...A pile of gnawed chicken bones appeared on the sidewalk, a mound of bald tires grew in the middle of the pavement, plastic cans fell out of nowhere, beer cans rolled, jingling and bouncing, a blizzard swirled with shreds of old newspapers... And now the street was filled with waste at lightning speed: the first floor was out of sight, the second... “A-ah-ah!!!” - the dying cry echoed dully: this unfortunate passer-by disappeared forever into the fetid abyss.

A classmate told me this story. We are talking about his elderly distant relative from the Leningrad region. A disabled person of the second group, a veteran, about to turn seventy, with 57 years of work experience. Former jet engine test mechanic. Lives alone. And he’s been waiting his turn on the phone... for 37 years now. Nikolai Ivanovich Ivanov is a prisoner of a children's concentration camp: he spent more than two years, from March 1943 to May 1945, in Brandenburg.

Any Soviet citizen who has traveled around his vast country on official business or solely for entertainment purposes is probably very familiar with two inscriptions: “Welcome” and “No vacancies.” The first, as a rule, was reassuring near the station and even directly in front of the hotel itself. The second, in the form of a sign on the desk of the administrator on duty, shattered all illusions already inside the temple of hospitality.

The loss of the famous human rights activist Yuli Rybakov in the 206th Duma district is regarded as one of the biggest surprises of the past elections. Well, or the most unexpected mistakes... The deputy, who was elected twice in this very district, which has the reputation of being the most democratic in the city, lost to the “dark horse” Andrei Benin. Or maybe they were betting on the wrong one?..

We have compacted and will continue to compact! Well, a business center stood five meters from a neighboring residential building, thereby hiding people in a stone bag... Well, they destroyed an ancient park area... Just think - disaster! But global development of territories is taking place, comprehensive plans are being implemented, construction firms are getting richer, and officials are not sitting idle. And the opinion of some townspeople... You can’t please everyone!

“Did you hear? The gondola has arrived! Wow! Tomorrow it will sail!..” The news was passed from mouth to mouth, acquiring incredible details along the way. The TV crews were rubbing their hands, anticipating a unique shot: breaking the crust of ice, through the wind and blizzard, a brave Italian boat was sailing along the Neva, and the blue gondoliers were delivering their serenade in hoarse voices. But there was no surprise.