I think many Soviet people could allow themselves a holiday by the sea. I remember how some reasoned: for example “go south to eat fruit” or “for apricots,” “for cherries” or “for peaches.” Mama had a colleague at the children’s atelier Nona Markovna. So she would say in a tearful little voice: “Oh, will I manage this season to eat a little melon with bread, from poverty….” She went to the sea “from poverty” every year.
Well, and Mama and I went to the sea a couple more times, but we no longer took Papa with us. He worked and even sent us money for the return journey, since Mama took money “just enough” to pay for the apartment in advance and to eat. I remember that when she bought fruit at the sea, she divided it equally among everyone, including herself.
In some year in Odessa there was a cholera epidemic. To Yevpatoria “it did not reach.” On the roads there were sanitary posts. The beaches in Yevpatoria emptied, and we remained, because we had paid for the apartment in advance and were waiting for Papa to send us money for the return journey. That was when Mama remembered Nona Markovna’s modest diet, and we ate a little melon with bread on the beach.
I have already mentioned that Mama for some time worked at the children’s atelier in the Passage on Khreshchatyk. I liked going to her at work, and at the same time taking a walk along Khreshchatyk. When Nona Markovna saw me, she would say: “My God! What a beautiful girl! Can this really be your mother?!” Yes…. Nona Markovna was not a boring auntie!