З життя
Торгівля цуценятами біля входу в метро з літерою “М”.
На стику метро, біля таблички “М”, жінка продавала цуценят. На картонній табличці було написано породу та вартість. І що “шукаємо добрі руки”.
Колись, коли ще не було інтернет-оголошень, саме так і продавали.
Я бігла до метро і мимохідь помітила три симпатичні вушасті мордочки, що стирчали з кошика.
Через чотири години я поверталася додому, виходила з метро і побачила ту саму жінку, але вже з одним цуценям. Очевидно, двох вдалося продати.
Я підійшла подивитися, хоча не планувала купувати цуценя.
Біля жінки стояв хлопчик років дванадцяти, у нього в руках були зім’яті купюри. Неподалік стояв чоловік у чорних окулярах, у костюмі, з дорогим годинником. Він квапився.
– Я дам більше, ніж він, – сказав чоловік власниці цуценяти, кивнувши на хлопчика. – Удвічі. Це для дитини. Забув купити подарунок…
Я зрозуміла, що вони обидва претендують на цуценя, і якщо це торги, то цуценя однозначно дістанеться чоловіку.
Хлопчик поліз у кишені, витяг усе, що мав, а це було багато дріб’язку:
– Я розбив скарбничку. Це все, що в мене є. Батьки дозволили, сказали тільки, що грошей не дадуть, у них немає. Я ще у друзів позичив. Ось усе, що маю…
Жінка-продавчиня глянула на чоловіка в окулярах і сказала:
– Вибачте, але я хлопчику віддам. Для мене важливо, щоб у добрі руки. Бачу, хлопчик дуже любитиме цуценя. Він готовий віддати все, що має, вже сьогодні…
І протягнула цуценя абсолютно щасливому хлопцеві. Той узяв його ніжно, трепетно, ніби боявся пошкодити, а цуценя тремтіло, мабуть, від страху чи стресу. Щастя — це ж теж стрес.
– Ой, а гроші, гроші ж! – засуєтився хлопчик, намагаючись віддати те, що обіцяв, однією рукою обіймаючи нового друга, а іншою поліз у кишеню.
– Не треба грошей, купи на них своїй собаці все необхідне, хороший корм, поводок…
– Ой, як це? Справді? Не візьмете? – хлопець майже плакав. Він засунув цуценя всередину своєї куртки, щоб зігріти, і стало помітно, що вони навіть трохи схожі.
– Не візьму. Бережіть одне одного, – усміхнулася жінка і помахала їм на прощання.
– Ой, так чудово, що ви у хлопчика грошей не взяли, – сказала я, спостерігаючи за цією сценою.
– Я ні в кого не взяла, – відповіла жінка. – Я спеціально пишу ціну, щоб зрозуміти, чи готова людина в принципі витрачатися на собаку, чи є у неї кошти.
Я назавжди відлітаю з цього міста і не хочу, щоб цуценята моєї улюбленої собаки залишилися на вулиці через недобросовісних господарів, які пізно зрозуміють, що не готові годувати ще один рот. Я віддала цуценят тим, хто… не зрадить.
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