Читать книгу Tomorrow I was here - Oleg Seriy - Страница 5

His name was John Smith. He was born in a small town. Why was he however named John? And why not, after all, his parents were crazy about action-fighters, and the most common name in their names was John. All the more was so because his family had English background. Smith’s name had all their predecessors, and his parents had never thought about its value. John had been very different from their peers since childhood.

When my parents moved away from John’s perambulator at least a couple of steps the ear membranes could be broken from his cry. But parents were used to it, and his father got earplugs at night, and slept peacefully… and the mother? She did not sleep at all, and when she fell asleep her place was under the cradle baby. In the morning he had to go to work! My father did not understand the children, it was alien to him. He drank a lot. Because of the constant scandals (even then the psyche of the child was broken down), he left home and abandoned his mother. But she didn’t keep her head, did not send their children to the boarding school (she had not even thought about it) and decided to bring them up by herself. My mother had a sister and got on well with her. And her husband drove John and his sons to the sea three (or even more) years, to the warm blue sea. He felt so good there. Years passed and passed, but memories remained. Uncle John was a wonderful man (really a man, not his father). John had for his uncle sympathy and sometimes even imitated his uncle, who was for Smith a perfect example of a man, but he was destined to die in the full vigour. That was a great grief to John. He cried almost all the night. It seemed that he wept all the tears. An absurd death was a great misfortune not only for John but for all the relatives and friends, because he was a man who did good things and people came back at him. It seemed he had done everything that every person should do in this life (most likely, every person should live more than one life): to acquire a family, have children, builda house and plant a tree.

John’s torment was so great that he could not even think about studies… it was not so long ago, John lost his grandfather. It turned out that the doctors were “only” (!) mistaken with the diagnosis and treated for another disease. Then John began to execrate the medicine. Perhaps the doctors would ever try a scalpel on his body. Only God knows it.

* * *

Once, when they were resting by the sea (he was three years old), John ran away from his parents, or rather from his parent – mother. At once no one noticed the loss, but he was vanished. Everyone started to run, look for him. And only in hour his cousin brought John by the hand to his mother. Johnny looked ridiculous: a grown-up already but had red eyes and sniffled.

In short, without a word it was clear that our boy had not grown from “the mother’s milk”. John was too small to explain what had happened. And it was this way. In general, he left the mother and ran up intuitively to his boarding house, went up to the first floor. At that time, the elevator was opened and a few people came out and John ran into the cabin, and began to examine it. He was surrounded by high brown walls. A few moments passed, and the doors slammed, and all John’s attempts to reach to the buttons were doomed to failure. The light began to fade, it soon became quite dark, and nothing was visible except the all-consuming darkness. Well, at least John did not suffer from claustrophobia… So it could last for very long, but quick-witted little brother decidedto look through the floors of the boarding house, as all the coasts had been repeatedly verified. In one of the stairwells, he found a kid who, as we see, managed to get out of the elevator after someone called him. There was no longer visible recent blush on the red from crying little face. Tears also ended, leaving only the dried stains. One can only imagine the indescribable joy of the mother, who finally found a brave tourist after a long search.

* * *

Very long ago, when John was just a youngster, a rather interesting story which diversified his life happened to him. Though, the end of it was very deplorable for the kid. He was proud of it and talked a lot about it. As for the sake of him a great train was stopped… A lot of people drove by that train: they all were hurrying somewhere, wanted to get home faster, on a business trip, etc., etc. And suddenly the train before reaching the station, stopped abruptly. People, for sure, wondered why, without apparent reason the train stopped… but it would be better that they did not know. But for you, dear reader, I will explain what really happened. In general, the family returned from Koblevo (Ukraine). They had the reserved seats, sittings and side berths. Thousands of people were there. All were at each other. It was clear that there was no vacant seat. John was too tired in the road and wanted to sleep. He was put to the top shelf and tied by a bed sheet. Perhaps, the sheet was not tied tightly enough, or John spun strongly in a dream, but in the end he slipped out of the sheets and fell down, hurt his head very much on the corner of the iron bed. Wild cry stirred up all the nearby cars, blood gushed from the guy’s back of the head. The uncle ran to stop the train, then he led the doctors who gave John the first aid. The train was standing on the spot half an hour. John continued to sob, though, he did not already feel the pain, only very nasty sticky putty on the head – most likely it was a brilliant green. When they arrived in their hometown, the grandfather and grandmother, after a long absence of the family went out to meet the train station… and they were surprised! A little one with rewound head was carried out. When they went to the emergency room to insert sutures, they were said that it was too late. That’s how John got a scar for life. But that Smith did not get upset, but thanked God that he left to John the most precious thing that could be – his life.

John grew up, grew wiser, and his parents sent him to kindergarten. He was quite sociable and made friends with many children. It seemed that everything was fine… but there were some unpleasant moments. For example, he had a mad kindergarten teacher. Once she brought John to the toilet… and left. There were drafts and kiddy was very frozen and scared. At last teacher hit upon smart enough picking him up from that place. The next day the boy had a cold and fell ill for a long time. John felt the real care only from his relatives.

Then they sent him to school, one of the best in a town. He studied not good, but not bad. But I do not dareto call him a ham-and-egger. I have for it my own reasons. In the process of studying he thought much, philosophized in his soul and could amuse his classmates and teachers without any problem, breaking the lesson. He had a wonderful sense of humor, which many teachers were lack at (or they did not want to spoil their credibility). Because of this, sometimes he had troubles.

* * *

It was like this. In John’s class was a boy Buddy from a wealthy family. He was too spoiled, and everyone was bored with him: he fought, spoiled things, brought may-bugs and mice on lesson, etc. That was, did whatever came to hand. He studied very poor, it’s easier to say that he did not study at all. And he begged for his marks. The only person, whom he did not bully, whom he regarded with some fear, was John. It was unknown why the circumstances were such that, but he treated John more than neutral. And one of the classmates decided to take revenge to dirty dog: he made a photo of the villain in unambiguous positions on the computer, printed and then pasted at all points of the school. Considering the fact that John was quite unlucky, all the arrows turned on him (well, on whom else). His mother was called to the director. John had no alibi and the old folks of the negligent classmate accused Smith in everything. A homeroom teacher refusedto help John. He knew who had done it. For this he could be expelled from school, because it was very strict with such situations.

The next day some idea cameto John and he hoped that he could be justified! Smith decided to talk one-to-one with those who committed the foregoing action. Guy agreed to plead guilty, and John was justified…

The long-awaited holiday came to the class. When this dirty dog broke the desk at disco, he was transferred to another school. Hatred for him disappeared, but bad memories were not left by anyone.

Among his classmates were children of other nationalities, most of them were Jews, but John did not pay any attention to that, because he thought that friends were friends, and you could not choose them, taking into account their skin color, religion they profess, nationality and so on.

John had problems and he kept them inside. He learned for a long time not to be constrained and contain within themselves some impulses. Because of that he had lost many complex…

* * *

That year began for him like a real torment. In addition to many small problems, including financial, quarrels, added another health problem – ingrown toenails on both feet. About a year they doctored themselves, while John was constantly tormented by the pain. But his strength failed him and he had to be operated as he could not attend training on basketball for about six months. They pricked anesthesia and it was not too painful. In the hospital John beganto think more about the meaning of life, read newspapers, did not miss the daily news. In addition, he was trying to catch up with the program in English. Because of laziness, he missed a lot and really wanted to catch up. John was an optimist, he seemed to cope with any problem… I wonder if he will stand the test of time, or whether he will be broken down?..