SYMBOL OF ETERNITY

– You lay down again? – She be called me. I had already managed to fall asleep, lying on the stove, dreaming about his friends. – Well ka comes down, and the nine soon – repeated relentlessly grandmother.

I reluctantly got off the stove. He took off his sister’s long sundress, which served me nightgown. I put on shorts, sleeveless jacket and ran barefoot into the courtyard. There is already waiting for me bully rooster. Bird, seeing his enemy, squinted eye, and was gone on the offensive, belligerent swaying from foot to foot, as if imitating a heavy goose. But creaked opened the corridor door and my grandmother appeared in the doorway. Rooster reluctantly stepped back, pretending to collect grain, and no case it is not up to the boys. Grandmother shook her by the stove, running late with his grandson. But, nevertheless, my grandmother took me by the hand, and we started off. I had no choice but to trudge behind a nagging grandmother. We went out into the street. Then the road reached the alley of century- old lime trees, the remains of stately park, violent flowering meet me and my grandmother. Suddenly Grandma stopped and scrutinized me:

– God, are you mining! To whom are you similar, and -? «She clasped her hands tightly gripped me by the shoulders and pulled her to him. I whirled his head, but my grandmother inexorably began to lick her cheeks grimy, dirty relish spitting saliva. «Washing up», so my face, she took me to the kindergarten. And, to me, I did not want to go there. I do not want to part with his friend’s knife, a piece of glass in blue, and cockerels; they were not allowed to take with them. I reluctantly trudged after him, deliberately lagged behind hustling grandmother. A friendly chestnuts tossed green leaves. Park sang hymns foliage friendly.

– Yes, go the faster! – It is customized for me. And I throw on a step, but as soon as the grandmother turned away, went forward a little, fell behind again and finally decided to still hide behind the trunk of a spreading chestnut.

– You see how harmful child? Ran away?! From brat! Well ka go out?! – the grandmother grumbling, so back, I passed, and I ran out of the trunk of the chestnut tree and mockingly told her in the back?!:

– Grandmother, and who are calling you out there?!

– Oh, wait, that’s to say the educator aunt Ole, she’ll nettle, nettle! From, know how off augh old people!

That kindergarten. The teacher plump, round- faced, met us at the gate.

– I do not accept. For a long time, all the children in the dining room.

– So you do not need to eat it. Let the game! – Retorted grandmother.

– We can not be so. – And, turning to me – and you’ll be punished for being late. Last time accept you. – And my grandmother – more so as not to be late! – Strictly ordered it. What grandmother she waved muttering:

– A- ah- ah! – We know you lazy loafers!

I trudged for teacher followed.

The dining room was warm and hot, plank tables have been removed.

– Sit down at the table! – Ordered the teacher.

I sat down and began swing your leg’s. Surprisingly, but next to me sat a skinny boy. It was Nick Jester. I considered him a friend. He also not had a father and he, too, as I was late today in a kindergarten. Our friendship began from last year, when we arrived home, the sister of my grandmother on my mother’s father measured with Albert, my father. Her name was Aunt Zina, and she lived in Moscow and worked as a stenographer in the office of the USSR government. Mother said that she shorthand various meetings of government meetings and even attended the visits of foreign delegations at the invitation of the Government. She brought a whole lot of chocolates with cherry liqueur, brandy, Well In general I was allowed to take as much as two pockets in my jacket. And Aunt Zina and her mother strictly ordered me not to call her grandmother, aunt Zina name only, though in fact it was my great aunt. Aunt Zina volunteered to take me to the kindergarten, but the mother is not allowed, as it turned out, my mother was afraid that I would take my father to Moscow and give the education Aunt Zina. That’s why I, with pockets stuffed with chocolates, my mother and Aunt Zina together brought me to kindergarten. Here then appeared Jester Kohl, who previously did not pay any attention to me, since he was a year older, and he had his circle of friends of same age. He timidly approached me and asked:

– Valik, and give me candy.

– He came close to us and did not leave until Aunt Zina has not slipped into his hand a piece of candy in a red wrapper. He took the meal and turning to me said:

– Give me more for the guys. And I say that they will not fight you. And if someone will fight you, then you tell me. – He stood there and did not go away, and crushes a candy wrapper in his hand. Aunt Zina said to me: – Valik, do not let anyone these sweets. They are alcohol and these children should not be given sweets.

I felt its importance and significance in these moments, and turned to Aunt Zina:

– Can one give? On the one as there will be nothing wrong with that.

The mother looked at me and said:

– Well, give him one. And let yourself go entertains comrades.

I gave him two candies, and Kohl happily ran to his friends by popping in your mouth all at once. There’s still two boys began to look in my direction. It was not hard to guess what they have learned from Kolya. After a brief meeting, Nick came back, and so is repeated until then, until a box from under sweets was not empty. Then Kohl forgot about my existence…

– Oh, it’s you, Nick. Sit next to the Valik. – Gently, almost tenderly approached him teacher Aunt Olga, rippling weighty body, went to the dispensing window.

The dining room was built in the form of a canopy. The difference in treatment educators to me and Cole was noticeable. Kohl arrived in kindergarten is too late, even for a longer time than I arrived. But he was treated especially carefully stressed, when I was there. Of course, I did not understand this treatment, somewhere subconsciously feeling like an outcast.

Before us was a bowl of soup with fresh peas and chunks of meat.

Kohl looked at my plate and said:

– Give me a piece of fat, I will give you this piece of «meat».

Plate Kohl was a large where piece of cooked bacon.

– It’s not meat! – I said.

– Meat! Meat! It is so white and there is no fat there.

Before I could answer, Nick threw a white, quivering like jelly piece of cooked bacon on my plate, and my plate of delicious ribs with scooped meat.

A lump of disappointment went up to my throat, and stopped there on.

– Take, eat, this is the meat. – Nikola tried to persuade me. I believed him and took a piece of cooked fat ingestion.

– Only you swallow it immediately. It’s meat! – Looking wide- eyed at me, Kohl continued.

I made an effort, and swallowed a piece of clean boiled pork fat layer. Again insulting heart was torn by deception Kohli, who is considered a friend. I could barely hold back the tears and nausea creeping ever closer to the throat. Dinner is not wanted. Some fat is stuck in the throat sickening obstacle. But this fragrant fresh peas, green dill and homemade bread. My favorite soup now seemed tasteless. And then there’s the cook began to shout at me:

– You do not eat what?! Take a spoon in his hand and eat!

Taking advantage of a moment when she turned, Nick grabbed my bowl of soup and threw under the table, then quickly put the rinsed before me. Cook walked around the long table, and again approached us:

– Well, from the fellow. Additives give?

– No, I do not want to. – I mumbled.

– On, Here, drink compote. – She put in front of me a glass faceted pear compote, smelling smoke. I drained the glass in a moment, seemed so good drink after a portion of boiled, fat disgusting. Seemed to give me a bucket of fruit compote, in that memorable moment, half a bucket would surely drink. But the portions were strictly limited.

Nausea rises. Pounding in his temples. Red butterflies fluttered before his eyes, breathing almost stopped.

With a sense of disgust, I looked around and saw the front of the laughing face Koli. The boy rejoiced. Taunts failed, feeling the winner shone in his smug grin.

At that moment I wanted to run home to your friends – redhead cockerel and a dog named Marsik, to the beloved cow dawn, and always nagging Grandmother Eugenia Lavrentevna.

I got up from the table. Nausea intensified, heart beat pounding in his temples throbbed. Reeling, I’m like a drunk, he stumbled to the sink. There i vomited. Hideous pieces of bacon with the gastric juice released stomach. Stomach contents spilled in the trough basin, making it easier overall. Nick, pleased with himself, ran to the courtyard, where there was a fun game. I washed and rubbed his face with a towel, my health has improved significantly, dizziness passed, and I ran toward the merry voices of children. In the courtyard I met hubbub of children’s voices. The game was in full swing. Who sculpted headstock in the sandbox that fought for molds and soviet sand? Who is going to a bed, where, incidentally, it was forbidden to do so, the flowers, until Aunt Olga accompanied my grandmother. But as soon as she turned toward the children, all the children innocently played. Pranks instantly forgotten. The storm – a teacher punishing luxury nettle stem, was a respected person and scary for the child’s perception. I joined a small group of boys at wooden swing that looks something like a giant paperweight painted with blue paint; some had time where peel off. For my kids did not pay any attention. Two of them sat in the seat on the left and three on the right and having fun swinging. From the unequal weight swing skewed and almost rocked.

– Hey! Let me show you Kiev – suddenly I suggested.

– What?! – Almost in unison they shouted the boys.

– Very simple. Let me get out on a seat, and you sit down in front of me and I will rise right up to the very clouds.

– Hurrah! – Cried the children together.

I climbed on the seat one, all five of them, climbed on the contrary, and I was raised high above the courtyard of the kindergarten, over the flower beds of children.

– Well, you see Kiev? – asked the blond boy with blue eyes wide open.

– It is seen! – I answered authoritatively.

– Show us Kiev! – All together rushed towards me and «paperweight» and threw me down, rolling over in my direction.

– Well, what have you done?! I no longer see anything.

But the game flowed in a new way. About Kiev forgotten, beginning to play «Kwacha» (catch- up, who gets caught up, and the Kwacha).

For fun games I forgot about punishment, but it was waiting for me, threatening unexpected places for disobedience grandmother.

Suddenly, there was a teacher Aunt Olya:

– Children’s game over! – Now we’ll go to hold on to the handle and all together.

After breakfast, the teacher Aunt Olya, full and unwieldy from its fullness, the conclusions of children in the oak grove on a soft, velvety grass. She spread a blanket under a thick gnarled trunk of an old oak tree, put on him his fat body and set about their everyday activity, blouses knitting or darning stockings.

– Valik! – She called a poisonous tone of voice. – You are now punished and do not go for a walk. Sit here and do not depart.

What could be worse for the most terrible punishment for restless boys sit near the kindergarten teacher, when there is a fun game right there next to the eyes. Lose game that breaks all my heart my nature and severity of the ban does not allow to give pleasure, then the game becomes a hundred times more attractive than it really is. This is the world of adults. What could be more boring than this world? Are adults do not understand the hearts of young people, as restrictions in this my age to bring deception and cunning in small. So sitting next to Aunt Olya, I mused philosophically. And the sad thoughts plunged me into the maze of considerations that adults can only resolution to encourage the child to the game, and the ban only toughens the soul, is pushing for a crime.

– Valik! – Called on the boy, skinny and frail peers. His wide- open blue- gray eyes and looked innocently. A friendly smile and good luster, and snub nose, facial expression did everything endlessly naive. He began to gesture to invite me to play with him. A teacher at the time, snoring, already nodding, somehow manages to sleep sitting up, not leaning back against the tree trunk. I carefully stood on tiptoe ran for oak.

– Well, what are you, Pavlik?

– Come on, let’s play in Kwacha.

– And if someone says?

– Do not spill the beans. – Guaranteed Pavlik. In order to convince me for a long time it was not necessary. I ran towards the enjoyment of the game for boys and girls. On the way, did not hear the voice of the teacher. When Pavlik stopped me before I regained consciousness:

– Here I am to you! You punished?! Go here?!

And I, his head down, walked to the side which calls upon Aunt Olya. Next to the teacher smiled slyly Lenya Ochkolyas. His right hand held the teacher already behind, a good sign for me. I approached cautiously, watching this hand hidden behind his back. It can be seen, there is something extremely unpleasant and frightening pleasant sight awaits Lenya Ochkolyasa. It is not difficult to guess who passed me and helpfully brought educator stem nettle. When I approached within arm’s length educators, it is something, as I suspected, it was stinging nettles, which rustled in the air, dropping to the ankles under the sweet wild laughter Leni Ochkolyasa. Resentment and grief Tears on my face, I began to cry softly, rubbing swollen red bumps on my legs.

– Well, that was! – Taunted, grinning happily Ochkolyas. This boy grew up in a large family. He was my same age, and was the most fragile small and sickly kid from all the boys in kindergarten. Thin legs and a big belly, made him a comical figure, obscuring even the puppet facial features, but always malicious smile and a penchant snitch all the tricks of boys made it a sneak. I felt hurt not so much on the teacher, and rather to sneak Ochkolyasa Lenya, who not only spoke about AWOL, but what I was sure even brought punishment instrument nettles. And now, smiling, happy torment his victim. I would like at this moment of humiliation to run away from everyone, hide, no matter where, whether in the distant dark corner to hide and be alone. I vividly remembered the house. Cockerel rooster, which I received blows and not take offense, because the cock was never a close friend. He was a friend, an enemy, and nothing more. And Lenya Ochkolyas could be so, and others. It sowed distrust Lena as a friend and did not cause any feelings of anger and desire to win, as the enemy. The only feeling that is evoked Lenya in my mind, it was a feeling of pity, even born when my mother told me how was busy before the kolkhoz administration, to a large family Ochkolyasov, who had five children, build a house. As the working collective farm family of the deceased from the bandits, announced after the amnesty. She told me the terrible conditions in which live Ochkolyasy. In the tiny hut, thatched, with a dirt floor, hastily cobbled together, after burning down of a good home. Mom told about the difficulties of a young woman, a mother, Leni, remaining one with the children.

Congenital envy of the wealthy, as he thought, children, engendered hatred and anger in poverty wounded soul.

By lunchtime burning feet subsided and almost do not care. The mood gradually came back to me, and has a carefree laugh; I paced in the ranks of children, exposing tripping who was walking in front of Cole Ponomarenko, thick and clumsy little boy…

The next day I went to kindergarten without a grandmother. Granny flatly refused to drive me into the garden. A mother’s remark, she answered:

– He knows the way and can it have to go there. Not small, it soon turns six years, let grows up! – The mother replied to a comment grandmother.

– It is also weak. A wanders somewhere?!

– Do not get lost, no great loss! And drown in the toilet, and would not have suffered! – Mother silently swallowed the insult and has already asked me if I knew the way. I said, which way to go to kindergarten. Mother agreed to the affirmative. And the first time I went out one morning. The road was a park. Ahead in the bushes I saw Ochkolyasa Llonyu, who furtively looking around, there is something looking for. I have not seen it, and I’m glad I’m not alone in the kindergarten named after him:

– Hey, Lenka, you wrote that there is, or what?! Let’s go into the garden! – Lenya, threw scared look in my direction.

– Go yourself where you are going. – The answer is not friendly Ochkolyas.

I walked closer to him. And just now I saw that he was looking for a suitable stem nettle for educators to this instrument of punishment she frighten children, and Lenya, as always, will be deserved to enjoy great trust and favor. I have waited for him, for fear of being late, left alone. When I went to the playground and looked at the children swarmed in the sandbox, from the corner of the sleeping body seemed to Aunt Olya. The called me to her and said:

– Valik, tell me, probably something in the forest has died, that you are with her grandmother in the garden not late today? – Educators in a good mood, and she spoke these words with a good- natured smile, showing straight and white teeth. I looked puzzled watched her mouth, responding:

– It’s in the garden something has died, so smells from the kitchen that much can not breathe. – I said these words without thinking, stink or not, but my remark getting through his boundless derogatory form of address in relation to my grandmother, who was a friend to me. At the moment, Aunt Oli smile, as if someone wiped out. She blushed, did not say anything. She turned and went for the nervous walking dormitory kindergarten towards the dining room. Soon, from the dining room were heard hysterical screams of educators:

– Are you here spread, eh?! I, Claudia, you ask?! – A voice of Aunt Olya my answer broke the scandal. That justify telling that poisoned rats, and that some might die under floor and it stinks in there. Soon the playground came Lenya Ochkolyas. In his hand he held as a rod, a temple nettle stalk height in its growth, with a thick and sturdy stems and serrated leaves. His face shone solemn smile made request educators and his Kresna mother, Aunt Olya. And in the dining room at this time cook, Aunt Claudia, after the morning catching up, nervously tapping utensils, distributed food to children for breakfast…

Chapter Six

In the morning, as always, at the kindergarten children I met and Aunt Olya:

– Well you told parents that today will be a total solar shading during the day, which happens once in a hundred years? – All the children responded in unison that parents react to this in different ways. Some children did not lead to a kindergarten, using the pretext of a total solar shading. Those children whose parents have led to the garden, added a smoky bits of glass, so it did not hurt to look at the sun. Someone even brought a pair of binoculars, and the boys took turns looking into it. It was very interesting and do not understand why on the one hand the binoculars closer objects, and when you look from the back side, then separates them at a great distance. I took with me my blue piece of glass and looked through it at the sun. But the blue piece of glass is not good enough to protect the eyes, and through it hurt the eye when looking at the sun. After the dead hours and the subsequent snack children tend to spend time in the yard for games. The teacher warned the children that at four o’clock in the afternoon will blackout the sun satellite of planet Earth Moon. To no one do not worry, it’s just for five minutes, and no more. And the children will come the parents, and will work together to look at blackout. It would be better if the teacher did not say that. Children were silenced fearfully glancing around. It was only ten children, instead of twenty- three. Solar blackout began with the advent of the parents of these children. My mother came in off clothes. She wore a black velvet jacket and skirt. She told me that after the blackout it will be taken to the district Party committee in Svyatoshino party organizers to a meeting of the Kiev- Sviatoshynsky area, and it will arrive in Kiev late at night. I really wanted to go with her. I asked to take me and the happiness it promised that he would take. Suddenly it became dark. Twilight were coming very fast. State Farm herd of cows passed by the kindergarten, as board decided to drive the cows in the stable, to avoid unwanted reaction step of this rare natural phenomenon. Cows became loud and disturbing hum. Somewhere a dog barked in the distance. Chirping birds suddenly stopped. In my subconscious I began to creep animal fear. Feelings of anxiety and impending disaster after dark more clearly felt in the dim and irrevocably impending night. Sun extinguished in his eyes and suddenly disappeared from the sky. The sky had taken refuge scattering of stars. There was a silence. Even dogs We stopped barking. You can hear the howl of a lonely and distant dog. His mother pressed me to her, stood silently in the middle of the playground and trembling from the terrible state suddenly had come the night among a summer day. This went on for ages; it did not seem to be the end. Suddenly a breath of coolness. Sun did not have and darkness came into their possession. Coolness was palpable by the sudden disappearance of the hot sunlight, and it adds fears irrevocable effects. I had the feeling that now will never be the sun, and is darkness. But gradually, bright strip in place of the sun grew wider and wider. And about! Miracle! The sun was in the sky and grows reappeared. Heat again poured a generous river park, the leaves, on children and children’s playground. They began singing rural males. Chirped the bird, and all returned to normal. I was happy and was filled with the expectation of the promised trip with my mother to the meeting in its regional committee. But the mother seemed to have forgotten his promise. I reminded her about it, but the mother did not answer. She was talking with other parents who have come for their children. Finally the mother drew attention to me and told me that I have, today, take Nyuska. Not doing mother promise to take me with hurt hit annoyance. Instead, even a surprise that Nyuska take me. What I do not I will go to the house? I asked myself this question. I was determined not to go home with a cousin. After his mother left, along with other parents, I asked Aunt Olay’s permission to go home, referring to the fact that her mother allowed me. She said yes, and I left. Nyuska, of course I did not find in the garden, and complained to his mother. In the morning I got a soft spot for the rods from the mother, under the approving grin sister…

Oh, time rushes rapidly. In one year we are older. It’s time to say goodbye to kindergarten. After lunch in the dining room, the teacher announced that all children who have reached the age of seven, including me, that today they are on the last day in the garden. With regard to the first of September they left exactly one month later, they almost schoolchildren.

A month later, on September 1. I 7th years. I am waiting for the first class. New comrades, almost adult care.

– «And I’m going to read and write A, how to count?» – I thought. – Vaughn Ponomarenko Kohl knows the alphabet, Llona Ochkolyas can count to ten.»

With a bitter heart complained Vasya Ponomarenko, this brother Kolya? No, not that Kohli, who slipped me the boiled bacon and other Koli, has a first- class student.

What Vasya said authoritatively?

– My brother did not even know the first letter. And, that’s reading primer. – Gordo Bob said.

– Really?! – I was delighted. And my soul became calmer. With all my heart I reached for Basil, but Basil was still in the garden, he was in school until next year. Here’s how friends are learned in the last day.

– You tell me, what’s in school. I w- as much as slid year? – Asked Bob. Bob and Nick Ponomarenko lived next door to us, and I often went to see them play. It is necessary to go through the neighbor’s garden, and I have Ponomarenko…

Dead Hour. The children were sleeping in their beds. Last dead hour in kindergarten, the last day of preschool childhood I sighed and turned, and could not sleep, worried. I was plagued by fears: