З життя
Смуток дощових струмків за вікном бабусі
Бабуся Олена сиділа біля вікна, спостерігаючи, як вода від дощу стікає по склу. Третій день поспіль падає дощ, ніби небо плаче і ніяк не заспокоїться. Як і моє життя, лише сльози, нічого доброго. Для чого жила? Для чого ходила по землі? Лише щоб страждати? Зараз самотня, зовсім одна, нікого з рідних на цілому світі не залишилося.
Вчора її знову обдурили. Прийшли дві гарні дівчата, подарунки почали роздавати, заговорили зуби і залишили без копійки. Як їм не повірити? Адже люди ж, не звірі безсоромні. І хоча обдурювали не раз, я все одно вірю людям. Так усе життя й обманювали.
По щоках бабусі Олени потекли сльози. Нещаслива доля була в неї. Чоловік-алкоголік помер. Сина посадили, там його і не стало. Все здоров’я віддала заводові, за копійки та грамоти. Скільки разів людям допомагала, а в замін лише обман і сльози.
Бабуся Олена підійшла до холодильника. Як тепер до пенсії дожити? Ще цілих десять днів. Навіть на хліб дрібниць немає. Позичати в сусідів? Ні, ніколи не позичала і не буду.
У холодильнику лежали два сирих яйця, пів пляшки молока і чверть батону. Ні, сьогодні не буду їсти, краще завтра поїм. Чи, може, одне яйце сьогодні, друге завтра. Ні, краще обидва завтра.
Бабуся Олена знову сіла біля вікна. Погляд упав на сміттєвий бак. Ні, ні, ніколи вона не піде до смітника, який сором. Що люди подумають… Краще вже лягти і померти відразу.
Сльози самі собою текли по зморщеному обличчю. В двері подзвонили. Бабуся Олена пішла відчиняти.
— Йду, йду. Хто там? — витираючи сльози питає вона.
— Це я, Іван, бабусю Олено, — почувся глухий голос з-за дверей.
— Ванечко, — радісно відчинила вона двері, — Ванечко мій приїхав!
Іван, колишній сусідський хлопчина, з яким вона часто проводила час, коли його батьки були зайняті. Багато років його приводили до бабусі Олени. Спочатку приводили, а потім він сам почав приходити і проводити з нею чимало часу. Іван для неї став як рідний син. Коли Ваня виріс, поїхав шукати щастя далеко. І ось повернувся, відразу до неї, до бабусі Олени.
— Заходь, Ванечко, заходь, — заспішила бабуся Олена, — як ти мене порадував.
— А ти що, плакала бабусю Олено? — знімаючи куртку, запитує Іван.
— Та ні, Ванечко… чого мені плакати… Задрімала я трохи…
— Я тепер фірму свою в наше місто перевожу, тому тепер часто бачитись будемо. Та що з тобою, бабусю Олено? Знову сльози на обличчі.
Бабуся Олена похитнулася і сперлася рукою об стіну.
— Це від радості, Ванечко, від радості. Щось голова закрутилася.
Іван підхопив бабусю, посадив на стілець і прямо до холодильника пішов.
— Тепер бачу від чого у тебе голова кружляється, — почула вона незадоволений голос Івана.
Через півгодини Іван приніс два пакети з продуктами і почав годувати бабусю Олену. Він підливав її чай і розказував про своє життя. А вона зніяковіло усміхалася, дивлячись на стіл, завалений продуктами, і тихо витирала сльози. Ну звідки вони тільки беруться, ці сльози?
Так вони проговорили до самого вечора. Коли Іван йшов, у бабусі Олени затремтіли губи, і вона намагалася щось сказати.
— Що, бабусю Олено? — запитує Іван.
— Сину, — прошептала бабуся.
— Бабусю Олено, — обійняв він бабусю, — ніколи більше тебе не залишу. Тепер я завжди буду поряд.
Іван пішов, а бабуся Олена сіла на своє улюблене місце біля вікна і знову заплакала. Тільки це були зовсім інші сльози.
— А я вже грішною справою про людей погано почала думати, — говорить сама собі старенька. — Хіба можна про людей погано думати? Он який Ванечка мій став. І гроші його зовсім не зіпсували. Все такий же добрий і уважний. Як приїхав, відразу до мене. Не забув стару. Ріднішого за Ванечку нікого у мене нема. Мов рідний син. Тепер і вмирати не хочеться. Жити ще хочеться…
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