Chapter 21 21. Fat and Thin
At a railway station of the Nikolai Railway, two friends, a fat man and a thin man, met.The fat man had just lunched in the railway station restaurant, and his lips were as shiny as ripe cherries.He smelled of hardcore and orange blossom.The thin man had just gotten out of the carriage, struggling with boxes, packages and cardboard boxes.He smelled of ham sausage and coffee grounds.Behind him, a thin woman with a long chin peeked out from time to time—that was his wife, and a middle school student with one eye squinted, his son.
"Porfiry!" the fat man cried out when he saw the thin man. "Is that you? My dear! How many winters and how many summers we have not seen each other!"
"My God!" exclaimed the thin man. "This is Misha, my childhood friend! Where are you from?"
The two friends hugged and kissed three times before looking into each other's teary eyes.Both were surprised and delighted.
"My darling!" began the thin man after the kiss, "I didn't expect it! I'm so overjoyed! Well, look at me! And you're still such a handsome boy, just as ever! Still so handsome, and like to dress up!" Oh, you, my God! Oh, how are you? Are you rich? Married? I'm married, you see... This is my wife Luisa, née Wanzenbach... She's a Protestant... …This is my son, Nafnael, a third-year middle school student. Nafania, this is my childhood friend! Middle school classmate!"
Naphner hesitated, and took off his hat.
"Classmates from middle school!" the thin man went on, "do you remember how your classmates made fun of you at that time? They gave you a nickname, Herostrat, because you burned a book in the public office with cigarettes. I got a hole. My nickname is Effiarte, because I like to inform. Haha... I was a child at that time! Don't be afraid, Nafania! Come here... Oh, it's mine Wife, née Wanzenbach... Protestant."
Naphner hesitated, and hid behind his father.
"Hey, friend, how is your life?" The fat man looked at his friend enthusiastically and asked, "Where do you work? How old are you?"
"On the job, my dear! Made eighth civil servant, has been there for two years, and got an order of St. Stanislav. The salary is not high... Well, fuck it! My wife gives music lessons, And I make cigarette cases out of wood when I'm not working. They're beautiful! I sell them for a ruble. If someone wants ten or more, you know, I'll give him a little cheaper. It's going to make a living. You know , I used to be a section member in a department, and now I am transferred here to be the section chief, or the original department... I will work here from now on. Oh, how are you? I'm afraid I have become a fifth-rank civil servant Right? Huh?"
"No, dear, let's go further," the fat man said, "I'm already a third-rank civil servant...with two stars."
For a moment, the thin man's face turned pale and he was stunned, but soon he turned his face around and made a beaming smile.It seems that there are stars on his face and eyes.He himself is curled up, hunched over, half shorter... his boxes, parcels and cartons are shrinking too, frowning... his wife's long chin stretches longer, and Naphner stands upright , buttoned all the buttons on the coat...
"I, my lord... I am very happy! You, you can say, was my childhood friend, and suddenly, you rose to the top and became such a prominent high-ranking official! Hehe, my lord!"
"Hey, forget it!" The fat man frowned, "Why do you have to use such an accent! You and I are childhood friends-why come to this set of flattery in the officialdom!"
"Where can I go... How can you say that, my lord..." The thin man shrank even smaller, and said with a smile, "My lord is sympathetic...the nectar that makes me reborn...This is, my lord, my Son Naphnell... this is my wife Luisa, a Protestant, in a sense..."
The fat man wanted to refute him a few words, but seeing the thin man's frightened, flattering, humble look, the third-rank civil servant almost vomited.He turned his face away and held out a hand to the thin man in farewell.
The thin man clasped his three fingers, bowed to the ground, and smiled like a Chinese.His wife beamed.With a click, Naphner stopped his feet and saluted, and dropped the cap to the ground.The family of three felt both surprised and happy.
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