'Around the Christmas Tree "

author of "Metro 2033" Dmitry Glukhov wrote a Christmas tale

Sparkler already waning, it was time to go, but my wife does not appeased.
- Shut up, - asked her to Lech in the good.
- And the phone you have recovery record. Fuck if you phone recovery record, if you have nothing to hide? - She continued to sizzle.
- Olya. Ol. Come on then, and?
- No, you come tell me the password. Let's read your SMSes together. You're an angel, what you afraid of?
- Mom? - Heard from the small room.
- That bitch you did - Lech hissed and pushed the door open until the son has not jumped himself.
- Happy New Year! - Together with the pious said they Olka.

The fire burned down, blinked red and dead.
- And under the tree? ..

On Sankinu ​​mordahu falling yellow wedge of open door into the hallway, and it's funny squinting in the light. But sleep was not in his eyes certainly could not fall asleep, all promayalsya to twelve. I eavesdrop?
- A gift under the tree! - Lech smiled. - Cool!
 - Wow! - Sanka jumped out of bed, and - in shorts and t-shirt - rushed into a large room.

Lech with the same smile, not looking at his wife, even to smile never soured accidentally stepped behind him to a large room. Son has dragged out of an artificial Christmas tree, out of trouble as hair Kobzon, needles, a hefty box.
- Why? - In Sankinom voice creaked-vizgnulo disappointment.
- What why?
- Why railroad ?!
- What? - I did not understand Lech.
- I told you - put Olka. - To speak or not?
- Because the railroad - firmly told Lech. - And what should have been?
- Transformers! On the remote! - In front of Sanka shaking water, ready to spill.
- Transformer ?!
- I told you so!
- Transfooormera! Robot!
- What else transformer ?! What you dick on the transformer ?!
- On the remote! On the remote! - Desperate squeal Sanka.
- How do you talk with her son ?! - Again climbed Olka.
- You bastard! Ungrateful bastard! And you! Both of you! - Lech snatched blubbered Sanka box and pushed him into the hallway. - Traitors! And you go!
- And go!
- Go-Go! She spoke to me!
- Of course, I said! Only you nothing but his work, his skull to let you do not want! Job! He pyalit his secretary! I'm sorry, sweetheart, today bulk! Nawal it to him! And I'm sorry! Mudotryas!
- Wali! Do you hear ?! Not an argument!

Lech and it grabbed by the arm and shoved, kicked out of a large room, shvarknul door, he pushed her ponderous Soviet ottoman in a harsh northern flower, and even pressed his stokilogrammovye ass, if otherwise skinny Olka and four Sanya would dare her and rushed to him.

But those were other things: Olka took his son to wash and tea otpaivat. The kitchen has been waiting for and anointed with mayonnaise Russian salad, and sandwiches with red caviar. All would have been fine if it were not for the sms-ka.

- Transformer, bitch ... - vytuzhivaya himself last drop of righteous anger, roared Lech.

Railroad lay thrown on the floor. This asshole did not even unpack it began.

- Ungrateful Ungrateful ... Yes ... you go ...

Lech slid off the sofa, knelt in front of a beautiful box, found where there she had glued together and tried to run his thick blunt fingers into the seam, but only enraged by packing even more tenacity and just ripped the box into two unequal parts. Cardboard exfoliate and gently pulled out a colorful shell treasure: white plastic form in nests that were laid neatly rail sections thirty lines, rounded fifteen, three and two dead-end fork arrow. The train - passenger, green and blue locomotive comfortable carriages - he carefully put aside, so as not to accidentally sit on it. He began to gather on the railroad section, blowing it around the scratching tree-Kobzon, a synthetic feet under plastic Chinese toys, forged under the glass Soviet past winked lanterns garlands.

- Why the railroad? - He repeated after Sanko.

It is a pity that the box broke, thought Lech. It might turn out different depot. Now how to do?

He is from the bottom, with karachek, looked around the room - and for a second chance led him, for a moment it seemed that the room became as big as a child was. Then, to shake off the daze, he jumped up, slapped some reason his knees, stepped over to the bookcase, grabbed off the shelf just eight volumes never read Tolstoy and returned him down - from books to build a railway depot. Three books on the one hand, the three other one - the roof, and another - as if the gates. Super.

Well, not unless asshole Sanka then?

Junction arrow Lech arranged at the exit of the depot. Tolstoy spent all what is necessary, connect, put tiny wheels of the train track ... not the first time. Here children's fingers are needed, thin to the first attempt to get into such a melkoten.

So. Everything is ready kind.

- Train Solikamsk - Moscow sent the first way - Lech said, holding his fingers a nose that looked like a nasal station loudspeaker and felt by such idiocy to his severe head rushed thick blood.

Kerf switch and the train jerked and darted forward and pochuhal describing too fast lap after lap by lanterns and toys, winding around an iron pin, which was wearing a fake needles Kobzon.

Hence, with karachek, toy makeup looked almost like if a child is almost like a real, but so-so, but not so. There was some difference.

Fours changed, realized Lech grew. Here it is necessary to bend down and closer to the waterways snuggle. Then maybe turn.

And he pressed his temple at the carpet, and a formic heights watched the arrival of the train, flashing windows, removing again to await the arrival of ... Thirty years had to pass to the train to his last! Thirty! Not the same, of course, although he walked three stores, choosing - that was just like the gray of the third entrance. To it was such that he had always dreamed of.

Only one train a quarter century already is written off for scrap, and the current trains, as well as Christmas decorations, all the Chinese and Soviet only pretend. How to get back?

How, then, it was necessary that train! As it was necessary to build a railway, collect it, set along the rails dim soldiers, cover her green toy armored vehicles, to arrange a robbery, play Yaroslavsky station in Moscow, the most on the train to Moscow for the tree to go ... only dick he was, and not iron road. My father once said to cut. Lech three years in a row waiting for a box for the New Year and birthdays, and received some nonsense. Packaging, books, and in the best case - a model fighter for bonding. This is the only fighter screws "moment" firmly thrust and the pilot was not visible due to the fact that a piece of glass cockpit Lech, is collecting this thing, all the sticky fingers soiled. And in general - the fighter is one thing, and the railway - is quite another. Railway - the best toy. What to heram transformers ?!

So, how to get there? Nothing, that's how.

- Then it was necessary - said gloomily Lech, stopping the train. - Then it was necessary, Bat. That's what.

Lech stood with his thick stiff knees, leaned back against the couch, stretched his weary legs unattainable childhood. Fumbled in his pocket phone, unmute the sound, and then fell down, strumming, congratulations. From colleagues from boys from motorized brigade from fattened classmates, marsh monsters ... And again from parents.

"Happy New Year, son! Love, proud! Mother, father ».

- Fuck you in there ... - Lech message loss. - Proud of it. Now proud. Previously, some where have you been? Up until his retirement where were you? Be proud now on!

Books that he gave something? Blunt believed because. Because Lech had become a janitor without a brain. But that's nothing, did not, although not particularly read anything. Tastes like something, Dad, and without you, without your books. Congratulations You now fawn. Pension-eight thousand that you, an engineer.

- Happy New Year - Lech pripechatal father, still staring at the empty, already extinguished the small screen of your smartphone. - Goat.

The train was standing under the tree, covered with snow cotton wool-like stuck at some forgotten and swept halt. Lech bent into an outlet, the plug pulled out evil, a locomotive completely de-energized.

He went to the barricaded door, leaned against the cold piece of wood, painted with oil paint, ear, hiding.

Tycho was there.
Maybe he is gone? For grandmother went to Olkina mother?
Something budge from Lehi in the guts, something squeezed sad, and he again as a feather brushed off the couch to the side pulled the door and dumped in a short corridor hung with views of some alleged Russian villages, printed on foil - OL'KIN taste.

He looked into the kitchen.
Both sat there, silent, sulkily.
Olivier handful of dishes were untouched.
Sandwich with caviar Sanka bitten off only once and set aside.
Lech squeezed, pushed himself scraped a stool and sat down.

- My father is - he muttered Olka. - The father wrote a fool. I have no mistresses.
- You called him to us? - A sidelong glance at his wife.
- Here you are again! I will not call him, okay? I do not want to call him!
- It is not the people directly - Olka said. - Show me.
- I erased.
She stared at him tartly, but then glanced at the silently sobbing Sanka and tame.

- True? - She asked as something completely different, somehow subtly girly, so asked how the school would be asked.
- Honestly. True.
Olka nodded and sighed a long time, getting rid of cramps hurt.
- Che spawn something you do not eat? Zavetritsya same - said Lech. - Eat, Sanya.
- You too eat.
- And I'll - Lech grabbed the biggest sandwich and took a bite off half.
And jams concentration. Olka TV is switched on Baskov see who took his stupid chatter void of awkward, and immediately felt better somehow.

- Pa - mumbled Sanka. - Pa! And you show the train rides?
- Come on, Che! - He smiled ikryano Lech. - Do not play with my father something! Tomorrow, in a toy store go. Will choose himself a transformer as you need.
- True? - Sanka even chew forgotten happiness.
- Well, - he nodded Lech. - Dick Do you do if you're in the real toys do not understand?





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