IN different years and throughout the era, states had different attitudes towards this category: they were hanged in public squares, put in prisons, and warmed up in shelters. How do homeless people live today, and what to do if you suddenly meet such a person on your way?
Homeless man under the window
In search interesting topic For our readership, I once asked my husband over breakfast at home:
Where have all the homeless people gone from the streets? It's rare to see them...
What are you talking about? Just look out the window! - answered the husband.
Indeed, in a small forest near the “Orbit” sat a man who was not yet old and not so dirty and degenerate. As it turned out, he had been sleeping under our windows for three days already, and I hadn’t even noticed him... It was early morning: we boiled dumplings, took some of the intoxicating drink that had been gathering dust since the New Year, and went for an unusual interview.
"Hello, I'm Dima"
Good morning! – we attracted attention to ourselves.
A man of about 50 appeared, all in black. He is slightly unshaven, but neatly trimmed, his face is not at all worn out, and he looks better than many of our ordinary, “homey” men, I tell you!
Hello. Dima,” the man introduces himself.
As it turned out, he had been living on the street for 16 years.
There are many of us. In summer we mostly live in forests. They live there (points to the Millennium Park), they live there (points to the Ravine near the Memorial of Glory. “In the summer it’s good, but in the winter we move in all directions, I personally go to the entrances, they drive, but not always, sometimes they will regret it,” said Dmitry .
He is physically developed, well built, and, as they say, you can wash him off and he’ll still be a man. But Dmitry inspired something in himself - to be an ordinary person he doesn't seem to want to.
“I’ve been in prison since I was 14... I went to jail for theft, and when I got out, no one needed me,” he says.
From the family hearth to the street - one step
In his “testimony” he is slightly confused, clearly disingenuous, but we didn’t give him an interrogation. It turned out that once upon a time someone needed him. He was even married! And he had an apartment. But, apparently, the thirst for adventure tore him away from home for a long time and family life. Having quarreled with his wife, he left for Ukraine, and when he returned, it turned out that his wife had written him off as missing, so Dima was left without housing and registration.
I have a sister in Bratsk. But I don’t dare go to her. She lives alone with three children in a one-room apartment. Where am I going to go? - says the man.
He earns his own food
What I liked most about Dmitry was his positive attitude. He doesn't complain about anything and better fate he doesn’t want it for himself, the main thing is not to disturb anyone, not to upset anyone. One can only envy his endurance. Spending the night on the street in early October, he has an “iron” immunity, no illness can attack him. Dmitry is a decent person, he doesn’t eat in garbage dumps, he earns his own food.
- I work part-time at the market. Either I'll unload the boxes, or I'll take the trash away. Almost all day at the market. For this they give me 50 rubles, and they will also feed me. The woman at the kiosk constantly offers you samsa or white soup. You can live,” says the homeless man.
For his helpfulness he is constantly rewarded: good people they cut their hair, provide them with warm clothes, blankets, and hygiene products. We also did not remain indifferent: for an interesting interview we gave some things as gifts.
Now Dima is a little worried that the market on the street. They want to close the Soviet one and build a modern one in this place shopping mall, in such conditions there will most likely be no place for him.
Why don’t you contact our social adaptation center? It's good there! – I suggest.
Yes you! There are people like sardines in a barrel. There are very few places, not enough for everyone, so I don’t even go there.
We didn’t say goodbye to Dmitry, we decided to give him some warm clothes, but the next day he mysteriously disappeared from our forest. Maybe the cold drove him away from his home, or maybe a slight feeling of shame...
Who helps the homeless?
According to the most rough estimates, there are about 3 million homeless people living in Russia; not all cities keep records of this category of citizens. So, for example, in Ulan-Ude there are 1.5 thousand homeless people per 430 thousand residents, in Bratsk there are at least 400 homeless people per 230 thousand population. This number includes only those who do not have registration and housing, but in reality, According to statistics, there are much more people prone to vagrancy and an antisocial lifestyle - up to 7% of the total population in Russia.
In Bratsk and the Bratsk region, social support measures are provided for people in this category. In particular, the center for social adaptation on the street. Yangelya, 14 is ready to provide 35 beds for such citizens at a time. The facility is ready not only to warm you up, but also to wash you, feed you, treat you, and restore your documents. As the center's workers note, most of their guests prefer to leave the institution after receiving such help - the craving for the street or for alcohol is stronger than comfort, since drinking is prohibited in the center.
In addition to this, in last years In Bratsk, private charitable organizations began to develop that could provide assistance to the homeless. Thus, in 2014, the public charitable organization “Peacemaker” was officially registered by the department of the Russian Ministry of Justice for Irkutsk region year. With the help of the organization, a house for homeless people appeared in the village of Sakharovo, Bratsk district. The functions of the house are the same as that of the adaptation center; over the two years of work, dozens of people in need have passed through it, some have lived there since its foundation. The “Peacemaker” urges you not to pass by such people and help in any way you can.
Elena KUTERGINA
Where should a homeless person go?
Alexey Rudykh, director charitable organization"Peacemaker":
Ordinary citizens often turn to us: “Here we have a homeless person living in our building, dirty, smelly, what should we do with him? Take him away! In such cases, I always answer that first you need to talk to the person, is he ready to go to a rehabilitation center? Many people don’t want to, and you can’t force them. If a person is ready to be helped, we will definitely come for him, bring him to Sakharovo, wash him, feed him, and help with documents. We don’t kick anyone out onto the street afterwards. Those who wish can stay, but in 2 years only 5 people have settled with us.
Tel. Organization "Peacemaker" 8 924 822 22 88.
What to do with the homeless?
Residents of Bratsk answered a philosophical question
Ivan Popkov, manager:
Personally, homeless people don’t bother me in any way, I think that let everything be as it is. People will help them - feed them, warm them. Everyone lives as best they can, there is no need to judge anyone.
Vladimir Reshetnikov, schoolboy:
I think the solution to the problem could be employment. We need to create programs that can provide initial assistance to such people. For example, a hostel and a job, help in getting rid of alcoholism and bad habits.
Anzhelika Mikhailovna, social worker:
For them, on Yangel Street, I think, we have a house for the homeless, I was there and talked with the leader. In this center, homeless people can come to warm up, spend the night, eat and take clothes.
Galina Kirsanova, physics teacher:
I have a bad attitude towards such people. I believe that a person must have willpower and a desire to change something.
Arina Chuprun, schoolboy:
There are people who don’t want to work and they settle for their life, extortion, life in the trash heap, I don’t respect such people. There are people for whom it really worked out difficult situation in life and they really need help, I am not indifferent to such people. I think it is necessary to create a help center where such people can be helped, find jobs (for example, janitors), and also help them with housing and food.
Prepared by Marina SHUKOVSKAYA
Let me introduce - Radik Garimyanovich with the terrible last name Basayev, 45 years old. An ordinary provincial homeless person with solid “professional” experience. Lives in the city of Orsk, Orenburg region.
A man with a bad fate, who failed to overcome his weaknesses and sank to such a bottom from which he can no longer rise.Today it is fashionable to show your day: when you woke up, how you had breakfast, how you drove to work, what you did. Radik does not have the opportunity to independently capture his day, and such a thought never occurred to him, however, when I explained my plan, a light lit up in his eyes and he enthusiastically said: “This is good, this is right, brother! Write so that people don’t repeat my mistakes.”
Unfortunately, I didn’t have the opportunity to photograph this man’s entire day, the routine of a homeless person is too leisurely, so I’m recording most of it from his words.
So, the first photo is usually to show a watch on the display of a touchscreen mobile phone, but, as you understand, Radik does not have not only a mobile phone, but also an ordinary wristwatch(he simply doesn’t need them). Radik gets up early:
This is what his sleeping place looks like:
(Radik usually sleeps there, behind the fence, on cardboard and rags)
Like rain, I’ll go into the entrance. They don’t let me in everywhere, but I go wherever they don’t let me go.
Instead of breakfast, a couple of sips of alcohol, which Radik buys at the neighboring hostel. He drinks intelligently, only diluted. Nowadays they ask for 17 rubles for a chakushka, and 35 rubles for “flEcon” (as our hero says in English) and there are no prohibitions on sales at night. Looking ahead, I will say that he takes alcohol regularly, and for him it is a benefit that is much more necessary than food.
Having thus refreshed himself, Radik takes his crutches, with difficulty rises to his feet and goes to the “stump”:
“Stump” is a place on the porch in front of a grocery store. Here he spends most of his time collecting alms. When asked how much they give, he answers: “Enough.” Always different. What kind of mood are people in? Our hero is a real disaster for the store administration. At first they actively fought against his presence: they drove him away, but he returned, they called the police, but they came and also could not do anything. Where should I put it? The shelters are overcrowded, and no one needs him there.
As a result, Radik won in this long struggle. Now they have come to terms with him and are no longer chasing him away, although they are not even allowing him inside. In this regard, he has a big problem- how to buy cigarettes. He sits on the steps and asks passers-by: “Brother! Help! Here, take the money and buy me a pack of red Optima!” Most refuse, but someone compassionate is always there and helps out. It’s symbolic, but the store near which he is on duty is called “Fortune”.
When lunch time comes, Radik gets up and goes to the Chkalov hospital, where they give free lunches:
He walks very slowly and with great difficulty. This is due to a stroke that happened five years ago, which hit his legs hard and predetermined his future fate. The fact is that Radik is not just a homeless person, but a single homeless person. The rest of the city's homeless live in groups, it's safer, it's easier to make money and it's more fun to drink. Radik is not accepted into the company because he is not efficient and there is no use for him, although he himself is not happy with the local homeless people:
They're mostly rats. Ghouls are so specific. I don’t let them near me, I don’t communicate. Once a passer-by on the street fell and had an epileptic attack, and a homeless man came up and emptied all his pockets. If I had walked normally, I would have beaten him, the dog.
Radik himself has been homeless since 2002, since he returned from prison.
- Since then, as a robot, I’ve been walking and wandering, but I’m no longer a person. Allah is punishing me.
And there is something to punish for.
- Why did you sit down?
- One hundred and second...
- What is it?
- Dead Ringer...
- Killed someone?
- Yes, a person.
- Drunk?
- No. I was sober.
I’m walking with a friend, I see they’re standing there,
They stood silently
They stood silently
There were eight of them!
I walked at night, it was about two hours. Bridge over Elshanka, where YuUMZ is. They are coming towards you. I later counted them, there were sixteen of them! Well, I pressed myself against the railing, they asked: “Do you have a cigarette? Or maybe you have money? Well, I stabbed one, and the rest fled. WITH right hand, hit me right in the heart. With a knife...,” Radik falls silent, and then, catching himself, almost screams, “But I didn’t go anywhere!” Back then there were no cell phones, I stayed, I thought maybe someone would return from work and call an ambulance. I stayed, I didn’t leave! Then the cops accepted me and screwed me twelve. He sat in the Krasnoyarsk region and was a fireman. I liked it! I didn't even want to leave. And then he came back and...
(Same place)
Did you have a family? - But of course! Wife and daughter. My daughter is looking for me,” here Radik’s swollen eyes take on a dreamy expression, “she has become an adult, they say she is beautiful, tall... She graduated from the institute!” True, I haven’t gotten married yet. Bye.
It is clear that the theme of his daughter is the only thing that somehow touches his exhausted, calloused soul. He falls silent, and then reaches into his pocket and takes out a familiar bottle of yogurt:
- You need to get a hangover...
After drinking, he lights a cigarette and returns to his previous state.
Does the city support you? Why don't you go to the shelter?
- I go sometimes, but it’s like this: lie down and free up the bed. I need to go to another one, but it’s hard for me to walk, my legs are cheap. Yes, and you need to work there, but what kind of worker am I? I can barely drag myself! So, I can only smoke and drink tea.
- Is it hard or have you gotten used to it?
- I’m kind of used to where to go. I still want to live, although it is clear that my homeland is in Mike (meaning the city cemetery in the village of Pervomaisky).
- Thanks to Medvedev! – Radik suddenly says.
- Medvedev? For what?
- Supports us, that's why!
- How is that?
- Yes, that’s it, he supports me, brother. I go to Chkalovskaya and they give me something to eat. I don't need anything from him. At least he’s not like a hunchback, he’s a real freak...
This was the end of our political discourse.
Where are you going with the apartment? Lost?
- No, what are you talking about! I left it to my wife. He left everything, even his clothes. I'm that kind of person, you know...
- The cops don’t hurt you?
- No, what are you talking about! The cops know me, well done guys! They say hello as soon as they see you. One cop, Rinat, gave me a new crutch! - Radik boasts about his crutch - I’ve had this one for a long time, but he gave this one, Rinat. Good man!
When there was a war, the Orenburg people came to raids, so they put pressure on me. As soon as they see the surname, the first question is: “Are you by any chance a relative of Shamil?” Yes, I would have killed him myself!
- Why do you think your life has turned out this way?
- He was young, stupid... He started playing right after perestroika, and he lost.
- Why did you drop after prison? What broke you?
Radik waves his hand hopelessly. How can I explain this?
Radik rises heavily to his feet and leaves the “stump”:
After walking a couple of meters, he suddenly approaches the wall and, without being embarrassed by passers-by, unzips his fly and urinates at his feet, getting it on his pants and boots:
Having honestly paid Radik for the interview, I headed to the car, but this man stopped me:
“Hello,” he greeted, “which newspaper are you from?”
- Hello, this is material for the Internet.
The man nodded his head knowledgeably.
“This is Radik,” he said, pointing to my interlocutor, “he often comes to our hostel to buy alcohol.” Colorful personality!
- So you know him?
- I know how. He is completely sick, it’s even pitiful. They, the drunkards, have very poor health. My wife has been drinking for many years, I can’t do anything. He leaves home and drinks. And when she returns, it’s scary to look at her. The wounds have opened on the legs and do not heal, they rot.
“This is a good place,” he says, pointing to the “stump,” “I used to stand here myself.” He didn’t beg, but opened doors for buyers. He made good money! Sometimes they gave 300-400 rubles in two hours! - he says with joy, as if he worked as some kind of top manager (and even then, I doubt that many of the tops would talk about their work with such intonation), - Then , however, I had to leave, here the mafia decides who stands and who doesn’t. I didn't bother to get involved.
I look at this man with curiosity, and I understand that he did not appear here by chance. Here is a living and timely example of a person who also has a difficult fate. Dressed simply, but cleanly. The shirt is fresh, he is smart, he speaks quickly and clearly, so that after Radikovsky, the mooing sounds almost like music. I ask what his name is and ask him to take a photo. Alexey, feeling calmer, suddenly says:
- Excuse me, but can I ask you a question? This is not just a question, but an intelligence test.
“Ask me,” I say.
- Here’s a question: can you walk upside down?
- I can, I always walk like this.
- Wow! - Alexey is completely childishly surprised, - and when they asked me, I answered incorrectly! For a long time I couldn’t understand what the catch was!
Alexey laughs joyfully and shakes my hand, we say goodbye, wishing each other health. I leave, and Radik remains sitting on the “stump”. There is no point in photographing his day any further. After sitting for a few more hours, he will buy moonshine in the hostel and, with his eyes wet, fall asleep under his native bush.
Let me introduce - Radik Garimyanovich with the terrible last name Basayev, 45 years old. An ordinary provincial homeless person with solid “professional” experience. Lives in the city of Orsk, Orenburg region. A man with a bad fate, who failed to overcome his weaknesses and sank to such a bottom from which he can no longer rise. Today it is fashionable to show your day: when you woke up, how you had breakfast, how you drove to work, what you did. Radik does not have the opportunity to independently capture his day, and such a thought never occurred to him, however, when I explained my plan, a light lit up in his eyes and he enthusiastically said: “This is good, this is right, brother! Write so that people don’t repeat my mistakes.” Unfortunately, I didn’t have the opportunity to photograph this man’s entire day, the routine of a homeless person is too leisurely, so I’m recording most of it from his words. So, the first photo is usually to show a watch on the display of a touchscreen mobile phone, but, as you understand, Radik doesn’t have not only a mobile phone, but also an ordinary wristwatch (he simply doesn’t need them). Radik gets up early: 
This is what his sleeping place looks like: 
(Radik usually sleeps there, behind the fence, on cardboard and rags) - Like rain, I’ll go into the entrance. They don’t let me in everywhere, but I go wherever they don’t let me go. Instead of breakfast, a couple of sips of alcohol, which Radik buys at the neighboring hostel. He drinks intelligently, only diluted. Nowadays they ask for 17 rubles for a chakushka, and 35 rubles for “flEcon” (as our hero says in English) and there are no prohibitions on sales at night. Looking ahead, I will say that he takes alcohol regularly, and for him it is a benefit that is much more necessary than food. 
Having thus refreshed himself, Radik takes his crutches, with difficulty rises to his feet and goes to the “stump”: 
"Stump" is a place on the porch in front of a grocery store. Here he spends most of his time collecting alms. When asked how much they give, he answers: “Enough.” Always different. What kind of mood are people in? Our hero is a real disaster for the store administration. At first they actively fought against his presence: they drove him away, but he returned, they called the police, but they came and also could not do anything. Where should I put it? The shelters are overcrowded, and no one needs him there. As a result, Radik won in this long struggle. Now they have come to terms with him and are no longer chasing him away, although they are not even allowing him inside. In this regard, he has a big problem - how to buy cigarettes. He sits on the steps and asks passers-by: “Brother! Help! Here, take the money and buy me a pack of red Optima!” Most refuse, but someone compassionate is always there and helps out. It’s symbolic, but the store near which he is on duty is called “Fortune”. 
When lunch time comes, Radik gets up and goes to the Chkalov hospital, where they give free lunches: 
He walks very slowly and with great difficulty. This is due to a stroke that happened five years ago, which hit his legs hard and predetermined his future fate. The fact is that Radik is not just a homeless person, but a single homeless person. The rest of the city's homeless live in groups, it's safer, it's easier to make money and it's more fun to drink. Radik is not accepted into the company because he is not efficient and there is no use for him, although he himself is not happy with the local homeless people: “They are mostly rats.” Ghouls are so specific. I don’t let them near me, I don’t communicate. Once a passer-by on the street fell and had an epileptic attack, and a homeless man came up and emptied all his pockets. If I had walked normally, I would have beaten him, the dog. 
Radik himself has been homeless since 2002, since he returned from prison. - Since then, as a robot, I’ve been walking and wandering, but I’m no longer a person. Allah is punishing me. And there is something to punish for. - Why did you sit down? - One hundred and second... - What is this? - Corpse Ringer... - Killed someone? - Yes, a person. - Drunk? - No. I was sober. 
Then Radik tells, in my opinion, a very dubious story, which is more like a Vysotsky song: I’m walking with my friend, I see they’re standing, They hardly stood silently, They hardly stood silently, There were eight of them! - I walked at night, it was about two hours. Bridge over Elshanka, where YuUMZ is. They are coming towards you. I later counted them, there were sixteen of them! Well, I pressed myself against the railing, they asked: “Do you have a smoke? Or maybe you have some money?” Well, I stabbed one, and the rest fled. From the right hand, he hit me right under the heart. With a knife...,” Radik falls silent, and then, catching himself, almost screams, “But I didn’t go anywhere!” Back then there were no cell phones, I stayed, I thought maybe someone would return from work and call an ambulance. I stayed, I didn’t leave! Then the cops accepted me and screwed me twelve. He sat in the Krasnoyarsk region and was a fireman. I liked it! I didn't even want to leave. And then he came back and... 
(That same place) - Did you have a family? - But of course! Wife and daughter. My daughter is looking for me,” here Radik’s swollen eyes take on a dreamy expression, “she has become an adult, they say she is beautiful, tall... She graduated from the institute!” True, I haven’t gotten married yet. Bye. It is clear that the theme of his daughter is the only thing that somehow touches his exhausted, calloused soul. He falls silent, and then reaches into his pocket and takes out a familiar bottle of yogurt: “You need to get over your hangover...” Having drunk, he lights a cigarette and returns to his previous state. 
- Does the city support you? Why don't you go to the shelter? - I go sometimes, but it’s like this: lie down and free up the bed. I need to go to another one, but it’s hard for me to walk, my legs are cheap. Yes, and you need to work there, but what kind of worker am I? I can barely drag myself! So, I can only smoke and drink tea. - Is it hard or have you gotten used to it? - I’m kind of used to where to go. I still want to live, although it is clear that my homeland is in Mike (meaning the city cemetery in the village of Pervomaisky). - Thanks to Medvedev! - Radik suddenly says. - Medvedev? For what? - Supports us, that's why! - How is that? - Yes, that’s it, he supports me, brother. I go to Chkalovskaya and they give me something to eat. I don't need anything from him. At least he’s not like a hunchback, he’s a real freak... This is where our political discourse was exhausted. 
- Where are you going with the apartment? Lost? - No, what are you talking about! Left it to my wife. He left everything, even his clothes. I’m that kind of person, you know... - Don’t the cops offend you? - No, what are you talking about! The cops know me, well done guys! They say hello as soon as they see you. One cop, Rinat, gave me a new crutch! - Radik boasts about his crutch - I’ve had this one for a long time, but he gave this one to Rinat. Good man! 
- When there was a war, the Orenburg people came to raids, so they put pressure on me. As soon as they see the name, the first question is: “Are you by any chance a relative of Shamil?” Yes, I would have killed him myself! - Why do you think your life has turned out this way? - He was young, stupid... He started playing right after perestroika, and he lost. - Why did you drop after prison? What broke you? Radik waves his hand hopelessly. How can I explain this? 
- What do you think will happen to you next? Are you hoping for anything? - What will happen? If only I could survive until morning, that would be good. I don’t have much left, brother, I understand. I lived like a dog and will die under a bush. Radik rises heavily to his feet and leaves the stump: 
After walking a couple of meters, he suddenly approaches the wall and, without being embarrassed by passers-by, unzips his fly and urinates at his feet, getting it on his pants and boots: 
Having honestly paid Radik for the interview, I headed to the car, but this man stopped me: 
“Hello,” he greeted, “which newspaper are you from?” - Hello, this is material for the Internet. The man nodded his head knowledgeably. “This is Radik,” he said, pointing to my interlocutor, “he often comes to our hostel to buy alcohol.” Colorful personality! - So you know him? - I know how. He is completely sick, it’s even pitiful. They, the drunkards, have very poor health. My wife has been drinking for many years, I can’t do anything. He leaves home and drinks. And when she returns, it’s scary to look at her. The wounds have opened on the legs and do not heal, they rot. “This is a good place,” he says, pointing to the “stump,” “I used to stand here myself.” He didn’t beg, but opened doors for buyers. He made good money! Sometimes they gave 300-400 rubles in two hours! - he says with joy, as if he worked as some kind of top manager (and even then, I doubt that many of the tops would talk about their work with such intonation), - Then , however, I had to leave, here the mafia decides who stands and who doesn’t. I didn't bother to get involved. I look at this man with curiosity, and I understand that he did not appear here by chance. Here is a living and timely example of a person who also has a difficult fate. Dressed simply, but cleanly. The shirt is fresh, he is smart, he speaks quickly and clearly, so that after Radikovsky, the mooing sounds almost like music. I ask what his name is and ask him to take a photo. Alexey, feeling calmer, suddenly says: “Excuse me, but can I ask you a question?” This is not just a question, but an intelligence test. “Ask me,” I say. - Here’s a question: can you walk upside down? - I can, I always walk like this. - Wow! - Alexey is completely childishly surprised, - and when they asked me, I answered incorrectly! For a long time I couldn’t understand what the catch was! Alexey laughs joyfully and shakes my hand, we say goodbye, wishing each other health. I leave, and Radik remains sitting on the “stump”. There is no point in photographing his day any further. After sitting for a few more hours, he will buy moonshine in the hostel and, with his eyes wet, fall asleep under his native bush.
Let me introduce - Radik Garimyanovich with the terrible last name Basayev, 45 years old. An ordinary provincial homeless person with solid “professional” experience. Lives in the city of Orsk, Orenburg region.
A man with a bad fate, who failed to overcome his weaknesses and sank to such a bottom from which he can no longer rise. Today it is fashionable to show your day: when you woke up, how you had breakfast, how you drove to work, what you did. Radik does not have the opportunity to capture his day on his own, and such a thought never occurred to him, but when I explained my plan, a light lit up in his eyes and he enthusiastically said: “This is good, this is right, brother! Write so that people don’t repeat my mistakes.”
Unfortunately, I didn’t have the opportunity to photograph this man’s whole day, the homeless man’s routine is too leisurely, so I’m recording most of it from his words
So, the first photo is usually to show a watch on the display of a touchscreen mobile phone, but, as you understand, Radik doesn’t have either a mobile phone or an ordinary wristwatch (he simply doesn’t need them). Radik gets up early. This is what his sleeping place looks like:
Like rain, I’ll go into the entrance. They don’t let me in everywhere, but I go wherever they don’t let me go.
Instead of breakfast, a couple of sips of alcohol, which Radik buys at the neighboring hostel. He drinks intelligently, only diluted. Nowadays they ask for 17 rubles for a chakushka, and 35 rubles for “flEcon” (as our hero says in English) and there are no prohibitions on sales at night. Looking ahead, I will say that he takes alcohol regularly, and for him it is a benefit that is much more necessary than food.
"Stump" is a place on the porch in front of a grocery store. Here he spends most of his time collecting alms. When asked how much they give, he answers: “Enough.” Always different. What kind of mood are people in? Our hero is a real disaster for the store administration. At first they actively fought against his presence: they drove him away, but he returned, they called the police, but they came and also could not do anything. Where should I put it? The shelters are overcrowded, and no one needs him there. As a result, Radik won in this long struggle. Now they have come to terms with him and are no longer chasing him away, although they are not even allowing him inside. In this regard, he has a big problem - how to buy cigarettes. He sits on the steps and asks passers-by: “Brother! Help! Here, take the money and buy me a pack of red Optima!” Most refuse, but someone compassionate is always there and helps out. It’s symbolic, but the store near where he is on duty is called “Fortune”
When lunch time comes, Radik gets up and goes to the Chkalov hospital, where they give free lunches:
He walks very slowly and with great difficulty. This is due to a stroke that happened five years ago, which hit his legs hard and predetermined his future fate. The fact is that Radik is not just a homeless person, but a lonely homeless person. The rest of the city's homeless live in groups, it's safer, it's easier to make money and it's more fun to drink. Radik is not accepted into the company because he is not efficient and there is no use for him, although he himself is not happy with the local homeless people:
They're mostly rats. Ghouls are so specific. I don’t let them near me, I don’t communicate. Once a passer-by on the street fell and had an epileptic attack, and a homeless man came up and emptied all his pockets. If I had walked normally, I would have beaten him, the dog.
Radik himself has been homeless since 2002, since he returned from prison.
Since then, as a robot, I walk, wander, and am no longer a person. Allah is punishing me.
And there is something to punish for.
- Why did you sit down?
- One hundred and second...
- What is it?
- Dead ringer...
- Killed someone?
- Yes, a person.
- Drunk?
- No. I was sober.
I’m walking with a friend, I see they’re standing there,
They stood silently
They stood silently
There were eight of them!
I walked at night, it was about two hours. Bridge over Elshanka, where YuUMZ is. They are coming towards you. I later counted them, there were sixteen of them! Well, I pressed myself against the railing, they asked: “Do you have a smoke? Or maybe you have some money?” Well, I stabbed one, and the rest fled. From the right hand, he hit me right under the heart. With a knife...,” Radik falls silent, and then, catching himself, almost screams, “But I didn’t go anywhere!” Back then there were no cell phones, I stayed, I thought maybe someone would return from work and call an ambulance. I stayed, I didn’t leave! Here the cops accepted me and treated me twelve. He sat in the Krasnoyarsk region and was a fireman. I liked it! I didn't even want to leave. And then he came back and...
Did you have a family? - But of course! Wife and daughter. My daughter is looking for me,” here Radik’s swollen eyes take on a dreamy expression, “she has become an adult, they say she is beautiful, tall... She graduated from the institute!” True, I haven’t gotten married yet. Bye.
It is clear that the theme of his daughter is the only thing that somehow touches his exhausted, calloused soul. He falls silent, and then reaches into his pocket and takes out a familiar bottle of yogurt:
- You need to get a hangover...
After drinking, he lights a cigarette and returns to his previous state.
Does the city support you? Why don't you go to the shelter?
- I go sometimes, but it’s like this: lie down and free up the bed. I need to go to another one, but it’s hard for me to walk, my legs are cheap. Yes, and you need to work there, but what kind of worker am I? I'm dragging myself along! So, I can only smoke and drink tea.
- Is it hard or have you gotten used to it?
- I’m kind of used to where to go. I still want to live, although it is clear that my homeland is in Mike (meaning the city cemetery in the village of Pervomaisky).
- Thanks to Medvedev! - Radik suddenly says.
- Medvedev? For what?
- Supports us, that's why!
- How is that?
- Yes, that’s it, he supports me, brother. I go to Chkalovskaya and they give me something to eat. I don't need anything from him. At least he’s not like a hunchback, he’s a real fucking freak...
This was the end of our political discourse.
Where are you going with the apartment? Lost?
- No, what are you talking about! I left it to my wife. He left everything, even his clothes. I'm that kind of person, you know...
- The cops don’t hurt you?
- No, what are you talking about! The cops know me, well done guys! They say hello as soon as they see you. One cop, Rinat, gave me a new crutch! - Radik boasts about his crutch - I’ve had this one for a long time, but he gave this one to Rinat. Good man!
When there was a war, the Orenburg people came to raids, so they put pressure on me. As soon as they see the last name, the first question is: “Are you by any chance a relative of Shamil?” Yes, I would have killed him myself!
- Why do you think your life has turned out this way?
- He was young, stupid... He started playing right after perestroika, and he lost and lost.
- And why did you go to prison after that? What broke you?
Radik waves his hand hopelessly. How can I explain this?
Radik rises heavily to his feet and leaves the stump.
Having honestly paid Radik for the interview, I headed to the car, but this man stopped me:
“Hello,” he greeted, “which newspaper are you from?”
- Hello, this is material for the Internet.
The man nodded his head knowledgeably.
“This is Radik,” he said, pointing to my interlocutor, “he often comes to our hostel to buy alcohol.” Colorful personality!
- So you know him?
- I know how. He is completely sick, it’s even pitiful. They, the drunkards, have very poor health. My wife has been drinking for many years, I can’t do anything. He leaves home and drinks. And when she returns, it’s scary to look at her. The wounds have opened on the legs and do not heal, they rot.
“This is a good place,” he says, pointing to the “stump,” “I used to stand here myself.” He didn’t beg, but opened doors for buyers. He made good money! Sometimes they gave 300-400 rubles in two hours! - he says with joy, as if he worked as some kind of top manager (and even then, I doubt that many of the tops would talk about their work with such intonation), - Then , however, I had to leave, here the mafia decides who stands and who doesn’t. I didn't bother to get involved.
I look at this man with curiosity, and I understand that he did not appear here by chance. Here is a living and timely example of a person who also has a difficult fate. Dressed simply, but cleanly. The shirt is fresh, he is smart, he speaks quickly and clearly, so that after Radikovsky, the mooing sounds almost like music. I ask what his name is and ask him to take a photo. Alexey, feeling calmer, suddenly says:
- Excuse me, but can I ask you a question? This is not just a question, but an intelligence test.
“Ask me,” I say.
- Here’s a question: can you walk upside down?
- I can, I always walk like this.
- Wow! - Alexey is completely childishly surprised, - and when they asked me, I didn’t answer correctly! For a long time I couldn’t understand what the catch was!
Alexey laughs joyfully and shakes my hand, we say goodbye, wishing each other health. I leave, and Radik remains sitting on the “stump”. There is no point in photographing his day any further. After sitting for a few more hours, he will buy moonshine in the hostel and, with his eyes wet, fall asleep under his native bush.