Back from holidays. Monica parked the car in the garage, brought the suitcases upstairs and begun unpacking. The long trip between P. and M. was tiresome but not dull, the dog on the back seat of the car was keeping her awake with the friendly barking throughout the trip. For the rest of the evening she will do little, prepare snacks and tea in the kitchen, relax a while in the soft chair and peruse fashion magazines that arrived in the mailbox.
After the shower she went to bed.
Next day. Waking to autumn with acute fresh air and sparks of sunny rays from the contours of houseroofs on opposite side of the street. She has to finish the article for the magazine and collect herself to resume work after this holidays. This autumn was nice, so were all the recent experiences; she’s met many new friends in P. and felt a big surge in creative powers. The lifestyle on Andromeda, the argumentation for and against visiting it or resettling there - was the main issue of her recent research. Couple of her new friends - Ice and Veronika promised to get more details from Ponomaryev; professor often meets the girls in the café and doesn’t mind to spare information about the distant galaxy. He likes coffee, both Ice and Veronika like coffee too - it’s like a match from paradise -one could see Ponomariev in presence of the girls often and could agree that they have much in common or, sort of, correspond well together.
Early, around 9 o’clock, Ice rang on the mobile.
Ice: …it was promising at the beginning, he said, he discovered an artist who will understand the academic flexibility, it sounded really innocent. But you know, its all the same, hopeless tactics, hiding behind years of experience, it’s basically b.s., like different viewpoint or something that sounds no better than any dozen of acts of just about anybody who is neither academic, electrician or innocent citizen but rather somebody who tries to survive under the pressure of female beauty…
Monika: ah, producers are hopeless…
Ice: It looks like one has to be more than flexible to survive his maneouvering…
Monika: yes, one cannot gratify all expectations of just anybody….I’d agree to some minimum though….
Ice: right, I’d see you later today. Have some photographs…
Monika: anytime. Come to my office and get Veronika with you.
