Вадим Иванович Кучеренко
The Idol
Аllа. Is that true?
Tomov. I swear! So, let’s go to my place…
Аllа. Don’t touch me! Find some other foolish girl.
Tomov. Go to hell then! I didn’t really want it much. Do you have a cigarette?
Аllа. Just an empty pack.
Tomov. What a damned life! I can neither drinking, no smoking, no even sleeping with a girl.
Аllа. I see, you have only one passion in life – have a good pleasure. I would go crazy from such boring life.
Tomov. Come on baby! What are you talking about? You haven’t had real troubles in life. That’s it.
Аllа. You sure have had a lot of them.
Tomov. Pretty much, I tell you.
Аllа. I wouldn’t say that looking at you.
Tomov. You wouldn’t say? Well, well… And you, have you ever dug your friends out of frozen snow?
Аllа. Which friends?
Tomov. Answer the question when being asked! Have you ever crunched stones dying from famine?!
Аllа. Why are you raving with fury at me?
Tomov. Have you ever damned your mother that she born you?
Аllа. Don’t shout at me!
Tomov. No, you have not, right? Then I have nothing to talk about with you! Anyway you would never understand it.
Аllа. Do you understand it?
Tomov. Not much. I remember I used to piss myself with joy from just a thought that the next day I was going to the mountains. So impatient I was.
Аllа. What is special about those mountains? All of you are just crazy!
Tomov. Now I got smarter. But one thing there is really good – nobody stands over you. I hate it. It’s better to put my head in a noose than living on someone’s will.
Аllа. Are you a prominent individualism?
Tomov. I would say a romantic of spirit. Did you hear about it?
Аllа. I read something about it in books. I wonder, where did you get all this stuff in your head? You look like a quite normal guy.
Tomov. Nowhere.
Аllа. Weren’t you born with all this?
Tomov. No, I wasn’t. Actually, society educated me. You don’t believe? I remember my childhood: once at school we were to write a composition on a topic “What to do in life?». Our teacher wrote this topic on a blackboard and put a thick question mark in the end.
Аllа. Again telling me your fairy-tales?
Tomov. I swear it’s true. So, I was looking at this question mark thinking that if I write the truth I would be expelled from school the next day. Do I want such troubles? No. So, I wrote that I want to be a politician and take care of people’s needs.
Аllа. Such a smarty boy!
Tomov. Sure! Eventually, the composition by Oleg Tomov was praised and announced in front of our class as a good example of how and what to dream about. And I was laughing in my soul that I fooled all of them around!
Аllа. So, what did you dream about so that you couldn’t even mention it?
Tomov. Aren’t you by any chance from the police? You keep asking and asking me…
Аllа. You may not answer.
Tomov. Okay, I’ll tell you out of personal attraction. In that young age I already knew that work likes only fools. So, I preferred not to work but have much money and entertainments. I didn’t care less about anything else.
Аllа. You are such a unique individual!
Tomov. Well, it’s not a secret that all people dream about it or something like that but they don’t reveal it.
Аllа. You think all?
Tomov. Absolutely. Those who say differently – tell lies.
Аllа. So, what’s the reason?
Tomov. They are simply afraid of.
Аllа. So what were you afraid of, you, a schoolboy? Why didn’t you write as you thought?
Tomov. My father had a high rank position at that time. He was well known and respected in out town. Do you imagine what a scandal could be out of it?
Аllа. So, you preferred to have mercy on your father
Tomov. Exactly.
Аllа. Are you sure that your father, not yourself?
Tomov. Why do you hate me so much, Allochka?
Аllа. Why on earth should I love you? Look at him, such a man!
Tomov. Anyone can love for something… Why don’t you try to love just for nothing?
Аllа. Only real men are loved just for nothing. And those like you are loved either out of compassion or convenience.
Tomov. Out of compassion… Am I a wacky?
Аllа. Bite on that while I am here. Who would ever tell you the truth?
Tomov. Hey you, a truth seeker! That is why your husband ran away from you to the mountains! He just couldn’t stand it any more.
Аllа. It’s not your business!
Tomov. Who knows who are you now? Might be a widow. With such a tongue you might remain alone in poverty working at your museum. Well, I am a bachelor and do have all necessary stuff, you know.
Аllа. I’d better jump into the abyss than live with you!
Tomov. So go ahead, jump!
Аllа. I will! Nothing matters for me now. (running away).
Tomov. Hey, where are you going? Wait! Wait, you, the foolish woman, I tell you! There is a crack there! (running after her).
At the camp canteen. Anna and Vasil Korobko are drinking tea. Victor Mancev is speaking with Levan. Cyrill Sumyatov is making notes at his notebook. Oleg Tomov enters holding Alla Bokova unconscious in his arms.
Levan. Listen, dear, why did you come here?
Tomov. She almost fell down into the crack. Come on, help me!
Аnnа. What’s the matter with her? Put her cautiously here.
Tomov. She got unconscious. I grabbed her at the very edge of the crack. She just looked down and got unconscious right away.
Аnnа. Oh, please be quiet! Get some water for her.
Tomov. Water! Levan, get some water!
Levan. I am carrying. Hey, why are you drinking yourself?
Sumyatov. It’s better for her to smell ammonia. She would come to herself immediately.
Levan. Where should I get it? There is some vodka, will it do?
Mancev. Unbutton her collar. Let her breathe with full breast.
Аnnа. Come on, give me a way! Hide your blushless eyes! Don’t look like that!
Tomov. Is there anything I haven’t seen before?
Mancev. How did it happen, Oleg?
Tomov. Some shit got into her head. Oh, those women… Look, while I was holding her she was trying to bite my hand. Here is a teeth print. She was crying like a crazy that her husband is dead and she doesn’t want to live either.
Mancev. Who told her that her husband is dead?
Tomov. I told you some shit got into her head. Do you have a smoke?
Аnnа. Smoke outside please! Aren’t you going to kill her with your smoke?
Sumyatov. What are we going to do with her?
Аnnа. I’ll make it all right without you… She has come to herself finally!
Аllа. Where am I?
Аnnа. Hold on, it’s all right. Hey, guys, aren’t you going to leave?
Mancev. Let’s go folks, let’s have a smoke.
Tomov. Give me a cigarette.
Men leave.
Аllа. What’s happened to me?
Аnnа. It’s all over already. Next time don’t look down at the edge of abyss. You are afraid of height.
Аllа. Terribly!
Аnnа. Thanks to Oleg you are here. He has grabbed you.
Аllа. Oh, this is him my noble rescuer…
Аnnа. So you decided to jump into the abyss because of your husband?
Аllа. I don’t know. I don’t remember. Something got over my head.
Аnnа. You shouldn’t do that. Don’t bury a man beforehand. Just imagine what he would say when he comes back.
Аllа. You think he is alive?
Аnnа. Of course he is. Such things happen in the mountains. I do know it well!
Аlla. It’s easy to say that. Your Vasil is beside you.
Аnnа. What’s the problem with you? Why didn’t you go with your husband?
Аllа. I would have gone with him if he just called me.
Аnnа. And your pride didn’t let you go without a call, right?
Аllа. He kept his plan a secret. I got to know about it only here.
Аnnа. Sorry, but I can’t believe it. Didn’t he let it out accidentally for example in bed after having hot time?
Аllа. We have been being silent with each other lately. We hardly say a word except “thank you” or “pass me salt please”. Then we stick to the TV and there is no conversation at all.
Аnnа. What were you thinking about? For such things I would punish my Vasil!
Аllа. Of course, you don’t have to complain. I was thinking: what a life do I lead? It’s grey and boring one. Only such people like you do live and we just exist.
Аnnа. You should have a baby. All this garbage will get out of your head right way.
Аllа. I didn’t want to have a baby from Pavel. I thought that I would meet a right man, fall in love with him so that I would forget everything and would follow him to the edge of the world.
Аnnа. Oh, what a fool you are!
Аllа. My Pavel is quite a mediocre. He used to sit in front of TV dressed in a night suit and slippers. Each time when I look at him I feel pinching that I spend my youth on such a man.
Аnnа. He might be silent because of your attitude.
Аllа. Don’t hurt me any more. I think that he went to the mountains also because of that, in order to make me be proud of him.
Аnnа. Don’t cry. He will come back.
Аllа. I prey for that! All will be different then.
Аnnа. And you will deliver him a bunch of kids, believe me! My grandmother was a fortune teller so I learnt this craft from her.
Аllа. Let him come back and let’s see!
Mikhalych enters.
Mikhalych. I was wondering where my daughter is. Here she is!
Аnnа. Mikhalych, dear, what brought you here?
Mikhalych. I have an urgent business.
Аnnа. Don’t scare me. Our house is sold, right?
Mikhalych. When?
Аnnа. I don’t know.
Mikhalych. I strongly advised the hosts to wait. I will screw them up!
Аnnа. So they might not sell it yet?
Mikhalych. Who said that they sold it?
Аnnа. Not me. Seriously, not me!
Mikhalych. Uff… I was about to assume that…
Аnnа. Well, it’s false alarm.
Mikhalych. They just can’t sell it. We made a promise!
Аnnа. But if somebody offers them all money at once?
Mikhalych. Well, a bargain is a bargain.
Аnnа. You are our only hope Mikhalych. We can’t make it without you.
Mikhalych. I’ve never failed anyone, my dear. Hey, listen, I’ve just talked to one of my fellows. He is quite a greedy guy, but agreed to help me and borrowed me five hundred dollars.
Аnnа. Oh, we don’t need money!
Mikhalych. Don’t worry! Little by little makes a mickle.
Аnnа. Oh, you don’t know. We have found money! Now we’ve got enough.
Mikhalych. So, you are buying the house?
Аnnа. Sure!
Mikhalych. Yeah, the house is a real work of beauty…
Аnnа. Where are you going now, Mikhalych?
Mikhalych. Towards the house. It’s better to hurry up just in case so that nobody would buy it.
Аnnа. But you have just said that…
Mikhalych. So what? I do have a tongue to say whatever I want to.
Аnnа. Mikhalych, dear please hurry up then! Tell them we are buying it!
Mikhalych. Oh, I almost forgot!
Аnnа. What’s that?
Mikhalych. I almost forgot that I came here with some business!
Аnnа. What’s the business?
Mikhalych. I have to hand in a letter. A registered one.
Аnnа. Okay, I’ll hand it in!
Mikhalych. No way. Sorry, dear but I must hand it personally with a signature of a receiver.
Аnnа. And when you hand it then what?
Mikhalych. Then I am running like a horse! Don’t worry. The house is already yours.
Аnnа. Tomorrow morning let’s go and see it together again, okay?
Mikhalych. Okay, I’ll be here early in the morning like a guard. You and Vasil will be still in bed. (Leaves).
Аllа. Are you going to buy a house?
Аnnа. Oh, what will be will be! And finally, how long are we going to move from camps and hotels? I am fed up.
Аllа. Yeah, it’s high time for you.
Аnnа. Have you noticed already?
Аllа. It’s not very noticeable. But if you look more attentively…
Аnnа. It’s growing like yeast! What if it’s going to be twins?
Аllа. You think your husband will fall out of love?
Аnnа. No way! Vasil loves me like I am. But if I deliver twins he will go crazy of happiness.
Аllа. I think I will also go home. I am going mad here. Bad thoughts are getting to my mind out of doing nothing.
Аnnа. That’s true. At home it’s impossible to do nothing. There is always some work. And when your husband comes back there will be warm and cozy home smelling with pies. He will realize that you were waiting for him.
Аllа. Waiting?
Аnnа. Of course!
Аllа. You are a good girl… Will you see me off?
Аnnа. Sure!
Аllа. Let’s go. A bus is coming soon. I don’t want to be late again.
Аllа Bokova and Anna Korobko leave. Levan and Mikhalych enter.
Levan. Oh, you don’t have to worry about! He will be here.
Mikhalych. Please do understand me! I am in a hurry! I have an urgent business.
Cyrill Sumyatov enters.
Mikhalych. Hey, fellow, what’s your last name?
Sumyatov. We have already introduced ourselves to each other. Search your memory, Mikhalych!
Mikhalych. I have no time.
Sumyatov. Well, Sumyatov.
Mikhalych. No, it’s not him.
Sumyatov. Why not me?
Mikhalych. Don’t argue with me. Not you – that’s it.
Sumyatov. Okay, let it be.
Levan. Hey, dear, why are you so sallen?
Sumyatov. My business trip is coming to an end, but my notebook is still blank. Nobody wants to be a hero. There is nothing to write about.
Levan. Please, have a cake. All your worries will fade away, believe me!
Sumyatov. If it could help I would eat a hundred of them.
Victor Mancev enters.
Mancev. Are you a local postman?
Mikhalych. Yes I am, so what?
Mancev. There is nothing for me as usual?
Mikhalych. What is your last name please?
Mancev. Mancev. Victor Mancev.
Mikhalych. Do you have an ID?
Mancev. What for?
Mikhalych. To verify that you are the person you mentioned and not a different one.
Mancev. What do you mean a different one?
Mikhalych. It doesn’t matter. My business is simple – to deliver, hand in and take a receipt.
Mancev. My ID is in my room. Should I get it?
Mikhalych. Yes please. As soon as possible, I am in a hurry.
Mancev. I’ll be right back. Stay here okay!
Sumyatov. This is Victor Mancev in fact. I guarantee.
Levan. Hey, listen, why are you troubling the man? Give him a letter!
Mikhalych. Okay, okay! But only because the people who I know personally guaranteed me that you are Victor Mancev. Put your signature here. And now I am running away! (Leaves quickly).
Levan. You have been waiting for it, guy!
Mancev. You are right Levan. It looks like it’s the long-waited one. (Leaves).
Alla Bokova with a suit case enters.
Sumyatov. Are you leaving?
Аllа. Yes, going home. I just wanted to say good-bye.
Sumyatov. Unfortunately, there is nobody here.
Аllа. I was looking for you. Are you surprised?
Sumyatov. Frankly, not much.
Аllа. Don’t be too much self-confident. I am not going to confess in love.
Sumyatov. I didn’t even think that.
Аllа. Listen, haven’ you quitted your idea yet?
Sumyatov. Which idea? What are you talking about?
Аllа. Do you remember the evening when we met?
Sumyatov. Sure I do. You were sitting at that very table and were getting bored to death. I joined you…
Аllа. You told me that you came here to uncrown the idols.
Sumyatov. I assume those words belonged to you.
Аllа. Okay, let it be my words. But my guess is true, right?
Sumyatov. Well, well…
Аllа. I want to ask you. Do you have an idea about what?
Sumyatov. I suppose that not to do that, right?
Аllа. Vice versa. I pledge you: do fulfill your idea. Go on, write! Write so that those idols, those heroes of crowd would be completely screwed up.
Sumyatov. You are telling this!? I would never think that. But why?
Аllа. Maybe it will help them to recover their sight and get ashamed.
Sumyatov. Are they supposed to be ashamed of those who incense them and make them blind like moles? This is so naïve.
Аllа. No. I want them to be ashamed of themselves. I want them to see that a price for their vanity is a sorrow of their old mothers and tears of their abandoned children… If only something human sill remained in them…
Sumyatov. If…
Аllа. I have thought much during today. Perhaps more than during my whole life. I understood that you were right. There is either all or nobody.
Sumyatov. Was I right?
Аllа. Don’t you doubt it yourself now?
Sumyatov. Who told you that? I don’t change my beliefs so quickly.
Аllа. It just seemed to me. Well, good-bye then!
Sumyatov. Will we see each other again?
Аllа. I doubt it… at least in this life.
Sumyatov. Should I see you off?
Аlla. Oh, no. There is another person.
Sumyatov. Sorry.
Аllа. And please remember: one can’t make his own happiness out of somebody’s sorrow. There is a weak point of all those idols.
Sumyatov. Wait!
Аllа. Good-bye! (Leaving).
Sumyatov. There is either one crazy less in this world or I am going crazy myself
Victor Mancev enters.
Mancev. Levan, do you have anything to drink?
Levan. Sure I do! There is coffee, tea, juice …
Mancev. You misunderstood me. I told you: anything to drink!
Levan. Vitya, dear…
Mancev. Please don’t say useless words. If you have nothing – that’s okay.
Levan. What’s the matter with you?
Mancev. Well, forget it.
Levan. Why are you saying that! You want to hurt me, right?
Mancev. No. I want to get drunk to insensibility.
Levan. I would go to the end of the earth to get a bottle for you, believe me. (Getting out a bottle of cognac). Please, take it, you are welcome!
Mancev. Thank you, Levan.
Levan. Oh, don’t mention it! I’ll just close the door, okay?
Mancev. Yes please.
Levan. Hey, listen guy, get off please! It’s closed.
Sumyatov. As you say.
Mancev. Let him in, Levan. Would you join me?
Sumyatov. Actually, I am not a good drinker.
Mancev. That’s a pity. I would like to drink with you.
Sumyatov. Why with me?
Mancev. Not to drink alone.
Sumyatov. Okay, but with one condition.
Mancev. You are a funny guy, really. Whatever… go ahead!
Sumyatov. You have to tell me to what we are going to drink. I have a right to know that.
Mancev. To good luck. Don’t you mind?
Sumyatov. Actually not. But to what luck?
Mancev. To the one which would let us avoid a delusion of victory including all the related consequences.
Sumyatov. Oh, this is your old song! But you know that it’s a lie and not very successful by the way. You can’t find a delusion of victory in any medical manuals. There is no such a disease!
Mancev. Are you sure?
Sumyatov. Yes. There is no such a disease.
Mancev. I agree, it is not mentioned in any medical manual. But this disease does exist in life.
Sumyatov. Again your paradoxes! I am tired of them.
Mancev. That is life. There are many such things in it which are not mentioned in any manuals.
Sumyatov. But life has nothing to do with it. I know it quite well.
Mancev. Be careful, don’t draw troubles upon yourself.
Sumyatov. I am ready for many things to achieve my goals. But I can stop at any time and turn back.
Mancev. Don’t be so naïve. It’s true up to a certain time.
Sumyatov. So, to your mind, what can happen one day?
Mancev. One day a person realizes that he needs neither fame nor money and adoration of crowd. He is tempted only by a peak.
Sumyatov. Well, he has climbed that peak. What is next?
Mancev. Then he falls down with fatigue putting out his tongue and waits if his heart would burst or not.
Sumyatov. And nothing more? Neither joy, nor satisfaction or pride?
Mancev. He dreams only about a bed with clean cool linens. If there is no bed then wet soil will do. To forget oneself with a sleep – this is a real award. There is no another one and never will be.
Sumyatov. However, awakening is inevitable.
Mancev. Whenever he awakens there is only one thing that drives him – moving forward to another peak. There is no other choice for him because he has lost everything. And frankly doesn’t want to have another one.
Sumyatov. It just can’t be so!
Mancev. You don’t believe me? Well, take it. You will see to what it comes eventually. (Throwing a letter on a table).
