Alla. It’s amazing! I don’t feel sleepy at all.
Tomov. Good girl. This night will be all ours! (Sings a song about mountaineers).
Light turns off. When it turns on again it is already morning. Levan is making tables at the canteen. Mikhalych is sitting at one of the tables.
Levan. You know what day is it today?
Mikhalych. It’s been Sunday since morning.
Levan. Why aren’t you at home, eh?
Mikhalych. I feel comfortable among people. I am too lonely at the empty apartment.
Levan. I wish I had your problems!
Mikhalych. I wouldn’t wish them on my bitter enemy. A person needs other people to feel their breathing next to him. Otherwise everything doesn’t make sense.
Levan. Then why don’t you get married? A man should have a family – a wife and children – believe me.
Mikhalych. I used to have family. Should I settle down with a new one? No, I wouldn’t. And it’s too late.
Levan. Oh, don’t tell me! At the Caucasus a man might get married at one hundred years old and his wife delivers him a heir. Got it?
Mikhalych. You are good guy, Levan. Let me seat here for a while, okay? I wouldn’t disturb you.
Levan. Am I turning you out? Please, seat, dear.
Mikhalych. Thank you.
Levan. Oh, don’t mention it!
Anna and Vasil Korobko come in.
Аnna. Good morning all!
Mikhalych. You are right, today’s morning is really good. Look, how sunny it is!
Аnna. That’s why we got up so early. Levan, the guys haven’t come downstairs yet?
Levan. No.
Аnna. That’s what I told you, Vasil. They are going to sleep till the lunch time. I bet, yesterday they left after midnight. Am I right, Levan?
Levan. Yeah.
Аnna. So, we’ll be able to get back in time, don’t worry.
Vasil. I wish we could.
Аnna. Levan, how long does it take to get to the city and get back?
Levan. One way takes a couple of hours, the round way is the same… Plus one hour is for this and that. So, just count.
Аnna. And when are we starting?
Levan. Starting what?
Аnna. To save those guys at the mountains. Didn’t you forget?
Levan. Oh, how can I forget?…
Аnna. Then what’s the matter with you? Hey, look into my eyes!
Levan. My wife wouldn’t let me go. She swore that if I go to the mountains she would grab a son and a daughter and leave for her parents. So, no way I can join you.
Аnna. Here we go! Did you hear that, Vasil?
Vasil. Sure I did.
Levan. One person more, one person less – what a big deal!
Vasil. You are right actually…
Аnna. And we shall go!
Levan. I would also go believe me! But I can’t!
Vasil. Don’t get upset, Levan. I understand you.
Mikhalych. Excuse me guys for interrupting you. I heard you are going to the city, am I right?
Аnna. Actually we haven’t decided yet. Of course we’d like to go, but I am afraid our guys would leave without us.
Mikhalych. What do you need at the city? Maybe I could be of some service to you.
Аnna. We read a classified at the newspaper yesterday: a house for sale, five rooms and a garden… We’ve been dreaming of such a house for a long time.
Vasil. So, let’s return form the mountains and then go to the city.
Аnna. You think such house is going to wait for you? It’s not a house – a palace!
Mikhalych. I would advise you not to postpone it for later. You might get nothing later, I know!
Vasil. Are you serious, daddy?
Mikhalych. I wish I were wrong! But unfortunately this is bitter truth. So, go immediately! I can see you off if you don’t mind.
Аnna. We really appreciate your help. However… we need to go to the mountains.
Mikhalych. That’s what my son always used to tell me: «Dad, the mountains are waiting for me». And he was gone as if I were not waiting for him. One day he left and never came back…
Levan. Oh, why haven’t you told us before, dear?
Mikhalych. He was the same age as you are. So, as a person who is as old as your fathers I have a right to warn you. Don’t try to live only for high ideals. Live for a person next to you. You know, this is the only chance to be happy in our earthy world.
Аnna. What do you think, Vasil?
Vasil. As you say.
Аnna. And I will say! We are going to the city. Levan!
Levan. Don’t shout so loudly, I beg you!
Аnna. Tell the guys that we left for the city. Let them wait for us!
Levan. I will, I will…
Аnna. So, are you going to join us?
Mikhalych. With great pleasure!
Аnna. Sorry, I don’t know your name.
Mikhalych. You can call me Mikhalych. My son used to call me like this. I am okay with it.
Levan. I am going to see you off to the bus, okay?
Vasil. Let’s go Levan. It’s more fun together.
Everybody is gone. Cyril Sumyatov and Alla Bokova come in.
Alla. So, you don’t agree?
Sumyatov. Yes. You have to take another companion.
Alla. Here they are, our modern men!
Sumyatov. You forgot that I came here not for entertaining.
Alla. And I am just the other way around.
Sumyatov. Oh, poor your husband!
Алла. Come on… It’s poor me. And him… Just be sure he lives to his own pleasure.
Sumyatov. Does he?
Alla. No doubt. Why do you think he sent off me here?
Sumyatov. Hopefully there was no violence.
Alla. I bet now he has been sitting at his favorite radio station day and night. It replaces him his home and wife.
Sumyatov. He doesn’t love you?
Alla. You mean Pavel? He is crazy about me! Sure, I have no idea how to conquer a mountain but in conquering a man’s heart I have no superior.
Sumyatov. Then I don’t understand why he prefers some radio station instead of you.
Alla. Men are tired of monotony. Haven’t you noticed it yourself?
Sumyatov. Perhaps.
Alla. And what can be more boring than a marriage-bed? That’s why while a wife is cooking, washing, ironing, and nursing children a husband sneaks from home in search of adventures.
Sumyatov. You have a wired view on family life. And especially on man’s role in it.
Alla. Yet my poor mother warned me about it. Oh, she has had bitter experience!
Sumyatov. Then why did you get married if you knew all that?
Alla. I can’t say it now. But at that time… You know, men have one weak point and I was going to use it freely.
Sumyatov. You think only one?
Alla. Don’t catch me on words. Each man has a whole bunch of weak points. But all without any exception are terribly jealous. The most scary thing for them is to lose something that belongs to them. Do you agree?
Sumyatov. I wouldn’t take a risk to argue.
Alla. Good job. As soon as a man suspect his wife of cheating… he starts flying over her like a bumblebee over a flower drinking a nectar from her lips even if he refused from it just yesterday.
Sumyatov. Oh, I guess I got you! You came here to provoke a jealous instinct in your husband, right?
Alla. What else can I do?
Sumyatov. Indeed! A goal shall be reached by all means, right?
Alla. I want to get my husband back to the family and for this sake I am ready for all.
Sumyatov. Has he run away from you? It seems to me you’ve done this.
Alla. This is just seemingly. Should I consider a man who shows up at home late at night, has dinner and the next moment disappears at the bedroom terribly snoring to be my husband!? Oh, he gets so tired at his work!
Sumyatov. But if it has been always like that…
Alla. Oh, God what are you talking about?
Sumyatov. Sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you.
Alla. It started when Pavel was appointed a chief of the radio station. He has changed drastically since that. He became reserved and silent.
Levan enters.
Sumyatov. Good morning Levan!
Levan. Hi dear! Aren’t you hungry, eh? Would you like some cakes?
Sumyatov. No, thanks for nothing … Alla, I am sorry, but I really have no time.