In the face of global disintegration: the journey of youth maturing amidst transformative changes
Grisha, once a chatty kid, was now a withdrawn readaholic. He'd shun interaction and hide in the corner with a book, barely laughing or smiling. Zhenya yearned to cheer up her boy. Winter had arrived, and Grisha's birthday was a long way off. Desperate for a miracle, she concocted a whacky idea - a magic tree. Andrei approved, but his mom wasn't too thrilled.
Every Friday, Zhenya didn't head home from kindergarten like usual; instead, they'd detour towards the park near the pond. Grisha, the excitable kid, would sprint ahead towards the largest maple tree, the one with two trunks that had grown together.
"Mom, mom, hurry up!" he'd shout. "I'm already here!"
Zhenya would rushed up next to him, take his impatient hand, and listen as he recited his spell, like it was a theatrical performance. The spell stared with promises to listen to everyone - mom, dad, grandma - followed by a request for a present. Grisha would then search under the tree, scrutinizing every nook and cranny, only to find a surprise waiting for him.
Joy and excitement would fill Grisha's eyes - only to fade just as quickly. Chocolate bars, balloons, oranges - whatever treasure Grisha found, it didn't weaken his dark spell. One day, he questioned the magic, proclaiming that Zhenya herself put the gifts there. He felt deceived and hid away with his books.
On New Year's Eve, Zhenya left work to join a line for bananas that stretched for blocks. With a frozen hand, she wrote her number on her hand and stood in the cold for an hour. She managed to secure three bunches of bananas, just enough to last until New Year. She hid them in the darkest corner of the cabinet, warning everyone not to eat or show them to Grisha.
In a daring move, Zhenya decided to give the magic tree a challenge - bananas in winter. She approached the magic tree with Grisha, watched as he muttered his spell, and found the spot hidden under the snowdrift. But, to her surprise, a bunch of real bananas appeared. Grisha was ecstatic, and for once, he didn't eat them all in one go.
They walked home, Grisha still in awe of his lucky find. Zhenya thought of how the magical tree endured the line, stood in the cold, all for these bananas. Grisha offered her a banana, a gesture Zhenya hadn't seen in a while. She smiled, feeling a touch of the old warmth.
But the joy was short-lived. As they stepped onto the tram, Grisha reached for a banana and offered it to an older woman in a gray coat. Zhenya felt a pang of jealousy but knew better than to snatch it away. Grisha then started sharing bananas with the other passengers. Zhenya's heart sank as she looked at the last banana slipping through Grisha's hands.
Grisha, lost in the joy of sharing his bananas, didn't realize the tram was approaching his stop nor did he notice Zhenya's worried expression. He was a changed boy - a bittersweet reminder of the old Grisha that had been lost to the illness.
- Zhenya, despite her hectic work schedule, found time every Friday to detour towards the park near the pond, where Grisha's magic tree was located.
- In the cold winter weather, Zhenya stood in line for hours, braving the cold to buy bananas, hoping to trick the magic tree to show Grisha a surprise.
- Zhenya, unbeknownst to Grisha, hid the bananas in a dark corner of their cabinet, fearing he might eat them all at once.
- While Grisha was initially skeptical about the magic tree after his previous disappointment, the discovery of real bananas under the snowdrift rekindled his excitement and joy.
- On the tram ride home, Grisha, filled with the spirit of generosity, shared his lucky find with other passengers, displaying his newfound focus on relationships and acts of kindness.
- Besides bananas, Zhenya noticed Grisha's increased interest in fashion-and-beauty magazines, food-and-drink articles, and home-and-garden shows, signifying a shift in his lifestyle.
- As they walked home from the tram, Grisha, with his dimples shiny and a hint of a smile in his eyes, offered Zhenya a banana, reminding her of the warm and loving relationship they once shared with each other, their pets, and their travels.
