Friday, July 16, 2010

Analect 2.752x


16 July 2010. Summer, yes...

Kornei Chukovsky, surrounded by a group of Russian children. They've made a place for him on the stage--a large chair is brought forward, as he stands there, in his dark suit, smiling. The children gather round. He begins by saying he'll read one of his stories--and needs their help. That they supply the sounds of each of the animals--which, as children they freely do. But first a test. "Oh no, that's not it yet!" he says with a certain sternness. They try again--with much more energy. This time he beams, and the story follows...

Scene earlier, in a classroom, this time with an appealing young teacher, who points to a photograph of Chukovsky. He asks his class if they know Yuri Gagarin? Yes, the first comonaut. He then tells that when Gagarin was about to meet Kornej Chukovsky, in a public ceremony of some kind, his first gesture was to bend forward and kiss Chukovsky's hand.

An order in the universe...

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Kornei Chukovsky

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