"It seems to me you should not drink more, but you all want beer ... Let's go round it - and go home, sleep." Have agreed? At that time the chef came out from the back room. - What are you doing ?! She hissed angrily to my ear. - Why do you refuse to serve a visitor ?!
"I asked him to leave," she explained, nodding at the man who was standing near the bar. "He better go to bed, and do not buy another glass."
"So, honey, sell him a drink," Margarita said firmly.
- Do you want him, Mama, to count how much he drank? The desire of the client is always a law for us, especially if we make good money on this. And do not forget that I'm the commander here!
I gave the man a beer . He hardly came with him to the table, drank a sip, and then laid his head on the table and fell asleep. How I got tired of all this!
Every day is the same. The same drunken faces, the terrible smell of fumes and cigarette smoke with a pillar ... Of course, no decent client here will not go: who wants to see this disgrace, where they can nag, humiliate or even strike? You can look for a place and decently.
At the moment of my meditations two women of about forty-five entered the cafe, well dressed, very well-groomed. I gave them a cordial smile, but they, glancing sideways into the hall, here and then left. With regret, the young lad looked at her without taking offense at all. In their place I would have acted exactly the same way: for no morsels I would not sit in such a gadyushnik.
"Ah ..." she sighed sadly, again dreaming that this eatery would turn into a completely different place-beautiful, cozy, quiet ... I told the chef a thousand times that you need to change the menu, get rid of all these drunkards and place a bet on numerous visitors from a nearby shopping center.
Or other people who can be attracted by a bright signboard. But Margo just twisted her finger at her temple and told me to stop being clever.
"Darling, I made business on these clients and I intend to continue in the same spirit," she repeated.
- And you are not bothered by their always swollen muzzles? - I was surprised. - Constant complaints of neighbors to noise? The police?
- You have to pay for everything, and everything in this life has its price. But while I'm in the black ... You understand, "smiled Margo.
"Why do you think that with other customers ..." I began, but a man interrupted me. He left the toilet and complained that there was a mess.
"Ira," the hostess smiled sarcastically. "Enough of ranting." Take a rag and get to work. Dray toilet, I dreamed of my own business. More precisely, it would be Margarita's cafe, but in a completely different style. In winter there would have been a fire in the fireplace, customers would have savored hot wine and chocolate. In the summer the air conditioner would work, and the visitors would serve orange fresh. And no drunkards, fights, scandals! Everything is very decent and civilized ... I did not sit still - I was always looking for an opportunity to realize my dream. My sister and I sold the house inherited from our parents, and we divided the money among ourselves.
The amount seemed great , but as it turned out, you can not realize the dream for such money. They were too few to buy a cafe, but quite a lot to spend just like that. Not finding the best way out, I left the entire amount in the bank, on the deposit. Let the money work for me a little. Perhaps, then it will turn out to be a good opportunity to invest them in something worthwhile. From the pleasant thoughts distracted an incomprehensible noise. Coming out of the toilet, I saw that in our institution a scandal broke out again. And before the fight, apparently, very close. How did I get all this ... Already half an hour before the eatery there was a crowd of onlookers, an ambulance car and the police. It was not the first time that I had to tell representatives of the authorities about what had happened. People living nearby, very loudly resented, demanding "close this snack bar". I understood them very well and very sympathetic. But Margo angrily and discontentedly looked at the crowd.
- Wacky people! They sleep and see how other normal people can create problems, "she hissed angrily in my ear.
But then the chef could not stand it and got into a quarrel with a woman who screamed louder than all. Perhaps, from anger Margo completely ceased to control herself, so she began to insult the tenants. I knew that nothing good would come of it. Fortunately, there was a police squad next to them and dispersed everyone.
Silently I went to the bar. She stood and concentrated wiping her glasses. When the shefina returned, she asked her only one question:
- And would you like to live near such an institution? So that every time in the middle of the night your children get screamed and mated? Margot looked at me with such sincere perplexity. And then she said.
- So let them move if they feel bad! -And I always thought that we should try to live peacefully with our neighbors. And I was right. Because the next few days brought a lot of unpleasant surprises. The tenants wrote a complaint against us. They remembered everything: night screams and fights, and the last quarrel with the mistress. At first my boss was summoned to the police. Then several inspectors came to the cafe. They checked everything, and Margot began to receive warnings. Her institution required thorough repairs and ... changes.
"But it will cost a fortune!" - Margarita was horrified, having looked through results of all checks.
- And if this does not happen?
- Then there will be regular fines, and then the cafe will be closed! She moaned.
That day, I first saw her really frightened. Although before it seemed to me that Margo was not afraid of anything. She was able to put in place even a whole crowd of drunken peasants ...
- What to do?! - experienced the chef.
"Maybe credit?" Advised her.
- Another? I will not be given it. I recently bought an apartment! I hoped the café would be profitable ...
"I'm sorry that this happened ..." I whispered, although I had long foreseen that it would all end this way.
That night I began to think about one option . She told her husband, but he began to dissuade me from putting this idea into practice. But the more Ilia said "no", the more seductive it seemed to me my idea. And the day came when Margarita sadly announced that she would have to sell a cafe.
"But there is another way," I objected.
- I wonder what ?!
- Find an investor who will invest money and become your co-owner.
"Ira," the chef looked at me in bewilderment. "Are you drunk?"
- No! You know that I do not drink! I just have some amount of money. This should be enough for repairs. But in return I will become your companion.
- You are crazy! After all, this is my business!
- I remember. But the choice you have is not great: either sell the cafe, or it will be closed. And there is a real chance to work ...
I knew exactly how to convince Margarita. Despite all its shortcomings, she very much cherished her institution.
"If you agree to my terms, you will not lose anything." You, as before, will make profit from the cafe, maybe, at first a little less than before, but eventually it will increase. Margarita asked for one day to think. I knew that she would agree.
My husband took offense at me a little . He was afraid that a partnership with Margarita would not bring us anything good. But for three years of working with my boss, I had time to study it well, so I knew that I would succeed. When the next day she appeared at work and said that she accepts the offer, I sat her down at the table and strictly led the speech:
- The cafe will change completely. We will forever give up drunkards and vodka for a spill. It will be a very decent institution ... "Margarita looked at me in surprise. - We need advertising. In the beginning it is worthwhile to attract residents of neighboring houses and customers of the shopping center. We can have a snack, a coffee or a cocktail. We also prohibit smoking. But before proceeding to the case, we will ask the lawyer to draw up a contract. Our partnership must be formalized.
"I see that you thought it all over and planned it out." Margarita smiled sadly.
- Of course, otherwise it is impossible. You know in which country we live. God forbid that I will not prove anything later. And I do not intend to risk a decent sum.
"That's right," Margot agreed.
"Then you agree?"
"Do I have a way out?"
"Companions?" I held out my hand to her.
"Companions!" In that case, let's get on "you" . And then somehow it's ridiculous ... I completely immersed myself in the work. I was terribly tired, but I knew that now I was working not for Margot, but for myself, so I tried harder than ever. The opening of the renovated café was planned on the eve of the Christmas holidays.
"It's a bad time," my partner frowned. - All people are at home, nobody goes to taverns!
"Of course, they do not go to the eateries, and a lot of people will come to our cafe," I promised to her. First she wrote congratulations on holidays on postcards and put them in mail boxes in neighboring houses. The very next day two women came to us. I suggested that they sit down, although the cafe was not open yet. She told me what would happen, and invited me to the opening. They promised to come.
- Well, still would not agree! After all, everything will be free! - Grimaced Margo.
"Well, how did you want it?" In all decent places at the opening, everything is free! And we, with you, besides this, still need to cajole the neighbors for all the previous debauches. But people will see that such ugliness will not happen again. And it's good for them, and you and I profit.
I was right. Our cafe was becoming more popular every day. But there was another problem - my companion. She continued to treat me as her subordinate: she gave directions, she made her own decisions. My remarks were justified: they say, she forgets that she is not a chef.
Apologized and ... again did the same . But one day I exploded. My partner spent the whole evening at the table with her friends, I at the same time served not only customers, but their table. When they left, Margot said that her friends would not pay for food.
"Do not you think it's too much?"
- Do not exaggerate! I could not take money from them! - she was justified.
- So it is. From this day you pay for your own, and I am for my friends only from my own pocket. Clear?
"But did ..." Margarita began to babble, but at that moment she was interrupted by a woman who was leaving the toilet. She said embarrassed that it was dirty.
- Excuse me. Now we'll clean it, "and looked questioningly at Margo. She stared at me in bewilderment.
- And what are you waiting for? Margo asked.
"What's that?" Now it's your turn!
- What?! - She was indignant.
"Have you forgotten?" We are partners now. Profit is divided in half. And with work the same way. Now you are not the commander of the parade, but WE! So, or hire a cleaner, or a rag in your hands - and go!