A DEFENCELESS CREATURE

A Defenceless Creature

Some say, don't negotiate with terrorists. Okay, Madame Shtchukin is not carrying a bomb -- but to Kistunov whose job is to deal with the clients of the bank who have petitions -- she is as dangerous as Carlos the Jackal.

Kistunov is not in the best of health. Maybe it's the gout, the job or his life -- but his defenses are down.

And then came Madame Shtchukin.

She is not going to take no for an answer. Why should she? She's been down this road before and the door has been shut in her face. Logic. Reason. Never mind. 

What she's looking for is some compassion. Some sympathy. They are in short supply. So she'll squeeze it out -- like toothpaste in a used-up tube -- from any official she can can get her hands on.

Fortunately for Madame Shtchukin she has come to the right place.

You have here a tug of war between two defenseless creatures. One who society has turned its back on and is beyond desperate to secure whatever help she can find -- and another whose health has led him to the verge of a nervous breakdown and thus susceptible to unrelenting remonstrations.

Both will do whatever they can to relieve their situation. Madame Shtchukin smells weakness. She won't give up until she gets her relief. Kistunov just wants to end the torture and he's willing to pay the price to get some peace of mind.

Unfortunately, Kistunov didn't hear Madame Shtchukin last words after paying her off: "Kistunov, this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."