🙂 Greetings to regular and new readers! “Soulful Conversation” is a story from the distant Soviet times. Hope you find it interesting.
Night shift
Once a simple worker Mikhail took over the night shift. He was instructed to temper the parts in a special furnace that was located on the banks of the river flowing through the plant.
He loaded the parts into the oven and sat down under the weeping willow. There is free time, the details need to be hardened for at least an hour. We must pass the time somehow.
Without thinking twice, Misha dipped a bucket of provisions into cold water, which included vodka and several bottles of beer. It happened even before Prohibition, then it was in the order of things. If only the work did not suffer.
It began to get dark. The heat gradually gave way to night coolness. Yes, and a chill smelled from the river – water flows from the mountains in it, and vodka and beer are well cooled, just like in a freezer.
Mishan settled down under a willow tree, laid out a snack on the bedspread. There is no one to be afraid: that night he worked alone. True, on the other bank there was a council, several windows were still burning in it – apparently, someone also worked overtime.
The man from the council
Misha is sitting there, looking forward to a late dinner with vodka. He looked as a man was walking across the bridge: trousers, a shirt, a tie, a briefcase in his hands. And suddenly he goes straight under the willow. Misha is sprawled on the ground, smoking a cigarette, zero attention to the peasant. And he came up, squatted down next to him, greeted:
– Good evening, comrade!
– Kind, kind, – Mikhail answered. Himself continues to sip a cigarette. – What did you want, dear?
– Is there a light?
Misha handed him a box of matches. The man lit a cigarette, inhaling noisily cigarette smoke.
– Well, something like, fresh by the river, cool. What is your name?
– Yes, I am Misha, and you?
– Ivan. You can just Vanya. How long have you been working here?
– It’s been a while. Here I loaded the details into the oven, was going to have a snack while there is time. Get it out, Vanya, a bucket of water … let’s taste what God has sent.
In search of justice
The man took a bucket of vodka and beer out of the water, put the bottles next to the snack and settled down on the newspaper. Misha poured vodka into a glass and handed the guest:
– Well, for the acquaintance!
The man drank vodka, took a cucumber and ate it. Misha also poured himself a drink, drank half a glass in one fell swoop. I took a bite.
– And why are you, Vanya, are you going home so late? Do you work overtime or what?
– Well, yes, you can say that, – the man lit the next cigarette, blowing smoke into the dark sky. He asked: – Is it okay to pay? Do they not offend?
– Who? Bosses? Just let him try. I am here, one might say, worth my weight in gold. Yes, and at night they are often asked to work, but according to the law they do not have the right to send me alone on the night shift. Safety regulations are not required, do you understand?
What if something happens to me here? Although, to be honest, I’m even safer on my own: I can drink vodka and take an hour’s nap. What’s wrong with you?
– Yes, I’m new here, – Ivan replied, – I still don’t know a lot.
– The pay seems to be pretty good, but I just can’t get an apartment. We live with our mother-in-law under the same roof – me, my wife and two children. Horror! The wife, by the way, also works at this plant. And the apartment, you bastards, they squeeze us. I got caught several times, when I was drunk, and we are severely asked for drunkenness here.
I have already gone to the director of the plant many times with this request, but who will give an apartment to such a penalty box like me? Eh, Wan, let’s pour one more, or something. Otherwise, take out the parts from the oven soon.
Good advice
They drank again, ate a snack, lit a cigarette. Ivan watched with interest the overwhelmed Mikhail, and he continued his sincere conversation:
– Tell me, Vanya: where is justice in this world? Recently, a new technologist came to the plant, only after graduation, so he was immediately given an apartment. And I’ve already plowed here for so many years, and my wife too. And to us – figs! Is this fair? Here is the answer to me.
– Misha, here’s my advice to you: go to the director again, maybe this time he won’t refuse?
– What’s the point of this? Our director has recently changed, and what kind of fruit he is, I do not know. Yes, and I have a reputation, you yourself understand … No, all this is nonsense. I’ll have to look for another job, I’ll finish it for a month and leave. There will be no sense here.
In general, Misha and Vanya finished their vodka. Then the guest was getting ready to go home. Misha looked after the leaving man, scratched the back of his head and went to take out the parts from the oven.
New director
A few days later, Mikhail was summoned to the trade union committee. He grumbled, and then, with an air of displeasure, trudged off to the council behind the river. I entered the office:
– What was your name, Maria Vladimirovna?
– Sit down. Write a statement, – the chairman of the trade union committee answered with displeasure.
– So they are fired in the personnel department, not yours.
– Are we joking, Mikhail? Write an application for a living space. Understood? Wrote? Now go to the director, sign and again to me.
Dumbfounded Mikhail trudged to the director’s office. He entered the reception room, asks the secretary:
– Can I see the director?
– Yes, yes, he has been waiting for you for a long time! Please pass.
Misha knocked timidly on the door.
– Allow me to come in? .. – And stopped in mid-sentence. Sitting at the table in the director’s chair … Vanya!
– Ah, Misha, – Vanya got up from the table, – hello, dear! What do you want, vodka, beer? Okay, just kidding. Have a seat. Why are you staring at me, not admitting? Well, yes, I am the new director of the plant.
I remember our sincere conversation. That time you drank vodka with the right person. Well done. And you understand correctly what hospitality is. So I look forward to an invitation to a housewarming soon. Will you invite?
– Of course, I will invite you, Van … That is, Ivan Anatolyevich.
– Vania. Vanya, I’m one-on-one for you, okay? So that’s great. Give your paper for signature!
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