Grandfather

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

- Son, can you pay for an apartment here?

“Uh-huh,” the guard replied, without even turning his head to the visitor.

- And where, son, tell me, but here I am for the first time.

“By the window,” the guard replied irritably.

- You would show me your finger, otherwise I can't see well without glasses.

The guard, without turning, simply waved his hand towards the checkout windows.

- There.

The grandfather stood in confusion and could not understand exactly where to go. The guard turned his head to the visitor, looked up and nodded contemptuously:

- That's what you got up, really you can't see, there are the windows, pay there.

- Don't be angry, son, I thought that you have the order here, but now it is clear that I can pay in any window.

Grandfather walked slowly to the nearest window.

- With you 345 hryvnia and 55 kopecks, - said the cashier.

The grandfather took out a battered wallet, rummaged in it for a long time and then laid out the bills.

The cashier handed the check to my grandfather.

- And that, son, you sit like this all day, you would find a job better, - the grandfather looked closely at the guard.

The guard turned to his grandfather:

- What are you kidding me, grandfather, this is work.

- Aaaa, - stretched the grandfather and continued to look closely at the guard.

- Father, tell me, what else do you want? the guard asked irritably.

- You point by point or is it possible all at once? - the grandfather answered calmly.

- Not understood? - the guard turned and looked closely at the grandfather. - Okay, grandfather, go, - he said after a second and again stared at the monitor.

- Well, then listen, block the doors and lower the blinds on the windows.

“Don't…” the guard turned and saw the barrel of a pistol right at eye level. - What are you doing, yes I am right now!

- You, sonny, do not get overwhelmed, I used to get into a five-kopeck coin from this pukalka from 40 meters. Of course, now the years are not the same, but yes, and the distance between us is not forty meters, I will put you right between your eyes and I will not miss, - the grandfather replied calmly. - Son, you do not need to repeat twice for an hour? Ali don't you hear well? Block the doors, shut the blinds.

Beads of sweat beaded on the guard's forehead.

- Grandfather, are you serious?

- No, of course not, I pretend to stick a pistol in your forehead and ask you to block the doors, and also inform you that I came to rob you. You, son, just don’t be nervous, don’t make unnecessary movements. You see, I have a cartridge in the barrel, the fuse has been removed, and the hands of the old people, you know, live half their lives. Just look, I can inadvertently change the pressure in the cranium, - said the grandfather, calmly looking into the eyes of the guard.

The guard reached out and pressed two buttons on the remote. In the bank hall there was a click of the front door closing, and steel shutters began to fall over the windows.

Grandfather, not turning away from the guard, took three steps back and shouted loudly:

- Attention, I will not harm anyone, but this is a robbery !!!

There was absolute silence in the lobby of the bank.

- I want everyone to put their hands up! the visitor said slowly.

There were about ten clients in the lobby. Two mothers with children about five years old. Two guys no more than twenty years old with a girl their age. A couple of men. Two women of Balzac age and a pretty old woman.

One of the cashiers dropped her hand and pressed the panic button.

- Press, press, daughter, let them get together, - said the grandfather calmly.

“Now, everyone, go out into the hall,” said the visitor.

- Lyon, what are you thinking of, completely lost his mind in his old age or what? - the pretty old woman was clearly familiar with the robber.

All visitors and employees went out into the hall.

- Come on, tsyts, you understand here, - said the grandfather seriously and shook his hand with the pistol.

- No, well, you look at him, robber, oh scream, - the pretty old woman did not calm down.

- Old man, what are you, out of your mind? - said one of the guys.

- Father, do you at least understand what you are doing? the man in the dark shirt asked.

The two men walked slowly towards their grandfather. Another second and they will come close to the robber. And then, despite his age, the grandfather very quickly jumped to the side, raised his hand up and pulled the trigger. A shot rang out. The men stopped. The children cried, huddling against their mothers.

“Now listen to me. I won't do anything to anyone, it's all over soon, sit on the chairs and just sit.

People sat on chairs in the hall.

“Well, I scared the children because of you, oh you. Well, boys, don’t cry,”the grandfather winked cheerfully at the children. The children stopped crying and looked closely at their grandfather.

- Grandpa, how are you going to rob us, if two minutes ago you paid for a communal apartment on a payment, they will recognize you in two minutes? the young bank teller asked quietly.

- And I, my daughter, am not going to hide anything, and it’s worthless to leave debts for myself.

“Uncle, the police will kill you, they always kill bandits,” one of the kids asked, carefully examining his grandfather.

“You can't kill me, because I was killed a long time ago,” the visitor replied quietly.

- How can you kill it, you are like Koschey the Immortal? - asked the little boy.

The hostages smiled.

- And then! I may even be worse than your Koschei, - the grandfather answered cheerfully.

_

- Well, what is there?

- Alarming operation.

- So, who do we have in that area? - the private security dispatcher studied the list of crews.

- Yeah, I found it.

- 145 Over.

- I'm listening to 145.

- Firing on Bohdan Khmelnitsky Street.

- Got it, let's leave.

The crew turned on the siren and rushed to the call.

- Base, answer 145.

- The base is listening.

- The doors are locked, there are blinds on the windows, there are no signs of burglary.

- And it's all?

- Yes, base, that's all.

- Stay put. Arming exits and entrances.

- Strange, do you hear, Petrovich, the crew left on alarm, the doors to the bank are closed, the blinds are down and there are no signs of a break-in.

- Uh-huh, look at the phone number and call this department, what are you asking, you don’t know the instructions or what?

_

“They say there’s no truth at the feet, but it’s true,” the grandfather sat down on a chair.

- Lyon, is that what you want to spend the rest of your life in prison? the old woman asked.

“I, Luda, after what I’ve done, am ready to die with a smile,” the grandfather replied calmly.

- Thu you …

The phone rang on the desk at the checkout.

The cashier looked questioningly at her grandfather.

- Yes, yes, go, daughter, answer and say everything as it is, they say, captured by a man with a weapon requires a negotiator, there are a dozen people and two boys, - the grandfather winked at the kids.

The cashier went to the phone and told everything.

- Grandfather, you can't hide, now the specialists will come, they will surround everyone, put snipers on the roof, the mouse will not slip through, why do you need it? the man in the dark shirt asked.

- And I, my son, do not intend to hide, I will leave here with my head held high.

- You are a miracle grandfather, okay, your business.

- Son, give me the unlocking keys.

The guard put a bunch of keys on the table.

The phone rang.

- Eka they work quickly, - the grandfather looked at the clock.

- Should I pick up the phone? the cashier asked.

- No, daughter, now it only concerns me.

The visitor picked up the phone:

- Good day.

“And you’re not sick,” the visitor replied.

- Rank?

- What's the rank?

- What is your rank, in what rank are you, what's incomprehensible?

- Major, - was heard on the other end of the line.

- So we will decide, - answered the grandfather.

- How can I contact you? the major asked.

- Strictly according to the charter and rank. I’m a colonel, so just contact me, comrade colonel,”the grandfather replied calmly.

Major Serebryakov held a hundred negotiations with terrorists, with criminals, but for some reason just now he realized that these negotiations would not be an ordinary routine.

- And so, I would like to….

- Eh no, Major, this will not work, you apparently are not listening to me, I clearly said according to the charter and rank.

“Well, I don’t quite understand what it is,” the major said in confusion.

- Here you are, an eccentric man, then I will help you. "Comrade Colonel, allow me to address," and then the essence of the question.

There was an awkward pause.

- Comrade Colonel, may I contact you?

- Allow me.

- I would like to know your requirements, and also would like to know how many hostages you have?

- Major, hostages are a dime a dozen and small. So, don't make mistakes. I'll tell you right away, where you studied, I taught. So let's dot the i's at once. Neither you nor I need conflict. You need everyone to survive and to arrest the criminal. If you do everything as I ask, you will have a brilliant operation to free the hostages and the arrest of the terrorist,”the grandfather raised his index finger and smiled slyly.

- I understand correctly? - asked the grandfather.

“In principle, yes,” the major replied.

- Here, you are already doing everything not as I ask.

The major was silent.

- "That's right, Comrade Colonel." Isn't that how you have to answer according to the charter? - asked the grandfather.

- That's right, Comrade Colonel, - replied the major

- Now about the main thing, Major, I'll tell you right away, let's go without stupidity. The doors are closed, the blinds are down, I have put banners on all the windows and doors. I have a dozen people here. So do not overdo it. Now the requirements, - the grandfather thought, - well, as I guessed myself, I will not ask for money, it is stupid to ask for money if I captured the bank, - the grandfather laughed.

- Major, in front of the entrance to the bank there is a trash can, send someone there, you will find an envelope there. The envelope contains all my requirements, - said the grandfather and hung up

- What is this nonsense? - the major was holding a torn envelope in his hands, and read the contents of a small sheet that was in it - damn it, is this a joke?

The major dialed the bank's phone number.

- Comrade Colonel, may I contact you?

- Allow me.

- We found your envelope with requirements, is this a joke?

- Major, it's not in my position to joke, is it right? There are no jokes there. Everything that is written there is all in all seriousness. And most importantly, do everything exactly as I wrote. Make sure that everything is done to the smallest detail. The main thing is that the belt is leather, so that it has a smell, and not your plastic ones. And yes, Major, I give you a little time, my children are small here, you understand.

“I’m Lyonka, I’ve known for thirty years,” the cute old woman whispered to the cashier, “and we were friends with his wife. She died about five years ago, he was the only one left. He went through the whole war, right up to Berlin. And after that he remained a military man, he was a scout. He served in the KGB until his retirement. His wife, his Vera, always arranged a holiday on May 9th. He lived only for this day, one might say. On that day, she arranged at a local cafe to have a table set for them with a barbecue. Lyonka passion as he loved. So they went there. We sat, everyone remembered, she was his nurse, too, went through the whole war. And when they returned … they robbed their apartment. They had nothing to plunder, you can take from the old people. But they robbed, took the sacred, all Lyonka's awards and took the Herods away. But before, even the criminals did not touch the front-line soldiers, but these were all taken out clean. And you know how many awards Lyonka had, he always joked, he tells me, if I present one more medal or order, I won't be able to get up. He went to the police, and there they waved their hand, they say, grandfather, get out of here, you still lacked your orders. So this case was hushed up. And Lyonka after that incident has aged ten years. He went through it very hard, his heart even seized strongly. So that's it …

The phone rang.

- May I contact you, Comrade Colonel?

- Allow me to speak, Major.

- I did everything as you asked. There is a bank in a transparent bag on the porch.

- Major, I don't know why, but I trust you and trust you, give me the officer's word. You yourself understand, I have nowhere to run, and I can no longer run. Just give me your word that you will let me go these hundred meters and no one will touch me, just give me your word.

- I give you my word, no one will touch you exactly one hundred meters, just go out without a weapon.

- And I give my word, I will go out without a weapon.

“Good luck, father,” the major hung up.

_

The news reported that the bank branch had been seized and that there were hostages. Negotiations are underway and the hostages will soon be released. Our film crews work directly from the scene.

- My dear man, there is a package on the porch, bring it here, you understand me to leave, - said the grandfather, looking at the man in a dark shirt.

The grandfather laid the package carefully on the table. He bowed his head. I tore open the package very neatly.

The colonel's dress uniform lay on the table. All my chest was in orders and medals.

- Well, hello, my relatives, - whispered the grandfather, - and tears, one after another, rolled down my cheeks. “How long have I been looking for you,” he carefully stroked the awards.

Five minutes later, an elderly man in the uniform of a colonel, in a snow-white shirt, came out into the hall. The entire chest, from the collar to the very bottom, was in orders and medals. He stopped in the middle of the hall.

“Wow, uncle, how many badges you have,” the kid said in surprise.

Grandfather looked at him and smiled. He smiled with the smile of the happiest person.

- Sorry, if something goes wrong, I’m not out of malice, but out of necessity.

- Lyon, good luck to you, - said the pretty old woman.

“Yes, good luck,” all those present repeated.

“Grandpa, be careful not to get killed,” said the second kid.

The man somehow sank down, looked carefully at the baby and quietly said:

- I cannot be killed because I have already been killed.

They killed when they took my faith, when they took my history, when they rewrote it in their own way. When they took from me the day for which I lived for a year in order to live to see my day. A veteran, he lives for one day, with one thought - Victory Day. So, when that day was taken away from me, that's when they killed me. I was killed when a torchlight procession of fascist youth passed along Khreshchatyk. I was killed when I was betrayed and robbed, I was killed when they did not want to seek my rewards. What does a veteran have? His awards, because each award is a story that must be kept in the heart and protected. But now they are with me, and I will not part with them, until the last moment they will be with me. Thank you for understanding me.

Grandfather turned around and headed for the front door.

Not reaching a couple of meters to the door, the old man staggered in a strange way and grabbed his chest with his hand. A man in a dark shirt literally in a second was near his grandfather and managed to grab him by the elbow.

- Cho something my heart is naughty, I am very worried.

- Come on, father, this is very important, it is important for you and for all of us it is very important.

The man held his grandfather by the elbow:

- Come on, father, pull yourself together. These are probably the most important hundred meters in your life.

The grandfather looked closely at the man. He took a deep breath and headed for the door.

“Wait, father, I'll go with you,” the man in the dark shirt said quietly.

Grandfather turned around.

- No, these are not your hundred meters.

- Mine, father, just like mine, I am Afghan.

The door leading to the bank opened, and an old man in the dress uniform of a colonel, led by a man in a dark shirt, appeared on the threshold. And as soon as they stepped onto the sidewalk, the song "Victory Day" performed by Lev Leshchenko began to play from the speakers.

The colonel looked proudly ahead, tears rolled down his cheeks and dripped onto military awards, his lips quietly counted 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 … never before in his life did a colonel have such important and dear meters. They walked, two warriors, two people who know the value of victory, know the value of awards, two generations … 42, 43, 44, 45 … The grandfather leaned harder and harder on the Afghan's hand.

- Grandfather, hold on, you are a warrior, you must!

Grandfather whispered … 67, 68, 69, 70 …

The steps became slower and slower.

The man has already wrapped his hand around the old man's body.

Grandfather smiled and whispered … 96, 97, 98 … he hardly took the last step, smiled and said quietly:

- One hundred meters … I was able to.

An old man in the uniform of a colonel was lying on the asphalt, his eyes fixedly gazed into the spring sky, and an Afghani was crying on his knees beside him.