“Wait,” he said. “I stepped off the train at your station for a moment, and when I returned, my belongings were gone. I looked out the window and saw a man walking away with my bag. I chased after him, but he vanished.”
“Couldn’t you simply go back to the carriage and sort it out later?” Tetiana asked.
“I was searching for that man, and meanwhile my train left…”
Tetiana was exhausted after work. She worked in a small flower shop in the city centre, which was always crowdedespecially before the New Year.
The cold was biting, snow fell daily. Tetiana trudged along the sidewalk, snug in her warm down coat. She hadn’t even found a moment to sit. She kept walking, dreaming of getting home and falling asleep.
Lost in thought, she didn’t notice a stranger approaching. She stopped and looked at him. He was a man of about forty, oddly dressed. Tetiana stepped aside to avoid him.
“Excuse me, could you help me?” the stranger suddenly asked.
She froze, surprised.
“I…” the man shook his head, closed his eyes briefly. “I was traveling to my daughter by train, and then this happened…”
He paused, casting a sad glance at Tanya. She tried to go around him again.
“Wait,” he repeated. “I stepped off at your station for a second, and when I got back to the carriage, my things were missing. I looked out the window and saw a man with my bag. I sprinted after him, but he disappeared…”
“Why didn’t you just return to the carriage and deal with it later?” Tetiana pressed.
“While I was looking for that guy, my train departed…”
“So you had to go somewhere for help,” Tetiana said, beginning to get nervous.
“I asked everywhere. They told me to wait. The next train isn’t for a few hours. I didn’t want to linger at the station. My bag had everythingclothes, documents, money… I needed to wash and warm up. I’ll return everything,” the man pleaded, looking at Tetiana.
“Well, can you at least give me the apartment keys?” Tetiana retorted.
“Everyone avoids me. God, why does no one believe me?” he lifted his head, eyes sorrowful, staring at the sky, which made Tetiana feel sorry for him.
She examined him critically. His clothes were a mess, but perhaps his belongings truly were in the bag. He seemed to speak and act normally.
“Fine. Come to my place; you’ll freeze otherwise. I’ll figure something out with your clothes.”
“Thank you, you’re very kind. Others didn’t even listen to me,” he said, following Tetiana.
She entered the flat and sat on a stool in the hallway, yearning for sleep.
“Go to the bathroom,” Tetiana nodded toward the narrow corridor. “I’ll look for some clothes for you. What’s your name, by the way?”
“Mykhailo,” he replied, finding the light switch and closing the bathroom door.
Soon the sound of running water echoed from behind the door. Tetiana sighed; her dream of resting was slipping away.
Her brother lived in Kyiv, but some of his clothes were left behind.
“Its fine, it wont cost much,” she muttered, gathering what she needed and knocking on the bathroom door. When the water stopped, she told him shed placed the clothes on the side table in the hallway.
She poured soup into a bowl, set it in the microwave, and sat down, thinking. If her mother came home now, shed misunderstand everything. What would she think if she saw her daughter heating food while a man was bathing?
“Lord, let Mom be delayed at the store or with a friend,” she prayed silently.
But the Lord was busy elsewhere and didn’t hear. The lock clicked at the door.
“Tanya, are you home?” her mother called. Tetiana peeked out of the kitchen. “Oh, I thought you were in the bathroom. Who’s in there then?” her mother squinted, trying to see her daughter.
“Mom, don’t shout. The man missed his train. Hell clean up and leave,” Tetiana tried to soften the explanation.
“Did you prepare Alexeis clothes for him? What happened?” her mother asked, flustered.
“I told you, his train left. His things vanished.”
“Lord. And you brought him home? You dont even know him! I just got home in time. Should we call someone?” Moms anxiety grew.
“Mom, stop the nonsense. He’s been everywhere. Waiting for a train takes time. Hell wash up and go,” Tetiana replied quietly.
The bathroom fell silent. The door opened and closed again.
“He took the clothes, right?” Tetiana guessed.
Mom sat facing the entrance, waiting.
Soon Mykhailo entered the kitchen, greeting them awkwardly and apologetically. Tetiana realized he had heard their conversation.
“So, tell me, how could something like this happen to such a strong, healthy man?” Mom asked, staring into his eyes.
“Sorry for intruding. I was on my way to my daughters wedding in Kyiv, and now I have no phone, no documents, no money,” he spread his arms.
“Well, why did you end up at our place? We dont live near a station,” Mom probed.
“Mom! Give the man something to eat. Stop grilling us!” Tetiana snapped. “Sit down, Mykhailo, Ive warmed up some soup for you.”
“Tetiana, when I was little I used to pick up cats and puppies off the street, and now Im bringing men home” she muttered, moving aside at the table.
“Eat, Mykhailo, but be careful. If you impress my mother, you wont be leaving anytime soon,” Tetiana said with a hint of sarcasm.
“Because you sit at work day and night. No personal life. Youre almost thirty, time to marry. How can I not worry when youre not settled?” Mom pressed.
“Mom, stop. Mykhailo thinks were actually chasing him out,” Tetiana joked.
“Dont worry,” Tetiana reassured Mykhailo.
“Fine, whatever,” Mom waved her hand and retreated to another room.
“My mother is serious,” Mykhailo said, setting his plate down.
“She raised my brother and me alone. She just fears Ill end up like her, alone with a child,” he explained.
“Got it. Where do you work?” Tetiana asked.
“In a flower shop. How will you get a ticket without a passport, and you have no money?” she wondered.
“They promised to help. Can I have a phone? Ill call my daughterI wont make it to the weddingand a friend” he said.
“One moment,” Tetiana replied, heading to another room.
Mom was rummaging through a jewelry box, pulling out a gold ring and some ornaments.
“Quiet,” Mom hissed. “If he I dont know who? Ill take this to Aunt Masha,” she muttered, walking down the hallway.
Tetiana didnt try to stop her. It was useless; Mom would do as she wished.
Tetiana placed a phone on the table in front of Mykhailo and moved to the window.
Mykhailo called his daughter; Tetiana could see from his expression that his daughter was upset she wouldnt be at the wedding. He then called someone else, asking Tetiana for the house address.
“Alright, a driver will be here soon. I shouldnt have traveled at all. My wife didnt want me to meet her new husband, so my daughter invited me. It was all for nothing,” Mykhailo said, looking dejected.
“Who are you, if a driver is coming for you?” Tetiana asked, surprised.
She was beginning to like him. In his brothers clothes he looked respectable, though a bit small.
“We run a small techrepair business with a friend. Its a modest joint venture. My friend discouraged me from driving, saying I dont know Kyiv well, and a wedding isnt the right occasion.”
“So I took the train. A plane wouldve been better. Dont worry, just give me a few more hours and Ill leave,” he tried to convince either himself or Tetiana.
Tetiana watched him and thought her mother was rightif she came home from work to find a man waiting, children expecting her, life would feel purposeful. She was nearly thirty, still living with her mother, with no clear future.
There had been Leonid once. She fell in love, wedding plans were underway, but he showed up with her friend, and she lost both fiancé and friend.
“Youre kind. Everything will work out for you,” Mykhailo said abruptly, halting her thoughts.
“And you? Why are you alone? You have a business, at least.”
“Ah, I realized I travelled to the wedding alone. Youre clever. Things just didnt work out. I divorced my wife. Youre more cautious than most women today. Men are the same. Youre tired after work, and I didnt give you a break. Sorry. Im a burden.”
They talked for a long time. Outside darkness deepened when a call came in.
“Its me. Sasha must have arrived,” Mykhailo apologized, taking Tetianas phone.
“The train will leave, and Ill never see him again. The dull, monotonous days will return,” she thought.
“Here you go. The car is downstairs. Thanks a lot,” Mykhailo placed the phone on the table and stood up.
“I wrote down my number. So you wont have to look for me. Im Mykhailo from the train. I guess you wont call,” he said, looking at Tetiana inquisitively.
“And if you ever need help, you can count on me. Thanks again. Ill return the clothes, dont worry. Tell your mother Im sorry; she probably thought I was a bad person,” Mykhailo said with sad eyes, and Tetiana nearly burst into tears.
A random stranger, yet she didnt want him to leave. Who was she, and who was he? Tetiana smiled.
“Dont get into situations like this again.”
“No more trains for meonly cars or planes from now on,” Mykhailo grinned.
Tetiana watched as, in the thick winter twilight, Mykhailo emerged from the entrance, stopped by his car, raised his hand toward the window, and waved.
“Thats it. Tomorrow hell forget me entirely”
“Did you let him go?” her mother asked from the doorway when she returned.
“So youre upset I brought him in, now youre asking why I let him go,” Tetiana tried not to show her disappointment.
“Hes a good person. Thats obvious.”
“Then why did you run off with the jewelry?” Mom asked.
“Because Im not smart” Mom sighed.
Three weeks passed. On the eve of the New Year, Tetiana felt Mykhailo had become a dream.
Everything started to look surreal.
She worked on December 31st. The shop owner apologized repeatedly, promising personal help because there wouldnt be many customers.
Tetiana looked out the window and suddenly saw a real Santa Claus near the shop.
He shouted something to passersby, handed out candies, and walked straight toward the store.
The door opened and there he was, in a red embroidered coat, a hat, a white beard, and a huge sack on his shoulder.
He spoke with the owner, and his voice sounded familiar to Tetiana.
Finally Santa approached her.
“I knew you were working, so I decided to surprise you, lift your spirits. Did it work?” Mykhailonow dressed as Santalooked at Tetiana hopeful.
“It worked,” she laughed.
“I see Ill have to work alone today,” the owner sighed dramatically. “Go home, Tetiana, with Santa. Ill manage here. Enjoy life.”
Tetiana didnt need convincing.
A month later she quit her job and moved to Kharkiv, to Mykhailo
Her mother was delighted.
“Youve settled your daughter, now you can finally relax. Kids will come eventually. Who else will help if not grandma?”
Bad luck is often called fate, good luck a random success. One rarely exists without the other.
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Just a Moment,” He Said. “I Stepped Off for a Second at Your Station, and When I Came Back, My Belongings Were Gone!
