The Idol

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!