My husband got a call from a classmate the other day. Sad as he is. He asks for money in debt. He says his wife is planning to meet her classmates for 20 years from the day she graduated from school.
Beautiful date, of course. Everybody will gather together: former losers, who became successful businessmen, and excellent students working now in the public sector. And they want to invite their old teachers. It's a good thing.
The meeting will be held in the most pathos restaurant in our city - "glade" is paid for by some Antony (do not ask what he does - did not know).
Only our Helena (a classmate's wife) is saddened. According to her, it is "easier to drown" than to go to a meeting of classmates and tell everyone there that she works as a kindergarten teacher and the money in the family is catastrophically small. No, she will scrape up the money for her make-up hair and a decent dress. But...
Helen wants a chic shine. I want to drive up to the restaurant in a steep car and in front of my classmates casually get out of the car, spreading the smell of luxury life and French perfume.
She has already invented a fairy tale suitable for them! Allegedly, she is the owner of a private kindergarten, which brings a good income.
-" Yes", she will say carelessly, turning her eyes away, "I can afford it".
Oh, and she'll get back at it for all those years of school humiliation, will remember their hurtful nicknames "Helen Boyko - Princess of the garbage dump". Her classmates will understand how cruelly mistaken they were. Understand and think: "As we were wrong, Helen is now in the ladies. And here we are...".
Helen's imaginary dream overshadowed his mind and everything else. She asks her husband "to buy her a good and expensive car and bring her to the restaurant so that everyone can see what a caring husband I have".
Alex (her husband's classmate) earns a good living, but the new Lamborghini his wife wants, of course, is not enough for him. Having quarreled with his wife in fluff and ashes, he ordered her to moderate her appetites. And he called my husband.
-"I'll take Toyota to her, so be it, my wife", he decided. He asked his husband for a loan of 500,000.
I always say that installers won't do us any good. Adults, it would seem, are already going crazy, trying to impress others, who, in general, do not care about her. Well, they will talk about her for a day or two. And they will forget. Why such sacrifices? To feel no worse than others? So, maybe you had to do something about it? Leave your cold work, open your center, take risks, invest, work around the clock?
No, it's easier to bark like a little girl and think that a new car will solve all your problems - financial, personal, psychological.
It won't. But it will add new ones.
For such "Helen" in our city have long been invented services "rental cars". By a certain time, a sparkling and expensive car enters the dirty courtyard and you have half an hour to be photographed against the background of this splendor, as well as behind the wheel or in a hug with a huge bouquet of roses - yes, flowers are also for rent. Just like Chanel and Dior bags and the like are empty, of course. For entourage.
I used to be sure that no one was taking such photographs for a long time. Oh, I was so wrong! Helen convinced me otherwise...
And the saddest thing is that?
My niece is sixteen years old and she studies the installations of "fashionable girls" very carefully every day. Luxury cars, huge bouquets, luxury clothes, fashion shows, and exhibitions - girls record every hour of their lives. My stupid girl greedily absorbs it. And she sighs jealously:
- Explain to me what to do to live like this?
- To be able to move my legs apart, take beautiful pictures and layout 100 times a day all the moments of my life - I was carried away in my head. But out loud, of course, I did not say that. I had a preventive conversation about the need for a good education. I told about the backstage of "installation life". In general, it was a noble grumble - she reminded herself of the old lady's wise experience. I do not know, whether she has made conclusions for herself. I hope very much for it...
P.S. Money borrowed. Toyota is bought and waiting for her starry hour. So that then the same "Helen" impressed by the unforgettable spectacle, she flipped on her husband and asked in righteous anger:
-Explain to me what to do to live like this?