspeakably was glad, and his mood was not just upbeat, but upbeat over. He joked with everyone showered jokes and telling anecdotes. In the department, the staff prevailed general euphoria in connection with the departure of the chief of the sector on a mission to «Peter». I did not realize such an elevated happiness, even in the face Lubchenco not say that he was glad this. Each employee approaching him, he timidly sighed, he took out his pocket notebook and knew in advance what was wanted of him, carefully writing down what to bring to a particular employee.

In short, I, proceed to work the next day, I found half were not department for various reasons at work. That’s why such a joy reigned yesterday, but today I’m Tamara Petrovna, running the shops, checking the implementation of changes in the production process. In one shop we encountered.

– Well, Valentine, do you work?

– Nothing, you see, can cope. – Treacherous thought I was bored with the very moments, that I realized the joy of travel Lubchenco for the department. Courage Tamara Petrovna asked: – And what if, Tamara Petrovna…

– So, Valentine, not Tamara Petrovna, and Tamara. – In her dark eyes flashed sparks of fun and full of sensual lips moved slightly ironic smile, arousing eyes the emerging grid «solar» wrinkles. I’m in the shower was extremely surprised by the statement to call her by her name, believing that at her age it’s time to forget about the days long past. But at this delicate moment, hiding his embarrassment, he forced himself to her name without her middle name:

– Tamara, and tell me you can not, somehow leave early today. The bosses have left, no Golde nor Isaiah, and Lubchenco to boot.

– You should be somewhere? – Asked Tamara Petrovna.

– Ventilate want. Outside, the golden autumn, the end of September. You know that the new place is always difficult to fit into the work and get tired.

– You know, Valentine, at the entrance control and always will report Lubchenco, and he will take prize. – She looked at me with sparkling eyes, and then added – Well, today is on duty at the checkpoint, my old friend, when we arrive at the Division I call her. No, better to go there, I arrange. Just look, do not get caught the eye of the chief engineer or head of personnel, good. Let’s go. You come into the office, and I’ll be there soon, and tell you.