He returned after shopping and visiting a spa beauty salon.
"The prices are rather big, of course". "But it is necessary to be in the native circle of contacts". "The writer-millionaire shouldn't be among the different ones ..."
On the table he found "Questions." Questions about that and about this... "The reviewer has leaved them on the table again". "What is literature?" - he has pressed "Questions" by the finger toward a table surface. - "This concept abstract ... It is possible to ask as much as necessary ... Life such is what it is ...".
He has phoned: "Have brought?"
In several seconds on his table laid the text of article prepared by an employee of a trusted literary factory.
He has thrown a cursory glance along the page: "Orders - the effective form of a governmental management..." "It is a big art to plan the orders correctly ..." "Until the one of the orders ten days. Until another - ten nights, until third - ten weeks.... " "After the each order there will be literary achievements ...".
To read further there was no mood.
"Of course, we will publish ..." - He has chuckled. - "All the same, nobody reads this newspaper ... Now are not those times ...".
"What else?"
He has written the instructions: " Editor. Proofreader. To publish" and phoned to the assistant:"You need to sign the act of partial performance of works on the grant. Visit me". Immediately he called the number of the accounts department. "Now will bring you the act of partial performance of work on a grant. Do the count of the honorarium and transfer money to me to the my bank cash card".
"After all, the cash machine will take time."
He has ironically smiled, having touched with a look the papers lying on a table: "Peter the Great was a person outstanding, but the Literary Prikaz hasn't created ...". [The pun of Russian words: order (instruction) = prikaz (executive governmental office)]. "Tomorrow at a meeting in the spa beauty salon this pun will be useful ...".
"It seems, for today - all."
He has called the service vehicle, and has gone to an exit.
May 5, 2018 17:17
Translation from Russian into English: May 5, 2018 22:43.
Владимир Владимирович Залесский "Скетч о литературном приказе".