Natalie left the office, and, closing the door behind her, went downstairs.

A car spattered with autumn mud stood alone in the parking lot. Everyone has already gone ... She looked up. The building, with its dark window openings, seemed like a huge asleep giant. The wind ruffled her hair, and the smell of wet foliage left no doubt - autumn came into its own. Another sheet torn by a gust of wind touched her raincoat ...

The puddles ... the leaves that filled them were like patchwork blankets with their own, incomprehensible patterns for all ...

Stepping over the puddles Natalie went to the car. Pulling out the keys, she once again looked at the dark sky with scraps of clouds. Autumn...

Outside the window, the city’s quarters flickered, the wind scattered trash, rare passersby were wrapped in raincoats ... Light rain smears the outlines of houses, people, cars ... And it is already very late ... I want to sleep ...

The guy was walking along the sidelines. The clothes are clearly from the store of second-hand things, Chinese sneakers ... His hair stuck together in icicles, the sweater, already very wet, dangled.

Natalie stopped the car and lowered the glass. Along with raindrops, the smell of the street penetrated the salon, with its special, unique night fragrance.

She signaled. The guy looked at her in surprise. Natalie horned again. She already felt the excitement of the game, the game of situations without any rules. Life by the rules is boring, knowledge of the causality of events tires ...

The guy leaned toward the open window. Natalie nodded silently on the seat. The guy, squinting, tried to examine the woman's face in the twilight of the salon. Natalie pushed the door.

- Sit down ...

Morning. The same overcast as yesterday. Clothes are scattered in the half-twilight of the apartment, bottles of champagne lie near the crumpled bed. In the bathroom, the sound of water. The guy is gone. Natalie is in the shower.

... A strange guy ... a stallion ... when he was seen then he had everything, or almost everything ... a loser ...

The body ached from pleasure after the night, its knees shook, and its chin treacherously trembled.

Suit, stockings, shoes, hairstyle, manicure, makeup - normal.

Negotiations in two hours. Natalie had time. She was in shape.

The car, already clean, stood in the parking lot. Natalie did not like drivers, and always, when there was an opportunity, she drove herself.

A cup of coffee and juice in a cafe, a cigarette and call mom. All the time to go.

At the table, she had already received the latest reports and reports; mineral water had not yet become steeped. She looked around. Negotiations on neutral territory ... do not understand the partner’s bias, there is nothing to cling to ...

Yeah ... here they are ... Well, with God ...

Before Natalie sat a woman of about fifty, with still faded eyes. They nodded to each other.

Natalie glimpsed those sitting opposite.

The second from the woman was a young man with long hair tied at the back of his head with a silk ribbon.

He adjusted his glasses and looked in her direction. And nodded. Natalie recognized him. This was her nightly guest.

26.08.2000