The alley reeked of stale beer. A group of men, faces flushed, huddled around a lamp. Matvey, white hair gleaming, grinned, tossing a half-empty vodka bottle at the wall, "Let's see if this wakes them up!" Matvey, laughing, took off running, "Catch me if you can, you old fools!" The chase became a comical dance, the men stumbling, Matvey dodging, his laughter echoing through the alley, a testament to a boy who embraced life with a zest for the absurd.