I notice it from afar. Long-haired, stooped, with glasses - even in the dark it is hard not to recognize. In a gray coat with a hood thrown over her head, she quickly minces along the path in my direction. She looks down at her feet and actively waves her right hand so as not to slip. Left she holds the bag.

Here between the kindergarten and the house formed a narrow trodden path leading to the subway. I am already walking along this path, between us twenty meters - no more. Suddenly I slip and fall. I lie on my back in a snowdrift, roll onto my side, clutching my ankle.

In indecision, it seems to stop, I would not be surprised if she turns around now and runs back. But this is stupid. As I understand it! Then she takes a desperate move: she accelerates and flies past. She looks a little to the side, holding the hood, ostensibly shielding itself from the wind. Pretends not to notice me. Well done! I do not blame her, I would have done the same in her place.

The young man is not dead, he has enough strength to rise and go further. And what can she do? She is a frail weak girl. She does not drag this goon on her hands.

I make a loud moan. It hurts, it hurts terribly. Damn it! Are you a man or a heartless bastard like everyone else? You can stop and at least ask if he needs help.

Poor thing. She breaks her eyes. Every step costs her tremendous effort. Finally, it does not stand up and stops, as rooted to the spot. Slowly, she turns around and walks to me, guiltily, bowing her head, still hoping that I will now jump and will not need to come into contact with me. There is a grimace of pain on my face, I am squeezing my ankle with both hands. How long does it go.

Finally, she comes up and I meet her gaze.

- Are you okay? - on her face was a helpless guilty expression.

I know that now I need to help her and start to rise. I quickly get up on one leg, the other dangles in the air. I step on it, and a sharp pain again pierces me.

- Thank. I probably will go myself. You go, please, I would not want to delay you.

I make a colorful leap on one foot in the direction of the subway, the bag slips off my shoulder and falls into a snowdrift. Bending down, standing on one leg, is very uncomfortable.

- Let me help, - she eagerly grabs at any opportunity to be useful.

- The bag is heavy. Better I myself - she's not at all heavy. I specifically did not put anything in it today.

“It’s not hard at all,” she happily repeats my thoughts out loud and takes my bag.

She has the wrong bite. I notice it just now. The lower jaw is as if pressed deep, and the upper two teeth are ridiculously sticking out. Her mouth is small. When she is silent, this defect is almost imperceptible. And when she lisps, the upper sponge rises and forms a circle with sharp teeth in the center.

I am glad that mutual understanding has arisen between us. We are slowly heading towards the subway. From excitement, I forget to hover. At such moments, the main thing is not to give out your true intentions. Otherwise, she will suspect that something is wrong and forever slam the door in front of me.

I do not ask what her name is, not interested, she is studying or working and what her plans are for Saturday. God forbid, ask her about plans for Saturday. Now my only concern is to walk home. A sense of gratitude will wake up in me at night, at first I will be tormented by doubts about her appearance, then remorse of conscience that I generally think about my appearance, I cannot sleep, I will be tossing and turning from side to side, thinking about what kind of a fool didn't even ask this compassionate girl for a phone number.

Tomorrow I will meet her by chance in the corridor, I will immediately recognize, limping, I will go up to her, ask her her name, tell her my name. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. So we get to know each other.