I saw her by chance. Something attracted my attention to her. This gait, flying and at the same time confident and even heavy. She was wearing tight jeans, a loose sweater and boots with a thick sole and high-heeled shoes. “Where do they get such shoes in this country?” I still managed to think. Our eyes met, and she suddenly stopped. Her features were unfamiliar to me and at the same time painfully recognizable. I lowered my eyes. She stood with her legs slightly apart so that there was a gap where the central seam bends around the pubis and goes further down and back. Her wide hips swayed toward me and I looked up.

- Tell me, do you speak Russian? She asked.

- Yes. And how did you know? - I replied and immediately realized it. - Probably in your city Russian seen from afar? - and smiled. For some reason, I remembered a case in a supermarket, when I saw a man and was quite sure that he was Russian. I do not know, probably by sight. But I did not check it.

- It seemed to me that I know you. She said and smiled at the corners of her lips. The winter sun shone in her profile, emphasizing a little harsh but very gentle features. She looked at me straight, with a touch of sadness. For some reason I really wanted to stroke her hair, which gently shone in the sun.

- Not. But it seems to me that I am beginning to recognize you. - I replied.

- Why do you think so?

- No meeting happens by chance. Especially on the street. - I smiled.

- Are you a fatalist?

- To some extent, yes. When it helps to live.

- I do not bother you, maybe you are busy?

No, no, I'm just now free. - I replied, thinking that before the train left, it was still 5 hours. - Maybe we will go to you, if you do not mind?

- I do not mind. - She replied, straightening naughty strand.

- Do you live here? - I asked, after we went together in the direction of the street with a bunch of cafes and shops.

- Yes. And you?

- I'm leaving today.

- When did you arrive?

- Last night.

- Strange.

- What is strange?

- Last night I could not find a place for myself. And today, instead of working, I hang around the streets, look at people, at the city ... - she squinted, shielding herself from the bright sun. I looked at her, walking nearby. inhaling an unfamiliar scent of perfume and suddenly thought how strange everything was, as if I had already seen it somewhere.

- When I saw you, it seemed to me. that I know you a long time ago, not even since childhood, but even earlier. You understand me? - she continued.

- Once this was with me. - I replied. - But it was a long time ago.

- And how old are you? She asked.

- 32 - I answered - a round number.

- Why round? - she was surprised.

- Two in the fifth degree.

She laughed.

- I have a husband - a programmer, he also counts everything for 2, 4, 8, 16. Do you also program?

- Rather, administer.

- Do you teach users?

“What do you teach with my tongue?” I administer the server. In order not to fall. Head over to the cafe? - I asked.

- With pleasure.

The cafe smelled of coffee and pastry. We sat down at a table by the window.

- I'll smoke? She asked.

- Smoke of course. - I replied.

- But do you smoke?

- Not.

- For some reason, I thought so at once. That's why she asked - she smiled.

- What coffee are you?

- Usual. And you?

- I do not drink coffee. Better tea.

Her hand happened to be near mine. I guess I didn’t think at all what I was doing, because I began to lightly touch the fingers with her fingers. Her skin was a matte color, for some reason I wanted to press my lips to her and inhale her scent. She gently opened her hand, turned her palm up and we began to lightly touch the fingers of each other’s fingers. I found her other hand with her other hand and squeezed lightly. My eyes closed by themselves, and I suddenly began to recognize these curves, this thin skin, small but strong palm.I wanted to feel with my lips her lips, the hope that I long ago stumbled into a corner again appeared ...

- What's the matter? - I opened my eyes - Are you all right?

- Yes - I shook my head and found that coffee and tea are already on the table.

She took out a cigarette from a pack, then, after rummaging in her purse, a lighter. Little Zippo, I have never seen such before.

“Did you buy it here?” - I asked.

- No, this is a gift - she smiled.

She opened the lid, struck the wheel, but the lighter did not ignite. After several unsuccessful attempts, she put it on the table and began to look around.

- Do you have a random match? She asked.

“No,” I replied, and took the cold metal box in my hand. I imagined how several times a day she was taken into a small tender palm, sometime in a hurry, sometime in exasperation, sometime in joy. Every day several times this box feels her warmth, her skin, her fingers. I automatically opened the lid and struck a wheel. A small living flame fluttered in the iron railing.

“Probably you need to warm her up first,” I suggested.

“Thank you,” she said, and lit it. At the same time, her palms clasped mine for a moment.

“Doesn't smoke bother you?”

- Not.

She touched her lips to a cup of coffee and took a sip.

- Where are you staying?

- Already anywhere. I checked out of the hotel this morning.

- Are you leaving today?

- In 4 and a half hours.

She thought. I watched a wisp of smoke slowly rising up from the tip of my cigarette. Who is she, so unexpectedly met me in this city? The world shrank around me, only her silhouette remained against the window. Is it really? No, it can not be.

- Can I take you?

- Yes of course. - I realized that I could not leave already so easily. I was starting to find out. Recognize the person I have been looking for all my life. This voice, soft hands, velvety skin. I was mistaken so many times, took what I wished for real, in distant Moscow I had a wife with whom it was always fun and fun. The only thing that clouded my attitude towards her - I did not feel that she needed me. She always needed something from me - tenderness, attention, sex, joint trips, discussions. But there was some kind of emptiness that I could not fill. I was afraid. I was terribly afraid to make a mistake. The painful pain of leaving women who loved me remained in my memory. I could not leave. As soon as I realized that it was not the TA that I was looking for, I immediately understood that I could not look no further. I could not lie to them (for a long time) therefore I left. Who was sitting in front of me now? I didn’t even want to think and assume, didn’t want to risk hurting what is so dear to me ...

“Your tea's cool.”

- Oh, yes, thank you. - I took a sip and did not feel the taste of tea.

She was finishing her last sip of coffee. When the cup was already on the table, I took her hand in my hand and covered it with the second palm. She did not move away. With the fingers of her second hand, she began gently stroking my brush, repeating all the projections and bends, as if trying to remember it forever ... Rattle

the dishes behind us brought us back to reality.

- You probably should go.

I looked at ...