You've always wanted protection. You were thinking that you can't defend yourself even if you quarrel with some person. You thought you couldn't defend yourself, not only physically, but even verbally.

You've always dreamed of a shoulder to hide behind.

But you clearly didn't realize that you could be this shoulder.

Gena was an unusual guy. Drug dealing, drinking alcoholic beverages, theft and excessive emotionality - these all described this guy who became something special for you.

You were always with him.

Twenty-four by seven, you were only with him, and he didn't mind much. You saw the duels with pistols, you saw how he stole pistols from his father. You damn well saw how happy he was when he finally got what he needed.

You've seen everything.

Well, that's what you thought.

It turns out there was something you hadn't noticed from the beginning.

"My father is a little out of his mind."

Gena told you once when you asked to go with him to his father. You were both standing on the porch of the old house, knocking on the door, waiting for someone to open it.

Her was opened by a man, very old and exhausted. You didn't say a word. You didn't even say hello, or rather, you didn't have time to say hello.

"Have you come to steal something again, you brat?"

"Come on, Dad, I'm visiting you."

Their dialogue was pessimistic, negative, as if there had been something terrible and misunderstood in their lives before.

And now they are both sitting at the table with you and drinking a nasty drink for you - moonshine.

Time passed slowly. Even too slow. You were so stuck in you thoughts that you didn't even have time to understand how Gena's father suddenly got angry.

The man's hand hung over the head of the guy who was so persistently covering himself with his hands, trying to protect himself.

And you were sitting rooted to the spot, not knowing if you should protect him now or is this some kind of joke?

"No, Dad, don't."

Gena was whispering to himself, but you can hear everything clearly.