*THREE ZoshenkoS*

"I was born in 1895. In the last century! This distresses me terribly.

I was born in the 19th century! Probably because of this I lack sufficient courtesy and a romantic view of our days -- I'm a humorist.

I know very little about myself.

I don't even know where I was born. Either in Poltava or in Petersburg. One document says one thing, another document says the other, Apparently, one of the documents is a forgery. It's hard to figure out which is the forgery, because they were both made so poorly.

There's even confusion with the years. One document says 1895, the other says 1896. Definitely a forgery.

I have had a lot of professions. I always speak of this without irony. Even with some surprise at myself.

The most interesting professions--besides the most varied military ones--were:

1. Student at Petrograd University.
2. Commandant of Post Office and Telegraph (under Kerensky).
3. Agent of Criminal Investigation. (Leningrad-Oranienbaum district).
4. Instructor of Rabbit- and Chicken-breeding. (Smolensk guberniya, city of Krasny, "Mankovo" Sovkhoz.)
5. Sentry militia-man. (In Ligovo).
6. Border Guard Telephone Operator.
7. Shoemaker.
8. Clerk for the Petrograd Military Port.

There were many other professions. I can't remember them all."

-ZOSHCHENKO NO. 2 "About Myself" (September 1927)

sovlit


{Spaceeba, KEVIN!!!!}