Taxi Rider s Diary. Story 3

Oi, wei, Halloween today!
        Brighton Beach had woken up a long time before the first shy sunbeams made its way through a veil of the dark lilac fog creeping on the horizon. The chilly wind blowing from the ocean rustled with a yellow carpet from fallen leaves, covering all small streets and sidewalks with it.
        Pensioners slowly strolled on a wide wooden pavement of the embankment laid over the beach, inhaling fresh air and feeding up seagulls. Those people, who were younger, hurried for work.
         Wearing business suits, they looked like a motley chain joined a crowd of the people standing on a platform and waiting for the train. This terribly roaring multicarrier steel monster stopped for several minutes with a gnash and squeal of not greased brakes to digest a new party of blue and white collars in its chock-full belly. Then it carried them away directly in the mouth of a yellow devil with loud howling. This beast, full of skyscrapers, by the name of Manhattan, swallowed and digested millions of the victims in its reinforced concrete belly. They had never suspected that they were just an everyday food for its glutton.
Show-windows of shops looked at pedestrians with hollows of eye sockets of skulls, the terrifying masks of monsters and pumpkins of all sizes hollowed from within in the form of ominous persons. Skeletons, witches, supermen, aliens and villains of all times walked all along the streets and avenues. They were small, and they walked accompanied by their proud parents. Therefore they didn't constitute any obvious danger, except for the highest and rather impudent ones, showering stood gaping pedestrians with raw eggs.
         However, in comparison with other possible entertainment, it was a harmless occupation for a similar public.
         Perhaps, someone won't believe in these descriptions, but there was no freak of the imagination, and completely there was no fantasy at all. The last day of October began. The most favorite holiday Halloween for the American children. The festival of horrors and fun almost at the edge of a patience limit of adults who treated children with a sweets assortment.
        But it was not a long-awaited event for all. In one small one bedroom apartment of the old six-storied house, in the poor area of Brighton Beach neighborhood, the elderly woman named Nina uttered to her lazy husband: "Roman! I asked you 100-th time already, go down and purchase something for these devils! What will we do when they suddenly appear?"
         "Let them disappear with their devilish Sabbath, - having frowned, the thin old man expressed his wish, reluctantly pulling a warm sweater, - try to feed this crowd! After paying the rent for our doghouse, we won't afford a bagel's  hole!"
         "Be appeased, I say and don't forget to purchase chocolate with nuts for Alinochka; she adores it. She promised to visit us tonight!"
         Having heard about the granddaughter, Roman smiled:
         "At last! She recalled her grandparents. It happens rarely. It is fascinating; she probably wants a present too, doesn't she?"
         "Roma, - Nina shamed the husband, - have the conscience, she is a busy girl, it can be understood: Study, music, dances …"
         "Parties, girlfriends, boys …", - the old man continued and dexterously caught the cap thrown to him in flight.
         "Please, go already!"
         "Have a conscience, - the elderly man grumbled, going downstairs, - she has forgotten us, and I shall have a conscience?"
           He returned soon and threw a tiny cellophane bag on a little kitchen table.
         "That's all? – The old woman was surprised, - chocolate and a pack of the cheapest cookies just for one tooth? You forgot what word "Devils" scratched on our door for a handful of nuts last year and how much it cost to fix it? Can you imagine what they could do this time?"
         "And where could I get money to purchase more? Even the production of the whole sweets factory wouldn't be enough for all those witches", - Roman objected and pulled out two crumpled masks of frights from his pocket – Listen, I've got an idea…"
          "Enough! I had been through a lot from all your foolish ideas, - the wife has screamed, - why you have bought these rags?"
         "I didn't buy it, I have found it on a bench, someone left it there. Believe me; this is an excellent idea! I thought: it is unfair that this holiday is a pleasure only for children! We have a right to be pleased too!"
         Nina expectantly looked at the husband: "Well, and what do you mean?"
         Instead of the answer Roman has pooled a fright mask on his face, put on the knitted winter hat on his head, put leather gloves on his hands and, having upraised hands up, having writhed a ridiculous pose, has lingeringly raised a howl: "Bu-bu-bu…trick-or treat… Does it look alike?"
         "Of course, it does, - the old woman has agreed, but without the mask, it is even more alike, - I knew it a long time ago, but couldn't suspect it to such an extent!"
         "I am serious. We will laugh, and we will have fun. Let's walk through the neighboring houses as children, they are all tall now, we will say trick-or-treat, and we will get everything! Unexpectedness and speed – and we will win!. Well, say I am a genius? - Roman has winked at the spouse, - you wanted to be an actress, so better late than never".
         Nina has with regretfully sighed and had twisted a finger at a temple: "How could I managed to live with such a person like you for so many years, I wonder?"
         "Well, don't let it vanish, - Roman was about to have begged, - it's for sure new, and all the action would have taken us no more, than a half an hour …"
         "But what this action for? – exclaimed Nina, - who are we?... beggars … we can't buy what we want ourselves … no, I won't agree to be involved in such a shame!"
         "And who are children then, beggars? It has nothing to do with that, - the old man didn't agree with such an argument, - we will have fun and something to remember about and laugh. Initially, I didn't believe we could do it either, but now I am sure we can! Let's revive old customs ... and?!"
         "They will laugh at us as at clowns! How could it come to your bald head?! You can't compete with youth, you are an old wreck!"
         "They won't laugh, let's bet!"
         "No doubt!"
         "And I say – no!"
         "And I say – yes!"
         "Well, OK, if they laugh, I will wash all dishes."
         "You will clean up the whole apartment!"
         "The punishment is too severe."
         "Then don't even ask."
         "Well, all right, I agree.
         "OK, I'll go just to have a pleasure to see you kicked downstairs! – Nina decided at last and threw up her hands, - well you are the prankish, worse, than a small child!"
          Spouses have decided to leave the house by the evening before Alina comes. Though Nina has overcome herself with a great effort to choose to take part in this action.
         They had carefully changed clothes, had taken empty bags and had swiftly crossed the road to the neighboring six-storey building. Having risen by the first floor, they stood at the closed door for some time, shifting from one foot to the other, yet haven't exchanged glances and, having gathered more air in a breast, Roman has resolutely pressed a doorbell.
         "Who is there, - they heard a vigorous male voice and the peephole has blinked, - and, wait a minute."
         In half-minute, the door has opened, and the old people haven't managed to utter the magic word of a trick-or-treat as the disheveled young guy in a T-shirt has stretched them a heavy paper bag.
         "Happy Halloween!" The door was shut, Roman with Nina have looked in a paper bag and have gasped: There was a lot of sweets!
         "Well that what I told you, - the old man has blurted out, - you see how easy it was!"
         Their trick was as successful as possible. Residents gave them their sweets prepared in advance, without asking any questions, having only taken an inquisitive glance of visitors in masks for a moment.
         Seniors had even not reached the top floors when two of their capacious bags have been already filled by various confectionery. Nina recognized her defeat, however, without special grief. She has deliberately chosen the similar stuff to look as an effigy. So looking like that with their masks on, they have also approached to their apartment.
         Loud music has nearly deafened them when Roman with his wife have come to their doors.
         "Alina has come ahead of time, - the grandmother had instantly guessed, - she had keys, and we look like this! A nightmare!"
         "And why such cacophony? Alina had never listened to this disgrace", - Roman has perplexedly scratched his nape.
         "Zhenka loves it" - the grandmother has moaned.
         "Zhenka!"
         This Alina's friend from her school didn't call for great love at her parents. The bonehead, the liar and the idler, Zhenka courted around the beautiful girl for a long time as a bee around honey. The most unpleasant were that Alina liked him. She didn't notice his drawbacks, or perhaps even considered it an advantages. Anyway, this impudent guy has been prohibited from appearing on a threshold of the apartment of Alina's parents, but Alina, apparently, has found other place for a date.
         "Now everything is clear, - Roman has defined a situation, - she has come here not for us."
         "Why she has invited him here? – With an anguish in a voice, the poor grandmother said, - how we will come now? I don't think that Zhenka will leave soon, and God forbid learns … all America will laugh at us tomorrow!"
          "Count on me", - the husband encouraged.
         "What did you decide?" - Nina began to worry, observing as Roman forcibly pressed the call button with his finger.
         Music slightly abated. Zhenka thriftily opened a door, and having chewed something, grinned: "Hm, beggars came, now …" - and went to the kitchen.
         "Who is it, - they heard  their granddaughter's cheerful voice, - my ancestors returned?"
         "Not yet, - the guy appeared in a doorway again, and lordly stretched a small green apple, - hold, riff-raff and dumped away."
         Trick-or-treat, - Roman severely uttered and gave apple back.
         "What! – Zhenka frowned and shook his big fist, - don't like it, don't take it, but you get nothing anymore. Get out of here, blockheads, while I am kind!".
         The door slammed with a clang. The old man pressed the call button again and held it until Zhenka jumped out as the devil from a snuffbox.
         "You didn't understand, - he shouted, having his vocal chords nearly broken, - you are crazy or what?! Have you had your face bitten recently? Missed that?! So,  you have a chance to obtain it now!"
         Roman got an egg from a bag and neatly threw it to Alina's boyfriend forehead. He had shocked from that surprise.
         Nina sighed and receded one step backward. She couldn't believe her own eyes.
         The egg shell cracked, and the yolk sticky swill spread on the amazed Zhenka's face. It stood, struck with that someone dared to treat his important person such way.
         "I will kill you!" - The offended guy roared, having regained consciousness from catalepsy, and seized Roman by a collar, but before Nina had stood up for the husband before her Alina rushed as lightning. She got up between the beloved and the grandfather.      
         "Go back! – the girl cried, - they are children, you want to go to jail?"
         "Children" - Zhenka growled, trying to shake away from himself the egg remains but smeared it on his face and a shirt even more, - such children should be killed!" Meanwhile, Roman quickly pushed the wife into the apartment and shut doors from the inside.
           "Open up!", - the fooled guy screeched, pulling the handle.
         "Call the police, quickly" - he ordered to Alina, - and heart-rendingly yelled: "Thieves! Robbery! Help!" The granddaughter rushed to knock to neighbors, and Zhen'ka run around like a wild animal. He didn't know what to do. In a few minutes they have heard a howl of a police siren in the distance. The guy rushed downstairs, almost stumbled and risking of having his neck broken, towards to police officers.
         Neighbors sacredly crowded around the old people's apartment, calming the crying Alina.
         Zhen'ka brought three massive police officers, swinging hands and chattering unceasingly: "Two impudent young guys rushed into the apartment!"
         Police officers imperatively called and several times forcefully knocked the door with the fist until it was obediently opened.
         What's the matter?" - The old man dressed in striped pajamas asked. The old woman in a dressing gown looked out with a guilty smile behind him.
         "Grandfather, grandmother! – Alina rushed to them, embracing and kissing, - how you managed to get here?"
         "We have just returned and what's happened to you? Why are you crying, Alinochka?"
         Police officers went inside and attentively examined the apartment, but they didn't find any evidence of bandits presence.
         "The window on a fire-escape is opened, - specified one of them, - it is evident, they heard as old men entered and escaped."
         "But there was another car there, - the other cop answered. It is unclear why they weren't noticed".
         "Managed to slip, probably, how, I don't know, we quickly approached, - the third responded, -  it is impossible to open a window and go down, escape in a couple of minutes unnoticed!"
         "I told you they were very quick, - Zhenka plaintively wailed, - skilled robbers have nearly killed me!"
         "Probably, they hide somewhere in the house, - police officers assumed, - most likely, on a roof."
         Illusive bandits were looked for by two hours, but nobody was found. Finally, police officers apologized and, at last, left.
         Neighbors dispersed, discussing the incident, and sad Zhenka also left soon.
         Alina with widely open eyes described the endured drama in detail: "We were almost robbed! They enticed us from the apartment, attacked and rushed inside. You were lucky that bandits didn't attack you! Just one thing, how have you managed to come so that I didn't notice you and where did thieves instantly disappear? Police officers have surrounded the house from all directions! "This is some mysticism!"
         "Not mysticism, but devilry", - the Roman instructively explained, putting masks deeply in a garbage box that stood under a table.
         "This day everything can happen. We'd better have some tea. Look what we … um … um … bought!"
         The grandmother brought the huge crystal vase filled with sweets up to the top.
         "Well now, we will celebrate this remarkable holiday", - the old man offered.
         "Oh, what a yum-yum!”