Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears Page #8

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May I come in?

All right. We can meet

on Gogol Boulevard at 17:45.

But not more than 15 minutes.

I'm really very busy.

- Hello.

- How are you?

You're alone, not with your mother?

My mother died eight years ago.

I'm sorry.

Now what do you want?

I want to see my daughter.

What for? You've been getting along

without her until now.

Until now I didn't know

she existed.

You didn't want to know you mean?

You were never so cruel before.

And guess who taught me that?

As for me, I feel as if

a new life has started

now that I know

I have a daughter.

A grown-up daughter to boot.

You don't have to look after her

staying up at night,

to walk her to school...

If I'm guilty of hurting you,

I've been punished enough, so

there's no need to do it.

Yes, I've led a useless life

all right.

I've always pretended

it was just a rehearsal,

that real life still lay

ahead.

I've been married twice.

My first wife ran out on me

and I left the second one.

And now here I am, alone

with no kids, with no wife,

not even anyone I can really

call a friend.

How many times I've imagined

what it would be like meeting you.

All the words I've so

carefully prepared.

Now you're here and I don't

know what to say.

For many years I didn't stop

loving you.

But then I became hateful

and bitter.

I wanted you to know

about my success,

to make you see how wrong you were.

But now I think

that it was all to the good.

I wouldn't have become a success

if you had stayed.

I'm glad that you didn't

marry me then,

because in that case I wouldn't

have met a wonderful man

whom I love now.

Believe me, everything

will work out for the best.

Life begins at 40.

It may sound trite, but it's true.

Goodbye, and please

don't call me up anymore.

I want to see my daughter!

No, you won't go there!

I'm going with you!

- This is none of your business.

- This is my business!

I'm gonna lock the door!

I'm going with you!

- Where are you going?

- Nowhere.

You're right. It's getting late.

You can go there tomorrow.

Wait, I'm coming with you!

Let go of me!

- What's going on?

- There's gonna be a fight.

- What about?

- About me.

All right, let's have the story.

I used to go out

with Volodya Kopylov.

Now I'm going with Nikita

and he loves me.

I'm in love with him too.

And Kopylov and his pals

are out to get him.

They don't want him

to see me anymore.

Nikita has bruises all over.

That shows he really loves you.

Let's go and help him.

I wanted to call the police,

but mother wouldn't let me.

She said this is something

we should handle ourselves.

- Right, that's the best way.

- There are five of them.

- Thought it over?

- Yeah, you're punks.

- Who's a punk? Me?

- You! You're another punk!

- And maybe he's a punk too?

- You're a bunch of punks!

Take it easy, boys.

Five against one, is it?

You know I don't think

I like those odds.

I'd advise you to mind

your own business, pop!

It's just that five against one

isn't my idea of a fair fight.

I don't believe in beating up

ladies and sick old men,

but I think I can make

an exception for you though.

That was just for practice.

- Just a preventive measure.

- They read books.

He could've broken my arm, you know.

- Are you an expert in judo?

- That's right.

Now get lost, pops!

Why shouldn't we take

our friend over there with us?

Well, bastard, I got the message!

The evening's been quiet till now,

but things are gonna pick up.

You want a taste of my boot, too?

Oh, you tripped!

Stay down!

Now take it easy.

Let me go! Don't bother me!

We'd better be going.

You dare lay a hand on him again

or even touch him...

- Tough girl!

- You bet!

- Are we gonna tell mother?

- No need to.

Why not? I want her to know

what you've done.

You acted like a real man.

Any man would do it.

Making a decision and fight for it

is a man's duty.

You wouldn't be proud of a woman

just because she can cook a meal?

I don't know how to cook a meal.

That's all right, I'll teach you.

Why didn't you continue

your education?

- What for?

- To become an executive.

Should everyone

be an executive?

No, not at all,

but everyone wants to.

Ever hear of the Roman emperor

Diocletian?

At the very height of his empire,

he just gave away the crown and

settled down somewhere in the country.

And when he was asked to take over

again, he said:

"Once you've seen the cabbages

that I've grown,

you'll stop asking me."

- He never went back?

- No.

You see, not everybody wants

to be some kind of leader.

Although it seems to be the only

case in the history of the world.

So you'd rather grow cabbages?

I prefer doing the things

I like doing.

I don't care a damn about prestige

or stupid fashion.

I love the kind of work I do

because I know that I'm needed.

I love my friends,

because we never get tired of

each other, of our talks.

I love your mother because...

because I love her.

- Why are you laughing?

- It's fun talking to you.

You think you're as happy

as any man could be?

No, not really.

If I could get

a glass of cold soda now,

then I'd consider myself

absolutely happy.

- You shouldn't have done it.

- Done what?

I told her everything.

I couldn't help it.

Using your fists is no way

to settle problems.

- And if they don't understand words?

- Then you didn't explain properly.

And you, a grown-up man, should've

known better than that.

Now these boys are going to believe

that might makes right.

They'll learn that using violence

they should expect violence in return.

I want you to promise me

you'll never do anything like this

without my permission.

Yes, ma'am...

But I want you to respect my wishes

as well.

If you talk to me in that manner

once more,

I will never set foot

in this house again.

As for the decisions in this house,

I'll be making them.

For the simple reason

that I'm the man here.

I'm sorry. Forgive me.

Alexandra, one of your friends.

Please never raise your voice

to me like that.

I was so afraid you'd get hurt.

I'm sorry.

You want to see mother?

So you're Alexandra?

Please come in.

- Will you join us?

- Well, thank you.

Alexandra, would you mind?

- This is for you.

- Thank you.

Are you going to introduce me

or should I do it myself?

Meet Rodion Rachkov,

he's a television cameraman.

An old friend of mine.

So old that he didn't even

recognize me when he saw me.

- Georgy and Alexandra.

- It's a pleasure. Sit down, please.

- Would you like some cognac?

- I won't say no.

There you go.

I think I have some lemon around.

Well, what did you think of the show?

Mom looked a little nervous.

- You were on TV?

- Oh, who cares?

You made quite an impression

with our bigwigs.

They saw in you a real leader

of today.

There're plans to make a film

about you.

About a woman who has made herself,

coming all the way from a common

worker to a factory director.

- Who's the director?

- Let's have a drink...

What d'you mean? Katerina, of course.

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