Аннотация: About my not taken place meetings with Solzhenitsyn and Sholokhov. A literary note.
About my not taken place meetings with Solzhenitsyn and Sholokhov. A literary note.
I feel good about Sholokhov's works. Once upon a time I read the novel "The Quiet Don". About two weeks ago, for some reason, I downloaded one of the volumes from the electronic library and read a few final pages. A good novel!
Two or three years ago, I read a book about Sholokhov by one of the modern researchers. Then I found a book that I had inherited, with Sholokhov's letters to Stalin...
Like many residents of Russia (the former USSR), I respect Sholokhov and his creativity.
There are touching things in his work...
But not all residents of Russia had the opportunity to see Sholokhov.
I may have had such an opportunity....
If I was completely indifferent to the arrival of Alexander Solzhenitsyn in Rostov-on-Don, and I did not make the slightest effort to see him, then the situation with Sholokhov is a little different.
Periodically, a barely noticeable shadow from a transparent cloud falls on my thoughts, and I think with a slight disappointment: "It would be nice, if I succeeded to see Sholokhov!".
Somewhere in the late 60s - early 70s of the 20th century, I was lucky enough to participate in a car trip from Rostov-on-Don to the Upper Don. The trip took several days.
A set of impressions remained.
First of all-beautiful nature.
In second place - very tasty fish soup.
Then-various little things: an earthen floor in one of huts, a local holiday home (of a some organization) with a bulletin board, a newspaper on the bulletin board, a portrait of Brezhnev in the newspaper. Someone tore up this portrait. So it hangs on the bulletin board - a torn portrait...
Among the impressions of the third row is the fence surrounding Sholokhov's house. Very solid fence. There was an impression (memory) of a very well-made, very high fence made of very good, even beautiful, boards.
From time to time, a two ideas came to me.
The first one. But it would be nice to see Sholokhov in person, to talk to him.
The second one. Why did neither I, nor the adults with whom I was on the trip, show perseverance and did not try to see Sholokhov?
And there is the psychoanalytic discovery, I made a quite recently.
I discovered that this fence looked very convincing. Looking at him, both I and my adult companions on the trip subconsciously realized that we would not be able to see Sholokhov.
Since it was a subconscious impression, it was hidden in the depth of the mind. And because of this, those two ideas were appearing.
But now, after the psychoanalytic discovery, I have a new doubts: should I write a note about the not taken place meeting with Sholokhov?
What to write about?
After hesitation, I remembered Heinrich Schliemann's law " Write! Publish!". I decided to write a note, but on the condition that I would come up with a story at the same time.
Here is this story.
"When we arrived in Veshenskaya, we found a nice man, the local inhabitant. After a short period of time, the car was parked in a beautiful place on the banks of the Don. Soon, a delicious fish soup was prepared.
The adults drank and ate.
A local resident asked casually:
- Have you met Sholokhov?
- With Sholokhov?
- Well, yes!
- We walked along the fence. The gate is closed...
- He meets on Thursdays with people who want to see him! In the morning! Tomorrow is Thursday!
- Oh-oh-oh! It's great!
The next morning we came to the gate in front of the plot and Sholokhov's house.
A some man told us that Mikhail Alexandrovich is now on the bank of the Don (he explained where exactly), and there we can talk to him.
We went to the bank of the Don.
We saw Sholokhov talking to a small group of people.
We walked over and stood up next.
Mikhail Alexandrovich looked at me friendly:
- What's your name?
- Vova!
- Have you read "The Quiet Don"?
- Yes! I really liked it!
- Okey! Do you like it here?
- Yes! A very beautiful place!
- The Don River... A beautiful places... Learn well! I see-you have the abilities!
The most astute participants of the meeting had Sholokhov's books with them. And he made the author's inscriptions on these books.
Then he said goodbye:
- I'm expected in Rostov! My tasks of the member of parliament!
He got into a car (a car with a driver) and drove away.
Many years have passed since the meeting with Sholokhov, but it is still pleasant to remember how I talked with Sholokhov, how he lightly patted me on the shoulder and spoke favorably about my abilities.".
Of course, there were some any more details (memories from this trip)... They don't matter...
In general, the note is written and posted on the Internet... Thanks to Heinrich Schliemann...
March 20, 2021, 22: 05
Translation from Russian into English: March 20, 2021 23:16.
Владимир Владимирович Залесский 'О моих несостоявшихся встречах с Солженицыным и Шолоховым. Литературная заметка'.