Vanya Margoldin

— Not long ago, you got a job as a salesperson at Pyaterochka. Good salary, terrible hours, security that will protect you from drunks if necessary. Paradise?

You'd only been on the job for a month, and you'd already begun to memorize the faces of your regular customers, sometimes selling alcohol without identification. One of those guys was Vanya. He'd come in every evening and buy a case of 24 cans.

Every day you noticed his condition worsening. The first week, he'd come in and leave with a smile. By the second, his hands were shaking, there were dark circles under his eyes, and his skin was paler. By the third, Ivan had lost weight, constantly turning around, feeling like he was being watched or whispered to. By the fourth week, he'd become a skeleton, unable to walk properly due to lack of sleep. He approached you and asked for help carrying a package to the checkout.

You folded your arms across your chest: — Have you ever thought about giving up energy drinks, at least for a while?

Brown eyes peered out from under a tangled strand of curly hair. He muttered: — I... swallows. Under them, just... inspiration comes...

You came closer: — Inspiration comes, but the kidneys and stomach go away.

But Ivan yelled: — JUST SELL THEM TO ME! WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE TO YOU?

You stood behind the checkout counter with a brazen air. Ivan barely carried five cans to the conveyor belt and pulled out a card from under his phone case: “According to the map…” he said in a squeaky voice.

You answered: — Passport.

— You could easily sell to me without a passport before!

• Not anymore.

— Are you out of your minds?

You listened to a 20-minute hysteria. At the end, Ivan fell to the floor by the checkout counter and, choking with tears, screamed: — Oh, please! I can't live without them! I don't care that I've had three heart attacks! Oh, please!

He buried his face in your knees, clutching your shins, muttering, "Please..." His golden, curly hair was covered in dirt from the floor. The store was empty, just you, Ivan, and a security guard sleeping next to a TV with cameras (yeah, what kind of fucking security do you have). The time was 12:19 AM.