Saving Aylanthus

Saving Aylanthus
Alexander Gusev-Lvov

I am 4 years old. Tashkent. House on the street Uritsky, 63. Summer.

My grandmother asks me to go to a bakery near school 43 for bread. We will have dinner soon ... A bakery, not far, two blocks from our house, when you exit the gate to the right. I have already run several times to this bakery on my own.

I open, the gate and the heat of the sun hits me in the face. I run out into the street barefoot, take several quick steps, jumps, and feel the pliability of the asphalt. He swims underfoot like a dough. Feet burns the heat very much, involuntarily cry out and feel defenseless before the sun. I understand that it’s already very far back, a few meters, you don’t even have to think about getting to the bakery ... There are no other solutions ... There is severe pain and panic in my child’s head.

A passerby, seeing what is happening, carefully recommends that I stand in the shade under the spreading aylanthus, which gives coolness to leisurely passers-by for many years and on the hottest day you can stand and talk ... But you still have to run to him, I take a few more courageous steps and I have overcome several meters ...

I am hiding from the sun in the shade of aylanthus, where it is serene and calm, gradually releases the pain of a burn and passes the fear of what happened. Enjoying the shadow of aylanthus, thinking about how I can go back to wear sandals. Five meters to the gate ...

Gaining courage and determination, and literally, I fly into the gate, and my grandmother Sasha already carefully carries me sandals ...