Corporate quest

“You didn't tell him?”

“What could I say ?!” - Tatyana threw up her hands, sincerely indignant. - As if I know something about this stupid quest of yours!

- Why stupid? - Sergey was no less sincerely surprised.

- Because we will never find a new CIO! - Tatyana, as usual, began to blush with indignation. - You both went on increasing, and release all the candidates on the brakes!

“Why does this bother you?”

“I'm the HR Director, that's why!”

- Wait ... I get it! - Sergey smiled like a child. “Your prize is on fire, right?” Exactly, soon after all the end of the year will be considered KPI, and one of the key positions is empty for you - the IT director.

Tatyana, obviously experiencing a mixture of at least two senses, performed some calming exercise - she took a deep breath, held the air in her lungs for several seconds, but, feeling that she was starting to redden even more from lack of air, she exhaled noisily. Sergei, as he could, drove a smile from his face, watching the breathing exercises.

- Sergey ... - Tatyana began.

- Okay, the CIO will be for you. - Seriously said Sergey. “Is the candidate decent?”

- Yes. - notes of hope sounded in Tatyana's voice. - Here, I brought a resume!

The excitement from the upcoming discharge of a dangerous career situation made itself felt - Tatyana's hands trembled, and, according to the standard scenario, all their contents collapsed noisily to the floor. Sergey rushed to help, almost bumping his forehead with Tatyana’s head, and also got a little red-hot.

“So ...”, continuing to squat, Sergey studied the resume. - Something familiar ... What kind of plant?

“I worked there.” - looking away, Tatyana said quietly. - I know this man. This ... He ... How to say something ...

- Husband?

- Not!

- Lover?

- What ?! - Tatyana rose so abruptly that she staggered into the blood rushing into her head. Or maybe it wasn’t blood flowing into her neat, pretty head.

- So who? - Sergey also got up and looked into Tatyana's eyes.

“You tell me ...” Tatyana babbled, swallowing air and words. - They decided to interrogate ... They arranged ...

- No, of course. I just want to understand your motivation. And help. If you do not want, do not tell. I am the grave, you know.

- Yes. - Tatyana sat down on a chair, leaned on both sides of the table with both hands and clutched her head in her hands, ruffling her hair. - Okay, Sergey. Although ... In general ...

- Let me guess - he is something dear to you. - Sergey sat down on a chair nearby. - And you really want this guy ... Stop, I didn’t pay attention ... Is this the guy?

- Yes ... What ?! - sparks almost fell from Tatyana’s eyes. “What are you hinting at?”

- No matter what. - Sergei, just in case, leaned back a little with a chair that made an unpleasant creak. - You never know, sister, or aunt. What did you think?

- Nothing. - Tatyana hissed viciously. “Will you help or not?”

- Of course. Just let the standard procedure go. So that no one would guess about anything. Do you agree?

- Of course! - Tatyana smiled uncertainly. “So, am I inviting him?”

Sergey never ceased to be amazed at how quickly the mood of this girl changed. During the conversation - and this is a few minutes - she was thrown from a spark of hope into the abyss of despair, from burning hatred to sincere sympathy, from hissing anger to uncontrollable, breathless joy. Either the actress is good, or emotional lability (like that is called), or ... No, I don’t seem to see her belly, and at dinner in the kitchen borscht is eaten up, and not strawberries with smoked bacon to eat.

- Invite. Where is he? Long away? Today will be able to drive up?

- Yes, he ... - Tatyana was a little embarrassed. - Here already, in the parking lot, in the car sits.

- Well, now ... - Sergey took a resume from the table, found a phone number, dialed. - Hello! Evgeny? Hello, my name is Sergey Ivanov, development director of the company "Cube". Tatyana, HR Director ... Well, you know ... In short, I gave your resume, and I agree to consider you ... Not in the sense of using a microscope ... Well, come on in, stop jabbering in the car. There, ask the office manager how to find Sergey, I'm the only one here. The watch password is Starfleet. Yes, a passport is not needed, just tell me the password. I'm waiting.

- Sergey, why did you call? - Tatyana asked tensely.

- Because I know you, Tatyana. Moreover, you, this ... Well, are interested in the result. You’ll start to smear the snot, oh my Zhenya, you just behave yourself, do not pay attention to this fool ... I promised you that I would take him to work. Of course, if he is not an outspoken moron. The CIO must be at least somewhat different from the rest.

- It would be better not to ask. - Tatyana answered with a tired smile. - I, as I understand it, are forbidden to participate?

- Yes, it’s forbidden. Although, you still have already managed to tell him?

- I said that there is nothing to tell, because I do not know anything.

- Okay. - Sergey conciliatoryly raised his hands. - That's it, Tatyana, bye. See you in a couple of hours.

Tatyana left the office. Sergey, without wasting time, once again quickly ran his eyes through the resume. Nothing suspicious - ordinary, useless, giving nothing and especially not bothering the CIO. Sergei had long wanted to replace this post with a cardboard dope - as before, painted traffic cops were put on the roads. Cheap, it doesn’t ask, it costs for years, but the people are still scared. There will probably be even more benefit than from a living person in this position.

Sergey’s thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. After the invitation to enter the office, the same Eugene appeared - quite young, in a decent suit, with hair trimmed (for which he immediately received a minus in karma from Sergey), and, of course, with a friendly smile on his face. Probably somewhere I went through the courses of smiles, it was painfully perfect - moderately broad, but without a distortion of the face, showing disposition, but not to a puppy screech, with dignity. Oh, these managers.

- Hello. - said Sergey, blurry in a smile - not because of etiquette, it just really hurt the guy was smooth, nice and stylish, like an iPhone.

- Good morning. - calmly answered Eugene and pointed to a chair. - Allow?

- Oh sure.

“Sergey, I am grateful to you,” began Eugene. - what…

- Blah blah blah. - interrupted Sergey. - Eugene, let's go without molasses. I agreed to see you for one reason - Tatyana recommended. She is my old friend, and I trust her opinion. Your resume is shit. In the stream of the same shit that comes every day to the mail of eycharov, I would not notice you. But now you are hired, with a trial period of one day. However, you will have to pass the test.

- The test? - Eugene was almost not taken aback. - For knowledge?

- What a test, I will not say. You will not need to fill out paperwork, answer questions, etc. You will need to work as a Cube IT Director for a couple of hours. Solve real problems, show yourself from different angles. Only I know the criteria for passing the test, so you will not receive recommendations on behavior from anyone, not even Tatyana. You just work as you can, and I will observe. Do you agree?

- And what kind of tasks? - Eugene squinted suspiciously.

- Different kinds. - repeated Sergey. - The usual IT directorial tasks that you have already solved many times. Come to your workplace.

Sergey resolutely got up and went to the exit. Eugene, after a little hesitation, got up and followed. After walking a couple of meters along the corridor, Sergey entered the empty meeting room, looked around, and pointed to a chair in the middle of a long table.

- Here is your workplace, take a seat. So the rules are simple. You are the new CIO of the company. I’ll go now and announce to everyone that the miracle has happened, and now the problems associated with information technology will be solved again. I’ll also indicate where you can be found. There is a chance that colleagues with tasks will come to you. Next - understand yourself.

- Is there a chance that no one will come? - asked Eugene, sitting at the table.

- There is. - Sergey nodded. “But don't really hope so.” Well, bye, bye.

And Sergey quickly disappeared from the meeting room. Eugene tinkered a bit with his briefcase, deciding where to attach it, and eventually placed it on a nearby chair. A few minutes later the door opened and an unknown woman entered.

- Hello. She said dryly. - My name is Valeria, chief accountant. Are you the new head of IT?

- CIO, to be precise. - for some reason corrected Eugene. - Sit down, Valeria, let's get acquainted!

“Why the hell I don't need to get to know you.” - Valeria snapped, continuing to stand near the door.

Eugene was a little confused and fell silent. Valeria, as luck would have it, was also silent, looking the CIO directly in the eye. Finally, when the pause began to drag out, Eugene decided to try again.

“Valeria ...” he began. - How can I help you? Given that I work in your company for several minutes.

- Yes, and in a year you can’t help me with anything. - continued to pour poison chief accountant. “This moron who worked before you, Seryozha, our sun and moon, also could not help us.” You are all idiots, you can only blame accountants and say that they are handshakers who do not know how to do basic operations.

“I ...” smiled Eugene. - Valeria, I understand that you have a negative attitude towards the IT department, formed by the practice of communicating with programmers. I assure you, I understand you perfectly. But it will be different with me, I can find a common language with business users of the highest rank.

“Avon is like ...” Valeria said. - Well, come on, find a common language with me.

Valeria walked around the table, and sat down opposite Eugene.

- Your program is not working. - Valeria quoted several thousand accountants at once.

- What exactly doesn’t work? And what program? - tone Eugene expressed a sincere desire to help.

- This I must explain to you which program does not work? - unexpectedly cried out the chief accountant. “I am an accountant, not a programmer!” You are the programmer! You need to know which program is not working!

- There is a theory that there are errors in any, even the simplest program. - Eugene answered uncertainly. - You understand, Valeria, I just came. Naturally, I don’t even know which software fleet is used in your company. How can I help with a program without even knowing its name?

- So you can’t help? - Valeria smiled viciously.

- Yes. Stop ... Wait ... I will help, of course!

- So help! Your program does not work!

- Which program?

“It begins ...” Valeria leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest. - All that can be achieved from IT specialists is a bunch of questions. What program, and where is the error, and how to reproduce it, why do you do it at all, and what is written in the accounting policy, and write me TK, but how is it, but somehow ... Ugh!

Valeria stood up abruptly - so abruptly that the chair fell over - and resolutely moved towards the door.

- Valeria, hey! - Eugene jumped up, ran to the door and leaned his back against it, preventing the chief accountant from getting through.

- Let go! - full of malice, said Valeria.

- I'll help you! Well ... Damn ... You probably have 1C. Yes, probably 1C! To know another version ...
Valeria grinned maliciously again. She grabbed the door handle and began to yank it, trying to push the scented body of the CIO.

“Yes you wait ...” Eugene resisted for several seconds, but nevertheless gave up and stepped aside.

Valeria, looking strictly ahead of herself, sternly raising her eyebrows, left the meeting room. Eugene wearily closed the door, made his way to his seat and collapsed into a chair. The mood sharply became prejudice, resentment ripened in the soul, hands trembled, eyes moistened a little, like a little child whom the parents refused to listen to, but simply sent to a corner. He stared blankly out the window, wondering if he could escape.

- Hi. - came from behind. - Can?

Eugene shuddered in surprise, then turned around and saw a young, incredibly pretty girl of about twenty-five. She was already standing inside the meeting room, slowly closing the door behind her. A brunette in a snow-white blouse with small buttons, some of which, in the neckline, should probably be fastened according to the designer's idea - at least in the office. The image was perfectly complemented by a tight black knee-length skirt and elegant glasses in a thick black frame.

The stranger, without waiting for an invitation, walked past Eugene, fading him with a light scent of unknown spirits, and sat down next to her. She was so close that the CIO saw his reflection in the lenses. The girl slowly turned to Eugene, slightly touching his leg with her knees, and smiled gently.

- Let's get acquainted? She asked. - My name is Zhenya. And you?

- Ahhh ... - the IT director was confused. - This is ... Eugene.

- What a coincidence ...

The girl’s voice seemed unreal, it seemed to sound right in my head in Eugene, like music from high-quality in-ear headphones. Confident, and at the same time - sincerely confused, with notes of healthy arrogance, and at the same time - with a fair amount of shyness, unfamiliar, but as if heard for many years in a row. Eugene was not able to move, as if he was afraid to destroy this unusual, accidentally formed in his life, but such a wonderful moment. He didn’t even move his leg, continuing to feel the light and pleasant pressure of the girl’s knees.

“Listen, Eugene ...” the girl continued. - I am very glad that you, exactly you, will work for us. I think we will succeed. I can feel it.

Saying this, the girl raised her head up, showing her incredibly beautiful, as it seemed to Eugene, neck. Not obeying reason, his gaze slid lower, over slightly stretched elastic skin ...

- What the hell?

From surprise, Eugene jumped up, nearly knocking over a heavy negotiating table. Turning around, he saw a hefty baby, not less than two meters tall and weighing probably a hundred and twenty kilograms. The giant's face was adorned with two scars and a slightly sloping nose on its side - a boxer, Eugene thought.

- What are you doing, whining? - the giant menacingly approached Eugene, looking directly into his eyes.

- Anton, don’t. - Without losing her temper at all, Zhenya slowly rose from her chair. “Just getting to know each other.” This is the new CIO.

- Right now, he will become old. - Anton did not let up. “He'll retire right away.” Are you fucked up? You glue my grandmother on the first day of work. I managed to survive, or what?

“I ... I ...” began Eugene.

- The head of the buoy! Roared the kid. “Bitch, I'll see you again, tear, do you understand?”

- Oh sure. No, you thought something wrong ... I just ... She ...

- What? Say she is to blame!

- No, of course ...

- Then are you to blame? - suddenly smiled Anton.

- No, wait ...

- What are you turning around like a worm under ultraviolet? I wrote to the market, so answer!

- Yes, you know, it's probably my fault. - self-control began to return to Eugene. - Anton, I sincerely apologize to you for the double-interpretation situation that I created.

- So that. - Anton nodded. - Eugene, let's go. Right now, and you will get a mop ... Beloved.

- Favorite mop? - Eugene smiled. “Yes, you are the master of compliments, Mr. Zhubrak.”

- Duc, yupt. - proudly called in Anton. - That's it, moved.

And the couple, gently pushing each other and giggling, got out of the meeting room.

“Your mother, through the rocker, fucking booth.” - Eugene swore into his voice, adding several unprintable nouns and adjectives.

He returned to his place, nervously straightened his shirt, took off his jacket - after a heated conversation, he managed to sweat remarkablely. Without hesitation, he opened the window, letting the cold December air into the meeting room, stood for a while in the draft on the windowsill, until it began to freeze.

Many thoughts flickered in my head, but very quickly this fragmented stream turned into one, the main, all-consuming idea - to run. Get out of here without looking back. I didn’t sign any documents, I didn’t give promises, nobody will remember, they won’t write to the summary, they won’t ruin the recommendations. Bullshit, idiocy, collective farm, full ass. Not so described the company "Cube" Tatyana. But maybe you should not judge by the first day, even the first hour? Worth it! It is the first day that shows what the company is! You can’t put up with this, it will only get worse.

And this one, Sergei, probably sits and chuckles. He escaped from this position, could not stand the load, now sits in a large beautiful office and pretends to be engaged in development. Eugene already knew who in any company is the most useless person. One who has the word "development" in his position. Or "quality." And also - the "process".

I have to run. Yes, immediately. Eugene hastily put on his jacket, picked up a briefcase, pulled back chairs and went to close the window.

- Allow?

“Damn, why is this door so silent?” Thought Eugene. Thank God, this time he did not jump from surprise, only a little startled.

He turned around - a short young guy stood in the doorway, in jeans and a carelessly straightened plaid shirt. His face was densely covered with black bristles, narrowed eyes stared at Eugene. This is probably what girls like, while Canadian lumberjacks are in fashion.

- Hello. - the guy brazenly moved towards the meeting and held out his hand for greeting. - Stas, a programmer. And you are my new boss. Eugene, right?

- Right. - Eugene nodded. - Only this, Stanislav ...

- Just Stas. - the guy smiled incredibly friendly.

- Good, just Stas. I'm not sure I will be your boss. I have not yet decided whether to work for your company or not.

- Let's discuss. - said Stas, and quickly sat down on one of the chairs.

After a little hesitation, Eugene returned to his place - just opposite Stas. Probably, he will stand another conversation, since he did not manage to escape unnoticed.

- I heard a lot about you, Eugene. - Stas somehow very closely followed the eyes of the new boss. - To be honest, I am very glad that you came to us. Even more than rejoiced when Sergei left.

- Rejoiced? - Eugene frowned incredulously. - Why?

“Why, why ?!” - exclaimed Stas, as if the new boss knew perfectly the history of the glorious IT department of the Cube company. - Yes, because he is an idiot! Have you not noticed?

“To be honest ...” Eugene began, but stumbled. - So far, I have not made an opinion.

- Come on! But this idiotic quest that you go through, in your opinion, whose idea?

- Sergey, he himself said this. - Eugene was trying to understand where the excessively active programmer was driving.

- So the very joke is that everyone does not give a shit about the results of this quest! - Stas, pleased with himself, leaned back in his chair. - I just was in the personnel department - I was instructed to take you to work.

- Stop ... - Eugene shook his head in confusion. “Why then is that all?”

- Yes, because he is a moron! So sick that sometimes it’s easier for him to go about it than to argue and prove. Even the owner is easier.

- Wait a minute, Stas ...

- You can on the "you".

- Wait, Stas ... If it makes no difference to everyone, and Sergey, in your words, well ...

- The moron is a camp.

“It doesn’t ... Why are they holding him?”

“Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. - This is a very good question! At the company, ninety-nine percent of people are happy to discuss it, if you contact.

“But still.”

- I do not know. - Stas shrugged and so sincerely smiled that Eugene could not restrain himself, and smiled back. - Once upon a time, a damn cloud, we made a couple of cool projects with him. He, for this, became the CIO. Well, that’s all, in fact, here he broke a tower. Do not be surprised if you go to the brain. And if you don’t walk, then it's time to start.

- And what exactly began? - Eugene also leaned back in his chair and relaxed a bit.

- Any crap. After those projects, he essentially did nothing more. He walks more and more, aching that everything is around the goat, and he alone is D'Artagnan. I read smart books - moreover, I specially choose those that no one will even take into their hands. And flaunts later, like I know a bunch of techniques, and I can improve any process, and even increase the profit of the whole company.

- But in reality? Can?

- Who checked something? He only says that he can, and the rest cannot. And somehow the conversation ends there. Who, in reality, will let him into something serious? So he sits, that is, he sat in the IT department and screamed from there that everything was somehow wrong and wrong.

- Wait, Stas ... And why did he become the development director then?

“Have you heard of Peter’s principle?”

- Yes. Wait ... Is this about the fact that the work takes all the time allotted to it?

“No, it's Parkinson’s law.” I don’t remember the principle of Peter, but it’s like this: a person climbs up the career ladder until he reaches the point of his incompetence.

“Yes, I heard something ...” Evgeny nodded. - And how does this relate to Sergey?

- How? - sincerely surprised Stas. - Well, they simply put him in this position so that he would crap there, and you could safely throw it away! If he somehow coped with the work of the CIO because he was sitting on my neck, now he is naked, like a falcon. He has no subordinates, no one listens to him, all shit on development projects. He's almost outside. Development Director of him - no, zero. He reached the level of his incompetence. Or rather, they helped him do it. And his days are numbered.

“Hmm ...” Eugene frowned, but after a couple of seconds he suddenly smiled. - Then it's clear. Thank you, Stas!

- You're welcome! Tomorrow, I hope, is it okay, will we talk substantively? And then we have a full ass. This freak as he dumped, so he threw everything, alone on me. Don't even say hi now, you bastard.

- Yes, of course, tomorrow, Stas. - Eugene rose and held out his hand. “I'm not like that, I'm a man of work.” I can even program. Let's work together!

- Of course! - Stas joyfully shook the hand of the boss, and with a decisive step moved towards the door.
When he reached the door, he turned around, once again smiled very broadly, and went out into the corridor. Eugene smiled. The situation turned a completely different side. We’ll also see who runs away from whom ...

Suddenly the phone rang. The number seemed familiar, but it was not in the contacts. Eugene picked up the phone - it was Sergey.

- Eugene, in fact, that's all. - said Sergey. - In about five minutes, let's go to my office. Find a way?

- Yes, it’s nearby, sort of.

- Ok. I'm waiting!

Eugene hastily picked up his briefcase, straightened his jacket, smoothed his hair with his hand, and, having nothing to do, began to walk back and forth through the meeting room. The minutes dragged on for a long time, but the smartphone didn’t want to kill time so as not to bring down the right mood.

Finally, five minutes passed, and Eugene went out into the corridor. Having reached the door of Sergey, he knocked confidently and, having heard the invitation, went inside.

Inside, besides the foolish development director, was Tatyana. Eugene smiled warmly at her, but in response, for some reason he did not understand, received only frowning eyebrows and a sharp glance.

- So, Tatyana, you have to go. - Sergey pointed his hand to the door. - Further we will talk without you.

- Sergey, do you understand me? - strictly asked Tatyana.

- Yes, do not worry. Do not want as you want.

- Good. - it was evident that Tatyana doubts Sergei’s answer, but Evgeny’s presence probably did not allow him to speak openly.

Tatiana, slowly, left the office. Eugene, not waiting for an invitation, plopped down on a chair, lounged in it in a businesslike way, unfastened his jacket and gazed intently, without embarrassment, directly into Sergey's eyes.

- Well, what is the result? - asked Eugene.

- Awful. - Sergey smiled. - Actually, as always.

- In terms of? - the candidate suddenly became serious and sat up straight. - What is terrible?

“You passed the test terribly.” Even worse than the other candidates. - Sergey continued to smile. - But, nevertheless, regardless of the results, you will be hired by our company.

For a few seconds, Eugene carefully looked at Sergei, trying to understand the reason for his smile. If the test does not mean anything, and Sergei knows this, then why does it bloom like a May rose? Although ... If he really does, cuckoo, then a smile may not be related to what is happening around.
Satisfied with this explanation, Eugene relaxed again and broke into a contented smile.

- Actually, that’s all. - summed up Sergey. “Next to you ...

” “Wait a minute ...” Eugene interrupted, raising his hand. - Maybe explain the meaning of this test of yours?

“Hm, I thought don't ask ... Okay.” What do you think happened in the meeting room while you were sitting there?

- Well, as I understand it, people came to me with tasks, with painful problems that no one ... Well, until there was an IT director, no one solved.

- Not. They came to you with games.

- What games?

- With corporate.

- I do not understand ...

- Well, how ... There is work, but there is a game. The higher the position, the more games. The CIO often gets a lot of games, because the position is like this - you need to really interact with almost all departments. So I wanted to see how you deal with these games.

- And How?

- No way. - Sergey shrugged. - You started to play them.

- In terms of?

- Well, Valeria, our chief accountant, came to you and played the favorite game of her profession - "your program does not work." Do you understand the inadequacy of this statement?

- Of course. - Without hesitation, Eugene nodded.

“And she understands.” And everyone understands. The game has three development options. The first is that you play and lose. The chief accountant convinces everyone that you are a loshara, and you can hang any crap on you, and you swallow and will do it. This happens very often. The second option is that you play and win. You convince everyone else that the chief accountant is an inadequate fool, and you are well done, because you brought her to clean water.

- And the third option? - asked Eugene, when Sergei suddenly shut up.

- The third option is not to play the game. The best scenario, especially for the CIO.

- Is it like not playing a game? - Perplexed Eugene. - How does this look in practice?

- In practice, this is a quick departure, or withdrawal to the side. Like in aikido. You leave, and the attacker just flies in the direction where he directed the energy. Or - the conscious direction of the game past yourself. Well, the last option is to abruptly interrupt the game. You could do that with Stas, for example.

- In terms of? - Eugene stared, stunned.

“Well, he came to you to tell me what an idiot I am?”

- I ...

- Yes, I know. - Sergey waved his hand. “Not in the details, but I know.” I came up with all the roles, words and scripts for the game myself. You didn’t think that I should go to the brain right?

“No, of course ...” Eugene sweated. - And in general, this Stas ...

- Be careful! - Sergey cut him off. - Firstly, you work with him. Secondly, you are trying to play with me right now. I do not advise.

“No, of course ... I just wanted to say that he is an interesting guy.”

- We are all interesting here. - Sergey shrugged. “You, I think ...

Suddenly, Sergey’s smartphone vibrated on the table. Apologizing, he quickly grabbed the device, read the message, and suddenly smiled broadly. After a little digging in the smartphone, I put it back on the table.

“So ...” continued Sergey. - Listen to my advice. I went up here from the bottom. I came here as a programmer, then became an IT director, now I am a deputy. General Development. The third person in the company. Do you know what is the secret of my success?

- Do not play games?

- It is rather a necessary condition for success. There is a more precise wording - I do not play other people's games, but I start my own. Your game is much better, especially if you play it alone.

- That is, how is it ... One ...

- Well, like that. You do what no one takes. You carry out development projects for which no one has time. You study business literature while others read all sorts of nonsense on the Internet. Even, damn it, you ask to increase your salary, while the rest are embarrassed. Have you heard about this technique - career rush?

- No, to be honest ...

- Well, read it at your leisure. Only here do not use it - everyone knows about it.

- Good.

- Here you go. When you started a game in which you are the only one, you will never lose. You can only not win, but it’s not scary. Actually, this is the whole secret.

Eugene was silent, thinking intensely about something. Sergey, having nothing to do, reached for the smartphone, when he suddenly seemed to remember something.

“Yes, Eugene ...” he began. - There is one news, I do not know how you will react. They wrote to me right now that Tatyana ... In general, she will be fired soon.

- How to get fired? - rounded eyes Evgeny.

- So like this. - Sergey shrugged. “I can’t do it, I probably don’t know ... I’m not doing it right here, they just warned me not to start new projects with her. And, given the circumstances, I decided to inform you. Suddenly this will affect your decision.

Eugene was silent. His gaze quickly ran through the study, his expression was extremely intense and focused, when suddenly ... He smiled.

- What? - squinting, asked Sergey. “It will, anyway?”

- Yes. - Eugene’s tension, suddenly, with a hand lifted. - I will be happy to work in your company.

“So it is ...” Sergey frowned. - You are with her, as I understand it ... You know ... It seems, even personally.

- So what? - shrugged Eugene. - I ... You know, Sergey ... I'm even glad that it happened.

- Why?

- Well ... I don’t know how to say ... Tatyana, she, in general ...

- What?

“Well ... Let's just say ... I don’t have the same feelings for her as she does for me.”

“Does she know that?”

“Of course not, what are you.”

- That is, how is it “no, of course”? You are pretty girl, but she is not for you, but you tell her that you reciprocate?

“Well, everything is more complicated there ... I ... How to say this ...

” “Okay, I get it. - cut short the torment of his new colleague Sergey. - There is deeply personal, and between us is not the level of trust to tell. I respect your right and demand nothing.

- Thanks. - breathed a sigh of relief Eugene. - I'm so tired, to be honest, from yours ... games arranged by you ...

- Well, because you played them. - Sergey stood up, showing with his whole appearance that it was time for Eugene. - But they would not play - they would be fresh, like a cucumber. Okay, Eugene ...

- Yes, yes ... - Eugene jumped up hurriedly, picked up his briefcase and held out his hand to Sergey.

- Take a break from the games, if possible. - Sergey said with a strange smile. “But remember that games never end.” At any time, it is important to understand whether you are in the game or not, and in whose. Good?

- Oh sure. - nodded Eugene. - Till tomorrow?

- Yes, see you tommorow. If anything changes, I’ll call.

- In terms of? - the smile disappeared from the face of Eugene.

- Standard phrase, do not pay attention.

- Oh good!

Eugene left the office, and Sergei returned to the table. He picked up the smartphone, brought it to his ear.

- Tatyana, are you here? Ah well ... Yes ... Don’t roar, damn it ... I told you, but you didn’t believe ... No, I won’t come, I'm afraid of women's tears ... Ah, I don’t know .... What do you think, take it? .. No, I wouldn’t take it, it’s painfully dumb and simple, just for your sake ... Ah, well, decide for yourself ... Exactly? .. Well. Call yourself? .. I can, of course. Just not now, but in a couple of hours. I will say that the general shaved .... Well, come on, we need to work.

Sergei casually threw the smartphone on the table, leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes and sang softly:

Hey! I am a villain for them,
Knowing the secret of the
Low Passion of
Beggars and kings.
I was a violinist,
My talent is my cross, With
life and a bow
I played with fire!

Having finished, he smiled to himself, jumped out of the chair, and moved energetically into the corridor.