Starred Train Tickets (Illustrated Edition)

Author: (Russia) Akhmanov
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1963-09-01
Features: In the 1960s, the Writer's Publishing House "internally published" a batch of foreign novels labeled "for criticism." Unforeseen, these poorly packaged "yellow books" became highly sought-after bestsellers, and The Train Ticket with Stars was one of them. The protagonist, Jimka, is a sensitive and rebellious teenager. This book narrates in true teenage language how the protagonist and his companions reject the "hypocritical" adult world, seeking purity and truth, and ultimately find their own destinies and love. This Russian version of The Catcher in the Rye was published nationwide for the first time. The Train Ticket with Stars is the breakthrough work of the Soviet writer Akhmanov, published by the Writer's Publishing House in 1963 as a "yellow book" (so-called "for internal reference and criticism"). From 1966 to 1976, this batch of "yellow books" quietly circulated in Beijing, reportedly one of the main sources of "underground literature."
I am a rule-follower. I see a red signal: "Stop," and I stop. I only move forward when I see a green signal: "Go." But my brother is different. Jimka always stares straight ahead at the red light and charges through it. That is, he just runs wherever he wants, regardless of the signals. He has just left a bakery with a long loaf of bread in a plastic bag. He glances at the dazzling and powerful "Pontiac," sees it turn, and jumps straight into the flow of traffic. I look ahead and can only vaguely see his spotted Czech-style shirt, pants of unknown origin, Australian-style shoes, and the head of a Russian with French-style short hair. He safely dodges two "Victory" cars, a "Volga," and a "Scoda," only to end up in the hands of the traffic police.
I hear two old women behind me whispering, "My heart sank. These mentally ill people are impossible!" "How is his pants on backward? The seams are all on the outside!" The green light turns on. I cross the street. Jimka stands beside the traffic police booth, muttering, "No documents, no money." I give him five rubles and receive a receipt. Then I walk forward with my brother.
"You're really strange," he says to me. "Giving money to the police. That's strange!" "Or else, they would have taken you away by now," I reply. "Taken away? I've never heard that!"
A small American car. Jimka whistles while glancing around. He tosses a five-kopek coin into the vending machine and drinks soda. I wait for him to finish, and then we continue walking.
We are now almost at our doorstep. "How's the thesis going? Did you find someone to argue against?" Jimka asks. "Yes, I did." "A good partner?" "Who?" "The person to argue against, right? A friend who understands the ropes? Not a beast?" "A great friend." I mock his tone with a dry laugh and can't help but think of those "arguers."
"Hey, that's awesome. Congratulations. You owe me a meal." We enter the house and go up the stairs. "What's for dinner today?" I ask. "Don't worry, it's all your favorite," Jimka says sarcastically. "I've put a lot of effort into it with Mom. 'My Viktor loves liver'—I ran out to buy liver. 'He needs vitamins now'—I took the bus to the market to buy vitamins for your husband. 'He can't eat hard bread'—I ran to the bakery again. Scholars in the Soviet Union can work in peace without worrying about food. That's the secret of our achievements. I am an ordinary fireman, and I can guarantee, dear comrades, that you will get food rich in calories! Just get those people into space quickly, and take me too. I'm so tired of all this."
P3-4