Chapters:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5
1
"One minute ", the director`s voice was heard."Oh, I`m so agitated, trembling all over", Mira said to her partner with a TV show, looking by her brown eyes at a cameraman tensely.
"Don`t worry, it will be all right", Dima encouraged the girl, although he had no Olympian calm. His cheeks burnt with emotion, respiration was not even, knees started constantly and palms were humid.
Mira and Dima waited the beginning of their TV show with impatience. This moment frightened and attracted them simultaneously. Yes, it is easy to watch a program on the National television or another channel, but to be a showman... This job is not for everyone, is it? Especially if they show the program to all Kyrgyzstan, you are the first-year students and appear in the telescreen for the first time in your life. The youth and the girl stood under bright rays of searchlights near a large monitor, where the TV show`s title was visible in the Russian and Kyrgyz languages. They knew their words by heart, but held files with a script. The students` clothes were different. The blue-eyed youth repainted as a fair-haired man put a spotted red and yellow shirt with short sleeves and light blue jeans on. The girl, the brunette, who let her hair down, had a long low-cut dress in a black colour on.
"Ten seconds", the director`s voice informed again.
A moment passed and after advertising televiewers saw a modest-decorated studio of the TV show "The best hits" with two sympathetic young people.
"Good evening, dear televiewers! "Dima said in a pleasant baritone. "You`re watching the first issue of the TV show "The best hits". Dmitry Romanov and Gulmira Kasymbekova are working for you. How will we choose the best variety song? You`ll help us in it, dear friends. We`ll offer five songs of the Kyrgyz singers to your attention. Every clip with a song will be shown for three minutes, and during this time you`ll have a chance to vote. If you are a subscriber of the company "Katel", you can send your messages to the mobile telephone number - 0702 9905 or to the pager - 2604"."The telephone number - 0702 9905, the pager`s number - 2604", Mira repeated in Kyrgyz. "Now let`s listen Gulnur Satylganova and her song "Kalaim saga"".
Forty minutes, which were given for the show, passed rapidly. After the first singer Insan group, Denis and Janetta Bobkovs, Jyldyz Tutueva and Asel Turdalieva showed their skill to televiewers. However that October day sympathies were with Gulnur Satylganova, getting 147 voices and winning the first place.
"Well, our program came to the end", Dima smiled. "But it can`t be a reason for sadness. Remember "The best hits" will be shown every Saturday at 9 p.m.".
"Good luck to you, dear viewers!" Mira said in Kyrgyz. "See you next week!"
Ending titles appeared in the telescreens, and after cameras were switched off Rinat Saifutdinov, a young broad-shouldered man with a dense chestnut hair, came to the young journalists. This was the director of the TV show "The best hits".
"I haven`t words, today you rose to the occasion!" the director praised the young people, having looked at them by his grey eyes warmly. "Well done! I don`t know what will be later on, but it`s very good for the first time. Next week we`ll think about your place in the studio. I wouldn`t like you always will stay so equally as the guard of honour by the national flag. By the way", Saifutdinov reminded, "editor will prepare a new script by next Friday. Go after dinner for it. As my granddad said, "work without plan as eat without sold. Well, to my mind, it`s all. Good bye! See you soon!".
1, 2, 3, 4, 5
2
To make a choice of the future profession is always a crucial deed. If graduates of school cannot choose their specialty by themselves, their parents, of course, decide for them. Our family wishing us well chooses specialties, which are reputed popular and fashionable at present. As a result every year numbers of economists, managers, lawyers, translators, programmers and book-keepers grow in Kyrgyzstan. As to Dima Romanov and Mira Kasymbekova, the students of the National university, they decided to become journalists by their own wish and did not want to be representatives of another professionFrom his childhood Dima dreamt of journalism and, when in September of 1999 the children`s newspaper "Ai-Danek" invited young correspondents, the twelve-year-old boy decided to try his faculties. At first not all was fine, it was difficult to write the first paragraphs, but members of editorial board were ready to help, and Dima worked hard. In 2002 Dima Romanov became the most popular young correspondent of "Ai-Danek". The editorial office was full of the admirers` letters, who wanted to make the beginner journalist`s acquaintance. Gradually Dima found his range of professional interests: he wrote about school concerts, competitions of beauty, presentations of new films, but mostly about young variety singers.
Vera Konstantinovna, Dima`s mother, worked at a polyclinic as a physician. She brought up her son alone and was very content that Dima did not associate with a bad company and had a good passion. However Vera Konstantinovna never thought about journalism as her son`s vocation. When after the school`s finishing Dima chose the Journalism faculty, she tried to make son change his mind.
"What did you find in this journalism?" Vera Konstantinovna adduced her arguments. "You won`t make a lot of money, will run without sense. Moreover it isn`t safe. You know, son, many journalists perished. Hobby isn`t a profession. It will be better to become a programmer or a translator. You`ll get a job in a firm and your pay will be not bad".
"Mum, you know very well I want to be a journalist!" the son objected stubbornly. "I`m not interested in the other specialties. Let`s stop this foolish, useless talk!"
"Oh, the same thing again!" the mum sighed. "You never listen me, do in your own way always... Well, all right", she agreed at last, "let journalism is your profession, if you aren`t disappointed. You know better than me".
Mira Kasymbekova, Dima`s partner with the TV show, was from the teachers` family. Her parents did not object to the girl`s wish to become a journalist. Mira did not collaborate with "Ai-Danek", but she had good faculties for literature. The girl wrote poems and humorous tales, which she read at school parties. Mira as Dima dreamt to work at television. When she had free time and did not need to meet her younger brother after school, Mira closed in her room and, having stood near a looking-glass, she imagined herself as a popular show woman like Angelina Vovk or Assol Moldokmatova or a journalist of the programs "Time" and "Ala too".
It is possible dreams of real journalism of the fist-year students would be only dreams, but in the beginning of October, 2004, a director and an editor from the Kyrgyz television, who looked for journalists for a new TV show, came to the National University. During three days the people from television conducted casting and finally they chose Dmitry Romanov and Gulmira Kasymbekova. The director and editor decided that these students were the most suitable for their TV show: Dima and Mira were good-looking and photogenic; they liked to work in public and articulated very well.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5
3
Days flew fast. Every Saturday evening the TV show "The best hits" continued to make glad its televiewers and stormy revolutionary events which took place on the 25th of March, 2005, corrected TV broadcasting only for a week. It was the impression that the show came from another world and did not notice changes in the country. Six months passed after the first program, and the young journalists got some popularity. Of course, Dima and Mira were not surrounded with the fans` crowds, demanding their autographs, but they were recognized in the streets and became nearly idols for many students of the National University. Rumous were of loaf that Dima and Mira not only working relations. Undoubtedly, it was far from truth. People are all alike: often they want to see more than only friendly smiles, glances and jokes.Actually Mira liked her colleague with the TV show very much. The girl was delighted with his actor`s skill, spontaneity and self-control. Mira felt more assured and calmer near him. In her imagination Dima and she would dance tango or would stroll along the park, holding by hands and smiling for each other. But, alas!- it was only castles in the air. Mira knew very well that Dima was fascinated by Regina Dadabaeva, the girl from his class.
Regina attracted Dima`s attention on the first day of the academic year. She was uncommonly beautiful and excelled the other girls at her bright, effective appearance. Her white tender face, expressive brown eyes, curved thing eyebrows and black crisp hair were not able to treat the youth with indifference. Regina had a fine slim figure and went by light plastic step. As it turned out latter the girl danced waltz, tango, jive, rumba and mambo excellently. Regina followed fashion and put mini-skirts and blouses opening a stomach on. She had a special liking to jewelry articles. Some gold locket often adorned her neck and expensive rings with gems were on almost her fingers.
Regina knowing that she is a beauty behaved with boys coquettishly and freely. The girl adored noisy parties and liked to perform with dancing items. Lectures and seminars were interested for her least of all. Unlike Dima Regina paid for studies and supposed that she would get her diploma without great efforts. Dima tried to put the girl in a mood to him and helped her for term tests and examinations: gave her his exercise books in "The principles of journalism", "World history" and "Psychology".
However Regina did not hurry to answer to his feeling. Only after Dima became well-known, thanks to his job at television, the girl decided to give him a chance. Their relationships lasted for two months. Dima conducted the girl to caf?, cinema and disco clubs. The more they met, the more Dima fell in love with Regina. She seemed an unusual girl without defects. He constantly thought about her, could not go to bed, if he did not phone to Regina and did not hear her sweet, affectionate voice. And what about Regina? Had she the same feeling to Dima? No, Regina supposed that she deserved the best. She grew up in a well-off family of a businessman and got used to value people by their finance. She was disappointed in Dima as waited more from him.
"He says over and over again about his love", Regina thought. "But what did he present me? He works at TV and the newspaper "Lemon", gets money for it. If he loves me truly, he would buy me a ring with gem long ago. Ah, what do I want from him? Ice-creams, drinks - that`s all what he cans. Well, what for me such boyfriend?".
1, 2, 3, 4, 5
4
It was given a ring after the fourth lecture. Having sighed with relief, students stood up from their places hurriedly and began to put exercise books into their bags and files. Dima looked about different sides, but could not find Regina in a large lecture-hall."It`s strange, what has become of her?" Dima reflected. "In the beginning of the lecture I saw her. Maybe, she went away before..."
Students going out for break strolled along the square in from of the main building of the National University. It was the warm May weather, pleasant sun rays lit up the university square and the building`s neoclassical fa?ade with high even columns. Dima coming down steps saw a young pair suddenly. The youth and the girl noticing nobody kissed near the statue of Yusuf Balasaguni. Having looked attentively, Dima recognized Regina. Who was her admire? Dima saw him before. The young man`s name was Dastan. This tall, impressive lad was in the third year. He dressed himself elegantly and with a good taste, preferring standard classical suits. If Dastan did not drive his own jeep, he would not have some qualities. All students knew that Dastan was not sent down only thanks his father`s money and influence. However Regina, obviously, did not worry intellect of her new boyfriend. It was important for her that he came from a rich family.
This scene stunned Dima profoundly. For a few minutes he could not come to himself. His heart beat intensely and was ready to get torn in pieces. Offence, disappointment, anger and perplexity merged together. It was hazy in his head, thoughts changed each other confusedly:
"Why? How could she treat with me? What is my fault? Really did I deserve this?"
How Dima did not want to believe his eyes! But it was not an optical illusion... Unfortunately, it was truth, bitter, cruel truth. As he was enchanted Dima stood still on the spot and looked at Dastan who embraced Regina for her waist and accompanied her to his jeep. The car`s doors closed and soon it went to an unknown direction. The dispirited and embarrassed youth went along the alley, feeling lonely and unhappy in this hostile and cruel world. For an instant his castles in the air collapsed, cheerful dreams and illusions disappeared for a long time.
At university Dima was absent for three days. He did not want to see anybody, did not answer the telephone. Regina`s unfaithfulness shocked Dima so that he could not think about other things and his thoughts returned to the scene by the statue again and again. At some moment passion for journalism, job at television, higher education lost their sense for Dima.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5
5
Dima came back to university only on Saturday. The youth immersed in dark thoughts went by the second lecture unwillingly. While the young man went past the Philharmonic Society he even did not notice as he was called and Mira found herself near him."Dima, where did you get to all this time?" the girl was indignant. "Why didn`t you take your script yesterday? Rinat Ashatovich asked about you. Your mobile phone is turned off... I even didn`t know how I`d give you the script".
"Well, I was slightly ill, caught cold", muttered Dima, justifying himself."Did you catch cold?" Mira asked again and continued with agitation. "To my mind, I understand a reason of your illness... Dima, you`re so perfect fellow. You`re suffering, but, maybe, there exist a girl, who would love you as you`re now and would not wait for dear presents from you", Mira was embarrassed and blushed, saying these words. "In general, take the script... Will you come today?"
"Yes, I will", answered Dima briefly.
Mira`s words compelled the youth to muse. Before he never thought that his partner with "The best hits" did not indifferent to him. When Dima understood it, he was somewhat better, his life stopped to look so dark and hopeless for him. But the young journalist did not hurry to begin new relationships as he feared to endure a mental shock and bitterness of unfaithfulness again.
After that memorable talk two months passed. As usual late in the evening Dima and Mira came back home. In spite of their tiredness, they had an excellent mood after shooting: a tiresome academic year stayed in the past and it was a chance to have a rest in Issyk-Kul Lake.
"Dima, would you like to go to the cinema "October"?" Mira asked suddenly. "They say after reconstruction it`s all modern there".
"I also thought about it", Dima said and then confessed. "I like you very much too... But let we not hurry, OK? And now, mademoiselle Kasymbekova", he said in jest, taking the girl`s arm, "let me accompany you to the station".
"I don`t object, Mr. Romanov", Mira answered in the same tone and her clear, merry laughter was heard.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5