kids?
Why did you eat plasticine?
- I ate it with sugar!
- But you are a grown up person, you should understand that nobody eats plasticine.
- And why did you lock Masha in a wardrobe?
- You know, I locked her and the keys got lost.
- Go. And don’t spread glue on your teacher’s chair, do you hear me?
- Ok, Ok!
- Blockhead…
My name is Anatoly Efremovich, my surname is Novoseltsev.
I live only on my salary, i.e. from pay to pay.
In one word - I scrape; in one word - I dodge.
And this is Olga Petrovna Ryzhova… Olia.
Olia is my best friend. We became friends long ago, when we were students in the university.
What I most like about her is the fact that she is an optimist - whatever befalls.
And as everyone knows - it is optimists who make the Earth revolve.
There are too many residents in our city, too many visitors, too many cars.
Everybody is hurrying somewhere, everybody seems to be late for something.
There is fuss everywhere, jams, queues.
But I love this city anyway.
This is my city.
This is a very good …city.
This is Verochka. She is curious like all women,
and feminine like all secretaries.
Her salary is small but all her clothes are expensive.
How she manages it is a mystery.
And this is Shura. Nice, but, unfortunately, too energetic.
Long time ago she was put forward to do some public work
and since then it has not been possible to push her back.
Renovated by the obligatory morning exercise in public transport,
we get to work at last.
- Hi!
- Hello!
- Listen, Vovka has torn his shoes again. Do you have any idea where I can borrow 20 roubles?
- I don't know. Hold on a minute, I'll just get some medicine.
Give me something for head.
- Comrades, do not leave. Donate 50 kopeks, please.
- For what is it today?
- Masha Selezneva has got a visit from the stork.
- I have nothing to do with it.
- And who was born?
- I don't know, I haven't found out yet.
Either a boy or a girl. Thank you very much. Thank you. Sign here. Those who have not donated yet, do not leave!
Sign here.
- And scribble something on my behalf too.
- Those who have not donated yet for Masha Selezneva, do not leave please!
- Oh, God! What a detestable voice she has! Listen, so where can I borrow 20 roubles anyway? If only I was appointed a department head…
- I would appoint you. Why not? You are an excellent worker, you have great experience.
Go to our "old stick", talk to her about it, tell her.
Who else is better suited for the position if not you?
- This is impossible.
- Let's go.
- Shura, and who was born - a girl or a boy?
- I don't know, I haven't found out yet. I think, a boy.
- Go to our "old stick", talk to her. Tell her you have two children to care about.
- What children are you talking about? She does not even know that there are children in the world.
She is sure that they are born grown up already, with a job and salary according to the list of members of staff.
- Yes, but you can not find extra 50 roubles in the street.
- No, you can't. But the thing is not only about the money. I'm just fed up with sitting at this table.
I feel to be overage…
- Why are you telling me about it? Go and tell her.
- No, I am not going to tell her. I do not want to stoop to it - I am proud.
Every morning in our Institution starts in the same way. It is already a habit, tradition; I would say - ritual.
Piotr Ivanovich Bublikov, the head of Catering Department.
May be this is why he looks so… well-fed.
And this is Ury Grigorievich Samohvalov. A very good person,
I have known him for a long time, since I was a student in the University.
This is from the moment he appeared in our Institution that this commotion started.
It started on a usual undistinguished morning after our statistic beauties
have finished sprucing themselves up and plunged into the sweet, magic, poetical world of summaries, figures, reports, plans and  estimates.
- You were the last to leave the apartment. Have you locked the door?
-