Аннотация: MMMDCCXIX. Astrology and Rose. A story. - November 17, 2025.
Astrology and Rose. A story.
Many years ago, Sergei Sergeievich met a charming girl.
What did she do? What was she busy with? What education did she have?
Is all this interesting, if the girl was born under the astrological sign of Capricorn?
At the time, Sergei Sergeievich was fascinated by astrology. He created horoscopes for his acquaintances (using a computer program), and bought special calendars at the beginning of each year: those calendars described each day of the year through (according to) the positions of the stars and planets.
The girl, like all Capricorns, had a calm nature and a pleasant demeanor. With such a pleasant Capricorn, a longer and more stable relationship could have been possible.
At the time, Sergei Sergeievich owned a car, and he drove around the city with this girl, visiting various places.
Before each meeting with the girl, he stopped the car in front of a flower market and bought for the girl the most beautiful rose with the longest stem.
The girl was politely accepting the rose as a gift. She happily participated on car rides, together with Sergei Sergeievich.
One day, while a driving along the Left Bank of the Don River, Sergei Sergeievich stopped by a lake, which he had visited several times " in a simple way " (that is, by parking the car on the side of a dirt road and carefully wading through the reeds into the relatively clear waters of the lake).
This time, the car was left in the specialized parking lot, and Sergei Sergeievich, together with the girl, visited a two-story restaurant located on the lakeshore.
Everything was, generally speaking, decent. (The visit took place on the second floor). Sergei Sergeievich didn't remember of the food and dishes... - but that's not the main point. The main thing was - the girl was pleased with this visit to the restaurant.
Sergei Sergeievich continued to give the girl roses, and she continued to ride (by the car) with him. But things were not moving forward.
Furthermore, one day Sergei Sergeievich was walking with the girl along Bolshaya Sadovaya Street, past Gorky Park. Street artists painted express-portraits. Sergei Sergeievich ordered an artist to draw a portrait of the girl.
The portrait was completed, and Sergei Sergeievich paid the artist.
But upon closer inspection, both he and the girl noticed a slight asymmetry (in a drawing).
Well, that's not a problem! Sergei Sergeievich offered to order a new portrait and/or to take a good photograph.
However! The girl refused the new portrait as well as the good photograph. With a pleasant smile, she informed Sergei Sergeievich that he would have to live with this portrait.
This turn of events disappointed Sergei Sergeievich.
One day, he took advantage of the situation and delivered the girl (closer) to his house, under the pretext that he had a beautiful rose growing in his yard. Sergei Sergeievich had no ulterior motive. He hoped to seduce the girl with the rose growing in his yard and to accelerate the development of their relations.
The girl-when the car stopped near Sergei Sergeievich's house-discovered her (literary) talent as a playwright. Sergei Sergeievich felt as if he were inside a theatrical production of Mikhail Lermontov's book "Bela" ("A Hero of Our Time"). But whereas in Lermontov's book, the "superfluous man" ("unnecessary man") Pechorin kidnapped Bela and received from her everything she could give to Pechorin, in the case of the girl born under the sign of Capricorn, Sergei Sergeievich had to play the role of Pechorin-until (before) the obviously unsuccessful kidnapping. And to limit himself to glancing at her beautiful face (and at her delightful smile) during their encounters.
The unexpected transition to the role of a provincial actor, to the unexpectedly playing (the role of) Pechorin (and not quite Pechorin)-such prospect did not appeal to Sergei Sergeievich.
Anton Chekhov, reflecting on his calling as a playwright, called himself (as) Schiller Shakespeareovich. But Sergei Sergeievich, under the circumstances, had no such option. He would have been forced to call (as) (with the name of) Schiller Shakespeareovich not (of) himself, but (of) the girl, born under the astrological sign of Capricorn.
In any case, without getting out of the car and without inspecting the rose, the driver and the female passenger continued on their way.
Summer was in full swing. The intensity of legal proceedings had subsided due to the holidays (vacations). However, the cases still persisted. Sergei Sergeievich was busy with legal matters. He met periodically with clients. One of his clients once mentioned gentlemen who are giving ladies a rose every time they met. (Rostov is a big city, but talkativeness shows it's effect.) Because of this client's mention, Sergei Sergeievich concluded that someone-someone familiar with his affairs-possessed the quality of a foolish talkativeness.
But despite the unpleasant details, Sergei Sergeievich was fascinated by astrology and was determined to achieve a close and long-term relationship with the girl born under the sign of Capricorn.
The context of situation made it clear that the idea was to introduce Sergei Sergeievich to a candidate (another girl) toward which he could make his plans and harbor his hopes.
Sergei Sergeievich was not at all pleased with this turn of events, and the relationship with the girl faded.
But, as it turns out, this relationship was not finished (completely).
A few years later, Sergei Sergeievich met (saw) this girl on public transport. She had faded a bit, she was no longer as attractive as before, but Sergei Sergeievich continued to buy astrological calendars: so, the old feelings (hopes, plans) flared up again. It was as if a weight of fatigue had cast a shadow over the girl. But why was she tired? She wasn't married at the time of their "second acquaintance" (on public transport).
It was the outskirts of the city. The girl was on her way to work. She got off near the stop - the stop which Sergei Sergeievich needed. Sergei Sergeievich knew that the stop where the girl got off was the location of several wholesale warehouses (bases).
A few days later, Sergei Sergeievich visited these wholesale warehouses (bases). In one of the modular hangars (based on metal beams, the walls lined with metal sheets), he found a large, dark, rather gloomy premises (room) in which there was a desk. An electric air heater was located not far from the desk. A girl, born under the sign of Capricorn, was sitting at the desk.
Sergei Sergeievich began to suspect (to suppose) the source of the girl's signs of the fading (of aging).
The old relationship had only a little further continuity. Perhaps it was limited to one meeting. During their conversation, Sergei Sergeievich-among other topics-mentioned the joys of exercise (he loved cycling - to ride by bicycle); he spoke out of the benefits of regular contact with nature...
The girl responded to Sergei Sergeievich's words by recalling her father. It turns out her father loved being outdoors, he was fun of fishing-but that's understandable: he's of a such age.
So, Sergei Sergeievich received a hint about the age difference, and an explanation that young women prefer not to be outdoors (at nature), but to spend time indoors (in a buildings).
Apparently, Sergei Sergeievich's interest in astrology had temporarily waned at the time; the huge, dark, modular hangar (which should have been considered an elite place to spend time) made a most unpleasant impression on him. The relationship ended definitively.
Be that as it may, when Sergei Sergeievich learns of upcoming eclipses (lunar or solar), he tries to behave more cautiously (during such astrological events).
Time passed, and Sergei Sergeievich became interested in Konstantin Balmont. In one of this poet's versis ("Beatrice"), Sergei Sergeievich read the following lines:
'And you is still silent and sad,
Only your gaze sparkles and speaks at times.
Isn't this how the queen moon sometimes
Hides her radiant face behind the mountain,
But even beyond the cliffs, bowing her brow,
From the dense darkness, she glows brightly.'
"Under what astrological sign Beatrice was born?" Sergei Sergeievich thought.
November 17, 2025, 15:01 (3:01 PM)
Translation from Russian into English: November 18, 2025, 10:20
Владимир Владимирович Залесский ' Астрология и роза. Рассказ. '
{3748. Астрология и роза. Рассказ. - 17 ноября 2025 г.
MMMDCCXIX. Astrology and Rose. A story. - November 17, 2025.
Vladimir Zalessky Internet-bibliotheca. Интернет-библиотека Владимира Залесского}