Chapter 15 crisis

A few days ago, a horse-drawn cart transported bricks on the street.Man, that's absolutely true. In my heart, you know, I feel sweet.It's building a house, man.Otherwise, what are you doing with the bricks?A building must be built somewhere, and it has finally begun.Don't say it, don't say it, it will bring bad luck if you say more good things! Maybe twenty years later, maybe not so much time, every citizen can have a room.If the population does not increase rapidly, and abortion is allowed, then a person may have two rooms, maybe a person can have three rooms, with a bathroom.

We'll be living in luxury until then, man.For example, one is for sleeping, one is for meeting guests, and the other is for other uses...it will always be useful, life is so comfortable, there are plenty of uses. Right now, housing is still a little tight.Once there is a housing crisis, people seem a little stingy.As for me, brother, I used to live in Moscow and have just come back.Experience the housing crisis firsthand. When I first arrived in Moscow, I was traveling around with my luggage, and there was nothing I could do.Take it easy to find a place to stay, there is no place to put your things.

I wandered the streets with my things for two weeks, and my beard was unshaven. I lost some things here and there, and lost them all.I walked around the streets empty-handed, looking for a place to live. Finally, a man was seen coming down the stairs in a building. He said: "For thirty rubles, I will put you in the bathroom. This house is very rich... There are three toilets... There is a bathroom, so you can live in the bathroom. There is no window, but there is one." Door, water is very convenient. If you want, you can fill the bath with water and soak all day." I said: "Dear comrade, I'm not a fish. I don't need to soak all the time. I want to live in a dry place. For the humidity, you should deduct two dollars."

He said: "No, comrade. I would like to reduce it, but it can't be done. It's not all up to me. The house is shared by several families. We have pricing for the bathroom here, and we don't want to bargain." I said: "Oh, I can't help it. Well, I'll let you charge me thirty rubles to move in early. I've been driving around for three weeks, and I'm getting tired." It was all right, let me in.I also stayed. The bathroom is really big enough.No matter where you step your feet, it is not a marble bath, or a hot water pipe or a faucet.But there is no place to sit, unless you sit on the edge of the pool, then you have to slide down again, and slide right into the marble pool.

I built a plank shop and lived there. After a month, I got married. You know, this lady of mine is young and fresh, and has a good temper.But without a house, I murmured to myself, she would have to brag to me when she flushed the bathroom, I would never be able to taste the happiness and peace of a small family.I didn't expect that she didn't care, didn't brag to me, but frowned slightly, and replied: "It's nothing, there are good people who live in the bathroom. If it doesn't work, we can use a small room. For example, this is the living room, and this is the living room. Do restaurant..."

I said, "Ma'am, the house can be divided into small rooms, but those residents are too wicked to allow them to be separated. They have long been shouting: no small rooms are allowed." Forget it, just live like this. Less than a year later, we gave birth to a little baby. We named him Volodka, and he still lives like that.This is near the water, so we bathe him in this bathroom, and that's how we live. It turned out not too bad.The doll can take a bath every day without catching a cold at all. There was only one inconvenience. Every night, the tenants of the building crowded into the bathroom to take a shower.

At this time, our family had to squat in the corridor. I begged the tenant and said: "Everyone, you take a bath on Saturday, you can't come to take a bath every day. How will we live? You have to think about it for me." There were thirty-two of these bastards, all of them cursed and raised their fists at every turn to frighten people. How to do it?no way!Let's get over it. After a while, my wife's mother came to the bathroom from out of town.We housed her behind the hot water pipe. She said: "I have been anxious to have a grandson for a long time, you have to let me enjoy this blessing."

I said: "You can hug your grandson, I have no objection. Old lady, you can hug or shake it, it's up to you. You can fill the bath with water and play with your grandson." I said to my wife again: "Ma'am, maybe you have relatives who want to come, then you should just tell them all and stop torturing others." She said: "Maybe only my brother will come when he's off for Christmas..." I left Moscow without waiting for my brother-in-law.Now I send the money home on time. (1925)⑧ Translated by Gu Yaling and Bai Chunren