Good afternoon! Have a nice experience!
Perhaps, she was a little afraid of people. More precisely, they were attractive to her and interesting with their similarities in common features and successes. But she was a man. That is, it belonged to the biological species that evolved from herd animals in the process of evolution and began to call itself in order to elevate itself above the natural world, “social beings”. And "society", as you know, is a society. It consists of separate individuals, people, therefore.
That is why Nina Sergeyevna was attracted to people, although, perhaps, as already mentioned, they were afraid of them.
But she loved to get to know them. It’s hard to say where her passion for it came from. Or she liked the new experiences fresh people brought with her. Or she checked on each next acquaintance how soon she could “tame” him and turn him into a devoted friend. Or just her mind was so tiny that it didn’t last very long to retain interest in herself in people.
Be that as it may, but after a few weeks of acquaintance, a person began to avoid her, to hide and come up with all sorts of excuses, just so that she would not have to come to her or invite her to "pass the evening for a sweet conversation," as she herself called this pastime.
It was very much like when you walk out of the store, and at the porch there is a cur. Such a homeless, outbred. But pretty clean and sweet for the homeless. It is worthwhile and with true "devotion" looks into the eyes of all those who come out from behind the treasured door where heaven is located. She will accept any gift with gratitude. And if you stop, wait until she eats your sacrificial treat and quit while admiring her own mercy and kindness, after the second offering, she will run after you at an appropriate distance, wagging her tail with emotion and trying to look into your eyes all the time.
Nina Sergeevna - the same. And she even met people in stores. This is how she met my wife, who invited her to our house to drink tea. When they came to us with my wife, and my wife introduced our neighbor, and "now a new friend."
Since then, the neighbor began to visit us every day, that is, of course not, every evening, because my wife and I both worked. Nina Sergeevna's obsession was very sweet and even somewhat old-fashioned. Before coming, she called on the phone and, in order not to waste time, immediately after welcoming phrases she asked if it would be convenient if she came to us “in a neighborly way to pass the evening together”.
I must admit that her visits were neither particularly burdensome for my wife nor for me. Remember that mongrel at the store?
We must give her credit, she always came to us “not at home”: a hairstyle, carefully ironed clothes, the aroma of old perfumes. And always - a small bundle, tied with a bright ribbon, also always ironed (leaving, Nina Sergeyevna took the ribbon with her).
And each time in the convolution was one of the culinary masterpieces in her own performance. It was a cake, the size of which was more like a cake. Or a pie with some unusual filling. Nina Sergeevna always succeeded in breaking up this creation of thought and hands into three small pieces ...
Gradually, we got used to the fact that Nina Sergeevna is always there. It was even strange if suddenly she did not appear on any of the evenings in our house. Once, his wife was unwell, and immediately after dinner she went to bed, all the more so since Nina Sergeyevna agreed (and “even with pleasure!”) To wash and clean the dishes in the kitchen. I volunteered to help her. When she passed me the next washed plate, I asked her:
- Tell me, my dear, why are you every day with us? Are there no people dear to you in your life who still need your presence?
She, not at all embarrassed, answered me:
- I, Sergey Leonidovich, never had a family. Now, it seems to me, I am “catching up”, warming up near your hearth. Do you mind? ..
At the same time, she looked at me so that I finally understood: what a blessing that we have with my wife ...
... When the wife died, Nina Sergeevna was engaged in a funeral, trying in every possible way to save me from the mourning trouble ...
After the funeral, she completely stopped being ... now - only in my house. Once I accidentally met her in the courtyard of our house. After we warmly greeted, I asked why she did not come to our house. And again she literally captivated me with the simplicity and honesty of her answer:
“I would not want to compromise myself and you, my dear friend.” A woman cannot go to the house of a not yet old widower without certain obligations. But if you need my help, leave me the keys to your apartment. In your absence, I will come to you to clean the house and prepare food for you. A progress report and detailed instructions for warming up dinner I will leave daily for you on the kitchen table, on a sheet of writing paper ...