As usual, waiting for visitors, I stood in the corridor of my clinic, and, idly, smoking a cigarette, looked thoughtfully out the window. On the street, rustling in thick arcades of maple trees, the aromas of blossoming May invisibly flowed in a tender play of light and shade. As if intoxicated by them, in the green head of hair of crowns and roadside bushes, the ever-fussy birds echoed loudly and constantly. The air generously blew stunning morning freshness.

“Yet there is a considerable amount of cynicism in this,” I thought, making another puff with an involuntary smile. “That a doctor, who should be a guardian of health, can simply indulge in smoking himself!” And, not somewhere out there, but practically in the workplace! ”

However, I grinned at this, for, although I had for myself this very bad habit for a long time, I also owned a way in which I had the least harm to myself. The secret is simple - I always take a deep breath before dragging out, and only then, slowly and slowly savoring the smoke of the tobacco, I pass it through my lungs. That's all. Therefore, taking into account the fact that I do not smoke much, and I also have a fairly good breathing (thanks to my previous swimming lessons!) - this was really an indirect damage to me.

That's exactly the way “harmlessly” smoking, I glanced at the clock (on which it was already 8:30 in the morning!), Thoughtfully stared at a large mirror, which immediately hung on one of the walls of the corridor. His impassive reflection was a little tired, but rather beautiful 32-year-old woman. A pale-faced, gray-eyed woman, of medium height, with a wavy shock of pitch-black hair, a large, snub-nosed, sharp nose and ardent floral lips, richly colored with shiny dark cherry lipstick.

“Well, Maria Emilyevna you are just pretty! - I thought, not without irony, releasing new puffs of bright smoke from these puffy “flowers”. - Mature beauty in a white medical gown and ... unmarried ... "

With this last thought, I again deeply puzzled by the question, which, after the 30th anniversary, more and more strongly tormented my soul, namely, in the question of my amazing celibacy! Being endowed with angelic appearance (just poured by Vivien Leigh, only Russian “spill”!), Not bad brains and the beloved profession of a gynecologist, I could not understand why the hell I was still alone! Alone, despite the fact that since the time of school I had whole cohorts of fans that were replaced later in a string of various lovers, and then finally turned just into temporary suitor! But I really remained lonely, because I didn’t find myself so truly beloved.

“Perhaps the whole thing is in character ... - I thought, mentally referring to the reflection as if to a friend. - In perfectionist scorpio character ... Or because of a very good upbringing, which implanted so high ideals into the consciousness that they, as it turned out, do not exist ... However, why all these fortune telling, because everything is clear: men in such as you, see only beautiful dolls, which are suitable only for short intrigues and the roles of faithful "vests" ... They would not even think that in us, in women, besides appearance, there is also a soul .. . "

Again, subconsciously comforted by the thought that the unfaithful representatives of the stronger sex were to blame, I smiled at my reflection and again brought the cigarette to my lips.

“In the end, these are just stereotypes ...” I continued to think. - A man is no longer a sort of catalyst, which verifies the success of a woman. Today, a woman may well be happy and without marriage, for example, if she has a rather successful career. After all, some people have a whole trail of marriages, and in the end there is only the same loneliness, but the aching broken heart ...

Plunging into the wilds of these reflections, and, having come to the banal feminine conclusion - that, like the “gallant knights” had already long since died out among today's men, I, with a new smile, finally threw off the bloom of involuntarily infused sadness and looked again at the street.

It was at this moment, behind my back someone sighed heavily. I abruptly turned around and saw a man who, obviously waiting for someone, sat down on one of the chairs arranged along the corridor.

While smoking a cigarette, I scanned the visitor. In appearance he was at least 55-60 years old. Short but wide-shouldered, he had a wrinkled, elongated face with deep-set blue eyes (incredibly sadly looking from under the thick wings of dark eyebrows), a huge crooked nose and flat, almost colorless lips. Possessing a rather large head, covered with a furious head of graying dark-red hair, he was dressed in a spacious dark-brown shirt, ordinary blue jeans (girded with a dark belt) and brown sneakers.

“Oh, what a“ switch ”he has! - I was amazed, noting myself his most outstanding "feature." - The real "Roman switch"! And still twisted! I wonder, is he an Armenian? However, what's the difference, Maria Emilievna ?! No matter how you do not know that the size of the noses of men is very rarely similar to the size of their merits! And now march to him, yes look, do not scare! Act more delicately, otherwise he is obviously worried about something ... ”

Indeed, something very tormented the seated man - constantly glancing at the wall clock, he, almost without stopping, impatiently twitched ... with his knees!

Being absolutely sure that he came with a prostate problem (and therefore hesitates to contact me first!), I, having thrown the butt out of the window, slowly moved in his direction.

- Sorry, you probably come to me? - flashed on duty smile, how can I gently turned to him when I was beside him. - My name is, Maria, and I am a gynecologist ...

“No, no,” the man said in a pleasant voice, quickly lifting the infinitely sad blue of his eyes at me. - I came to the head of your clinic - to Grigory Gennadievich ... He is my old friend, and I just wanted to consult him about one problem ... Tell me, Maria, when will he arrive at work today?

“But he will not be today ...” I mumbled, involuntarily struck by his waking, sad look. - Grigory Gennadievich went to a council in another city ...

“Oh, it’s a pity, it’s a pity ...” the “Roman switch” took a deep breath, immediately rising from the chair. - Well, then I will go ...

Seeing that he darkened even more, I, with unexpectedly flared pity, put my hand on his shoulder.

- Wait! - I stopped him. - Maybe after all I can help you with something ...

- No, I do not need help ... - the man answered, and, noticing my arisen amazement, he explained. - I'm just in a hurry, because at 9 o'clock I have to feed my sick wife ...

- Feed ?! Sorry, but what is she sick?

- She has Alzheimer's ...

- Oh my God! So sad! But ... why are you caring for her? Is she not in the hospital?

- No, she is in the hospital ... However, I can't help but take care of her, because I still love her very much ...

I opened my mouth in amazement, for the first time I heard something like that!

“But she probably won't even recognize you ?!” - just burst out of my mouth.

“True,” the man smiled sadly. - The last five years, she really does not recognize me. She does not even remember who I had in her previous life ...

- And despite this, are you still in a hurry to her in the hospital ?!

- Yes. I told you - I love her very much ...

Seeing that I was already in a kind of stupor, he continued:

- Yes, I realize that she does not recognize me and does not remember my daily visits. But, but I remember who she is. And I remember everything that

we had a good time in living together ... And she, we, believe me, was pretty happy ...

Gently pushing my hand away from him, he headed for the exit.

- Wait! - Immediately burst out of my aching breasts.- Although, perhaps, this will not help, but I heard that taking buckwheat cereals improves the condition of patients with this syndrome a little!

“Yes, I know that ...” he replied, again, with a sad smile directing all the blue of his unusual eyes at me. - But still

Thank you for sympathy - you, Maria, a good woman ...

And, with these words, he retired from the clinic.

I, shocked to the depths of my soul, like a somnambulist, again went to the window.

“This is just incredible! - the thought sounded in me as a string, swiftly scrolling everything he said. - This can not be!

However, I saw him again - a short, ugly, but such an unusual man! (eroticspace) Covered with gentle sunshine, he, dullly bowing his massive head, walked quickly between tall columns of rustling trees. He walked in time to feed his sick lover again! Unhappy, mindless, but still beloved by him woman!

“Here she is true love! - I thought with a shudder, with all my eyes looking at the retreating like a saint. “The most true love is that any obstacles are powerless!”

And, no longer restraining herself, she began to tremble completely in weeping, simultaneously destroying all the old stereotypes and complexes in herself! I burst into tears so much that, having completely lost my sense of time, I simply could not stop!

- Maria, what about you ?! - I suddenly heard behind me the alarmed voice of Snezhana's colleague. - Someone offended you ?!

Hitting a cry, I did not even notice how she was near! And even with one of our patients!

“Everything is fine with me,” I quickly smothered myself through tears and smiled at them. - So, suddenly remembered one sentimental moment from childhood ...