Mancev. I can’t eat a morsel.
Sumyatov. Neither can I.
Levan. Maybe some barbeque meat? It’s a tickle of the plate! And not expensive at all. Hey, what kind of people you are!
Anna and Vasil Korobko enter.
Anna. Hi everybody! Oh, I am so tired. I am dropping with fatigue.
Sumyatov. Is it easier to walk in the mountains than in the streets?
Anna. Much easier. Why are you so sad? Has something happened while we were out?
Mancev. Nothing. What about you?
Vasil. Not much.
Levan. Are you going to have lunch?
Anna. I don’t know… What do you have today?
Levan. Barbeque meat, it’s yummy!
Anna. Vasil, what do you think?
Vasil. No barbeque!
Anna. Bread and water – that is all our food. Oh, Vasil, we live only once! Let’s make it and have a feast!
Vasil. Okay, it’s up to you.
Anna. Why should I always make decisions? Who is a man in our family?
Vasil. As you like.
Anna. He is driving me mad… Levan! Bring us your barbeque meat please. Two plates for each!
Vasil. Oh Annushka!
Anna. Keep silence! I was given a right of voice. Now it is my turn.
Levan. Wow, such a good girl!
Anna. What else do you have? I want a Georgian cheese pie!
Levan. I don’t have it. There is some chicken soup. The chicken is soft like a young girl!
Anna. Okay, bring it too. And a bottle of wine! Let’s go the limit!
Levan. Sorry, dear, there is no wine.
Anna. Okay, give us what you have. And hurry up otherwise I am going to change my mind!
Levan. Oh, don’t say that! I am as swift as wind. (Leaves).
Mancev. What are you celebrating?
Anna. It’s a commemoration dinner for our house. Vitya, I wish you could see what a house it was! This is a two-storied building, the roof is tiled, the chimney pipe is made of brick – the size is like that! One can’t embrace it.
Vasil. And what an attic!
Anna. I wish your mom moved there, Vasil. She would like to live in the attic, that’s for sure. What a view from there!
Vasil. That would be just fine.
Anna. And there is a big rock right near the porch. As big as a mountain!
Vasil. And the garden is like soccer field!
Anna. We could grow potatoes and tomatoes there…
Sumyatov. So, what’s the matter? Go and buy it without thinking.
Vasil. Our purse is not heavy enough.
Anna. Just think – one hundred and twenty five thousands! Who has ever heard of such a thing?
Mancev. How much do you have?
Anna. We can hardly scarp fifty thousands. Maybe Vasil’s mother would add a little more from her pension allowance.
Vasil. Actually, Mikhalych promised to lend us twenty thousands.
Anna. He said that has collected this sum for his funeral. We wanted to refuse but he got offended. He said that it’s too early to bury him yet, that he is going to live on and take care of our future kids.
Sumyatov. Look at him! The old man is real gold although with some freaks!
Anna. I wish you saw how he was bargaining for us swearing and pleading. And he made it – they got five thousand down! But it doesn’t help.
Vasil. Don’t worry Annushka. We’ll pull through.
Anna. I am okay Vasil. You also don’t get upset about it. My husband was born in a village that’s why he is so fond of earth.
Sumyatov. So, why did you move to city then?
Vasil. To enter the college… After that I followed Annushka to the mountains. So, I am traveling around like a vagabond.
Victor Mancev leaves.
Sumyatov. Now are you going to get to the mountains again?
Vasil. We have to earn money.
Sumyatov. Is it only for money? It doesn’t worth it then!
Vasil. We have already gone through romantics.
Аnna. You won’t believe it, I used to be crazy about romantics. Love in the mountains seemed to me so sublime… What a foolish girl!
Sumyatov. It doesn’t seem such any more?
Vasil. Now she has to think about other things which are more important. Am I right or not?
Аnnа. Vasil, shame on you! Don’t listen to him!
Vasil. Is there anything to be ashamed of?
Sumyatov. Oh, I got it. My congratulations!
Vasil. First catch your hare.
Sumyatov. But anyway… Haven’t you ever dreamed of seeing your photos at the newspapers, taking part in the TV shows and being famous for the whole country?
Vasil. What for do we need all that?
Sumyatov. I don’t know. Other people do need that!
Vasil. Don’t say if you don’t understand it well. Life is easier. One works as it profitable to him.
Sumyatov. However, often people tend to ignore reasonable grounds preferring some fine gestures.
Vasil. It is really funny. Let’s say for example that a snowman was noticed in the mountains. Do you think that a good farmer would leave his village and rush searching for him?
Sumyatov. Well, many people do search for him.
Vasil. I am surprised about such people. What are they going to do when they find him?
Sumyatov. You mean a snowman? I didn’t think of it.
Vasil. I guess they are going to shoot him, then stuff and sell it to a museum.
Sumyatov. Why?
Vasil. They wouldn’t lock him in a cage neither they leave him free. Stupid people!
Sumyatov. I’d say you are exaggerating…
Аnnа. Come on, stop it! Anyway, we have to go to the mountains Vasil. There is no need to tell fortune about it.
Vasil. That’s true.
Аnnа. So, we will have a chance to look for a snowman and to wave a hand to our house from the mountain top…Hi house! How are you?
Mancev with a pack in hands comes in.
Mancev. Vasil, Anna, have you decided who is going to be a host in your house?
Аnnа. Who, Vasil?
Vasil. As you say.
Аnnа. Okay, let it be you.
Mancev. Then, take it, Vasil! (Giving him a pack).
Vasil. What is that?
Mancev. Fifty thousands.
Vasil. What do you mean – fifty thousands?
Mancev. The sum which you need to buy that house, got it?
Vasil. Well… Annushka, what’s that?!
Аnnа. Vitya, don’ play such jokes!
Mancev. Don’t forget to invite me to your house-warming party.
Аnnа. Where did you get this money?
Mancev. Did you see a suitcase with which I arrived here?
Аnnа. Yes I did.
Mancev. This suitcase is my purse.
Аnnа. It’s not funny.
Mancev. Don’t worry, I am not going to change my mind.
Аnnа.I can’t believe it! Isn’t it a dream? Vasil, give me a pinch. Wow! Are you crazy?
Vasil. You asked me to pinch you .
Аnnа. Oh, you were happy to do that! You’d better take a pen and a sheet of paper and write.
Vasil. What for?
Аnnа. Write a receipt that we have received such and such money from such and such person. We promise to turn it back… when Vitya?
Mancev. Whenever you like. But please don’t go in so formalities. Anyway I will lose this paper.
Аnnа. Vitenka!
Mancev. What else?!
Аnnа. May I kiss you? Oh, please!
Mancev. What do you think, Vasil?
Аnnа. I would kiss you too, Vitya. But why a hell you need it?
Mancev. Well, if it is so…
Аnnа. Vitya, you are such… (kissing him). such…oh, you know it yourself, right!
Levan with a plate in hands enters.
Levan. Oh, what a smell! I have no idea why I haven’t eaten it myself, do you believe me?
Vasil. Go ahead, Levan! We don’t need it.
Levan. What do you mean by “don’t need it”?
Аnnа. I told you clearly: we don’t need it! We have changed our minds.
Levan. Are you kidding me?
Аnnа. Such a slow-witted person!
Levan. Hey, who ordered four plates of barbeque meat?
Аnnа. Levanchik, dear, we are sorry but we have no money. Look here, there is not a single coin.
Levan. What did you think about before?
Аnnа. We were going to eat and then run away.
Levan. So, why didn’t you eat then?
Аnnа. My conscience took me. How will I look into your eyes after that?