men who are always dissatisfied with everything, always fussing about something, and there is not much use in this. Something like that.
YAKOV (resigned): Come on… Of course, I'm no different from those men. I have never done anything so grandiose in my life. I worked like everyone else…, I always dreamed of something, I tried to succeed in my swamp, but… I realized too late that the only way to succeed in the swamp is to get stuck in it more strongly. And so it turned out. My years raced by a high-speed car along the highway of life. Leaving somewhere there all the brightest, most interesting and expensive.
VALENTIN (seriously): Yes, wait a minute to bury yourself. Yashka, what are you doing? I remember you as an interesting, intelligent guy with a sparkle in his eyes!
YAKOV (doomed): My eyes sparkled, Valentine, a long time ago.
VALENTIN (seriously): But wait, because the coolest girl in the course jumped out for you! Not for me, mind you, even though I was the ringleader, but for you! Isn't that saying something?
YAKOV (doomed): This suggests that I probably still represented something at that time, but now I don't even remember what it was. I am already a lost person in every sense of the word. In a couple of months, it will be fifteen years since Susanna and I are married.
VALENTIN (kindly): Oh! Congratulations!
YAKOV (sadly): Thank you, but… Somehow, this date does not add joy and optimism to me. You've seen how we are with her… My son is thirteen, an adult already. Then at school, then with friends-girlfriends. He doesn't come home, almost. But… It is understandable.
Valentin looks sadly at his friend, looks around, notices a bench – invites him to sit down with a gesture.
VALENTIN (kindly):
YAKOV (looks at his watch, shakes his head in resignation): Come on, I'm already late anyway.
They sit down on a bench.
VALENTIN (kindly): And where are you late? Something important?
YAKOV (sadly): Yes, it's my mother's birthday today. Here, my wife and I were going to look at the celebration, (she points to the package in her hand) we bought a gift and something for the table. Well… as you saw, it didn't come to a joint campaign.
VALENTIN (kindly): Yash, don't get upset. In this state, a holiday is not a holiday and life is not life. Tell me better, what happened with Susanna there? Why has family life brought you to such a state? After all, everything should be completely different? What's wrong? Where is the error?
YAKOV (sadly): Yes, if I knew where the mistake was, Valya, I would have corrected it a long time ago. And so… I'm afraid that my family equation is not at all with one variable. And it has not been possible for me to solve it for a long time.
VALENTIN (seriously): Wait a minute. But if everything is so bad, if everything is not a joy – so why not get a divorce?
YAKOV (sadly): Oh, Val. I hadn't thought of that. What a divorce. We have a son, and it makes sense to disperse. Who needs us now? When we were young-then there were still chances to build something with someone, and now… and it's wrong – divorce. No, I didn't think about it.
VALENTIN (seriously): So what? That's how you live, not because you want to live together, but because it seems like you just have to?
YAKOV (surprised): Well, yes. And what, someone lives somehow differently?
VALENTIN (seriously): Yes, many people live differently. For example, I live differently.
YAKOV (cheerfully): No, brother, I don't take you into account. You and Alla are still just having a candy-bouquet period. It will pass, and it will pass quickly, then you will understand me.
VALENTIN (seriously): I hope that I will not understand, because our period, as you put it, candy-bouquet, has been going on for nine years.
YAKOV (incredulously): How much?
VALENTIN (seriously): Nine, you heard right.
YAKOV (incredulously): I didn't understand. And why are you so happy then, as if you've been dating for at most six months? What the hell is this? No, old man, you must be laughing at me. It doesn't happen that way… And then, your Alla is all shining next to you, like a polished nickel! I have never seen such a married couple! When I saw you two together, I actually thought that this young girl was your mistress.
VALENTIN (with warmth): We are the same age, Yash.
YAKOV (incredulously): Don't lie!
VALENTIN (with warmth): Well, almost one. She is younger by a couple of years, but what does this change?
YAKOV (incredulously): Yes, she looks twenty years younger than me, and we are the same age! However… to tell the truth, you yourself look younger than your years… either I'm older than my own…
VALENTIN (with warmth): Just a happy woman always looks great. A happy woman has no age. She is always young, fresh, energetic and attractive.
Yakov scratches the back of his head.
YAKOV (sadly): What a day it is for such a day! Some disorders. First, I spent twice as much money on a gift as I planned, then I had a fight with my wife, now I've met you with your beautiful Alla – I don't want to live at all now!
The beautiful Alla comes on the stage. She does not come close, she makes herself felt from afar to her husband. He notices her, gets up from the bench.
VALENTIN (cheerfully): So! Yasha, give it to me… Cheer up and smile! You're going to your mom's birthday party. Leave all your worries on this bench. Get up and go celebrate, and tomorrow let's meet you and me in that (pointing to a cafe somewhere there) cafe, say at one o'clock! I think I understand what's going on, there are thoughts on how you can sort everything out. Tomorrow is a day off, can you come up?
YAKOV (sadly, looking towards the cafe): Per hour?
VALENTIN (cheerfully): Aha!
YAKOV (doomed, on an exhalation): Ah…, I can.
VALENTIN (cheerfully): Well, that's it, then, it's done, so until tomorrow?
Yakov gets up, the friends shake hands with each other. Valentin goes to Alla, Alla nods goodbye to Yakov and waves to him with a pen. Yakov nods to her in response, they disperse.
Valentin and Alla leave the stage, holding the handle. They are good together.
Yakov turns around, looks after the departing couple.
YAKOV (openly envious): Dddaaaa…
ZTM.
2 Visiting my mother
Mom's apartment.
A cozy, modest home of the average Russian pensioner.
Aurora Moiseevna is busy with the housework, a little nervous. The small table has been set for a long time, there are no guests, she alone puts the room in order, puts the final touches so that everything is decorous and noble.
Yakov enters the apartment.
YAKOV (not too festive, more businesslike): Hey, Mom. Happy Birthday to you.
Aurora
