Yesterday’s story from Grubas reminded me (by the way, thank you very much for the story). The story is also not funny, so you can put a minus, I will not be offended.
So about the heroic mother/wife and animals (truth in the human face), and in general, just about love.
My grandfather was born in Odessa in 1912, but lived his childhood in a town near the city. Ukraine is not the most prosperous place to live, and I am not talking about the terrible years of the Civil War. White, red, Germans, Grigorievans, Machnovs, Petlyurovans, Englishmen, Germans, Fratsuzs, Gethmans, Poles, Nationalists, Monarchists, Octorists, Anarchists, Cossacks, and finally just bandits of all sorts and grains mixed into one terrible cluster that rolled and left behind tears and blood.
The power and troops under Odessa changed almost daily. And in the same place on one edge could be red, on the other green, and in the middle of power could not be at all. And everyone believed that the civilian population only exists that would beat it all that is. It was considered good if only it was possible to get rid of money or products. It could have been worse.
One day in 1919, when the white left, and the red were not yet there, a gang entered the outskirts of the town where my grandfather’s family lived. I don't know what ideology she professed, but most likely no - just freezers / bandits. They walked around the houses, taking everything they looked at and driven everyone out on the street. Then the ataman looked at the crowd of confused people whose eyes were frightened and said. “Men are to be shot.”
And quickly several dozen men were separated and led to the balk behind the place. There were screams of women and children, but the bandits didn’t care. They had to leave quickly, because the red parts had to come here.
My grandfather was a simple worker in the store and was not a hero at all. And he walked in that crowd, went to shoot. He walked like dozens of his neighbors and acquaintances. There was a scream behind them. I do not know why the ataman did not say to shoot the others, but there was no order for women and children and they stayed in the town.
And when the crowd was brought to the balcony, this happened. There was no Yul Brunner, no magnificent 7ka, not even Rambo. When they were caught up, he was terrified to see that my grandmother was following the men who were to be shot. And not alone. She pulled my crying grandfather and his eight-year-old sister in her arms. No more women and children in the town followed the men.
And when he was put on the back to the wool in the first party to be shot, she took the children in her arms and stood next to him. There were no tears in the eyes, no fear, only the determination of despair. They even tried to drive her away, but she said firmly, “The family should not be separated. Either you shoot us all together or let him go.” I let the girl go and grabbed my grandfather and held my grandfather with the other hand.
Atman changed his face. “Do you understand what you are doing?” He was stunned. She once again said, “The family should not be separated.” I don’t know what I found on the ataman (I don’t think he regretted 3 bullets). But something happened. It became quiet. His great-grandfather told me that he had even heard the ataman say in half a voice, “Here’s a fucking grandmother, she’s stuck in her own. Even the children do not regret it. “Don’t be afraid, fuck.” "Okay, fuck him - let him take, since he loves it." And the grandfather, receiving an example on his back, was expelled. And he, his grandmother, his grandfather and his sister returned to the village.
All the others were shot.
They did not live in the town, left for Odessa. It was very hard. Neighbors looked at them strangely.
I think often now. What was right to do to her then? On the one hand, she did not risk herself. They could easily shoot everyone. And on the other hand, it’s precisely that... I don’t even know how to call it... Step by step, she saved her husband, family.
Almost a century has passed. I live in another country and even on another continent. And now time is different, "human", and it is unlikely that something like this will happen again. It turns inside, and then? What if? What would I like my wife to do in such a situation? What would I do in her place? Sometimes I think I know.
Sometimes I don’t find an answer for myself.