My poplar in a red scarf
The next day I looked at the road. Where is she? Will her figure as thin as a poplar appear? My poplar in a red scarf! Steppe poplar! Even in rubber boots, in his father's jacket. Nonsense. I saw what she is!
Asel touched my heart, excited my whole soul!
I'm driving, I'm looking around, no, I can't see it anywhere. I reached the village, and here is her yard, I slowed down the car. Maybe at home? But how will I call her, what will I say? Oh, it's not my destiny to see her! Gazanul for unloading. I am unloading, and hope is glimmering in my soul: what if I meet on the way back? And on the way back I did not meet. Then I turned to the farm. Their farm is on the outskirts, far from the village. I ask a girl. No, she says she didn't go to work. “So, she didn’t come out on purpose so as not to meet me on the way,” I thought, and was very upset. The despondent returned to the motor depot.
On the second day, back on the road. I don't want to see food anymore. Indeed, why would she need me, why bother a girl if she is betrothed? However, I do not believe that everything will end like this, although in the villages girls are still being asked to marry and marry off without their consent. How many times have I read about it in the papers! What's the point? After a fight, they don’t wave a saber, they will marry you off - you won’t go back, life is broken ... These are the thoughts that wandered through my head ...
Spring at that time was in full bloom. The ground in the foothills blazed with tulips. I have loved these flowers since childhood. Pick up an armful and bring it to her! Go find her...
And suddenly I look, I can’t believe my eyes - Asel! He sits on the sidelines on a boulder, in the very place where my car got stuck last time. It looks like it's waiting for someone! I to her! Frightened, she got up from the stone, became confused, pulled the scarf from her head, and clutched it in her hand. Assel was this time in a good dress, in shoes. The distance is so, and she is in heels. I slowed down quickly, and at the very heart under the throat props up.
This story in different time told the journalist, who ended up in the Tien Shan by the nature of his profession, a driver and a road foreman, whose fates are involuntarily intertwined. From the driver's story we learn about his difficult fate. The driver Ilyas grew up in orphanage. After serving in the army, he gets a job as a truck driver at a motor depot. On a dusty steppe road, he meets his first and last love, Assel...
Main idea Aitmatov My poplar in a red scarf
This is a story about unhappy love, about the irreparable consequences of cowardice and cowardice in life.
Summary of Aitmatov My poplar in a red scarf
A young driver, Ilyas, gets stuck on a steppe road and meets a thin young girl in a red headscarf, Asel, from a local village. They fall in love at first sight. Asel is married to someone else, and her family is preparing for the wedding. Ilyas is unable to control himself and takes away his beloved in secret from her parents
Beloved settle in an apartment given by a friend of Ilyas Alibek. Soon a son is born to the young. But due to failures at work, Ilyas is increasingly applied to the bottle and starts relationships on the side. The young wife finds out about everything and leaves with her son in her arms.
Years later, fate brings the lovers together again, but now the proud Assel has a different family and a sensible, kind husband.
Picture or drawing My poplar in a red scarf
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By the nature of my journalistic work, I often had to visit the Tien Shan. One spring, when I was in the regional center of Naryn, I was urgently summoned to the editorial office. It so happened that the bus left a few minutes before I arrived at the bus station. We had to wait five hours for the next bus. There was nothing left to do but try to get on a passing car. I went to the highway on the outskirts of the town.
A truck was parked at a turn in the road. The driver had just filled up, screwing the cap on the gas tank. I rejoiced. On the glass of the cockpit was the sign of international flights "SU" - Soviet Union. This means that the car went from China to Rybachye, to the Vneshtrans motor depot, from where you can always get to Frunze.
– Are you leaving now? Give me a lift, please, to Rybachye! I asked the driver.
He turned his head, looked askance over his shoulder, and, straightening up, calmly said:
- No, no, I can't.
- I beg you! I have an urgent matter - they call me in Frunze.
The driver glared at me again.
- I understand, but do not be offended, agai. I don't take anyone.
I was surprised. The cabin is free, what did it cost him to take a man?
- I am a journalist. I'm in a hurry. I'll pay whatever...
“It’s not about the money, man! the driver cut me off sharply and angrily kicked the wheel with his foot. - Next time I'll take it for free. And now... I can't. Don't be offended. Soon there will be our cars, you will leave on any one, but I can’t ...
Perhaps he should take someone along the way, I decided.
- Well, in the body?
- Anyway ... I'm very sorry, agai.
The driver looked at his watch and hurried on.
Extremely puzzled, I shrugged my shoulders and looked in bewilderment at the tanker, an elderly Russian woman, who had been silently watching us all this time from the window. She shook her head, "Don't, leave him alone." Strange.
The driver climbed into the cab, put an unlit cigarette in his mouth, and started the engine. He was still young, about thirty, round-shouldered, tall. I remember his tenacious, large hands on the steering wheel and eyes with wearily lowered eyelids. Before moving the car off, he passed his hand over his face and somehow strangely, with a heavy sigh, looked anxiously ahead, at the road in the mountains.
The car has left.
The attendant stepped out of the booth. She seemed to want to comfort me.
Don't worry, you're leaving now.
I was silent.
- The guy is going through ... The story is long ... Once he lived here with us, at the transshipment base ...
I didn't manage to listen to the manager. A passing "Victory" approached.
We caught up with the truck not soon - almost at the very Dolonsky pass. He walked at a great speed, perhaps unacceptable even for worldly-wise Tien Shan drivers. Without slowing down on turns, the car roared under the overhanging rocks with a humming roar, swiftly flew up the slopes and immediately seemed to fall through, diving into the road drops, then reappeared in front with the ends of the tarpaulin fluttering, flapping on the sides.
"Victory" still took its toll. We started overtaking. I turned around: what a desperate man, where is he rushing headlong to? At this time, it rained with hail, as is often the case at the pass. In slanting, cutting streams of rain and hail, a pale, tense face flashed behind the glass with a cigarette clenched in its teeth. Steeply turning the steering wheel, his hands wide and quickly slid over the steering wheel. There was no one in the cockpit or in the back.
Shortly after returning from Naryn, I was sent to the south of Kyrgyzstan, to the Osh region. As always, our journalist brother is running out of time. I rushed to the station just before the departure of the train and, having flown into the compartment, did not immediately pay attention to the passenger, who was sitting with his face turned to the window. He did not turn around even when the train had already picked up speed.
Music was broadcast on the radio: a familiar melody was played on the komuz. It was a Kirghiz chant, which always seemed to me the song of a lone horseman riding through the evening steppe. The path is long, the steppe is wide, you can think and sing softly. Sing about what's on your mind. Does a person have few thoughts when he is left alone with himself, when it is quiet all around and only the clatter of hooves is heard. The strings rang in an undertone, like water on rolled bright stones in a ditch. Komuz sang that soon the sun would hide behind the hills, the blue coolness would silently run along the ground, quietly swaying, showering pollen, gray wormwood and yellow feather grass near the brown road. The steppe will listen to the rider, and think, and sing along with him.
Maybe once a rider rode here, in these places ... That's how, probably, the sunset on the far edge of the steppe burned out, gradually becoming pale, and the snow on the mountains, just like now, taking the last reflections of the sun, turned pink and faded quickly.
Outside the window, orchards, vineyards, dark green overgrown cornfields swept by. A pair of horse-drawn britzka with freshly cut alfalfa ran towards the crossing. She stopped at the barrier. A tanned boy in a tattered, faded T-shirt and trousers rolled up above the knees stood up in the britzka, looking at the train, smiled, and waved to someone.
The melody blended surprisingly softly into the rhythm of the oncoming train. Instead of the clatter of hooves, wheels clattered at the junctions of the rails. My neighbor was sitting at the table, shielding himself with his hand. It seemed to me that he, too, silently hummed the song of the lone rider. Whether he was sad or dreaming, there was only something sad in his appearance, some kind of unrelenting grief. He was so withdrawn into himself that he did not notice my presence. I tried to see his face. Where did I meet this person? Even the hands are familiar - swarthy, with long hard fingers.
And then I remembered: it was the same driver who did not take me into the car. On that I calmed down. Got a book. Was it worth mentioning? He must have forgotten me a long time ago. How many chance meetings do drivers have on the roads?
So we drove for some time, each on his own. Outside the window began to get dark. My companion decided to smoke. He took out cigarettes, sighed noisily before striking a match. Then he raised his head, looked at me with surprise, and immediately blushed. Learned.
- Hello, ah! he said, smiling guiltily.
I gave him my hand.
- Are you going far?
- To the Pamirs? So, along the way. I'm in Osh… On vacation? Or transfer to work?
- Yes, it seems to be so ... Light up?
We smoked together and were silent. There seemed to be nothing else to talk about. My neighbor thought again. He sat with his head bowed, swaying in time with the movement of the train. It seemed to me that he had changed a lot since I saw him. He lost weight, his face was haggard, three sharp, heavy folds on his forehead. There is a gloomy shadow on the face from the eyebrows reduced to the bridge of the nose. Suddenly my companion smiled mirthlessly and asked:
- You must have been very offended by me that time, huh?
- When, I don’t remember something? “I didn’t want the person to be embarrassed in front of me. But he looked with such remorse that I had to confess. – Ah… then something… Trivia. I forgot. Anything happens along the way. Do you still remember this?
- At another time, maybe I would have forgotten, but on that day ...
- And what happened? Isn't it an accident?
“But how can I say, there was no accident, it’s something else ...” he said, looking for words, but then he laughed, forced himself to laugh. - Now I would take you anywhere by car, but now I myself am a passenger ...
“Nothing, the horse steps on one track a thousand times, maybe we’ll meet again sometime ...
“Of course, if we meet, I’ll drag you into the cockpit myself!” he shook his head.
- So, agreed? I joked.
- I promise, yeah! he answered cheerfully.
"But why didn't you take me then?"
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Chingiz Aitmatov
My poplar in a red scarf
Instead of a prologue
By the nature of my journalistic work, I often had to visit the Tien Shan. One spring, when I was in the regional center of Naryn, I was urgently summoned to the editorial office. It so happened that the bus left a few minutes before I arrived at the bus station. We had to wait five hours for the next bus. There was nothing left to do but try to get on a passing car. I went to the highway on the outskirts of the town.
A truck was parked at a turn in the road. The driver had just filled up, screwing the cap on the gas tank. I rejoiced. On the glass of the cockpit was the sign of international flights "SU" - the Soviet Union. This means that the car went from China to Rybachye, to the Vneshtrans motor depot, from where you can always get to Frunze.
– Are you leaving now? Give me a lift, please, to Rybachye! I asked the driver.
He turned his head, looked askance over his shoulder, and, straightening up, calmly said:
- No, no, I can't.
- I beg you! I have an urgent matter - they call me in Frunze.
The driver glared at me again.
- I understand, but do not be offended, agai. I don't take anyone.
I was surprised. The cabin is free, what did it cost him to take a man?
- I am a journalist. I'm in a hurry. I'll pay whatever...
“It’s not about the money, man! the driver cut me off sharply and angrily kicked the wheel with his foot. - Next time I'll take it for free. And now... I can't. Don't be offended. Soon there will be our cars, you will leave on any one, but I can’t ...
Perhaps he should take someone along the way, I decided.
- Well, in the body?
- Anyway ... I'm very sorry, agai.
The driver looked at his watch and hurried on.
Extremely puzzled, I shrugged my shoulders and looked in bewilderment at the tanker, an elderly Russian woman, who had been silently watching us all this time from the window. She shook her head, "Don't, leave him alone." Strange.
The driver climbed into the cab, put an unlit cigarette in his mouth, and started the engine. He was still young, about thirty, round-shouldered, tall. I remember his tenacious, large hands on the steering wheel and eyes with wearily lowered eyelids. Before moving the car off, he passed his hand over his face and somehow strangely, with a heavy sigh, looked anxiously ahead, at the road in the mountains.
The car has left.
The attendant stepped out of the booth. She seemed to want to comfort me.
Don't worry, you're leaving now.
I was silent.
- The guy is going through ... The story is long ... Once he lived here with us, at the transshipment base ...
I didn't manage to listen to the manager. A passing "Victory" approached.
We caught up with the truck not soon - almost at the very Dolonsky pass. He walked at a great speed, perhaps unacceptable even for worldly-wise Tien Shan drivers. Without slowing down on turns, the car roared under the overhanging rocks with a humming roar, swiftly flew up the slopes and immediately seemed to fall through, diving into the road drops, then reappeared in front with the ends of the tarpaulin fluttering, flapping on the sides.
"Victory" still took its toll. We started overtaking. I turned around: what a desperate man, where is he rushing headlong to? At this time, it rained with hail, as is often the case at the pass. In slanting, cutting streams of rain and hail, a pale, tense face flashed behind the glass with a cigarette clenched in its teeth. Steeply turning the steering wheel, his hands wide and quickly slid over the steering wheel. There was no one in the cockpit or in the back.
Shortly after returning from Naryn, I was sent to the south of Kyrgyzstan, to the Osh region. As always, our journalist brother is running out of time. I rushed to the station just before the departure of the train and, having flown into the compartment, did not immediately pay attention to the passenger, who was sitting with his face turned to the window. He did not turn around even when the train had already picked up speed.
Music was broadcast on the radio: a familiar melody was played on the komuz. It was a Kirghiz chant, which always seemed to me the song of a lone horseman riding through the evening steppe. The path is long, the steppe is wide, you can think and sing softly. Sing about what's on your mind. Does a person have few thoughts when he is left alone with himself, when it is quiet all around and only the clatter of hooves is heard. The strings rang in an undertone, like water on rolled bright stones in a ditch. Komuz sang that soon the sun would hide behind the hills, the blue coolness would silently run along the ground, quietly swaying, showering pollen, gray wormwood and yellow feather grass near the brown road. The steppe will listen to the rider, and think, and sing along with him.
Maybe once a rider rode here, in these places ... That's how, probably, the sunset on the far edge of the steppe burned out, gradually becoming pale, and the snow on the mountains, just like now, taking the last reflections of the sun, turned pink and faded quickly.
Outside the window, orchards, vineyards, dark green overgrown cornfields swept by. A pair of horse-drawn britzka with freshly cut alfalfa ran towards the crossing. She stopped at the barrier. A tanned boy in a tattered, faded T-shirt and trousers rolled up above the knees stood up in the britzka, looking at the train, smiled, and waved to someone.
The melody blended surprisingly softly into the rhythm of the oncoming train. Instead of the clatter of hooves, wheels clattered at the junctions of the rails. My neighbor was sitting at the table, shielding himself with his hand. It seemed to me that he, too, silently hummed the song of the lone rider. Whether he was sad or dreaming, there was only something sad in his appearance, some kind of unrelenting grief. He was so withdrawn into himself that he did not notice my presence. I tried to see his face. Where did I meet this person? Even the hands are familiar - swarthy, with long hard fingers.
And then I remembered: it was the same driver who did not take me into the car. On that I calmed down. Got a book. Was it worth mentioning? He must have forgotten me a long time ago. How many chance meetings do drivers have on the roads?
So we drove for some time, each on his own. Outside the window began to get dark. My companion decided to smoke. He took out cigarettes, sighed noisily before striking a match. Then he raised his head, looked at me with surprise, and immediately blushed. Learned.
- Hello, ah! he said, smiling guiltily.
I gave him my hand.
- Are you going far?
- To the Pamirs? So, along the way. I'm in Osh… On vacation? Or transfer to work?
- Yes, it seems to be so ... Light up?
We smoked together and were silent. There seemed to be nothing else to talk about. My neighbor thought again. He sat with his head bowed, swaying in time with the movement of the train. It seemed to me that he had changed a lot since I saw him. He lost weight, his face was haggard, three sharp, heavy folds on his forehead. There is a gloomy shadow on the face from the eyebrows reduced to the bridge of the nose. Suddenly my companion smiled mirthlessly and asked:
- You must have been very offended by me that time, huh?
- When, I don’t remember something? “I didn’t want the person to be embarrassed in front of me. But he looked with such remorse that I had to confess. – Ah… then something… Trivia. I forgot. Anything happens along the way. Do you still remember this?
- At another time, maybe I would have forgotten, but on that day ...
- And what happened? Isn't it an accident?
“But how can I say, there was no accident, it’s something else ...” he said, looking for words, but then he laughed, forced himself to laugh. - Now I would take you anywhere by car, but now I myself am a passenger ...
“Nothing, the horse steps on one track a thousand times, maybe we’ll meet again sometime ...
“Of course, if we meet, I’ll drag you into the cockpit myself!” he shook his head.
- So, agreed? I joked.
- I promise, yeah! he answered cheerfully.
"But why didn't you take me then?"
- Why? he replied, and immediately turned dark. He fell silent, lowering his eyes, bent over the cigarette, fiercely puffing on the smoke. I realized that I should not have asked this question, and I was confused, not knowing how to correct the error. He extinguished his cigarette butt in the ashtray and squeezed out with difficulty:
- I couldn’t ... I rolled my son ... He was waiting for me then ...
– Son? I was surprised.
“It’s like this… You see… How can I explain it to you…” He lit up again, suppressing his excitement, and, suddenly, firmly, seriously looking into my face, began to talk about himself.
So I happened to hear the driver's story.
There was a lot of time ahead: the train goes to Osh for almost two days. I did not rush, I did not interrupt him with questions: it's good when a person tells everything himself, re-experiencing, pondering, sometimes falling silent in mid-sentence. But it took great effort for me not to interfere in his story, because by chance and thanks to my restless profession as a newspaperman, I already knew something about him personally and about the people with whom fate had brought this driver. I could add to his story and explain a lot, but I decided to do this after listening to everything to the end. And then I thought about it. And I think I did the right thing. Listen to the stories of the characters in this story.
Chauffeur's Tale
... It all started quite unexpectedly. At that time, I had just returned from the army. He served in a motorized unit, and before that he graduated from the ten-year school and also worked as a driver. I myself am an orphanage. My friend Alibek Dzhanturin was demobilized a year earlier. He worked at the Rybachinsky motor depot. Well, I came to him. Alibek and I always dreamed of getting to the Tien Shan or the Pamirs. They received me well. Settled in a hostel. And even the ZiL was given an almost new one, not a single dent ... I must say, I fell in love with my car as a person. Take care of her. Successful release. The motor was powerful. True, it was not always necessary to take the full load. The road you know what it is - Tien Shan, one of the highest mountain highways in the world: gorges, ridges and passes. There is plenty of water in the mountains, but you still constantly carry it with you. You may have noticed that a wooden crosspiece is nailed to the body in the front corner, and a water chamber dangles on it. Because the motor on serpentines overheats terribly. And you don't carry much cargo. At first, I also figured it out, racked my brains about what to come up with in order to take more cargo. But nothing seemed to change. Mountains are mountains.
I was pleased with the work. And I liked the place. Motor depot near the shore of Issyk-Kul. When foreign tourists came and stood idle for hours as if stunned on the shore of the lake, I was proud of myself: “Here, they say, what Issyk-Kul we have! Try to find another such beauty ... "
In the early days, there was only one thing that offended me. The time was hot - spring, the collective farms after the September Plenum were gaining strength. They firmly set to work, but there was little technology. Some of our autobase vehicles were sent to help the collective farms. Especially newcomers were always driven around the collective farms. Well, me too. As soon as I get on with flights along the highway, as they shoot again, let's go through the villages. I understood that this was an important, necessary matter, but I was still a driver, I felt sorry for the car, I was worried about it, as if it was not for her, but I myself had to shake over potholes and knead the dirt along the country roads. You won't see such roads in a dream...
So, once I was going to the collective farm - I was carrying slate for a new barn. This ail is in the foothills, and the road goes through the steppe. Everything was going well, the path was already drying up, it was still a stone's throw to the village, and suddenly I sat down at the crossing through some kind of ditch. The road here has been so beaten since spring, they have been hacked up with wheels, the camel will drown - you will not find it. I've tried everything here and there, and nothing happens. The earth has sucked on the car, and in no way, it holds like pincers. In addition, out of frustration, I turned the steering wheel so that the thrust was jammed somewhere, I had to crawl under the car ... I was lying there covered in mud, in sweat, I curse the road in every way. I hear someone coming. From below, I can see only rubber boots. The boots came up, stopped opposite and stood. Evil took me - who did it bring and what to stare, the circus is here, or something.
- Come on, don't stand over your soul! I called out from under the car. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed the hem of the dress, an old one, dirty with manure. It can be seen that some kind of old woman is waiting to be thrown to the village.
- Come on, grandma! I asked. - I still have to sunbathe here for a long time, you can’t wait ...
She answered me:
- I'm not a grandmother.
She said something embarrassed, with a laugh like.
- Then who? I was surprised.
- Young woman.
- Young woman? - I looked sideways at the boots, asked for the sake of mischief: - And the beautiful one?
The boots stepped on the spot, stepped aside, about to leave. Then I quickly got out from under the car. I look, in fact, there is a thin girl with strict furrowed eyebrows, in a red scarf and a large, apparently father's jacket, draped over her shoulders. Silently looks at me. I forgot that I was sitting on the ground, that I myself was covered in mud and clay.
- Nothing! Beautiful, I smiled. She really was beautiful. - Only shoes! I joked as I got up off the ground.
The girl suddenly turned sharply and, without looking back, quickly walked along the road.
What is she? Offended? I became uncomfortable. He caught himself, rushed to catch up with her, then returned, quickly collected the tool and jumped into the cockpit. Jerks, then back, then forward, began to rock the car. To catch up with her - I didn’t think about anything else. The engine roared, the car shook and drove around, but I did not move forward a single step. And she went further and further. I shouted, not knowing to whom, under the slipping wheels:
- Let go! Let go, I say. Do you hear?
He squeezed the accelerator with all his might, the car crawled and crawled with a groan and just miraculously escaped from the quagmire. How glad I was! He ran along the road, wiped the dirt from his face with a handkerchief, smoothed his hair. Having caught up with the girl, I braked and, the devil knows where this came from, with such chic, almost lying on the seat, opened the door:
- Ask! - and extended his hand, inviting him into the cockpit.
- Well, do not be angry! I'm so easy ... Sit down!
But the girl didn't answer.
Then I overtook her, parked the car across the road. He jumped out of the cab, ran in from the right side, opened the door and stood there without removing his hand. She approached, cautiously looking at me: here, they say, he got attached. I didn't say anything, I waited. Either she took pity on me, or for some other reason - she shook her head and silently sat down in the cockpit.
We set off.
I didn't know how to start a conversation with her. It’s not the first time for me to meet and talk with girls, but for some reason I became shy. Why would you ask? I twist the steering wheel, I glance furtively. She has light, delicate curls of black hair around her neck. The jacket slipped off her shoulder, she holds it with her elbow, she moved away herself, afraid to hurt me. Her eyes look sternly, but everything can be seen that she is affectionate. The face is open, the forehead wants to frown, but he does not frown. Finally, she, too, glanced cautiously in my direction. We made eye contact. They smiled. Then I decided to speak:
“And why did you stop there, by the car?”
“I wanted to help you,” the girl replied.
– Help? I laughed. - They really helped! If not for you, I would sit there until the evening ... Do you always walk along this road?
- Yes. I work on a farm.
- This is good! - I was delighted, but immediately corrected myself: - The road is good! - And just at that moment the car shook in the pothole so much that we collided shoulders. I grunted, blushed, not knowing where to put my eyes. And she laughed. Then I could not stand it, I burst out laughing.
- But I didn’t want to go to the collective farm! I confessed through laughter. - If I had known that there was such an assistant on the way, I would not have quarreled with the dispatcher ... Ay, Ilyas, Ilyas! I reproached myself. “That’s my name,” he explained to her.
- And my name is Asel ...
We drove up to the village. The road got smoother. The wind blew against the windows, ripping Assel's kerchief off her head and ruffling her hair. We were silent. We were fine. It happens, it turns out, that it’s easy and joyful in the soul, if a person sits next to you, almost touching with your elbow, about whom you didn’t know anything about an hour ago, but now for some reason you just want to think about him ... I don’t know what was in my heart Asel, but her eyes were smiling. We would have to go for a long, long time, so as never to part ... But the car was already moving along the ail street. Suddenly, Asel realized in fright:
- Stop, I'll get off!
I slowed down.
– Do you live here?
- No, - for some reason she became agitated, worried. “But I'd rather get off here.
- Why? I'll take you straight to the house! - I did not let her object, I went on.
“Right here,” Asel pleaded. - Thank you!
She didn't have time to answer. The gate opened, and an elderly woman, alarmed by something, ran out into the street.
- Asel! she called. - Where are you disappearing, God punish you! Go get changed quickly, the matchmakers have arrived! she added in a whisper, covering her mouth with her hand.
Asel was embarrassed, dropped her jacket from her shoulder, then picked it up and dutifully followed her mother. At the gate she turned around, looked, but the gate slammed shut immediately. I only now noticed saddled sweaty horses in the street near the hitching post, apparently coming from afar. Raised behind the wheel, looked through the duval. Women scurried around the hearth in the yard. A large copper samovar smoked. Two people skinned a lamb carcass under a shed. Yes, matchmakers were accepted here according to all the rules. There was nothing left for me to do. I had to go unload.
By the end of the day, he returned to the depot. Washed the car, drove it to the garage. I fiddled around for a long time, everything found some kind of business. I did not understand why I took today's case so close to my heart. All the way he scolded himself: “Well, what do you need? What kind of fool are you? Who is she to you, after all? Bride? Sister? Just think, we met by chance on the road, drove to the house and you are already worried, as if they had declared their love. Or maybe she doesn't want to think about you. She needs you to hurt her! She has a legitimate fiancé, and you are nobody! A driver from the road, hundreds of them, you won’t get to know each other ... And what right do you have to count on something: people get married, they will have a wedding, and what do you have to do with it? Spit on everything. Spin your steering wheel, and order! .. "
But the trouble was that no matter how much I persuaded myself, Asel could not forget.
There was nothing to do next to the car. I would like to go to the hostel, we have a cheerful, noisy one, there is a red corner, but I don’t. One wants to stay. He lay down on the fender of the car, put his hands behind his head. Nearby, Jantai was digging under a car. We had a driver. He leaned out of the hole, chuckled:
- What are you dreaming about, dzhigit?
- About money! I replied angrily.
Didn't love him. The sting is top notch. Cunning and envious. He did not live in a hostel, like others, with some kind of hostess in an apartment. It was rumored that he promised to marry her, after all, he would have his own house.
I turned away. In the yard, near the sink, our guys made a fuss. Someone climbed onto the cab and sprayed the drivers waiting in line with a hose. Laughter stood on the whole motor depot. The jet is powerful, as it hits - you will swing. They wanted to drag the guy off the cab, but he dances to himself, whips on the backs, as if from a machine gun, knocks off his caps. Suddenly the jet darted upward, curved in the rays of the sun, like a rainbow. I look, where the jet rises up, stands Kadicha, our dispatcher. This one won't run. She knew how to carry herself with dignity, you couldn't easily approach her. And now she stood fearlessly, calmly. Do not touch, they say, weakly! She put her foot aside in her boot, and she pins her hair, holds a hairpin in her teeth, chuckles. Small silvery splashes fall on her head. The guys are laughing, urging the boy on the cockpit:
- Give her a body!
- Shandarakhni!
- Watch out, Kadicha!
But the boy did not dare to pour it over her, only played with a jet around Kadichi. If I were him, I would have doused her from head to toe, and, perhaps, Kadicha would not have said a word to me, she would have laughed, and that’s all. I always noticed that she treated me differently than the others, became malleable, a little capricious. She loved it when I, flirting, stroked her head. I liked that she always argued, scolded me, but quickly gave up, even if I was wrong. Sometimes he took her to the cinema, saw her off: I was on my way to the hostel. In the control room, he easily went into the room, and she allowed others to contact only through the window.
But now I was not up to her. Let them pamper themselves.
Kadicha has pierced the last hairpin.
- Come on, let's play! she ordered.
- Listen, comrade dispatcher! - The guy on the cockpit saluted. They pulled him out with a laugh.
And she went to our garage. Stopped by Jantai's car, looking for someone, it seems. She did not immediately notice me because of the grid dividing the garage into compartments. Jantai looked out of the pit, said ingratiatingly:
- Hello beauty!
- Oh, Jantai...
He looked longingly at her feet. She shrugged her shoulders in displeasure.
- Well, what are you staring at? - and lightly poked him with the toe of her boot in the chin.
The other would probably be offended, but this one is not. He beamed, as if he had been kissed, and dived into the hole.
Kadicha saw me.
- Are you having a good rest, Ilyas?
- Like a feather bed!
She pressed her face against the net, looked intently, and said softly:
- Go to the control room.
Kadicha is gone. I got up and got ready to go. Jantai leaned out of the hole again.
- Good woman! he winked.
- Not about you! I snapped.
I thought he would get mad and start fighting. I am not a fan of fights, but I would have grabbed Jantai: it was so hard on my soul that I simply did not know what to do with myself.
However, Jantai was not even offended.
- Nothing! he muttered. - Wait and see…
There was no one in the control room. What the hell? Where did she go? I turned around and came face to face with Kadicha. She stood with her back against the door, her head thrown back. Her eyes glittered from under her lashes. Hot breath burned my face. I couldn't control myself, reached out to her, but immediately stepped back. Oddly enough, it seemed to me at that moment that I was cheating on Aseli.
- Why did you call? I asked indignantly.
Kadicha still silently looked at me.
“Well…?” I repeated, losing my patience.
“Something you are not very friendly,” she said with resentment in her voice. - Or did you like some? ..
I'm confused. Why is she blaming me? And how did you know?
At this time, the window opened. Jantay's head appeared. A smirk crept across his face.
- Please, comrade dispatcher! he said sarcastically, handing some paper to Kadicha.
She looked at him angrily. Angrily, she threw it in my face:
- And who will receive a ticket for you? Are you waiting for a special invitation?
Pushing me aside with her hand, Kadicha walked quickly to the table.
- On the! She handed out the waybill.
I took. The ticket was to the same collective farm. My heart went cold: to go there, knowing that Asel ... And in general, why is it that I am the one who is driven to the collective farms the most?
I exploded.
– Back to the collective farm? Again manure and bricks to carry? I will not go! I threw the ticket on the table. “That’s enough, I climbed through the mud, let the others roll around! ..
- Do not scream! You have an outfit for the week! And it will be necessary, they will add more, - Kadicha got angry.
Then I calmly said:
- I will not go!
And, as always, Kadicha suddenly gave up:
- OK then. I'll talk to the boss.
She took the ticket from the table.
“So I won’t go,” I thought, “and I’ll never see Asel.” I got even worse. I clearly understood that I would repent all my life. Whatever happens - I'll go! ..
- Okay, come here! I grabbed a ticket.
Jantai chuckled at the window:
- Say hello to my grandmother!
I said nothing. He should have been punched in the face!.. He slammed the door and went to the hostel.
The next day I looked at the road. Where is she? Will her figure as thin as a poplar appear? My poplar in a red scarf! Steppe poplar! Even in rubber boots, in his father's jacket. Nonsense. I saw what she is!
Asel touched my heart, excited my whole soul!
I'm driving, I'm looking around, no, I can't see it anywhere. I reached the village, and here is her yard, I slowed down the car. Maybe at home? But how will I call her, what will I say? Oh, it's not my destiny to see her! Gazanul for unloading. I am unloading, and hope is glimmering in my soul: what if I meet on the way back? And on the way back I did not meet. Then I turned to the farm. Their farm is on the outskirts, far from the village. I ask a girl. No, she says she didn't go to work. “So, she didn’t come out on purpose so as not to meet me on the way,” I thought, and was very upset. The despondent returned to the motor depot.
On the second day, back on the road. I don't want to see food anymore. Indeed, why would she need me, why bother a girl if she is betrothed? However, I do not believe that everything will end like this, although in the villages girls are still being asked to marry and marry off without their consent. How many times have I read about it in the papers! What's the point? After a fight, they don’t wave a saber, they will marry you off - you won’t go back, life is broken ... These are the thoughts that wandered through my head ...
Spring at that time was in full bloom. The ground in the foothills blazed with tulips. I have loved these flowers since childhood. Pick up an armful and bring it to her! Go find her...
And suddenly I look, I can’t believe my eyes - Assel! He sits on the sidelines on a boulder, in the very place where my car got stuck last time. It looks like it's waiting for someone! I to her! Frightened, she got up from the stone, became confused, pulled the scarf from her head, and clutched it in her hand. Assel was this time in a good dress, in shoes. The distance is so, and she is in heels. I slowed down quickly, and at the very heart under the throat props up.
Hello Assel!
- Hello! she answered softly.
I wanted to help her get into the cab, but she turned and walked slowly along the road. It means he doesn't want to sit down. I touched the car, opened the door and just as slowly rolled next to her. That's how we moved. She's on the sidelines and I'm driving. They were silent. What to talk about? Then she asked:
Did you visit the farm yesterday?
- Yes, why?
- So simple. You don't have to come there.
- I wanted to see you.
She didn't say anything.
And I have this damn matchmaking on my mind. I want to know how and what. Ask - the tongue does not turn. Afraid. I'm afraid of her answer.
Ashley looked at me.
- This is true?
She nodded her head. My steering wheel jumped in my hands.
- When is the wedding? I asked.
"Soon," she answered quietly.
I almost pulled the car aimlessly. Yes, instead of speed, the clutch turned off. The motor roars at idle. Asel recoiled to the side. I didn't even apologize. Not before.
"So we won't see each other again?" I say.
- Don't know. It's better not to see you.
- And I still ... as you wish, I will look for you!
And again we were silent. Maybe they thought about the same thing, but between us it was like a wall stood, which did not allow me to approach her, and she to sit in my cabin.
- Asel! - I said. - Don't avoid me. I won't interfere with anything. I will look at you from afar. Do you promise?
- I do not know. Maybe…
- Sit down, Asel.
- No. Leave. Ail is near.
After that, we still met on the road, each time as if by chance. And again she is walking along the side of the road, and I am sitting in the cab. It's a shame, but what can you do.
I didn't ask about the groom. It's uncomfortable, and I didn't want to. But according to her, I realized that she knew little of him. He was brought up by some relative of his mother, lived in a distant forestry, in the mountains. Their families have long been, if I may say so, the exchange of girls, maintained kinship between themselves from generation to generation. Assel's parents did not allow the thought of giving her somewhere to the side. It was out of the question for me. Who am I? Some alien, rootless chauffeur. Yes, I would not dare to stutter.
Asel in those days was taciturn. Everyone was thinking about something. But I didn't hope for anything. Her fate was decided, it was useless to meet. However, we, like children, tried not to talk about it and met, because we could not help but meet. We both thought we couldn't live without each other.
So five days passed. That morning I was at the motor depot, getting ready for the flight. And suddenly they are called to the control room.
- You can rejoice! Kadicha greeted me cheerfully. “You are being transferred to the Xinjiang Highway.
I was dumbfounded. Last days I lived as if I would always go to the collective farm. Flights to China are multi-day, who knows when I can escape to Assel. Disappear suddenly without even warning her?
"You don't seem happy, do you?" Kadic noticed.
- What about the collective farm? I got excited. “The work is not over yet.
Kadicha shrugged her shoulders in surprise.
“You didn’t want to before.
I got angry:
- Not much that happened before.
I sat on a chair, I sit, I don’t know what to do.
Jantai came running. It turns out that instead of me he was sent to the collective farm. I got worried. Jantai will probably refuse, because the output on country roads is less. But he took a ticket and said:
– Where will you send, Kadic, even to the ends of the world! In the village, the rams are just ripening, maybe grab them?
And then he saw me.
“Sorry, I seem to have interfered!”
“Get out of here!” I hissed without raising my head.
- Well, why are you sitting, Ilyas? Kadic touched me on the shoulder.
- I have to go to the collective farm, send me, Kadicha! I asked.
- Are you out of your mind? I can't, there's no outfit! she said and looked uneasily into my face. Why are you so excited to go there?
I didn't answer. Silently left, went to the garage. Jantai rushed past me in his car, winked slyly, almost hitting me with a fender.
I dug for a long time, hesitated, but there was no way out. I went to the loading station. There is a small queue.
Comrades called me to smoke, but I didn’t even get out of the cab. I close my eyes and imagine how Asel waits in vain on the road. The day will wait, two, three ... What will she think of me?
And the line was getting closer. Already began to load the car in front of me. In a minute and I get under the tap. “Forgive me, Asel! I thought. - Forgive me, my steppe poplar! - And then a thought suddenly flashed: - Yes, I could have told her and come back. Great trouble - I will leave for the flight a few hours later. I’ll explain later to the head of the motor depot, he will understand, perhaps, but if not, he will scold. Well, a reprimand will announce ... I can't! I'll go!"
I started the engine to pull back, but the cars behind me were close together. Meanwhile, the loaded car moved away, the queue was behind me.
- Stand up! Hey Ilyas! shouted the crane operator.
The crane lifted an arrow over me. Everything is over! You can't get anywhere with export cargo. How did I not get it before? The sender came with documents. I looked out the rear window: a container was swaying into the body. He kept getting closer and closer. And then I shouted:
- Watch out!
From the place I pulled the car out from under the container, the engine was not turned off. There were screams, whistling, swearing from behind ...
And I drove the car past warehouses, stacks of boards and coal piles. It's like I'm rooted to a bagel. The ground swayed, and the car and I were hit from side to side. Yes, we are not used to ...
Soon I caught up with Jantay. He looked out of the cockpit and goggled wildly: he recognized me. And after all, he sees that I am in a hurry, which means that he must give way, but no, he does not let me pass. I taxied to the side of the road, went to overtake right in the field. Jantai also let go, does not allow to get out on the road. So we raced: he - on the road, I - in the field. We crouched down to the bagels, we look askance like animals, we swear.
- Where are you going? For what? he shouts at me.
Chingiz Torekulovich Aitmatov
My poplar in a red scarf
Tale -
OCR & SpellCheck: Zmiy( [email protected]), May 28, 2003
"The First Teacher": Children's Literature Publishing House "Veselka"; Kyiv; 1976
Chingiz Aitmatov
My poplar in a red scarf
INSTEAD OF THE PROLOGUE
By the nature of my journalistic work, I often had to visit the Tien Shan. One spring, when I was in the regional center of Naryn, I was urgently summoned to the editorial office. It so happened that the bus left a few minutes before I arrived at the bus station. We had to wait five hours for the next bus. There was nothing left to do but try to get on a passing car. I went to the highway on the outskirts of the town.
A truck was parked at a turn in the road. The driver had just filled up, screwing the cap on the gas tank. I rejoiced. On the glass of the cockpit there was a sign of international flights "SU" - the Soviet Union. This means that the car went from China to Rybachye, to the Vneshtrans motor depot, from where you can always get to Frunze.
- Are you leaving now? Give me a lift, please, to Rybachye! I asked the driver.
He turned his head, looked askance over his shoulder, and, straightening up, calmly said:
- No, uh huh 1 , I can not.
- I beg you very much! I have an urgent matter - they call me in Frunze.
The driver glared at me again.
- I understand, but do not be offended, agai. I don't take anyone.
I was surprised. The cabin is free, what did it cost him to take a man?
- I am a journalist. I'm in a hurry. I'll pay whatever...
- It's not about the money, man! - the driver cut me off sharply and angrily kicked the wheel with his foot. - Next time I'll take it for free. And now... I can't. Don't be offended. Soon there will be our cars, you will leave on any one, but I can’t ...
“Probably, he should take someone along the way,” I decided.
- Well, what about in the trunk?
- Anyway... I'm very sorry, agai.
The driver looked at his watch and hurried on.
Extremely puzzled, I shrugged my shoulders and looked in bewilderment at the tanker, an elderly Russian woman, who had been silently watching us all this time from the window. She shook her head, "Don't, leave him alone." Strange.
The driver climbed into the cab, put an unlit cigarette in his mouth, and started the engine. He was still young, about thirty, round-shouldered, tall. I remember his tenacious, large hands on the steering wheel and eyes with wearily lowered eyelids. Before moving the car off, he passed his palm over his face and strangely, with a heavy sigh, anxiously looked ahead, at the road in the mountains.
The car has left.
The attendant stepped out of the booth. She seemed to want to comfort me.
- Don't worry, now you will leave.
I was silent.
- The guy is going through ... The story is long ... Once he lived here with us, at the transshipment base ...
I didn't manage to listen to the manager. A passing "Victory" approached.
We did not catch up with the truck soon - almost at the very Dolonsky pass. He walked at a tremendous speed, perhaps unacceptable even for worldly-wise Tien Shan drivers. Without slowing down on turns, the car roared under the overhanging rocks with a humming roar, swiftly flew up the slopes and immediately seemed to fall through, diving into the road drops, then reappeared in front with the ends of the tarpaulin fluttering, flapping on the sides.
"Victory" still took its toll. We started overtaking. I turned around: what a desperate man, where is he rushing headlong to? At this time, it rained with hail, as is often the case at the pass. In slanting, cutting streams of rain and hail, a pale, tense face flashed behind the glass with a cigarette clenched in its teeth. Steeply turning the steering wheel, his hands wide and quickly slid over the steering wheel. There was no one in the cockpit or in the back.
Shortly after returning from Naryn, I was sent to the south of Kyrgyzstan, to the Osh region. As always, our journalist brother is running out of time. I rushed to the station just before the departure of the train and, having flown into the compartment, did not immediately pay attention to the passenger, who was sitting with his face turned to the window. He did not turn around even when the train had already picked up speed.
Music was broadcast on the radio: a familiar melody was played on the komuz. It was a Kirghiz chant, which always seemed to me the song of a lone horseman riding through the evening steppe. The path is long, the steppe is wide, you can think and sing softly. Sing about what's on your mind. Does a person have few thoughts when he is left alone with himself, when it is quiet all around and only the clatter of hooves is heard. The strings rang in an undertone, like water on rolled bright stones in a ditch. Komuz sang that soon the sun would hide behind the hills, the blue coolness would silently run along the ground, quietly swaying, showering pollen, gray wormwood and yellow feather grass near the brown road. The steppe will listen to the rider, and think, and sing along with him.
Maybe once a rider rode here, in these places ... Just like that, the sunset probably burned out on the far edge of the steppe, gradually becoming pale, and the snow on the mountains, just as it is now, probably, taking the last reflections of the sun, turned pink and flickered quickly.
Outside the window, orchards, vineyards, dark green overgrown cornfields swept by. A pair of horse-drawn britzka with freshly cut alfalfa ran towards the crossing. She stopped at the barrier. A tanned boy in a tattered, faded T-shirt and trousers rolled up above the knees stood up in the britzka, looking at the train, smiled, and waved to someone.
The melody blended surprisingly softly into the rhythm of the oncoming train. Instead of the clatter of hooves, wheels clattered at the junctions of the rails. My neighbor was sitting at the table, shielding himself with his hand. It seemed to me that he, too, silently hummed the song of the lone rider. Whether he was sad or dreaming, there was only something sad in his appearance, some kind of unrelenting grief. He was so withdrawn into himself that he did not notice my presence. I tried to see his face. Where did I meet this person? Even the hands are familiar - swarthy, with long hard fingers.
And then I remembered: it was the same driver who did not take me into the car. On that I calmed down. Got a book. Was it worth mentioning? He must have forgotten me a long time ago. How many chance meetings do drivers have on the roads?
So we drove for some time, each on his own. Outside the window began to get dark. My companion decided to smoke. He took out cigarettes, sighed noisily before striking a match. Then he raised his head, looked at me with surprise, and immediately blushed. Learned.
- Hello agai! he said, smiling guiltily.
I gave him my hand.
- Are you traveling far?
- To the Pamirs? So, along the way. I'm in Osh… On vacation? Or transfer to work?
- Yes, it seems to be so ... Light up?
We smoked together and were silent. There seemed to be nothing else to talk about. My neighbor thought again. He sat with his head bowed, swaying in time with the movement of the train. It seemed to me that he had changed a lot since I saw him. He lost weight, his face was haggard, three sharp, heavy folds on his forehead. There is a gloomy shadow on the face from the eyebrows reduced to the bridge of the nose. Suddenly my companion smiled mirthlessly and asked:
- You must have been very offended at that time, huh?
- When, I don't remember? “I didn’t want the person to be embarrassed in front of me. But he looked with such remorse that I had to confess. - And ah ... then that ... Trifles. I forgot. Anything happens along the way. Do you still remember this?
- At another time, maybe I would have forgotten, but on that day ...
- And what happened? Isn't it an accident?
- Yes, how can I say, there was no accident, it’s different ... - he said, looking for words, but then he laughed, forced himself to laugh ... - Now I would take you anywhere in a car, but now I myself am a passenger ...
- Nothing, the horse steps on one track a thousand times, maybe we’ll meet again sometime ...
- Of course, if we meet, I'll drag you into the cockpit myself! he shook his head.
- So, have you agreed? I joked.
- I promise, yeah! - he answered, cheered up.
- But why didn't you take me then?
- Why? he replied, and immediately turned dark. He fell silent, lowering his eyes, bent over the cigarette, fiercely puffing on the smoke. I realized that I should not have asked this question, and I was confused, not knowing how to correct the error. He extinguished his cigarette butt in the ashtray and squeezed out with difficulty: - I couldn’t ... I rolled my son ... He was waiting for me then ...
- Son? - I was surprised.
- It's like this... You see... How can I explain to you... - He again lit a cigarette, suppressing his excitement, and, suddenly, firmly, seriously looking into my face, began to talk about himself.
So I happened to hear the driver's story.
There was a lot of time ahead - the train goes to Osh for almost two days. I did not rush, I did not interrupt him with questions: it's good when a person tells everything himself, re-experiencing, pondering, sometimes falling silent in mid-sentence. But it took great effort for me not to interfere in his story, because by chance and thanks to my restless profession as a newspaperman, I already knew something about him personally and about the people with whom fate had brought this driver into contact. I could add to his story and explain a lot, but I decided to do this after listening to everything to the end. And then I thought about it. And I think I did the right thing. Listen to the stories of the characters in this story.
DRIVER'S STORY
…It all started quite unexpectedly. At that time, I had just returned from the army. He served in a motorized unit, and before that he graduated from the ten-year school and also worked as a driver. I myself am an orphanage. My friend Alibek Dzhanturin was demobilized a year earlier. He worked at the Rybachinsky motor depot. Well, I came to him. Alibek and I have always dreamed of going to the Tien Shan or the Pamirs. They received me well. Settled in a hostel. And even ZIL was given an almost new one, not a single dent ... I must say, I fell in love with my car as a person. Take care of her. Successful release. The motor was powerful. True, it was not always necessary to take the full load. The road you know what it is - Tien Shan, one of the highest mountain highways in the world: gorges, ridges and passes. There is plenty of water in the mountains, but you still constantly carry it with you. You may have noticed that a wooden crosspiece is nailed to the body in the front corner, and a water chamber dangles on it. Because the motor on serpentines overheats terribly. And you don't carry much cargo. At first, I also figured it out, racked my brains to come up with something like that, to take more cargo. But nothing seemed to change. Mountains are mountains.
I was pleased with the work. And I liked the place. Motor depot near the shore of Issyk Kul. When foreign tourists came and stood idle for hours as if stunned on the shore of the lake, I was proud of myself: “Here, they say, what Issyk Kul we have! Try to find another such beauty ... "
In the early days, there was only one thing that offended me. The time was hot - spring, the collective farms after the September Plenum were gaining strength. They firmly set to work, but there was little technology. Some of our autobase vehicles were sent to help the collective farms. Especially newcomers were always driven around the collective farms. Well, me too. As soon as I get on with flights along the highway, as they shoot again, let's go through the villages. I understood that this was an important, necessary matter, but I was still a driver, I felt sorry for the car, I was worried about it, as if it was not for her, but I myself had to shake over potholes and knead the dirt along country roads. You won't see such roads in a dream...
So, I’m going to the collective farm somehow - I was carrying slate for a new barn. This ail is in the foothills, and the road goes through the steppe. Everything was going well, the path was already drying up, it was just a stone's throw from the village, and suddenly I sat down at the crossing through some ditches. The road here has been so beaten up since the spring, they have hacked up the wheels, the camel will drown - you will not find it. I've been going back and forth, adjusting to everything - and nothing happens. The earth sucked the car and into no one, it holds it like pincers. In addition, I spun the steering wheel out of annoyance so that the thrust was jammed somewhere, I had to crawl under the car ... I was lying there covered in mud, in sweat, I curse the road in every way. I hear someone coming. From below, I can see only rubber boots. The boots came up, stopped opposite and stood. Evil took me - who did it bring and what to stare, the circus is here, or something.
- Come on, don't stand over your soul! I called out from under the car. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed the hem of the dress, an old one, dirty with manure. It can be seen that some kind of old woman is waiting to be thrown to the village.
- Come on, grandma! I asked. - I still have to sunbathe here for a long time, you can’t wait ...
She answered me:
- And I'm not a grandmother.
She said in an embarrassed way, with a chuckle.
- Then who? - I was surprised.
- Young woman.
- Young woman? - I looked sideways at the boots, asked for the sake of mischief: - Is it beautiful?
The boots stepped on the spot, stepped aside, about to leave. Then I quickly got out from under the car. I look, in fact, there is a thin girl with strict furrowed eyebrows, in a red scarf and a large, apparently fatherly, jacket thrown over her shoulders. Silently looks at me. I forgot that I was sitting on the ground, that I myself was covered in mud and clay.
- Nothing! Beautiful, I smiled. She really was beautiful. - Only shoes! - I joked, rising from the ground.
The girl suddenly turned sharply and, without looking back, quickly walked along the road.
What is she? Offended? I became uncomfortable. He caught himself, rushed to catch up with her, then returned, quickly collected the tool and jumped into the cockpit. Jerks, then back, then forward, began to rock the car. To catch up with her - I didn’t think about anything else. The engine roared, the car shook and drove around, but I did not move forward a single step. And she went further and further. I shouted, not knowing to whom, under the slipping wheels:
- Let go! Let go, I say. Do you hear?
He squeezed the accelerator with all his might, the car crawled crawled with a groan and just miraculously escaped from the quagmire. How glad I was! He ran along the road, wiped the dirt from his face with a handkerchief, smoothed his hair. Having caught up with the girl, I slowed down, and the devil knows where it came from, with a sort of chic, almost lying on the seat, opened the door:
- Ask! - and extended his hand, inviting into the cabin.
The girl keeps moving forward. Here are those on! There was no trace of my arrogance. I caught up with her again, this time I apologized, asked:
- Well, don't get angry! I'm so easy ... Sit down!
But the girl didn't answer.
Then I overtook her, parked the car across the road. He jumped out of the cab, ran in from the right side, opened the door and stood there without removing his hand. She approached, cautiously looking at me: here, they say, he got attached. I didn't say anything, I waited. Either she took pity on me, or for some other reason - she shook her head and silently sat down in the cockpit.
We set off.
I didn't know how to start a conversation with her. It’s not the first time for me to meet and talk with girls, but for some reason I became shy. Why would you ask? I twist the steering wheel, I glance furtively. She has light, delicate curls of black hair around her neck. The jacket slipped off her shoulder, she holds it with her elbow, she moved away herself, afraid to hurt me. Her eyes look sternly, but everything can be seen that she is affectionate. The face is open, the forehead wants to frown, but he does not frown. Finally, she, too, glanced cautiously in my direction. We made eye contact. They smiled. Then I decided to speak:
- And why did you stop there, by the car?
- I wanted to help you,” the girl replied.
- Help? I laughed. - They really helped! If not for you, I would sit there until the evening ... Do you always walk along this road?
- Yes. I work on a farm.
- This is good! - I was delighted, but immediately corrected myself: - The road is good!
- And just at that moment the car shook in the pothole so much that our shoulders collided. I grunted, blushed, not knowing where to put my eyes. And she laughed. Then I could not stand it, I burst out laughing.
- But I didn’t want to go to the collective farm! I confessed through laughter. - If I had known that there was such an assistant on the way, I would not have quarreled with the dispatcher ... Ay, Ilyas, Ilyas! I reproached myself. "That's my name," he explained to her.
- My name is Assel...
We drove up to the village. The road got smoother. The wind blew against the windows, ripping Assel's kerchief off her head and ruffling her hair. We were silent. We were fine. It happens, it turns out, that it’s easy and joyful in the soul, if a person is sitting next to you, almost touching with your elbow, about whom you didn’t know anything about an hour ago, and now for some reason you want only to think about him ... I don’t know what was in Asel’s soul but her eyes were smiling. We would have to go for a long time, so as never to part ... But the car was already moving along the street of the village. Suddenly, Asel realized in fright:
- Stop, I'll get off!
I slowed down.
- Do you live here?
- No, for some reason she became agitated, worried. But I'd rather get off here.
- Why? I'll take you straight to the house! - I did not let her object, I went on.
- Here, - Asel pleaded. - Thank you!
She didn't have time to answer. The gate opened and an elderly woman ran out into the street.
- Assel! she called. - Where are you disappearing, God punish you! Go get changed quickly, the matchmakers have arrived! she added in a whisper, covering her mouth with her hand.
Asel was embarrassed, dropped her jacket from her shoulder, then picked it up and dutifully followed her mother. At the gate she turned around, looked, but the gate slammed shut immediately. I only now noticed on the street near the hitching post saddled dense horses, which, apparently, came from afar. Raised behind the wheel, looked through the duval 2 . Women scurried around the hearth in the yard. A large copper samovar smoked. Two people skinned a lamb carcass under a shed. Yes, matchmakers were accepted here according to all the rules. There was nothing left for me to do. I had to go unload.
By the end of the day, he returned to the depot. Washed the car, drove it to the garage. I fiddled for a long time, everything found some kind of business. I did not understand why I took today's case so close to my heart. All the way he scolded himself: “Well, what do you need? What kind of fool are you? Who is she to you after all? Bride? Sister? Just think, we met by chance on the road, drove to the house and you are already worried, as if they had declared their love. Or maybe she doesn't want to think about you. She needs you to hurt her! She has a legitimate fiancé, and you are nobody! A driver from the road, hundreds of them, you won’t get to know each other ... And what right do you have to count on something: people get married, they will have a wedding, and what do you have to do with it? Spit on everything. Spin your steering wheel, and order! .. "
But the trouble was that no matter how much I persuaded myself, Asel could not forget.
There was nothing to do next to the car. I would like to go to the hostel, we have it cheerful, noisy, there is a red corner, but I don’t. One wants to stay. He lay down on the fender of the car, put his hands behind his head. Nearby, Jantai was digging under a car. We had a driver. He leaned out of the hole, chuckled:
- What are you dreaming about, dzhigit?
- About money! I replied angrily.
Didn't love him. The sting is top notch. Cunning and envious. He did not live in a hostel, like others, with some kind of hostess in an apartment. It was rumored that he promised to marry her, after all, he would have his own house.
I turned away. In the yard, near the sink, our guys made a fuss. Someone climbed onto the cab and sprayed the drivers waiting in line with a hose. Laughter stood on the whole motor depot. The jet is powerful, as it hits - you will swing. They wanted to drag the guy out of the cab, but he dances to himself, whips on the backs, as if from a machine gun, knocks down his caps. Suddenly the jet darted upward, curved in the rays of the sun, like a rainbow. I look, where the jet rises up, stands Kadicha, our dispatcher. This one won't run. She knew how to carry herself with dignity, you couldn't easily approach her. And now she stood fearlessly, calmly. Do not touch, they say, weakly! She put her foot aside in her boot, and she pins her hair, holds a hairpin in her teeth, chuckles. Small silvery splashes fall on her head. The guys are laughing, urging the boy on the cockpit:
- Give her a body!
- Shardarakhni!
- Watch out, Kadicha!
But the boy did not dare to pour it over her, only played with a jet around Kadichi. If I were him, I would have doused her from head to toe, and, perhaps, Kadicha would not have said a word to me, she would have laughed, and that’s all. I always noticed that she treated me differently than the others, became malleable, a little capricious. She loved it when I, flirting, stroked her head. I liked that she always argued, scolded me, but quickly gave up, even if I was wrong. Sometimes he took her to the cinema, saw her off: I was on my way to the hostel. In the control room, he easily went into the room, and she allowed others to contact only through the window. But now I was not up to her. Let them pamper themselves.
Kadicha has pierced the last hairpin.
- Enough, let's play! she ordered.
- Listen, comrade dispatcher! - The guy on the cockpit saluted. They pulled him out with a laugh.
And she went to our garage. She stopped at Jantay's car, it seems, she was looking for someone. She did not immediately notice me because of the grid dividing the garage into compartments. Jantai looked out of the pit, said ingratiatingly:
- Hello beauty!
- Ah, Jantai...
He looked longingly at her feet. She shrugged her shoulders in displeasure.
- Well, what are you staring at? - and lightly poked him with the toe of her boot in the chin.
The other would probably be offended, but this one is not. He beamed, as if he had been kissed, and dived into the hole.
Kadicha saw me.
- Resting well, Ilyas?
- Like a feather!
She pressed her face against the net, looked intently, and said softly:
- Go to the control room.
- OK.
Kadicha is gone. I got up and got ready to go. Jantai leaned out of the hole again.
- Good grandmother! he winked.
- Yes, not about you! I snapped.
I thought he would get mad and start fighting. I am not a fan of fights, but I would have grabbed Jantai: it was so hard on my soul that I simply did not know what to do with myself.
However, Jantai was not even offended.
- Nothing! he muttered. - Wait and see…
There was no one in the control room. What the hell? Where did she go? I turned around and came face to face with Kadicha. She stood with her back against the door, her head thrown back. Her eyes glittered from under her lashes. Hot breath burned my face. I couldn't control myself, reached out to her, but immediately stepped back. Oddly enough, it seemed to me at that moment that I was cheating on Aseli.
- Why did you call? I asked indignantly.
Kadicha still silently looked at me.
- Well? .. - I repeated, losing my patience.
- Something you are not very friendly, - she said with resentment in her voice. - Or did you like some kind? ..
I'm confused. Why is she blaming me? And how did you know?
At this time, the window opened. Jantay's head appeared. A smirk crept across his face.
- Please, comrade dispatcher! he said sarcastically, handing Kadice some paper.
She looked at him angrily. Angrily, she threw it in my face:
- Who will get the ticket for you? Are you waiting for a special invitation?
Pushing me aside with her hand, Kadicha walked quickly to the table.
- On the! She handed out the waybill.
I took. The ticket was to the same collective farm. My heart went cold: to go there, knowing that Asel ... And in general, why is it that I am the one who is driven to the collective farms the most?
I exploded.
- Back to the collective farm? Again manure and bricks to carry? I will not go! I threw the ticket on the table. - That's enough, I climbed through the mud, let the others roll around! ..
- Do not scream! You have an outfit for the week! And it will be necessary, they will add more, - Kadicha got angry.
Then I calmly said:
- I will not go!
And, as always, Kadicha suddenly gave up:
- OK then. I'll talk to the boss.
She took the ticket from the table.
“So I won’t go,” I thought, “and I’ll never see Asel.” I got even worse. I clearly understood that I would repent all my life. Whatever happens - I'll go! ..
- Okay, come on over here! I got a ticket.
Jantai chuckled at the window:
- Say hi to my grandma!
I said nothing. He should have been punched in the face!.. He slammed the door and went to the hostel.
