# Tanker "Derbent". A literary blues

de Overwood Henry

MMMDCCXLV. Tanker "Derbent". A literary blues. - January 7, 2026.

Tanker "Derbent". A literary blues.


I once met a salesgirl at a stationery store. To be honest, she didn't make a very positive impression on me when I met her.


After this acquaintance, interesting things began to happen. I began to see her abnormally often on a street under different circumstances.


One day I saw her at a bus stop.


I remembered all the strange coincidences-meetings. I approached her. I set myself for the right mood and I made to her a not entirely modest, mutually beneficial offer (with a perspective).


She answered me, with a proud, that she had completed her studies at a specialized secondary educational institution and was leaving Rostov in a few days to start working as a train conductor.


I told her melancholically, "This is a hard job." She began to actively object to these my words. That was the end of our acquaintance.


From time to time, I thought about her when I learned the news about various transport incidents involving trains.


And recently there was information about new railway carriages, which, along with other comfortable things, will have safes for passengers to place their valuables.


About the safe (in the hotel) I remembered when I was talking to a pretty young woman when I was waiting for a starting functioning of a some government body. (She was a young woman with the independent family plans and prospects). She and I arrived before the start of the working day at this organization and - while waiting - got into a conversation. She, among other stories, remembered her friend (girl), who, together with her friend's mother, flew to a resort located on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea.


This friend (girl) (with her mother) left all her numerous gold jewelry at the hotel and went to the beach.


When she returned to the hotel after the beach, she did not find her valuables.


Then there were the details about the return (flight back) to Russia.


To keep up the conversation, I remembered a case where one of the famous Russial women-singers flew to a resort located on the shores of the warm sea. At a local hotel, she put three hundred thousand euros in the safe (located in her room), and soon discovered that the safe was empty: three hundred thousand euros had mysteriously disappeared.


I said to the pretty young woman I met (thoughtfully): "It's hard to make much money using a hotel business."


This young woman, who was not only pretty, but also smart, repeated these words thoughtfully (and even with pleasure) without any contesting.: "It's hard to make much money using a hotel business..."


A couple of days ago, late at night, taxi drivers from different cities were describing about their difficult work on live radio. Any taxi car requires expenses every day (gasoline, car wash, various deductions). To earn an amount significantly exceeding expenses, taxi drivers need to work very hard.


One of the taxi drivers who called the live radio broadcast shared such a thought: "Those who mined gold in Alaska during the gold rush did not get rich. Those who provided services to them, such people got rich: merchants, carriers, guides (connaisseurs of local conditions and routes), and so on."


Listening to these taxi drivers' stories, I remembered my cycling trips (wellness activities). One of my bike routes took place in the area of private houses. There was an attractive mansion, next to which there was always an empty taxi car.


I enjoyed looking at the beautiful private house, at the empty (without a driver) taxi car constantly parked next to this mansion. And I had philosophical reflections. As a rule, I rode a bike independently, so I didn't share my philosophical thoughts with anyone.


I recently heard the news that on some tanker (on the board of that ship?) the team painted the flag of a serious state, apparently to avoid trouble.


Apparently, the tanker hoped that the flag of a serious state would provide a greater security compared to the initial flag of the ship registry holder.


Maybe the wisdom, life experience, and awareness of a some taxi driver showed a significance?


However, if to apply the experience of the participants in the gold rush in Alaska, it would correct to admit that it is not oil carriers (tankers) who earn a wealth, but it's the insurance companies (which insure tankers carrying oil).


January 07, 2026, 19:35 (7:35 p.m.)


Translation from Russian into English: January 8, 2026, 09:57

Владимир Владимирович Залесский " Танкер "Дербент". Литературный блюз. "


{ 3774. Танкер "Дербент". Литературный блюз. - 7 января 2026 г.

MMMDCCXLV. Tanker "Derbent". A literary blues. - January 7, 2026.


Vladimir Zalessky Internet-bibliotheca. Интернет-библиотека Владимира Залесского}