She was an arrogant, very well-groomed woman. She always worked in executive positions. Expensive earrings swayed in her ears, her fingers were studded with rings. Tall hair, suits. Her husband pampered her, and her favorite child, her son, bathed in the rays of parental love.
He had the best of everything since childhood, even in times of scarcity. Mom and dad could get it.
Emma lived in a spacious three-room apartment. She always curled her lips when she went to visit her neighbor. She was friends with her. How could she be friends, she had to have someone to talk to. The neighbor was a mother of many children. Three sons and a daughter. Her husband died early. She took care of her children by herself. The boys came from the street grubby, with scruffy knees, dirty hands. They’d make ships, or play in puddles. They went to kiss their mother. Her friend was indignant: “You should have washed your hands. They are rude to you. There’s my son. He is not like that! Always clean, he washes his hands. To which the neighbor, smiling good-naturedly, replied: “But children! They are all interested, fussing. And I’ll wash their clothes. But her friend just grinned.
She proudly went out into the yard. There sometimes she would meet another neighbor. She and her husband were already over forty. They had no children. Emma liked to read her a moral which began with the words:
– You’re a waste of time. Watch out that a man doesn’t leave you. No child. And in general. When you’re old, who’ll give you a glass of water? Who’ll look after you? You’ll die alone. Here’s my son. My hope. Such a good boy. I know I’ll never be alone. Even now he’ll come and ask: “Mommy, what can I get you? Some tea? Or candy?” The golden boy is growing up!
The neighbor wasn’t offended by that. She wasn’t bitter by nature. She only answered:
– Yes, Emma. You’re lucky, what can I say? Your son is so good. He’s such a good boy, he’s a sight to behold!
Emma would fix her hair and start talking about her son’s virtues.
Time passed. Her neighbor’s boys grew up; they learned trades. Her daughter became a cook. Like Emma, they also lived in a three-room apartment, where her eldest son soon took his wife, and a child was born. Emma dropped in on them and was horrified in her heart. So many people! Babies and nappies, everyone on top of each other. There was never enough money. And they’re still walking around rejoicing. It’s just like her! The house is full. Order. Her son is studying at the institute. He’s going to be a boss.
And so it happened. The mother’s happiness had no limits. The only thing that overshadowed her was that her husband didn’t live to see his son become a big man. When Emma went to see her neighbor as usual, she again pursed her lips with the words:
– Eh. What kind of children do you have? Simple workers! And you’re still proud of them! If only you had something to be proud of, at least you could have taught them. My son is such a good boy, now he’s a manager.
– Why should I teach them? I’m the only one. But they’re good guys. And they have good professions.
– They are workers, common laborers. How can you do this? There’s never enough money. You cook a bucketful of buckwheat porridge and eat it later. Or this borscht on bones. Or pancakes, we eat them with caviar or fish. And you dip it in lard, yuck! – Emma sniggered.
– My grandmother always did it that way. A bit of meat and lard in a pan. It’s delicious!
She never envied her friend. She sincerely admired her refined and clever son and adored her own children.
Soon Emma had grandchildren as well. The grandmother didn’t want them.
The years raced by, the elderly women began to give up little by little. One day a neighbor’s legs failed. From the window Emma watched as her friend, a woman full, is carried into the car in the arms of two sons. An old car Zhigulenok drove up right up to the porch. Sighing, she drank some heart drops. Again she looked out the window. Her son drove up in the jeep, carrying bags. Mother hurried to the door.
The neighbor had been treated for a long time. She lost a lot of weight and now any of her sons could easily carry her in their arms alone. One day her son, bumped into the neighbor’s son in the street. He had just brought his mother home and went to the store with his bag.
– Hey, aren’t you fed up? If I were you, I’d have lost my mind a long time ago. Fussing with an old woman who can’t walk. I mean, she needs to be washed and everything. And how do you carry her to the toilet, too? Yeah, I don’t envy you.
– Why did you say that now, eh? It’s my mother! She carried the four of us by herself! And when we were little and she washed us and did our nappies, how was that? Cleaned up after us, didn’t sleep a wink. She worked wherever she could, just to buy us a little something! And your mother raised you the same way.
– Well, don’t compare me with myself. We have always lived well. And again, do not compare a baby, which is pleasant to look after, and a smelly old woman.
And then my neighbor suddenly got to her feet. Staggering, quietly, began to walk. With the help of her children, she went out into the yard and sat down on the bench. They wrapped her plaid.
One spring day my son came to his mother who had not risen for days. She was overjoyed and stretched out her arms to her son.
– Mom, here’s the thing. You’re something quite sick. Well, I’ll take you to a good place, I’ve already arranged it. It’s like a resort! The care, the beauty. And my son will come here with his. I’ve already arranged for them to start repairing the day after tomorrow. So get ready right away, we’ll visit you.
Emma listened to him and did not understand anything. What a good place? Why is her grandson moving here, to her apartment?
– Son, why don’t I live with my grandson? Or with you? I don’t need much space. Son, I don’t want a resort! I want to live with you! – Tears streamed down Emma’s wrinkled cheeks.
– Mom, why are you such a little girl? Young people need an old woman by their side? They have their own life. And we have guests here all the time, you lie down, you need care. Your wife’s working, she’s got no time for you. I don’t have time either. Mom, let’s get ready, people are coming to help us.
– Sonny, don’t, I won’t get in the way, – the old woman sobbed.
But her son was adamant. His mother’s tears did not touch him. Emma was helped out on the porch with her things. There she saw her friend, a neighbor. She and her sons and daughter were going to the dacha. They were loading sprouts and sacks of potatoes. They jokingly talked. And at that moment Emma suddenly and desperately wanted to go with them. Her friend saw her, waved. She said something to her son. He, after a moment’s hesitation, did go over to the neighbor’s son. Took him aside.
– My mother asks where yours went? And with her things.
– In the woods for nuts!
And continued:
– In the nursing home I put it. Do not frown, you weirdo. The place is good, there’s care, nurses, food. I’ll visit my mother. You don’t have any money, you’ve been carrying your mother in your arms and cleaning everything. And I am able to pay for all the services!
– You can’t do that either. That’s… your mother. What are you doing? Listen, why don’t we take her to our place? She and my mother will be in the room together. They’re friends. You’ll be visiting. They’ll have more fun together.
And Emma, who came up behind me, suddenly started begging her son:
– May I? Son, please!
– No way! They live there in cramped conditions! I’ll be able to provide you with perfect conditions. You’ll have your own room and a TV set. The food there is excellent, and what do they have? The buckwheat porridge I told you about, are you going to eat it? That’s enough, mother, don’t complain!
Emm was taken away. She was gone in three weeks. Her heart couldn’t take it. All that time the son never once visited his mother.
So the question of a glass of water in old age and those who will give it, remains open…
