Programist book 1. day 1

"How do you know? A real detective!" She giggled sheepishly.

"I'm a mathematician and I'm just learning! And we have nowhere without logic."

We were silent, enjoying the view and the moment. The first stars were appearing in the sky.

"Listen, since we've met, can I ask you something?"

"Of course, Mish!"

"I didn't really eat because of Ulyana.... Can I get something in the dining room?"

So you went hungry and didn't tell anyone?! Of course, let's go quickly! But we broke up on the square — Slavya ran away to warn her punctual Zhenya. It's kind of predictable.... So I'll also have to save the young burglars!

And indeed, Alice was rummaging through the lock of the dining room. I wish I could ask for food in a human way.... I crept up to the bully and told her:

"How's it going?"

She jumped back in horror, but a second later her face changed and she almost poked the bent wire into my glasses. I barely staggered back, otherwise I'd have to go blind for the whole shift!

"Ugh, damn, I scared you! I'd rather help!"

"Why are you breaking into the dining room?"

"I want rolls, with kefir, I'm not full!"

"I'm hungry myself, Ulyana ruined my dinner," I confided. "Slavya will come over and open it now."

"what?!" Alice rushed past me, but I held her by the elbow.

"Just wait, I won't turn you in. I'll tell you what I met on the way — Slavya will understand!.. Just throw away your wire, you burglar. And then suddenly in the dining room, following the example of Carlson, traps are collected from chairs!"

Alice pulled her elbow out, but she didn't run away and, crossing her arms over her chest, leaned against the door with an independent look, as if she ignored all my chatter. But the wire was gone from her hands. Slavya, having discovered Dvachevskaya with me, of course, became gloomy.

"Don't worry, she wants to eat too. I met you right after you arrived at the square." I gave it to Alice's defense in absentia.

"What a do-gooder you've found..." Slavya muttered incredulously. But soon her face smoothed out — she didn't start arguing in front of me. "Then let's go."

"Great buns!" I praised after a few minutes. "And what a genius came up with the idea to combine them with kefir! Thank you, it's delicious!"

"Have you ever tried this? Where did you fall from?" Slavya smiled with such a flattered look, as if I was eating her own pastries.

"I told you that the middle lane! I'm a mathematician, not a geographer, don't force me to show you on a physical map."

"Won't you see?" Alice quipped, looking at me with undisguised interest.

And I, inspired by the attention, talked about everything that came to mind, because I had lived in the USSR and knew the local customs well. The neighbors laughed, didn't hesitate to keep up the conversation, and soon stopped looking askance at each other. Who knows— maybe even they'll become friends. I remembered well what numbers Slavya could do, which Alice was too far away from.

"...Olga asked me to do some exercise the other day. She went to the regional center with a physical education teacher," Slavya said. "I got up by myself, I'm waiting. They don't go. I went to the cabins, but there was no one there. I run to the dining room — it's empty too. I'm standing there like a fool, it's a shame: I wanted to, but I didn't organize anyone! I figured out how to get to the clubs, how to get to the radio room... then it's a dead end again. What should I say, who should I appeal to? And then I realized: the beach! That's how I announce: exercises and morning treatments will be held by the river! She promised sports games. There is no hope, but in the end the beach is full of people, and Alice is in charge of the execution!"

"So the younger ones figured out that it was free in the morning, and they persuaded everyone to hide!" Alice replied fervently. "They don't understand what kind of sabotage they're going to get! While I was trying to convince you, you were blaring from the speakers. Well, ours took it, the culprits were tied up and bathed in the river! And you're running and yelling, which is not pedagogical."

"Then why didn't you explain everything to me there? In general, lynching is not only not pedagogical, but also socially dangerous!"

"Don't drive your horses, Slavya," I intervened with a disarming smile: "Suddenly they had a jury and a bar there!"

"Some more!" Alice happily confirmed. "And do you think those blockheads weren't happy about the punishment?.."

The three of us laughed-some out of awkwardness, some relieved, some pleased-and began to clean up after ourselves.

"Alice, of course, you pleasantly surprised me", Slavya casually said goodbye. "Thank you both for the evening!"

We parted on the square, but I lingered. Lena didn't seem to have moved all day, just sat with a book on her bench under the meager light of a lantern.

"And for the third time, hello. What are you reading?"

Lena jumped up in fright and covered herself with a book. Yeah, Gone with the Wind... but I'm being a little too cocky.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I haven't read this book, but they made a very good movie based on it."

"Is there a movie?!" fascinated, the girl asked.

"Yes, and very old, American. 1939, I think... A masterpiece for all time, he won eight Oscars!"

"Wow... then I'll definitely take a look at home!.." Lena smiled meekly.

I didn't bother her any more, said goodbye, and a few minutes later I was at Olga Dmitrievna's.

"Have you been out? You're going to live in a cabin with me."

I didn't mind, sat down at the table and spent about half an hour on the program before lights out. I wrote the whole main part that day, and left some details for tomorrow. Maybe in some places you won't have to remember, but improvise.... Now it was possible to sleep. It was even sad that I arrived only in the middle of the shift. With these thoughts, I blacked out.