– Here, take this, – and he handed out a coin on which one ruble is written, – here you have more than enough for the subway.
– Thank you, I’m not comfortable somehow in front of you. «I’ve never asked for money from passers – by,» I said and squeezed the coin tightly in my hand, so that it pierced me with a sharp pain, like an electric discharge.
– Come on. I’m going to go to BAM this week.
– And why do you go there? «And what is BAM?» – I asked with interest.
– What an ignoramus, you don’t know what BAM is. Yes BAM it’s great, it’s a lottery ticket in life. I was recently given a Komsomol permit, and I’m going along it, I’m going to build a railway to Baikal.
– Great, you’re very lucky, – I decided to play along with him, so long as I didn’t notice anything suspicious about me.
– Of course I was lucky. And you, too, come to BAM, my name is Kostya,» the guy said cheerfully.
– My name is Egor, thank you, I will try, – I replied and quickly decided to get away from this strange, but kind type.
«Some kind of BAM, and why did he need it, people can’t sit at home,» I thought, walking along the sidewalk to the nearest metro station.
I was already beginning to understand a little what I should do next. I had to go home to my parents urgently. «So stop, in 1988, they lived… they lived with their grandmother in a three-room apartment near the Chistye Prudy metro station.»
When I entered the subway, I immediately drew attention to the subway map, there was no Chistye Prudy station, but I realized that in 1988 it was called Kirovskaya.
Birthday
I got out of the subway and I was pleased with the thought that I remember my grandmother’s address well, because after her death in 2000, I personally was engaged in the sale of my grandmother’s apartment.
Soon I turned the corner of the deli and went into the entrance of the same house. My heart was beating hard with excitement, with every step that brought me closer to my grandmother’s apartment. Already standing at the door, I caught my breath a little, calmed down and pressed the bell.
Once again I pressed the bell to be sure, and the beautiful melody «Moscow Evenings» began to play. I heard the shuffle of slippers under it, and my heart began to beat in anticipation of the meeting.
The next minute, the door to the apartment opened, my beloved grandmother was standing on the threshold, alive, outwardly she even looked prettier and looked much younger than the years that I remembered her.
«Come in, granddaughter,» she said as if nothing had happened, wiping her hands on a light blue bell – shaped apron.
– Hi Gran, did you recognize me right away like that? I asked in surprise.
– Well, are you holding me completely out of my mind, or are you joking like that? She asked with a smile on her face.
– What are you, don’t be offended, I just asked. I love you very much,» and I came closer to hug her and kiss her. After all, in fact, I haven’t hugged her for so long and I really missed her.
– Oh, Artemka, touched me to the depths of my soul, – grandma wiped her tears with a handkerchief, which rolled down her cheek in a thin trickle, – well, go, dear, I’ll feed you dinner now.
«Artemka, it didn’t seem to me, my grandmother called me Artemka,» and then I almost sat down from surprise, now I understand whose body I am in now.
While Grandma was busy in the kitchen with my lunch, I decided to take a walk around the apartment. It was spacious, clean and bright, like a museum from my distant childhood and my memories. And I must say, everything that happened to me was very pleasant.
– Go Artyom, dinner is ready for the table, – grandmother shouted.
When I went into the kitchen, there was a large plate of homemade dumplings on the table in front of me, a glass of milk, and a piece was cut from a loaf on a saucer, with butter and apricot jam spread on top.
The lunch turned out to be very tasty, maybe it was me who was so hungry or the truth, as my brother told me, the products at that time were completely different. And while I was eating, Grandma looked at me without taking her eyes off me.
– Granddaughter,» she said, after a few minutes of silence reigned around us.
– What’s ba?
– Have you forgotten that tomorrow you have entrance exams at the institute?
– No, I haven’t forgotten,» I replied, and I began to sort out in my memory which institute Artem had applied to.
Evening came, and I lay down on the bed, and fell asleep unnoticed. In my sleep, I heard the doorbell ring. First, it occurred to me that it was my parents who came home from work and I went to tear off the door for them, but to my surprise, it wasn’t them. There were several guys standing outside the door, they were Artem’s friends.
– Well, Leshii, are you coming with us? – said one of them, who, as it turned out, was later called Maxim.
«Why, Leshii, Artyom didn’t say anything about this nickname. Maybe some more surprises are waiting for me,» I thought.
– Where are we going? I asked the guys.
– I’m gathering everyone in the dorm, we’ll sing songs to the guitar. I want to celebrate my birthday.
– Well, congratulations then! I said.
– Thank you, but you’ve already congratulated me. I turned twenty last week, have you forgotten? It didn’t work out, so I moved it.
– Yes, with whom it does not happen, I forgot and forgot. Well, why are you coming with us? another guy from this company said.
– I’ll be right out, wait. I can’t let you in, Grandma is at home, resting.
I closed the door to the apartment, and went to the closet to put on whatever was from Artemka’s wardrobe.
Being in the past, I began to understand that this whole unusual story that happened to me was already becoming a part of my life and I was gradually getting used to the role of a Soviet person.
I came out of the entrance, in jeans and a white T-shirt, the guys were waiting for me. And we walked slowly through the yards.
– Guys, let’s look for soda machines now, it’s stuffy and I want to drink what I want, – said one of the company, his name I remember right away, his name was Alexander.
The guys agreed, and after passing a couple of houses, several vending machines with the inscription «Carbonated water» lined up in front of us. I noticed that there is only one faceted glass in the niche.
They took turns pressing it, washing a glass in a niche with a sink and drinking.
«That’s what kind of nonsense it turns out, they drink from one faceted glass with the whole of Moscow and don’t get sick with anything?»
It was my turn to drink soda, I winced a little and took a big sip. But the extraordinarily delicious, sweet taste immediately conquered me, and I was already greedily finishing the rest of the lemonade.
– Magic soda,» I said.
– Yes, it’s very tasty, – Alexander agreed with me.
Soon we all got drunk and the whole company went on to the student dormitory to Maxim.
When