Red Moscow

  Chapter 194 Late Night Visit

  Rokossovsky raised his eyebrows when he heard Sokov say this, and asked in surprise, "Misha, did you hear something?"

"No, I didn't hear anything." Sokov, who almost slipped the tongue, shook his head and denied it when he heard Rokossovsky's question: "Comrade commander, except you and Yakov, I don’t know anyone in Moscow, so where do I go to hear gossip.”

"Oh, you don't know anyone in Moscow?" Rokossovsky looked at Sokov and asked with a smile, "But aren't you from Moscow? At least that's what it says on your resume. "

   Rokossovsky's seemingly casual words made Sokov break out in cold sweat. He wanted to slap himself twice, forgetting that he was a native of Moscow. He hesitated for a moment, and finally said cautiously: "Comrade Commander, according to my analysis, after you are discharged from the hospital, your superiors may adjust your work."

   "Adjustment, what is an adjustment method?" Regarding Sokov's statement, Rokossovsky asked with great interest: "Misha, let me hear your analysis."

"Comrade Commander, in the battle to defend Moscow, the troops under your command dealt a heavy blow to the German army, shattered their attempt to capture Moscow, and made great achievements." Sokov first flattered Rokossovsky. Afterwards, he turned to the topic and "analyzed" the adjustment of his future position for him: "The Supreme Command will be aware of your abilities. Therefore, I estimate that once you are discharged from the hospital, you will definitely be assigned to a certain front army." The post of commander. As you guessed just now, our army will have an important offensive operation in the south of Moscow. Among the several front troops participating in this operation, the commander of the Southwest Front, Marshal Timoshenko General Malinovsky, the commander of the Southern Front, will not make any changes in their positions. On the contrary, General Golikov, the commander of the Bryansk Front, may be appointed otherwise, and his vacated post , the Supreme Command will arrange for you to take over."

After listening to Sokov's words, Rokossovsky laughed. He thought that the appointment and removal at the commander level of the front army, let alone a small major like Sokov, even Voroshilov and Budyonny Marshals such as Timoshenko and Timoshenko, it is impossible to know the specific personnel arrangements before the appointment is officially issued. Therefore, he took what Sokov said as the opponent's analysis, and said with a smile: "Misha, if I really serve as the commander of the Bryansk Front Army, then I will definitely incorporate your battalion into mine." Troops. After all, an excellent commander like you and troops capable of fighting are in high demand everywhere."

  Although Rokossovsky only said this in a mocking tone, the stone hanging in Sokov's heart finally fell to the ground. As long as Timoshenko does not assign his troops to the Southwest Front before Rokossovsky is discharged from the hospital, there is still room for improvement.

   After solving the things that bothered him, Sokov became happier. And since Rokossovsky was admitted to the hospital, he couldn't find anyone to talk to himself, and he was feeling uncomfortable. Finally, a closer subordinate came, so he naturally had a little more to say. The more they talked, the happier they were, completely forgetting the passage of time.

   After an unknown amount of time, a doctor in a white coat came in from the door. When he saw Sokov, who was talking and laughing with Rokossovsky, he couldn't help frowning slightly. He strolled up to Rokossovsky and said with a serious expression: "Comrade General, it's getting late. In order for your body to recover sooner, please rest earlier."

   After being reminded by the doctor, Rokossovsky quickly raised his hand to look at the clock hanging on the wall, and found that it was past eleven o'clock. He said apologetically to the doctor: "I'm sorry, comrade doctor, an old subordinate came to visit me today. I was chatting happily for a while, but then I forgot the time. Please forgive me, I will rest right away."

   When Sokov saw the doctor come in, he knew it was time to leave. He quickly stood up, put the coat on the sofa next to him on his arm, and said to Rokossovsky who was lying on the hospital bed: "Comrade Commander, I may still stay in Moscow for a while, Rest well, and I will come to see you another day. Goodbye!" After speaking, he raised his hand and saluted Rokossovsky, then turned and walked out of the ward.

   Seeing that it was getting late outside, Sokov knew that the subway and bus must have stopped. He would not be able to walk back after such a long journey, so he could only think of other ways. On the ground floor, he saw a nurse sitting by the stove to keep warm, so he stepped forward and asked the nurse, "Comrade nurse, I want to ask, are you going to the ambulance at the Lenin Street Hospital again at this late hour?"

When the nurse heard someone asking herself, she quickly raised her head, saw clearly that it was a major, and said politely: "Comrade commander, the wounded who are going to be sent to the Lenin Street Hospital have already been sent away in the afternoon. Why are you going there so late?" To visit the wounded?"

"No, I'm not visiting the wounded." Sokov shook his head quickly and explained, "I live near the Lenin Street Hospital. It's getting late now, and the bus and subway have stopped, so I want to ask if there is any Free ride."

Knowing that Sokov just wanted to hitch a ride, the nurse's face was covered with frost. Just when she was about to reject Sokov directly, she accidentally saw two medals hanging on the chest of Sokov's military uniform. One of them is actually the highest-ranking Order of Lenin. The words of her refusal came to her lips, and she swallowed them again. She tried to force a smile on her face and asked, "Comrade commander, you just came back from the front line?"

"Yes, I just returned to Moscow a few days ago, and I escorted a head back." Sokov said here, raised his hand and pointed upwards, and said: "At present, he lives upstairs. Came here to see him."

"I understand, Comrade Commander." The nurse stood up and said kindly: "You are here to visit the injured superior. Because of the delay, you missed the bus and subway home. I Is that right, Comrade Commander?"

"That's right, that's right." Sokov didn't know the purpose of the nurse's words, but he nodded and replied truthfully: "So I asked if there is a ride, if not, I can only walk back. home."

"Comrade commander, look at what you said, how can I let you walk back. It's such a cold day, and it's such a long way. When you walk back, you will be frostbitten. Wait a minute, I'll go and ask for you, See if there is any car on the way."

Although Sokov didn't know why the nurse was so polite to him all of a sudden, he still said gratefully: "Thank you, comrade nurse, if you don't have a smooth ride, you don't have to force it, and you can't disturb the driver's rest because of me." .”

The nurse walked to a table, picked up the phone on it, dialed a number, paused for a moment, and then asked: "Hello, Boris? I'm Natasha. I want to ask you, Have you finished loading all your goods?...What's the matter? There is a commander who wants to go to the hospital on Lenin Street, and I want you to take it by the way, anyway, you will pass there later."

After Natasha put down the phone, she smiled and said to Sokov: "Comrade commander, you are so lucky. We happen to have an ambulance to deliver to Hospital No. 37. You can take this ambulance through Lenin Street." car back."

Hearing that Natasha had arranged an ambulance for him, Sokov quickly thanked her, and there happened to be a piece of chocolate bought in an officer's shop in his coat pocket, so he gave it to Natasha to express his gratitude . Natasha took the chocolate, and the smile on her face became brighter and brighter.

   Not long after, Natasha heard two horns blared outside, and said to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, the ambulance is here, just stop outside. Come with me."

  Sokov followed Natasha to the inpatient department, and sure enough, he saw an ambulance parked at the door. A middle-aged driver poked his head out of the window and shouted at Natasha: "Hey, Natasha, where is the commander you mentioned, let him get in the car quickly, I still have to hurry. "

Natasha ignored him, but walked to the side of the car, pulled away the co-pilot seat, and then made a gesture of invitation to Sokov: "Comrade commander, please get in the car, Boris will send you off." to the destination."

  Not long after the ambulance left the hospital, Boris, who was driving, suddenly took out a flat stainless steel wine jug from his pocket, shook it at Sokov, and asked, "Comrade commander, take a sip to keep out the cold."

  Sokov knew that the flagon must be filled with vodka, so he quickly waved his hand and said, "Thank you, Comrade Boris, I never drink at night."

Seeing that Sokov rejected him, Boris murmured, "This is a good wine someone gave me. It is said to be from Poland. It's a pity if you don't drink it." After finishing speaking, he pressed the steering wheel with his left elbow , unscrewed the lid, raised his head, and drank the wine with a gulp.

   "Driving carefully!" Seeing that the driver was actually drinking while driving, Sokov was startled into a cold sweat. He quickly reminded the driver: "Don't drink while driving, beware of accidents."

"It's okay! Comrade commander, I'm an old driver." After Boris screwed the lid on the jug, he stuffed it in his pocket and said carelessly, "I drink every time I drive. The more I drink, the harder I drive. The more stable you are." In order to prove his strength to Sokov, he continued, "Once I went to the front line to pull the wounded, the road was bombed by enemy planes, and the road was bombed with potholes, and if we stopped at that time If it is not, it will soon be blown to pieces by the aerial bombs dropped by the enemy plane. I asked Natasha for a small bottle of alcohol, and after drinking it, I drove out of the area bombed by the enemy plane."

  Boris' words not only did not reassure Sokov, but made him even more frightened. Although there were very few vehicles on the streets after nightfall in Moscow, the speed at which Boris drove an ambulance out of the formula car made Sokov's palms sweat even more.

  Finally saw the street he was familiar with appearing in front of him, Sokov quickly pointed there, and said to Boris: "Comrade driver, pull over the car, and I will get off there."

Although Boris drank alcohol, he was quite conscious. He looked at the location Sokov pointed at, and then said, "Comrade commander, it's still four or five hundred meters away from the hospital. Why don't I send you to the hospital?" At the door, it’s just a matter of kicking the accelerator.”

"No, no, no." Sokov hurriedly waved his hands and said, "Comrade driver, I want to go down for a walk, so you can just leave me there." Seeing that Sokov was stubborn, Boris refused to persuade him, so he appointed The location parked the car. After getting out of the car, Sokov closed the car door, thanked Boris, and walked towards his residence with big strides.

   Sokov returned home, took off his military coat and hung it on the coat rack by the door, and went straight into the bathroom, ready to take a shower. Unexpectedly, he had just taken off his clothes when he heard someone knocking at the door. Hearing the knock on the door, he was still a little puzzled, thinking that it was almost twelve o'clock, who would come to the door at this time.

The first thought that popped into his mind was that the other party had knocked on the wrong door, and he didn't want to answer, but the knocking on the door never stopped, and at the same time, a woman's voice came: "Mikhail Mikhail Norwich, are you in the house?"

   Hearing someone calling his real name and father's name outside, Sokov knew that the other party didn't knock on the wrong door, but came to find him. The voice outside the door was familiar, and it only took Sokov a moment for the nurse Annie to knock on the door. He quickly replied, "It's Annie, please wait a moment, I'll be right there." clothing.

  In order not to keep Annie waiting for a long time, he casually put on his clothes and pants, and then opened the door. It was indeed Annie standing at the door. Seeing that Sokov opened the door for her, Annie asked a little embarrassedly, "Misha, I didn't bother you, did I?"

"No, no." Sokov didn't want a woman standing at the door talking to him in the middle of the night. If the neighbors saw him, he might not be able to explain something clearly. He quickly grabbed Annie's hand and pulled her out of the door. Pulling it in, he said, "Annie, what's the matter, let's go into the room and talk about it."

  After Anne entered, she stood in the corridor and said to Sokov, "Misha, why did you come back so late? Do you know how worried I am about you?"

Annie's words stunned Sokov for a moment, and then he said with some embarrassment: "I haven't seen Comrade Commander for a long time, and I forgot the time when we were talking. I'm really sorry to make you worry about me." After he finished speaking Finally, I suddenly remembered that I had just arrived home, how could Annie come here in such a timely manner?

  Thinking of this, he couldn't help asking curiously: "Annie, how do you know I'm home?"

"After I got off work, I didn't go home. I stayed in the mail room of the hospital." Annie explained to Sokov, "I saw that the light in your room was on, so I came here to take a look." After she finished speaking, After a pause, he made another request that Sokov could hardly refuse, "Misha, it's too late now, the subway and bus are stopped, I can't go home, let me stay with you for one night ?"

  (end of this chapter)