Oh, mother! How many years have passed – thirty? Thirty years since then, and I still haven't learned my lesson. I still haven't become a man, I still dawdle on the street watching the children, I still get my change stolen by the rascals. And that is your greatest punishment. And my punishment too – that I didn't understand, while there was still time, what you were suffering then, and I wanted to take revenge on you. But damn it, did you have to take it out on me to vent? Couldn't you just turn a blind eye when I was ten minutes late or when I forgot to buy the salt? And if I remember correctly, the change that the kids from the street above had stolen from me was, I swear to God, mother, either six or seven dimes!