They sent a girl... to the front

Vladimir Putin called everyone to the All-Russian Popular Front. Novaya Gazeta intern Klava Karyaeva did not understand why - there are so many organizations in the country that fight for our happiness. But since the prime minister called, we must go. Moreover, everywhere on the Internet they are promoting girls who are ready to break anything for Putin. Well, why is it worse? And she went.

I'm coming. There are five tables stuck into the narrow office. Behind them sits the popular front. I said hello. The first disappointment - no one even raised their heads... They clearly had no time for me. Some frantically clicked their mouse and could not tear themselves away from their computer screens. They probably counted the votes of those who joined. Others were sorting through the papers on the table - I decided that they were registering applications.
The longer I shifted from foot to foot, the more it was unclear to me what I was even doing here. “Here I am, a person who wants to help the Motherland,” I wanted to shout. I will shout, and they will praise me and tell Putin that I came myself, at the call of my heart.
I approached one of the front-line soldiers and mumbled that I would like to join the ONF. The sourness on his face instantly disappeared. “How are you an organization?” — the young man asked me enthusiastically. “I’m a natural person,” I was offended, but thought to myself: “And a pretty one at that.” And then, just in case, she lied: “And the organization too.”
Without asking either my name or the name of my organization, the man began meticulously explaining the formalities of joining the front. “So will you enroll me both as a person and as an organization? - I was happy. - How do you find out about this? - “Look on the website - lists appear there.”
As it turned out, only lists of organizations are posted on the ONF website. But an individual will not find himself there. So you’ll have to guess on the tea leaves whether you were accepted or not.
And then I - bang! - and I ask the main question, because of which I actually came: “What will I do at the front?”
My interlocutor was dumbfounded from surprise. At first I thought he swallowed his tongue. No, he came to his senses and some auntie shouted: “Natalya Alexandrovna, how can my organization participate in the ONF?” - “Send suggestions.” - “Will they be considered?” “The Popular Front is still just being formed,” thoughtfully answered Natalya Zagumennaya, who turned out to be an assistant to State Duma deputy Vasily Zakharyashchev.
“What can you offer?” - “Specific. Not “I don’t like the housing and communal services system,” but how to change it.”
Wow, I think there are entire ministries and scientific organizations racking their brains about how we can improve housing and communal services, and I alone will come up with everything and change everything. For some reason I didn't believe it. And it became sad, as if someone wanted to cheat me. It turns out that my brilliant ideas will be worked out in committees of the State Duma, and then move along the chain from one government agency to another.
“Organizations can join, but it (the movement?) is still being formed. It’s difficult to say who will remain at the front and what proposals will be accepted,” explained Natalya Alexandrovna.
After hearing this I wanted to cry and laugh. There are five people sitting in the office, and none of them have any idea what the people are joining. We are entering into something that does not exist. And most importantly, it seemed to me that it was like a labyrinth - it was impossible to find a way out.
“What do you want, honey? It takes a year just to register an organization. It’s only on TV that they tell you that everything can be done in a week,” they upset me even more.
“As soon as you join the front, it will start working,” a woman whom I had not noticed before intervened in our conversation. Probably, seeing the despondency on my face, she wanted to cheer me up. But she said this phrase with such a grin, as if she herself did not believe that this front would ever work.
For now, I was offered to follow the news on the ONF website and sit waiting for a miracle. I will torment the mouse, crawl around the ONF website and think about the future of a united Russia.

Klavdiya KARYAEVA