Sergey Streltsov.
The Girl in Blue.
Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because
thou hast left thy first love.
Revelation 2:4
Winter of 1983 came
as regular providential gift to
Soviets were, as
always, on verge of beginning new war in Latin America, not satisfied with
their ups and downs in Afghanistan.
Sir William Crasnough, old Tory with long run of battles in House of
Common, who recently came to feel at home in governmental financial structures,
entered the room of his son with unusual for him bright face, but with quite
usual for him СRise and Shine!Т exclamation. Tony his son,
lazy young painter-to-be of twenty two, whose lessons in Paris and Florence
cost a fortune and werenТt expected to redress the expenses, was half sleeping
half reading according to his custom. The book now was СThe artistic
methods of GainsboroughТ and was issued that summer by
СWhat the ho, father?Т he asked.
СBreaking the news,
we move to
СI would not
advocate such a rush.Т
СInterparliamentary committee is about to be built up in the
next month. Andropov wants a loan.Т
СGod bless him,
father. Everybody now wants the cursed thing.Т
СHe is special.Т
СThen letТs look to
it.Т
СSo get packing,
dear.Т
In two weeks they
left
СGoddamn you boys
and your stupid rules. We will live how we like. And itТs none of your
business. If you donТt agree you may kiss on your way home your LeninТs cheek.Т
Driver said his
good-bye something uneasily.
СWhy are you so
rude with this dolly?Т Tony asked his father hinting to rosy complexion of this
Soviet man.
СThey want our
money, no other way round rot. So why donТt make them to know their place.Т
СBut this dolly, he
is just poor poop out of state-machine. Besides, I suppose our rooms are
tightly bugged.Т
СIf you want to go
on this wayЧ you also may come and kiss Lenin, dear.Т
Russian authorities
showed abnormal indulgence to escapades of Sir William, they swallowed every
bit of it with fantastic tolerance and only on very rare occasions summoned up
courage for retorts of childish innocence. Tony the same time had his own
entertainments. He acquainted with some of
New canvases were
made out by TonyТs hand in dazzling pace. He even invented special hallmark for
them, which was borrowed from smart joke of Boris, his artistic host. Tony
signed them not as Anthony Crasnough but in somewhat
Russian way as Anton Krasnov.
The romantic
relationship with Lida shortly got course to
something serious. Tony was stupefied by her warm-hearted attitude to any
trifling on his side. Love just crept into their midst. In the middle of the
summer Tony asked Lida a permission to write her
portrait. In three evening sessions it was done. The picture was named СThe
Girl In Blue.Т
The next move was obviously
to propose. Tony had to talk about it with his father. The morning talk on this
subject provided gunpowder for new outburst of Sir William anger.
СIf you about to
get me with this your dash of latest, I must say the following, your allowance
to be cut off and youТre heir no more.Т
СWhy this
absolutelyЕI donТt know what.Т
СThis
your stupid girl will be of yours only if signed with KGB their regular
damned deal. No more spies in my family. Your mother was last. She was of
proper British blood. But divorce! It cost me figures!Т
СPoor
mother.Т
СPoor?! Now
rich, my boy. Now you get packing, and see you next in
Then in the next
year Tony, always obedient son, was married off to American girl from some of
fatherТs connections. His new wife was blonde philosopher with degree and from
family of movie makers. Her grandfather was script writer who remembered golden
age of MGM. Father was director once awarded in
When marriage of
TonyТs scored its twenty years, his wife made her final approach to make him a
wise man. Lureen, it was her name, fired off, as was
her custom from childhood.
СYou think youТre
young and bright and with stock in the sock. And all your friends about the
house...Т
СI thought itТs
your friends.Т
СYouТre ass if
theyТre mine.Т
СWhat do you want,
darling?Т
СA
divorce. And quick one. And never to hear from you.Т
СYouТre right. Bright idea. IТm leaving for
Door slammed behind
Lureen.
In TonyТs private opinion America associated with noise, that
of air-conditioners, fans, and computers, not to count cars, aircrafts, and
engines everywhere. He packed collection of his books and videos, some most
beloved ties and trusting their safety to UPS, moved to
He hailed taxi and
rushed to the gallery. When he had entered into its edifice he heard sound of
rock ballad. The words were the next:
Back to the Russia
I flew in my dream.
What I have seen?
What can be seen?
†
Lenin
and Kremlin together at night.
Lights
to be bright.
Minds
to be bright.
Power-brokers,
democracyТs prime.
Life
on the dime.
Death for the dime.
Music was dreamy
and fantastic hello from his past, and feeling of what it conveyed to him was
too familiar. He had asked at information stall where to find organizers and
was told to get along to galleryТs office. When Tony opened its oak door he saw
there woman, with her back to turned to him.
СHello. I beg your
pardon where I can found Russian party of exhibition.Т
Woman turned her
face to him. It was sheЧ his old passion, Russian miracle, hope that often returned
to expel spirits of sheer despair and sulkiness of last years.††
СLida!Т
СTony,
dear. How the things?Т
СNow
divorcing.Т
СGlad to hear.Т
СHow is Boris?Т
СDied
in Amsterdam. Heroin finally had him,Т after short pause she explained her reason of
being here. СNow I am an art dealer down in
СMarried?Т
СNo. Already divorced.Т
СHappy
to see you, old girl.Т
СMany thanks.Т
Tony paused a
little, but then lightened up as gotten over by something Heavenly-borne and
completely unexpected. However awkward it may seem he must dare the thing, orЕ
who knows how many years it could take to repair old faults. Understanding that
it looks more stupid than not, he said.
СI mean would we
have another go.Т
СWhat a go?Т
СTo
marriage.Т
СSounds
funny.Т
СFinally, the good
old fate will have a chance to grant us with her blessing.Т
СI see it little
differently.Т
СWe wonТt able to
be happy?Т
СOnly
if youТll behave.Т
СThatТs what I
think.Т