ПОРОГ
Я вижу громадное здание.
В передней стене узкая дверь раскрыта настежь, за дверью -
угрюмая мгла. Перед высоким порогом стоит девушка... Русская девушка.
Морозом дышит та непроглядная мгла, и вместе с леденящей струей
выносится из глубины здания медленный, глухой голос.
- О ты, что желаешь переступить этот порог,- знаешь ли ты, что
тебя ожидает?
- Знаю,- отвечает девушка.
читать дальше
(c)Тургенев
This is called "hit too close to home".
Not only because of our conversation about the explosion in Moscow.
There was more. Way more.
I don't know, how good this movie actually was. It didn't have to be good to strike like it did. It just had to be close.
Those names. Those stories...
Sofiya Kovalevskaya, a young girl with huge eyes in a simple dress. That's how it started.
Those thin girls with beautiful, brilliant eyes were making explosives and shooting government officials on the streets of St. Petersburg, late 19th century. Up to 2,000 per year, if I remember correctly.
We had a great history teacher, you know. Probably, Jewish, with a thick raven-black braid, sprinkled with faded silver. She really wanted us to think, not to learn dates and figures. But I believe I remembered figures as well.
The series about the "Imperceptible avengers", don't even know how to translate it properly. A very catchy name.
We did not have any Western action movies yet, and Soviet cinematograph was not too good at shooting action. Yet those three revolutionary teens were brilliant: chases over running trains, horse races. Did they ever hesitate when pulling the trigger?
Surprising, but next I think of Star Wars. The Resistance.
You know, I dreamed once. It was dark, and there was a wood, and some futuristic ruins. The men had machine guns' belts hanging over their shoulders, unshaved and tired. Some of them I knew from high school.
The feeling of unity, comradeship and doing the right thing.
I nearly cried when I woke up.
So, the Star Wars. Evil was evil. Easy. No second thoughts, no doubts.
Almost as easy as being dead.
Dead is peace. No doubts. A bliss.
Our contributions to the world culture are the names of Dostoevsky and Tolstoy, the periodical system of elements - the fundamentals of chemistry, you know. We were the first in space in the 60's. We were the first to invent terrorism as well, 60's as well, or, may be 70's of the last century, I think.
Also... did you notice how beautiful and intelligent all of these people looked?