Аннотация: MMMDXXIV. Meeting in Rostov-on-Don with a girl from Sicily. A story. - July 26, 2024.
Meeting in Rostov-on-Don with a girl from Sicily. A story.
I go into a huge clothing store. In a large building, this store occupies an entire floor.
Endless rows with hangers for clothes of various types.
I ask the saleswoman: "Where are men's long-sleeved T-shirts located?".
The saleswoman vaguely waves her hand somewhere in the distance: "There!".
I'm going across the store.
Very thin (close to anorexia), slender girl. By appearance, she is from the vicinity of the small provincial town of Zharovsk, which is located 400 km from Rostov.
- Is men's clothing located here? - I'm asking her.
- Yes!
- "I need the largest sizes," I say.
A thin, slender girl smiles, willingly points to the rows of hangers with clothes, accompanies me in the process of examining the rows of these hangers.
- What are you looking for here? I ask her.
- "I need a shirt," she points to the shirt she's wearing.
The shirt looks good on her. It's like she came to the store in it.
I feel like making a joke about our complementarity: she - with her great thinness, and I - with my slimness. But I abstain to do such joke.
What an amiable and smiling girl!
- Will you give me your phone number? I ask her.
- Of course! - She answers.
I start to take out a pen to write down her phone number, but I realize that because of the accessories (in my bag) for my wellness treatments, this search of pen will take half an hour. I'm stopping. I'll have to memorize the number, or to ask for a pen from one of the store's employees.
In this store there is no a T-shirt I need.
So, my attention is completely switched to this girl. If I didn't write down her phone number, if she's so smiling, then maybe I should talk, chat, deepen familiarity to (with) her?
- What are you going to do after visiting this store? I ask her.
- "Nothing, I'm free," she says.
That's a good answer, but I'd like to get some clarification:
- Are you probably leaving Rostov somewhere?
- Yes, to Italy.
- Do you live in Rome? I ask, a little enviously. (I had previously wanted to visit Saint Peter's Basilica, but an employee of the visa application center convinced me to apply for a visa to France).
- No, I live in Sicily.
- In Palermo? Have you been accepted into the mafia? (this is a joke).
- No, I was not accepted into the mafia. I live ... (she quickly pronounces a few words, then gives an explanation in Russian: "It means: "Three chestnuts").
We are getting closer and closer to the cash register.
If I am so bold that I took the initiative in the matter of getting acquainted with her, if I asked a girl for a phone number and got her consent, if she is free after visiting this store, and if she smiles radiantly at (to) (for) me, then I (as a decent person) should, if not marry her, then, at least, to pay for her shopping.
On the way to the cash register, she stops near the shelves with cosmetics and begins to select some boxes.
This pause in the movement to the cash register gives me time to ask a question:
- I'm getting acquainted with you, I'm paying attention to you. And if you are married? If you came here with your husband? It will be an incorrect behavior - on my part.
- I'm divorced. But my ex-husband and I - we are or getting along, or splitting up (so and so, alternately). That's our relationship.
A thin, slender girl has two boxes of cosmetics in her hands.
We are ten meters from the cash register. A shirt, two packages of cosmetics - is it difficult for a sociable man (like me) to do the courtesy and to pay for these goods chosen by a girl?
The distance to the cash register is getting shorter and shorter. Apparently, there are seconds left before a possible transition to details.
- "What if we exchange gifts," I suggest and take out a gold ring. - I will give you a ring, and you will give me a gift in return.
For the first time, the girl's friendly smile is replaced by an emotions of surprise and fright:
- Is this a symbol of love on the ring?!! - she exclaims, and adds:
- Besides, I have a finger size of a fifteen and half (she shows me her delicate fingers), so this ring will be too big for me.
("A hate symbol ought to be placed on the ring?" - in turn, I surprise (mentally)).
- So, the option of mutual exchange of gifts does not suit you? I ask a clarifying question.
- This option does not suit me.
- Do you refuse?
- I refuse.
- "Well, I won't insist," I say and head towards the exit out of the store.
The option of a one-sided - rather than mutual - gift on my part (in case of a moderate expenses) - it is quite real. But to hear - almost immediately after I paid (at the cash register) for the goods she selected - that she urgently needs to leave for Sicily - it is to get (then) an unpleasant feeling for the rest of the day.
(I don't think badly of people enough to assume that she will ask me to help with buying a ticket - due to the need to fly to Italy urgently).
So I will limit myself to (only) a pleasant and an informative conversation with a smiling, thin and slender girl from Sicily.
July 26, 2024 02:50
Translation from Russian into English: July 26, 2024 08:42
Владимир Владимирович Залесский ' Встреча в Ростове-на-Дону с девушкой из Сицилии. Рассказ '.
{ 3553. Встреча в Ростове-на-Дону с девушкой из Сицилии. Рассказ. - 26 июля 2024 года.
MMMDXXIV. Meeting in Rostov-on-Don with a girl from Sicily. A story. - July 26, 2024.
Vladimir Zalessky Internet-bibliotheca. Интернет-библиотека Владимира Залесского. }