Khmurik lived far enough from me. We were not very close and great friends. And I was fully absorbed in new exciting adult life after leaving school. Frankly, I just didn't have time to think much about Yehor.

 

But as soon as my age got closer to thirty, my curiosity began to rise.

 

How is my former classmate? What about his career? And at last… When will he nominate me for a Minister? (hee-hee)

 

So one day I decided to visit him.

 

 

 4

 

As I already mentioned, Khmurik lived only with his mother in a standard two-room apartment on the far side of a large residential area. It has been a long time since I was there last time, and I was not sure that his mother would remember me. Anastasiya Fedorivna gave birth to Khmurik late, being about forty years old. So she looked as a dried up old woman already even when we were just learning at school. Now she obviously must be a woman aged seventy, no less.

 

But when I told her my name at the door, the elderly woman immediately remembered me.

 

‘Yes, I remember you. You were at school with my Yehor. Please, come in!'

 

I entered the apartment and almost immediately felt an unpleasant musty smell of old human body. It smelled like if I was in a nursing home now. And finally, I almost was not wrong. The three old women were sitting at the table in the living room. They all were also dried-up and shriveled as the lady of the house was. Noticing me, the old women friendly nodded their heads.

 

‘I like to play in the lotto with my neighbors sometimes.' Anastasiya Fedorivna explained.

 

‘Oh, am so sorry that I interrupted your game. If Yehor isn't at home, I'll come some other time...'

 

I do not know why, but suddenly I felt the overwhelming desire to retire from this ‘jolly party' as soon as possible.

 

‘Yes, he is absent now.' Anastasiya Fedorivna began to talk while I have almost turned towards the door. ‘But he went out to the store and is just about to come. Please, wait for him... with us.'