Play for 6 people. Once two new year's eve…

SCENE 2 RECREATION AREA AT THE SKI CLUB

At a small table, dressed in their ski suits, but unbuttoned to the rastopashku sit two, Semyon and Lenya. Lenya writes something, and Semyon attentively follows the text.

Lenya exhales, puts down the pen, lifts the sheet, and reads aloud, loud and clear.

LENYA (reads like a report): We, Senya and Lenya, hereby certify the date of entry into force of the dispute, to the extent that each of us undertakes not to go "left" for one year. In good faith and loyalty and to be faithful to their wives.

We provide for each other's control over the implementation of the agreement in any possible performance without any claims!

Loud Patriotic serious music is playing, appealing to masculinity.

Friends with eyes full of honor and self-denial lean back in their chairs and look somewhere in the distance, as if saying goodbye to their homeland, as if for the sake of the people go on their last journey.

The music stops.

Semyon takes a piece of paper, a pen, and signs it.

SEMYON (signing): Date, signature. I ask you, my colleague, to perform the same procedure!

Semyon passes the piece of paper to a friend, and Lenya also puts the date and her signature.

LENYA (with approval, with a catch): there you go. We'll make a couple of copies, just in case. So that each of us has a copy and one or two more in stock. We'll see… who of us is worth what in deeds, and not in words!

SIMON (quietly): I would like to note that initially, my offer was not limited to one year. In General, I was going to give up all third-party relationships and the rest of my life faithfully…

LENYA (interrupts): Yes … Yes … Yes! I remember this, and once again I want to note that this proposal was very short-sighted. Each event must have a specific time frame, otherwise it is all so… frivolous. Besides, no one knows how long your marriage or mine will last. Imagine if one of us gets divorced in a month, and the other one lives with his wife until retirement, and even longer. It would be a shame. The word will turn out that both hold, only one is having fun to the full, and the second like an idiot all in one hole!

SEMYON (after thinking it over): Well… I think I'll agree with that. Life is really a changeable thing. Anything can happen. And a man's word must remain a word, regardless of any changes!

LENYA (important): Golden words!

SEMEN (considered): But still… Why did you insist on a one-year term? Not two, not three, not five… That's really hard, isn't it? Do you really need someone on the side so badly and so important?

LEON (considered): You Understand, Semyon… I may be wrong… But it seems to me that it is much worse not to meet love in life at all than to meet it outside of marriage. Love is a beautiful thing. This is a very pure, very kind, very high "thing". Love is a necessary element of society and Yes… it happens that it is not one-sided. Love, brother. Another question is what to do for those who met her under the circumstances that they might have wanted.

Semyon heaves a sigh, fully evaluating what he has heard and trying it on for himself.

LEON (quietly): Do you love Alina?

SEMYON (surprised): of Course, very!

LENYA (calmly): And Kristina?

Semyon hesitates, delays with the answer.

LENYA (emotionally): Oh, you shifty! So you fell out of love with your mistress and started this argument with me under this bench? Well, sly! I underestimated you, you're not as simple as you seem…

SEMYON (excusing himself): no, no. I love Kristina, too. And I intend to part with it against my wishes. This is the Holy truth. Just, I say, the same… My conscience is bothering me.

LENYA (with a twist): Conscience? Or Kristinka?

SEMYON (excusing himself): No, no… Kristina is a beauty in this regard. Everything is top-notch, without headaches, hassle, unnecessary conversations and brain drain.

LENYA (admiring): Not even mine! Why did you clip your own wings, you fool? Oh, Yes… conscience. Internal conflicts and all that… Yes, Yes … I remember.

SEMYON (seriously): You shouldn't take it so lightly, Lenya. At a certain stage of life, you begin to understand that the main thing in life is not money, not social status, power or the number of sexual relationships…

LENYA (mockingly): Curious!

SEMYON (seriously): Well, we'll talk about it some other time. It's hot (fanning himself with the edges of his jacket), and there's no time…

The guys wave their jacket flaps, blowing themselves out.

LENYA (supporting): I agree. So we'll meet in… let's say a week. We report on the results and state of Affairs.

Lenya takes a piece of paper from the table, folds it, and puts it in the inside pocket of his jacket.

SEMYON (seriously): Officially-Yes, in a week…

Lenya freezes in a kind of incomprehension.

SEMYON (explaining): Well, in fact, we will certainly not once watch each other this week, and protect, so to speak, from under the floor, for compliance with the agreements!

Semyon pats the inside pocket of his jacket, where Lenya has just put the signed piece of paper.

Lenya gets up from the table, zips up, and is about to leave.

LENYA (moderately sad): Ah, Senya. You started it… Yes, and on the eve of the New year. At least I would give you a normal holiday off. Well, nothing is sacred!

SEMYON (moderated)): Norma-a-a-a-LNO. The sooner you sit down, the sooner you get out!

LENYA (moderately sad): Well, it happens!

They say goodbye by the hand. Lenya leaves first. Semyon also gets up from the table, zips up as he goes, and stealthily goes in the same direction that his friend has just left.

ZTM.