Competition, you know!

 Disaster struck! Seriously ill mother, and the local doctor told her that she must bear for the operation, and after the surgery undergo a lengthy and rather expensive treatment, and the surgery itself will cost a pretty penny. There is something to become despondent. What can I add? To hurt nobody wants, but in our time, timelessness and tyranny, the disease is equivalent to death sentence, if no significant capital. We're with the wife, even though all the time and work, so capital has not got, not to mention my mother. Became my wife and I think where we would find the money. Our salaries is clearly not enough, let us, and before that had to shift to make ends meet to reduce, and then there's this crisis. Wage cut, while prices rose. Sell the same inning. Who needs furniture after twenty years of use, its even in a landfill is not picked up. - Loan must be taken in the bank - strongly, and as if in terror, offered to his wife. And the way out, I thought. The more that go nowhere and is not necessary, since there is a bank branch in our house, and next door to even five. - Tomorrow and I'll go to the bank - I decided, and already with a light heart, went to bed. The next day, not coming from work, home, and I went to the Russian Credit Bank, a branch of which was located in our home. Approached the counter, behind which was located a young, well-dressed man who met me smile. - Can I get you a loan for personal needs? - I asked. - Of course - as would have been happy, and even wider smile, said a bank employee. - And what percentage of the loan, I'll be obliged to pay - once asked me tormenting me all this time issue. - Nineteen per cent per annum - looking at some papers, "replied the young man. In the air hung a pause. Inside of me began to accrue from nowhere who had taken this irritation groomed young clerk, calling it a tie, a smile on duty, for which no feeling of real participation, marble floors, all of these cool and luxurious interior of the banking institutions, who gives a sort of callousness. - What is required of me for credit? - Copy of passport, certificate of employment on wages, and a certificate of property that you could put as collateral.
- And you have no collateral loans, - I asked, already feeling that I get no credit. - No collateral only consumer credit for goods and auto loans where the car is the collateral - the same smile, explained the clerk. And then, apparently seeing the confusion and frustration on my face, he added - you can lay your apartment, but only if you're the only of its owner, and registered it but you. In response to the crisis we are forced to tighten lending conditions and the approach to the assessment of the borrower more strictly.
 Without answering, gazing at me questioningly clerk, I walked away from the bar and went home. Wife in the doorway immediately asked if I went to the bank. - I went - without stifling irritation, "I replied, and walked into the kitchen. - So what? - Nothing! I can not write all of the apartments, especially children, to get a loan! - Go to other banks, there may be more acceptable terms, - has offered his wife, putting on the table, a bowl of soup and moving grain. - Better not ask me, mother, and so sickening. And in another bank, I will go there, although I really do not hope so. Concurring with the suggestion wife, I had three days I walked on the banks, but credit and never received. Despite the fact that the names of the banks were different, and advertising to attract money from the public mind boggling sophisticated, lending conditions were almost identical. Wherever required collateral rate on the loan started with nineteen percent, the salary should have been at least five times higher than mine, besides, in addition to a pledge still required to pay for the registration of the contract, the insurance for the loan and insure his life. It turned out that bankers appreciate my life in the status of the borrower, far more than appreciate it myself.
 By Saturday I was exhausted, had lost all hope to issue the credit, and I am disgusted the hell out of this smiling and well-groomed bank clerks, representing a successful and happy employees to plague the country. To somehow deviate from these gloomy thoughts, and home furnishings, but also advice, went to a neighbor on the landing, play chess, so speak for life. Recently, it was the only cultural entertainment, which I myself could afford every Saturday. On trips to the theater, cinema and concerts have long been one in the family did not even dream of. Neighbor Eugenia P., my constant contender for the chessboard, was at home and was waiting for me, as evidenced by the board to be set in the figure. - How is Katherine Feodorovna - asked Petrovich, knowing the mother's illness. - The worst does not happen. Severe pain brought her to a nervous exhaustion. Almost no sleep. Only on the anesthetic injection and lasts. The doctor said he needed surgery and drugs that cost more money. Yes, and you have to pay for the operation of some money. And how do you know, I have such money has never been the case in hand. Petrovich stood up from his desk, nervously pacing the room, even forgetting to make your next move. - That's what brought the people of these charlatans and careerists - Petrovich said, throwing his hands up and then getting up in the form of a question mark at the table, he asked - and what do you think? - Yes, I do not know, Petrovich! Whether out of desperation to go to a bank robbery, as he Novokuznetsk loser more like suicide than a robber, or, to sell a kidney! - Credit, as I understand, just think about a bank robbery, you have already tried to take - again, sitting at his desk, he asked his neighbor. - Tried! Here are just a borrower out of me, it seems, very much unreliable. All the banks refused. But something I realized! It turns and is an attempt to torture. - What percentage ask? - With an obvious interest asked Petrovich. - From nineteen and above. - This is the full cost of credit, or some other fees are available? - Credit insurance, some require to issue life insurance, well, for the registration of the contract must be paid. - Clearly, - said Petrovich. - What is clear - I queried. - And what is the real cost of credit, under this approach, at least thirty-five per cent per year. Petrovich again rose from his desk and walked across the room. - It's robbery pure and simple! And that is all there and move. - What was moving - I asked in bewilderment. - To ensure that tore the nation three skins! The people were fed on fairy tales about the market and competition, and all sorts of "learned" men with titles and degrees of people constantly asserted that the whole problem of monopoly and worth naplodit private owners, all immediately receive a lot of quality and cheaper goods and services, but it turned out everything is just so contrary. Got a lot of zahrebetnikov. And how deftly handled the consciousness of man in the street! TV great power, but in the hands of the enemy, and great weapons. What can I add?
 Bamboozled partocrats, in alliance with academic looters, and the bailiff of the journalistic fraternity people, in fact, truly believed that he, in this life, lacking only the market and competition. In general, "For the Emperor Constantine and his wife to the Constitution." - You are about someone now Petrovich? - The soldiers, who in 1825, the Senate Square, shouting that call. So they told the officers conspirators - with a grin said Petrovich. And then looked at me and seriously asked - and you, Igor, I thought that illiterate soldiers, former peasants took to the Senate Square really pursue the Constitution? - Yes, I like something about it did not think - I answered, and I felt embarrassed for my illiteracy. I even had time to imagine what exactly the officers then looked at his men as Petrovich at me.
 - And to think by themselves, and it was not necessary! - Said Petrovich. We must have dignity and be able to defend their interests, and not follow the tastes of all kinds of adventurers. When the contributions of the people are impaired, the cost to the streets, as it makes people in other countries, and show them at least, their discontent and their willingness to defend their living standards. Require, finally, the trial of these thieving reformers rather than gray in the kitchen and resent. But what is ironic and even funny in this situation! People really got the competition - the farmer is now competing with all the manufacturers of the world, and the worker - with all the unemployed former Soviet Union. And, behold, at the lenders and the new masters of life is no competition. Not life, and raspberries! Competition, you know!
 It became clear that P. smoothly passes to his favorite and painful subject - the restructuring of the nineties. At the same time, always, as soon as he started to talk about restructuring and its masterminds in it infuses a spirit unknown to me, his face came to life, and he, forgetting about chess, began to pronounce long accusatory monologues. And I, in such moments, acted only as a listener, not always able to understand, and sensibly argued, or keep the conversation going.
- Do we have to be reorganized in the country have had problems with the banks? - Yeah, like, no. - That's it, no! There was a state bank, which had their branches everywhere, and every citizen could take credit for three percent per year under three ... Igor, not under thirty! Do you understand that! There was a period, you must remember this when you could take the credit and to buy or build a house, and without any collateral.
 And now? - Continued to argue Petrovich. Now on every corner banks but for credit you undress and form a. This is called, created a competitive environment! Given full freedom to the pawnbroker, who shamelessly steals the production and people, and even blatantly lie, on TV, that now the people live much better. Write "scientific" treatises on why and who started the restructuring, and under the nose and not see that and started a restructuring of those who supervise these banks. Today, when lots of people are unemployed, literally without any means of subsistence, bank managers are discharged his vast prize, and nobody wants to see this gross injustice. As if it should be. - Petrovic, I understand that you are ready to participate in a bank robbery? - Interrupting his monologue, I asked. - Which of my thief, and not because we are educated. And you, Igor, by the way, I do not advise doing this. Kill a rabbit, that's all you will tale. Yes, I'm not going to. - That's right. You work with have not fired? - Not yet. Salaries, however, was cut by one third. They say that production is not due to the crisis.
 - What union? Write the application with a request to render financial assistance. - What do you Petrovich! What a union! Leadership of our union, and only thinks how to please superiors and to the problems of the working of any business or not. After my words Petrovich frowned angrily and threw it - because they themselves are guilty and that you have a union leadership. Why not re-elect other leaders? - Do you think it's so easy? Picked up and re-elected. We had one who was indignant that the union leadership did not defend our interests, because the first and was hit by the cut. - Here! Here! - Said Petrovich. - You want everything to be easy. Without struggle and hardship, but that does not happen. And to protect their same worker who says the right things, you have the spirit is missing. - Protection, so he and departure from work. Today at work one especially do not hold. You then Petrovich himself, many opposed the government in its time? - I decided to see him so that he does not really bragging here before me. And a minute later added that - in fact, and the reasons for this were. - It is possible that there were, - calmly parried Petrovich. But you, Igor, forget that I am not in a working team labored, and in the accounting, the Bole as a chief accountant. And he worked, it should be noted, honestly. You've seen myself, as we have lived with Lydia. Yes, and retirement came at a time when the bosses are not cheated with public money, were afraid. - Okay, Petrovich, no offense, I'm so, by the way - I reassured the old man. - It's time to my house and leave the party. Another time, finish the - I added, and said goodbye to a neighbor, came out on the landing. Igor Bragin