Рождество на Кузнецком мосту. Christmas on Kuznetsky bridge. Премия им. Н.В. Гоголя / N.V. Gogol award (Билингва: Rus/Eng)

Yesterday’s blizzard snowed almost all the paths that his patients usually strolled. The snow crunched underfoot. Everything was fine, just a strange premonition of something bad haunted him.

Suddenly, someone caught up with Dr. Rip and clapped him on the shoulder.

«Happy Birthday!»

Dr. Rip turned around.

«Oh, Michael, thank you!» he said. «Let’s celebrate it at lunchtime!»

«Who are you going to invite?» Michael wondered.

«As usual: you, the Head of our Department, nurses, well, someone from morgue.

«Deal! We’ll be there with something delicious for „tea“!»

Dr. Rip came to the door to the surgical building, and deja vu flashed in front of his eyes – every morning, he used to sigh, imagining that he was opening the door to the next day of his life, which each time got only shortened. That day he didn’t want to open it at all, since he became a year older, damn it!

Having sketched out a brief plan and inviting colleagues to come to the staff room for «tea» at lunchtime, Dr.

The old woman in the ward No. 3 was really bad.

«Should I discharge her?» he thought.

In ward No. 4, Dr. Rip’s heart suddenly ached. One of the beds was empty. He was about to ask the nurse where the patient had gone, as he remembered that yesterday she had been transferred to another department.

«Thank God!» thought Dr. Rip and probably would have crossed himself, if not for the nurse, standing next to him. He glanced at the empty bed again, trying in vain to remember why it was causing him a strange sensation, similar to deja vu.

«Is something wrong?» agitated the nurse, who was afraid of losing her lucrative job in his department.

«No, no, Irene. I’ve just lost in my thoughts.»

When everyone gathered for the «tea party», the Head of their Department got up to make the throne speech, as the door to the staff room opened suddenly, and a patient from the ward No. 3 appeared on the threshold.

«Excuse me, please… The old lady… She seems to be… dead…»

«Damn it! I didn’t manage to discharge her in time!» Dr.

«If she died,» the Head of the Department instantly emptied her glass and commented dryly, «she can wait a little longer. Can’t you see we’re having a meeting?»

The patient from the ward No. 3 nodded obediently and closed the door behind her, as the phone rang.