I was born in the Russian city of Bryansk, so my classmates Nelly Gopina, Lyuda Krokhina, Lyusya Kuznetsova, Galya Kalinina, Valya Popkova, Zoya Lapitskaya, Rimma Levchenko and Emma Korneeva got together on March 17 at 10-30 a. m. by Moscow time at the Emma’s apartment where was turned on SKYPE.

This is a cheerful song: To the Friends with Love!

And I was waiting  for them to meet in Calgary in the midnight of March 16, and also switched on SKYPE. In such a way took place the second unforgettable International meeting of BADEK Club. The agenda reads the celebration of Valya Filina’s Birthday.

Galya Kalinina is giving a talk, reciting a joyful poem, dedicated to Valya, which will be included into a separate chapter later. Then as if by the way she noticed: “Do you remember, Valya, how we celebrated your brother’s birthday when we were at Grade 5, and your brother was two years younger than you, wasn’t he?

V: Oh, yes. You’re right. We were twelve at that time, he was ten.

G: You invited us, including Lara Biryukova and other girls of our class, to come to your home and participate in this event. The whole room was divided into two parts by the bedding sheet hanging against the ceiling. So one part of the room was as if a stage, and the other one was as if the hall for spectators. It was very interesting. Do you remember?

V: Honestly, not. And what happened then?

G: We arrived with Lara Biryukova and brought him as a present a box of 24 color pencils, such a big value in 1952.

V: Ah! Sure. What else was at the birthday party?

G: Gena was 10 and he was the only boy among us, girls. On the stage there were plenty competitors participating at the improvised concert; each of us took turns to recite poems, sing songs and even do some acrobatic performance. Everybody liked everybody as one minute you were an artist, the minute – a spectator. The room was full ofjubilant applause and shouts of  “BRAVO!”. All in all were, maybe, 10

people.

V: Did Gena participate with us?

G: Oh, yes. He recited a poem. And very nicely.

V: And what happened then?

G: Then we were told to have a break for two hours: the birthday pie was not ready. We went out to the yard of your apartment block which was in Kalinin Street, had good time there as it was spacey and  freely for children to play.

V: Did you return after two hours?

G: Definitely. We drank tea with pie and sweets. Later we went home very satisfied and full of magnificent impressions.

V: You see, Galochka, how you are a dear to remind me about this especially now on Gennadiy’s commemoration days.

Thank you, my friend.

Watch video :Bucket of Friendship