Grandmother Malanya, a resident of a village in the Altai Territory, receives a letter from her son Pavel from Moscow. She is invited to stay in the capital and they promise to send money for the journey. Pavel asks his mother to send a telegram in advance. He advises to fly by plane: it will be much faster.

Malanya lives with her grandson Shurka, a sixth grade student. His mother sent him to his grandmother in the village, so as not to interfere with the establishment of personal life. Upon learning of his uncle's proposal, Shurka begins to dream of a trip to Moscow. He had long wanted to visit the distant capital. Malanya has never been to Moscow either, and she saw Pavel's children only on a photograph.

After a little thought, the woman decides to take Shurka with her - it will not be so “fearful” together. We'll just have to wait school holidays. After consulting with the neighbors, Malanya finally decides to go. She dictates a telegram to her grandson in Moscow. In it, a woman says that she will come with Shurka after the New Year holidays. Malanya writes the telegram as a letter, full of feelings and lengthy reasoning. To the remark of her grandson that such a message would cost twenty rubles, she only dismisses it.

Malanya has never flown by plane and therefore invites Yegor Lizunov, a seasoned traveller, the school supply manager. She seats the guest at the table and treats him to her own beer. Lizunov, praising the drink, says that there is no direct flight to Moscow, you can fly to the capital by plane from Novosibirsk. He warns that the grandmother and grandson should not mix up the cash registers, otherwise you can fly to Vladivostok.

Drinking glass after glass, Egor shares his own experience of flying, explaining the dangers in detail. He starts making up all sorts of lies. Lizunov says that aircraft engines often ignite. He himself witnessed such an incident: during the flight, the engine caught fire. And passengers are not given parachutes. So when the plane crashes, everyone dies. Only 300 grams remain from a person, including clothes.

Baba Malanya, listening to these stories, is horrified. Shurka first looks at Lizunov with great interest, and then begins to suspect a lie in the words of the supply manager. In parting, the drunk Yegor advises Malanya to fly in the tail section of the cabin, since it is safer there.

The grandmother, seriously frightened by Yegor's stories, decides to take the train. But Shurka notices that the one-way road will take everything the winter vacation, so they will not have time to go to the capital and back before the start of their studies. Then Malanya postpones the trip until the summer holidays.

On the same day, the grandmother dictates a letter to her grandson. In it, she informs Pavel that she will not arrive in Moscow until summer. Malanya wants to take her grandson with her, and in winter his holidays are too short. Shurka ascribes lines from himself to the letter, in which he explains that the grandmother is frightened by the stupid stories of Yegor Lizunov. He advises Paul to shame Malanya. Son - pilot, Hero Soviet Union, and his mother is afraid of some civil aircraft.

Shurka asks her uncle to persuade her grandmother to fly in winter, because in summer there is a lot of household chores. They are rural residents and will not be able to escape in the midst of seasonal work, so the summer voyage, most likely, will not take place.

Malanya seals and signs the envelope herself. At night, the grandmother and grandson cannot fall asleep for a long time, thinking about a possible trip.

• "Villagers", analysis of Shukshin's story
• "Freak", analysis of Shukshin's story
• "Microscope", analysis of Shukshin's story
• "Kalina Krasnaya", analysis of Shukshin's story

There are people in the world with whom something constantly happens. Such was Chudik in the village. That's what his wife called him, when affectionately, when in their hearts. Chudik suffered from his adventures. He kept getting into some small annoying stories. Here is one story that happened to him during a trip to his brother, whom he had not seen for 12 years.

My brother lived in the Urals. Gathered with his wife for a long time, until midnight. Early in the morning he was already walking with a suitcase through the village. The villagers asked him where he was going. The weirdo answered with dignity that he was going to his brother, to the Urals, and his whole face expressed absolute contempt for the long journey.

But there was still a long way to go to the Urals, but for now he safely reached only the regional center. There he had to take a ticket and board the train. There was still enough time. The weirdo decided to buy gifts for his nephews - sweets, gingerbread.

Went to the grocery store, stood in line. Two people stood in front of him - a man in a hat and a woman with painted lips. They talked about the insensitivity of the new leadership. The weirdo respected the townspeople, but not all of them. For example, he did not respect hooligans and sellers, because he was afraid.

It was his turn. He bought sweets, gingerbread, 3 chocolate bars, and went aside to put everything in a suitcase. He opened the suitcase on the floor and began to fold it. Something is lying on the floor at the counter ... I looked closely - a piece of paper 50 rubles! It lies to itself, such a green one. Nobody sees her. The weirdo was already shaking with joy, his eyes lit up. I wanted to somehow more cheerfully announce this egregious fact with this, in line. "Live well, citizens!" he said loudly and cheerfully. The line looked back at him. "In our village, for example, they don't throw such pieces of paper." The queue got busy. "After all, it's not 3 rubles. You have to work for half a month for a fifty-kopeck piece."

The weirdo thought that the one in the hat had dropped the money. We decided to put the paper in a conspicuous place on the counter. “Now someone will come running,” said the saleswoman.

Chudik left the store in a pleasant mood. How easy and fun it turned out! Suddenly he was engulfed in heat. He received exactly the same piece of paper at the savings bank and another 25 rubles. 25 he now exchanged, 50 should be in his pocket. I put it in my pocket - there is no money! "Mine was a piece of paper, your mother!"

Anger rang under my heart. The first impulse was to go and say that the piece of paper was his. But he imagined how everyone would be surprised, they would think that he invented it, because there is no owner of money. They will not believe him, they may not give him up. It became quite bitter in my heart. "Yes, why am I so-and-so? What should I do now?" Chudik thought sadly. I had to return home. He wanted to at least look at his green paper. Went to the store and came back. It is forbidden. The heart can't take it.

All the way home on the bus, Crank scolded himself, gathered courage. I had an unpleasant conversation with my wife. At home, the wife explained once again all the insignificance of Chudik, but withdrew money from the book.

The dude was on the train. The unpleasant aftertaste in the soul gradually passed. Came in and out different people, copses, villages flashed outside the window ... They told different stories. The weirdo also told an intelligent friend when they were standing in the vestibule and smoking, but his story did not find a response in the soul of a neighbor. He turned to the window and didn't talk to the Weird again.

It took another 2 hours to get to my brother by plane. The weirdo got on the plane with apprehension. He flew only once and for a very long time. But everything was great. The neighbor in the armchair was reading a newspaper, and Chudik wanted to talk. He sat and wondered: "Is it really better to communicate with a newspaper with a living person?" And I also wanted to know one thing. He heard that they were fed on planes. Interesting to try their food. But something was not brought to eat, and Chudik decided that it was just healed.

I started looking out the window. He could not understand: the mountains of clouds below are beautiful or not? But everyone admired. He felt the stupidest desire to fall into them, as if into cotton wool. Most of all, he was amazed at himself: there are 5 kilometers under him, but he is not surprised. Mentally noted these 5 km to be surprised, and was not surprised.

We were told to fasten our seat belts because we were about to land. The neighbor did not buckle up. The weirdo told him that they told him to fasten his seat belts. "Nothing," the neighbor replied and leaned back in his chair. Then he remembered something and added that children are the flowers of life, but they should be planted with their heads down. The weirdo was surprised how it was. The neighbor was silent.

Finally, they landed, but in a strange way. It began to be thrown and thrown so that the unfastened neighbor flew out of his chair, butted the Freak's bald head, and lost his false teeth. They started looking for her. The weirdo found it, picked it up and handed it to a neighbor. How he screamed! "Why did the Freak take his jaw with his hands?" I wonder what should have taken it? Now it needs to be boiled, but where? The weirdo offered to go to his brother and boil it. The bald man looked at the Freak in surprise and stopped screaming.

At the airport, Chudik wrote a telegram to his wife: "A lilac branch landed, fell on my chest, dear Pear, don't forget me Vasyatka." But the telegraph operator refused to send it and ordered to rewrite it. The rewritten version did not suit her again. She wrote on the form: "Flew. Vasily." Ugh! No romance.

The weirdo knew he had a brother and three nephews. He somehow forgot about his daughter-in-law. I never saw her, and it was she who ruined the whole vacation. For some reason, I disliked him from the very beginning. In the evening I had a drink with my brother. Remembered childhood. Then the Chudik sang. Daughter-in-law Sofya Ivanovna looked out from another room and asked angrily: "Can't you yell? You're not at the station, right?" And slammed the door. My brother was embarrassed. He began to justify his wife, saying that she was good, it’s just that the kids sleep there. We drank some more. Reminds me of my youth and childhood. "Will you stop yelling? Who needs to listen to these conversations of yours?" Sofya Ivanovna asked angrily again.

The weirdo suggested going outside. They went out and sat on the porch. And then something happened to my brother ... He began to cry, began to beat his knee with his fist. "How much anger in a man!" The weirdo began to persuade his brother: "They are not evil. They are ... psychos. And he has the same one." The brother reasoned: "Well, why did you dislike it?" Only then did Chudik realize that his daughter-in-law disliked him. I tried to understand why, but I did not understand. The brother knew the reason - he was not one of the bosses. The wife loves bosses, responsible workers. Where did she get it from? The village itself. And she doesn’t love her own husband, she just hates sometimes, because he is also a rural, ordinary hard worker. Why did you marry him then? I saw it. Who is herself? Barmaid.

The weirdo stood up for the villagers. There are even a lot of heroes. We talked and sympathized with each other. The weirdo said he covered the roof, built a veranda. He invited his brother to come with the kids. We went to sleep.

In the morning Chudik cleaned up the bed, washed himself and began to think about how to please his daughter-in-law. I saw a baby carriage and decided to arrange a holiday for the stroller - to paint it to the joy of the daughter-in-law. I found children's paints, brushes and set to work. He sent a flock of cranes on the top, various flowers below, grass-ant, cockerels, chickens. Not a stroller turned out - a feast for the eyes! He imagined how surprised the daughter-in-law would be. Smiled. He wanted peace with his daughter-in-law.

The whole day Chudik walked around the city. He looked through the windows, bought a boat for his nephew. I returned home at 6 o'clock. I went up to the porch and heard that my brother was arguing with his wife. His wife was yelling at his brother to go to hell, otherwise she would throw his suitcase away. Dmitry tried to calm his wife down, he reasoned, but the woman bit the bit. The weirdo stepped cautiously down the porch. What to do next is unknown ... It became painful in my soul. When he was hated, the soul suffered and it was scary. Why live if he is so hated? I always wanted to get away from the people who hated him. "But why am I so-and-so? You should have guessed that she would not understand folk art. She is evil," the Romantic Freak thought sadly. He sat in the shed until dark, and his heart ached.

Then my brother came. He wasn't surprised to see Freak in the shed, as if he knew he had nowhere else to go. Dmitry uncertainly said that his wife scolded him again. Divorced due to wheelchair. There was no need to paint the stroller. But Chudik thought his daughter-in-law would like it. They were silent. The weirdo decided to leave tomorrow back to his village. Brother Dmitry sighed and did not answer.

Crank came home when it was pouring rain. He took off his new shoes and barefoot, smiling happily, ran through the puddles.

Shukshin Vasily

visitor

Vasily Shukshin

visitor

Against the chairman of the village council, sideways to the table, drowning in a brand new immense armchair (the chairman himself was very surprised when these soft, smelly hulks were brought to him - three pieces! "Just like good women," he said then) sat not old yet, gray-haired a man in a beautiful light-colored suit, thin, slightly intoxicated, cheerfully answered questions.

Like this? - the chairman could not understand. - Simply - where are the eyes looking?

Yes. Took detailed map area, pointed a finger - Myakishevo. Mhm, Myakishevo... I tasted it - okay. I come, I find out: the Myatla River. Oh my God! .. even tastier. The question is, where can I rest, if not in Myakishev, on the Myatla River?

Well, and to the south, for example? To the resort...

In sanatoriums - unhealthy,

Here are those times!

Have you been?

Been there, I like it.

And I don't like it. I like where there is no haircut, no spat... In a word, do you have any objections if I take a rest in your village? My passport is fine...

I don't need your passport. Rest well. What are you, an artist? - The chairman nodded at the sketchbook.

Yes, for yourself.

I understand that not to the market. For an exhibition?

The visitor smiled, and his smile flared with the clear gold of false teeth.

For the exhibition - this is no longer for himself. - He liked to answer questions. Probably, he would gladly answer even the most stupid ones. For himself, this is in the oven.

Why then draw?

For the soul. Here I am standing in front of a tree, let's say, drawing, and I understand: this is stupid. It calms me down, I rest. That is, I am happy to make sure that the tree that I had the desire to transfer to cardboard will never be a tree ...

But there is - they can.

Nobody can.

"Great succumbing, but holding on well," - said the chairman.

Can you tell me who I could live with for now? A couple of weeks, no more.

The chairman thought... And did not notice that, while he was thinking, he managed to note the fine costume of the artist, his golden teeth, his gray hair, his ability to carry himself...

Live something? If, say, the Sinkins?.. The house is big, the people are friendly... He works as our chief engineer at the RTS... The house is just above the river, you can draw right there from the terrace.

Wonderful!

Only, you know, he's not a fan of it. He drinks, of course, on holidays, and so ... this is ... not a fan.

What are you, God be with you! - exclaimed the visitor. - It’s me, after all, from the road ... I won’t shave it yet ... - But I don’t, no! Also on holidays: January 1st, May 1st, November 7th, Miner's Day, Railway Worker's Day ...

Well, it goes without saying

Are you on Railroad Day too?

The chairman laughed: he liked this strange man, naive, simple-hearted and not very stupid,

We have our own - furrow day. What are you, a railroad worker?

Yes. You know, I'm designing a bridgeless rail system.

How is it - bridgeless?

And so. Here comes the train - normally, on rails. Ahead is a river. And there is no bridge. The train is in full swing...

The chairman moved in his chair.

What does the train do? He gently rises into the air, flies, - the visitor pointed with his hand, - across the river, again gets on the rails and continues on his way.

The chairman is ready to laugh with the visitor, just waiting for him to invite.

Can you imagine the savings? - the visitor seriously asks.

This is how he, excuse me, flies? - The chairman is ready to laugh and knows that now they will laugh.

Air bag! The steam locomotive releases a powerful jet of exhaust steam under itself, the cars do the same - each for itself, the steam locomotive supplies them with steam through the brake hoses ... The entire train flies over the river ...

The chairman laughed; the visitor also lit up his oblong face with a clear golden smile.

Can you imagine?

I represent. So we'll be in communism in a month or two.

They should have been there a long time ago! - the visitor laughs. - But our bureaucrats do not approve the project.

Indeed, bureaucrats. The project is simple. How about fishing? Not an amateur?

If so, I can sit...

Well, with Sinkin right away mutual language find. Don't feed him honey, let him sit with a fishing rod.

The visitor soon found Sinkin's big house, knocked on the gate,

Yes! - responded from the yard. - Come in! .. - Surprise was felt in the voice of the woman (the woman answered) - it was clear that it was not customary to knock here.

Igor ... - she said quietly, with horror.

Wow, - the visitor also said quietly. - Like in a movie ... - He tried to smile.

What are you?.. How did you find it?

I didn't search.

But how did you find it?.. How did you get here?

Accident...

Igor, Lord!

The woman spoke softly. And looked, looked, not looking up, looked at the man. He, too, looked at her, but there was not a trace of a mocking, ironic expression on his face.

I knew you were back... Inga wrote...

Olga is alive? - it was felt that this question was not easy for the man. He - either afraid of a bad answer, or so longed for this moment and so wanted to know at least something - he turned pale. And the woman, noticing this, hastened:

Olga - good, good! .. She is in graduate school. But, Igor, she doesn’t know anything, for her father is Sinkin ... I don’t care for her ...

Understand. Sinkin at home?

No, but any minute he might come to dinner... Igor!...

I'm leaving, I'm leaving. Olga is beautiful

Olga?.. Yes. I have two more children. Olga is here... on vacation. But, Igor... is it necessary to meet?

The man leaned against the gate post. Silent. The woman was waiting. They were silent for a long time.

That's not the point, Igor...

I was at your chairman's, he directed me here... to Sinkin. I will say so. Then I will say that I did not like it here. I beg you... I'll just look!

I don't know, Igor... She'll be here soon. She is on the river. But Igor...

I swear to you!

It's too late to return everything.

I'm not going to return. I also have a family...

Inga wrote that no.

Lord, so much has passed!.. Now I have everything.

Have children?

No, there are no children. Valya, you know I can handle it - I won't tell her anything. I won't spoil anything. But you must understand, I can't... not at least look. Otherwise, I'll just show up - I'll tell her. The man's voice got stronger, he - from his helpless posture (leaning against a pole) - suddenly looked angry and resolutely, - Do you really want this?

Good, the woman said. Good. I believe you, I always believed you. When you came back?

At fifty-four. Valya, I can handle this comedy. Give, if there is in the house, a glass of vodka.

Do you drink?

No... But the strength may not be enough. No, don't be afraid! he himself was afraid. - It's just easier. Enough strength, you just need to support. Lord, I'm happy!

Come into the house.

We entered the house.

Where are the children?

In the pioneer camp. They are already in the sixth grade. Twins, boy and girl.

Twins? Nice.

Do you really have a family?

No. That is, it was ... it did not work out.

Do you work at the old place?

No, I'm a photographer now.

Photographer?!

Photographer. Not as bad as it might seem. However, I don't know. Don't talk about it. Are you doing well?

The woman looked at the man like that... as if she was embarrassed to say that she lives well, as if she needs to apologize for this,

Okay, Igor. He is very good...

Well, thank God! I'm glad.

I was told then...

No need! - the man ordered, - Can you really think that I will reproach or accuse you? Don't talk about it, I'm happy for you, I'm telling the truth.

He's very good, you'll see. He is to Olga ...

I'm happy for you!!!

You drink, Igor, - the woman said affirmatively, with regret,

Sometimes, Olga in what specialty?

Philologist. She, I think... I don't know, of course, but I think she's very talented.

I'm glad," the man said. But somehow he said sluggishly. He was kind of tired all of a sudden.

Get it together, Igor.

Everything will be OK. Don't be afraid.

Maybe you'll shave for now? Do you have anything?

Of course I have! - The man seems to have cheered up again. - You're right. Is there an outlet?

The man opened the suitcase, adjusted the electric razor and just began to shave...

Sinkin has arrived. Well-fed, hospitable, very mobile, somewhat noisy.

They introduced themselves to each other. The visitor explained that he went to the chairman of the village council, and he ...

And he did the right thing by sending me! - Sinkin praised loudly. - You're not a fisherman?

On occasion and with a good bite.

I will provide you with a chance. Good bite - I don't know. Few fish became, few. On large rivers - they complain about pollution, our dams are all mixed up ...

An adult, but naive man, by his simplicity, gets into various troubles. His attempts to help others each time end in failure.

Vasily Yegorych Knyazev is a projectionist, a strange man who works in the village. His wife calls him Crazy.

The weirdo is going to the Urals, to his brother, whom he has not seen for about twelve years, but before the trip he gets into various unpleasant stories. In the store, having bought gifts for his nephews, he notices a fifty-ruble piece of paper, picks it up and leaves it at the checkout, assuming that the owner will return for it. Going out into the street, Chudik realizes that it was he who lost his money. He does not dare to return for them, thinking that people will take him for a man who has decided to pocket someone else's fifty kopecks.

Chudik flies to the Urals in an airplane that lands not on the runway, but on a potato field. When landing, Chudik's neighbor loses his false teeth. Vasily decides to help him and finds the jaw, but instead of gratitude he receives swearing at him: the owner of the jaw did not like that Chudik took it in his hands. Giving a telegram home, Knyazev, in his usual style, informs his wife that he flew safely. A strict telegraph operator demands to change the text, Chudik is forced to obey.

Arriving to his brother, Vasily immediately feels the hostility of his daughter-in-law, the barmaid Sofya Ivanovna. The drunk Chudik, together with his brother Dmitry, are forced to move from home to the street, where both are reminiscing and philosophizing.

The next day, Freak wakes up to find himself at home alone. Deciding to do something nice for the daughter-in-law, Knyazev decides to paint the stroller. Having made drawings on the wheelchair, he goes shopping. Returning in the evening, he hears his brother arguing with his wife, who did not like the painted carriage at all. She demands that Chudik leave, threatening to throw away his suitcase. The weirdo realizes that he is not welcome and goes home.